Mary AnneNormandy is planning a huge range of events in 2019. The one everybody is talking about is the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Landings from 15 May to 16 June. But there’s plenty more to entice you to our French neighbours. Check out these Normandy Events in 2019.
Events in April 2019
Tourville-sur-Arques, near Dieppe
27-28 April: Le Fil de la Manche is a great yarn festival with all fibres, yarns, linen, colours etc. to buy. At the Château de Miromesnil, birthplace of the author Guy de Maupassant. It may be small but it’s one of the fun Normandy events in 2019.
Deauville
To May 4: Major classical music festival.
Spring 2019
Watch out for two major museum and gallery openings:
Argentan: New Fernand Léger-André Mare art museum opens, named after the famous cubist painter and the less well known art déco artist who were born and went to school together in the town. It’s in Léger’s childhood home.
The main Fernand Léger museum is in Biot in the south of France.
Cherbourg: The new Ocean of the future exhibition opens at the family friendly museum La Cité de la Mer. It’s fun, and educational as it takes you on an underwater adventure with 16 aquariums housing sea creatures from the exotic to the rather more familiar local species from the English Channel.
Events in May 2019
25 May-16 June: Major D-Day commemorations of the 75th anniversary commemorations in Normandy (Calvados, Manche and Orne departments). It’s a full-on programme of parades, firework displays, air shows and military enactments.
Coutances
25 May-1 Jun: Jazz Sous les Pommiers (Jazz under the apple trees). Great jazz festival in its 38th year.
Events in June 2019
Normandy D-Day Landing Events
June is a major month with the D-Day Landing commemorations and of all the Normandy events in 2019, this is the main one. If you haven’t booked accommodation nearby it will be difficult to find somewhere to stay. Check out the Normandy Tourist Office site for help, or stay further away and visit daily.
4-5 June: Daks Over Normandy Extraordinary re-enactment when around 250 men and women fly from the UK across the English Channel to jump into the historic drop zones of World War II. They’ll be dressed in Allied uniforms and use military-style parachutes.
6 June: The official international ceremony celebrating this major anniversary takes place on one of the landing beaches. Heads of State of the major allies will take part (tbc).
Date to be confirmed. The first ever British memorial in Normandy honouring the 22,000 soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen who died fighting under British command during D-Day and the Battle of Normandy will open overlooking Gold Beach.
Rouen
6-16 June: The Armada de la Liberté international maritime festival when 50 of the the world’s greatest tall ships line Rouen’s quaysides. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the festival includes Tenacious, the largest wooden ship to be built in the UK for over 100 years, as well as military boats and submarines from all over the world. It ends with a parade along the River Seine.
Le Havre
7 June-7 July: FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019. 24 teams compete in 52 matches hosted by nine French cities including Le Havre. Seven games, including one of the quarter finals, take place at the city’s Océane stadium.
Events in July 2019
Festivals really come into their own in July in Normandy with a large variety from jazz to events which look back to the past for inspiration.
Bayeux
5-7 July: The Bayeux Medieval Festival takes you back to the Middle Ages where you can swash buckle away to your heart’s content.
July-August: Mont-Saint-Michel lights up with its new sound and light show Les Chroniques du Mont.
July-August: Bayeux Cathedral also glows with its Rendez-vous à la Cathédrale on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
2 July-2-4 August: Jazz en Baie festival runs along 14 miles of the Mont-Saint- Michel Bay from Genêts to Granville.
Events in August 2019
More festivals during the major French holiday (from July 14 to mid August). It’s a great time for families to visit.
Crévecoeur-en-Auge
11-14 August: Les Médiévales medieval events at the beautifully restored château at Crévecoeur-en-Auge.
Falaise
August: ‘Fête Médiévale. Annual medieval festival at William the Conqueror’s Castle.
Events in September 2019
Throughout Normandy you’ll find festivals around the abundant harvest, plus one of the great film festivals.
Deauville
6-15 September: American Film Festival. One of the country’s most famous film festivals, with premiere screenings of the latest US film releases and big stars on the red carpet.
Granville
28-29 September: Toute la Mer sur un Plateau. Huge seafood festival around the port.
Events in October 2019
As you travel around Normandy, look out for all the great cider festivals throughout the region.
Rouen
Mid October weekend: La Fête du Ventre. A farmer’s and local produce market on a massive scale with over 100 stalls, cooking demos and street entertainment.
Events in November 2019
More food festivals, plus the beginning of Christmas.
Rouen
16-17 November: Foire aux Harengs et à la coquille Saint-Jacques. One of France’s largest herring and scallop festival with over 100,000 visitors expected.
Bayeux
30 November-4 Jan 2020 December: La Cathédrale de Guillaume is a fabulous light show on Bayeux Cathedral.
Events in December 2019
All the fun of Christmas markets and churches full of creches. Have a Happy Christmas and a joyous New Year.
Rouen
Rouen Givrée. Rouen’s Christmas market together with festive events comes to the city centre. h
Grandcamp-Maisy
Fête de la Coquille Saint-Jacques celebrates the scallop season.
Trouville-sur-Mer
More scallop festivals plus a great market around the port at the annual Coquille en Fête