| Great escapes: Normandy 6 |
| Granville |
| This old seaside town has no end of attractions for mariners and museum-lovers alike, from a sailing school to the home of Dior |
To the north of the Mont-St-Michel Bay, the town of Granville sits on a rocky outcrop. It was founded by the English in 1439, later captured by the French and temporarily seized again during World War II, when the Germans used it to their advantage.
Long before this, Granville had become a fashionable seaside resort, and judging by the number of present day visitors it attracts today its charisma hasn't waned.
1. The town centre
To get to Granville from Caen, follow the N175 south west for 78km then take the D924 for 28km. On entering the town follow signs for the Office de Tourisme and the adjacent car park on the Cours Jonville.
The streets of Granville are full of shops, particularly in the heart of the town, and beg to be explored on foot. There are also plenty of places to eat. The Parc Val-ès-Fleurs adjacent to the railway station in Avenue de la Gare is a pleasant spot, ablaze with flowers and many varieties of trees. It's a popular park with locals, too, who like to come here for a stroll and, on a sunny day, to enjoy a picnic.
2. The Aquarium – and the rest
Return to the car park and from it turn left into the one-way traffic system, following signs for Le Phare restaurant (an excellent establishment specialising in seafood) and the Aquarium-Musée which is situated on the rock at the most westerly point of the town. Leave the car in the space opposite the Aquarium.
It's just as well that parking is free here, for you can expect to be absent for several hours once you begin to explore the wealth of museums and other attractions. Start off with the Aquarium, which displays a wealth of underwater fauna, including fish from the local waters and multicoloured specimens from warmer seas.
A popular thrill is the outside tank and the manoeuvres of the huge sea lions, though if you're hoping to catch these marvellous beasts on film you'll need to be prepared to dodge the parties of school children. At the adjoining marine museum allow plenty of time to fully appreciate the many scale models and specimens.
The nearby Féerie des Coquillages (Shell Fairyland) leaves you truly agog. Here, in a cave containing over three tons of corals from around the world, are fabulous scenes created entirely from millions of individually selected shells. A replica of a single Japanese engraving involves 50,000 shells, while each of the 2000 flowers covering one wall
represents two hours' work.
Whole years were spent on the sculptures of mythological and imaginary animals on display in the La Palais Mineral (The Mineral Palace). The frescos in the Astrology and Egyptian rooms are certain to impress, and the spectacle of the black cave, made from over 300 kilos of pink quartz, is a truly dazzling sight.
The finale in this museum complex is Le Jardin des Papillons (The Butterfly Garden). Here you can watch tropical butterflies in a
faithful re-creaction of their natural rainforest habitat.
3. Old Granville
Leaving the car in the Aquarium-Musée car park, continue on foot along the Boulevard Vaufleury and stop to admire the Eglise Notre-Dame, which dates from the fifteenth century. Now make your way through the quaint streets of the old town by way of the Rue du Nord which will take you in a clockwise direction to Rue Lecarpentier and the Musée du Vieux Granville. This museum, located behind the Grande Porte in the former Logis du Roi, houses a collection of the town's historical effects and art. En route you will pass the Musée Richard Anacreon, which has a number of Impressionist paintings.
Walking along the town ramparts takes you past rows of ancient houses: some are amazingly squat with tiny windows, while flowers wind around the weathered doors and shutters. The view of the town from this elevated height is quite superb (above).
The view of the habour is, by contrast, something of an eyesore. The tides around the bay are the among the most powerful in Europe, and through the centuries royal merchant ships and fishing trawlers have found refuge here. Today trawlers and whelkers still unload their catch on the quay, and every morning lorries leave the port crammed with seafood destined for the tables of France.
4. The sailing school
Return to the car park at the Aquarium and on leaving it follow the one-way system via Avenue de Cap Lihou and Rue du Port to the roundabout at the bottom of hill. Take the second exit into Boulevard des Admiraux Granvillais where you will see the sailing school on your right. Park in the car park opposite the school and cross road to visit it.
Recreational sailing takes pride of place in this area, and the impressive Centre Régional de Nautisme de Granville (Granville Regional Sailing Centre), with its endless craft moored in the harbour, its smart accommodation and buzz of activity, suggests a top-class establishment. It is open all year and caters for every age and level of sailor, from beginners to high-level sportsmen. Dinghies, catamarans, windsurfing boards and sea kayaks can all be hired here, though many visitors prefer to take the 45-minute boat trip to the Chausey islands. This departs from the Gare Maritime de Granville facing the sailing school and next to the yachting club.
5. Christian Dior Museum
Turn right out of the car park at the sailing school and at the roundabout take the second exit into Rue Saint Sauveur. Pass the tourist office on the right and bear right into Cours Jonville.
At the T-junction turn left, then take the
second turning on the right into Rue J.Michelet, soon after bearing left into Avenue de la Libération and taking the second turning on the left immediately after passing the Protestant Temple, also on your left, following the sign for Musée et Jardin Christian Dior. Park in the museum's car park.
A touch more glamorous than the sailing school is the Musée Christian Dior (below). It is housed in the delightful pink stone mansion where Dior lived as a child, commanding wonderful views of the sea and the Channel Islands from its cliff-top location.
The house was converted into the museum between 1992 and 1997, while 2001 has seen the restoration of the 1920s garden
created by Christian and his
mother. It was this garden which inspired so many creations by
the famous couturier and his
many successors.
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Time 71/2 hours
Start Cours Jonville
Finish Musée Christian Dior
Suitable for All the family
Refreshment
Le Phare
Tel 00 33 (0)2 33 50 12 94
Restaurant Le Herel,
Tel 00 33 (0)2 33 90 44 52
Le Borgalino Pizzeria
Tel 00 33 (0)2 33 50 02 99
Attractions
L'Aquarium Le Roc
Tel 00 33 (0)2 33 50 19 83
Centre Regional de Nautisme
Tel 00 33 (0)2 33 91 22 62
Gare Maritime boat tours
Tel 00 33 (0)2 33 50 31 81
Musée Christian Dior
Tel 00 33 (0)2 33 61 48 21
Information
Office de Tourisme
Tel 00 33 (0)2 33 91 30 03
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