Avranches, in the Bay of Mont Saint Michel
Avranches in the Manche region of Lower Normandy has all the amenities of a town, yet is very close to the sea and countryside. It also has many lovely views of Mont-Saint-Michel.
A town between coast and countryside…
Gîtes de France® have chosen a host of quality gites in Avranches. With the aid of search filters, it is easy to find the properties which match your requirements according to the number of people and holiday dates.
During your gite holiday in Avranches, you can enjoy trying Norman speciality foods like teurgoule (a type of rice pudding), pommeau, Cotentin lobster and salt marsh lamb from the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel.
Avranches has a whole range of activities for a great holiday. You can go to different seaside resorts for water sports, or go for walks through the surrounding countryside. It also has excellent sporting facilities including rock climbing. You can even have a go at aerial sports !
Lower Normandy is a region where horse riding is particularly popular. You can go horse riding along the beach or have riding lessons. Some gites have facilities for stabling a horse during your stay.
What to do near Avranches
Avranches is close to Mont Saint-Michel, one of the major tourist attractions in France. A holiday here gives you the chance to discover (or rediscover !) this amazing place and its magnificent landscape. From the seashore or the fortification on the Mont, you can admire exceptional panoramic views of the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel. If you visit the abbey at the top of the Mont, you can also enjoy views all the way along the coast.
Avranches is also near Granville, a charming seaside resort with a picturesque fishing harbour and historic town centre. Granville is a lovely place to go for a swim during the summer. In winter, a few days before Mardi Gras, the town celebrates its famous Carnaval de Granville which is very well-known throughout France.
There are also many lesser known but remarkable attractions not far from Avranches, like the Cascades de Mortain, a beautiful natural attraction of waterfalls, the typical villages of Genêts and Saint Jean le Thomas, a place with a magnificent picture-postcard view.
Avranches is not far from the ferry terminals for trips to the islands of Chausey, Guernsey and Jersey. The islands benefit from a micro climate and a way of life that is similar yet different from French culture. Among the numerous attractions is Hauteville House on Guernsey, where the writer Victor Hugo spent 18 years in exile.
How to get to Avranches
By road : A13 from Paris, then A84. Or A11 via Le Mans which is a little quicker.
By rail : TGV fast train to Rennes, then TER to Avranches."
