You can marvel at a masterpiece of a different kind near Caudebec-en-Caux, a jumping off point to see the famous Bayeux Tapestry.
The epic stitch work telling the story of the conquest of England by William, Duke of Normandy, in 1066 is more than 200 feet long and an audio guide brings the story to life.
See if you can spot fun things such as smiling horses, and Harold and his men tucking in their clothes so as not to get their feet wet when they wade into the English Channel and inventive servants using their shields as trays!
Moving on through Normandy to Le Havre, on the opposite side of the Seine estuary, is the pretty fishing village of Honfleur.
With its narrow streets and wooden buildings it’s easy to see why it inspired Monet and other acclaimed artists over the decades, including JMW Turner who went across the Channel in 1832 to paint scenes of the river Seine for a book on French rivers.
The small harbour is surrounded by atmospheric cafés with outdoor seating which are a great spot to tuck into a plate of garlicky mussels or seafood and watch the world go by as you reflect on a view captured by countless painters.