Don’t underestimate Normandy; it’s packed with heritage, and you won’t squeeze it all into a weekend’s visit from Paris. From the remarkable 11th century Bayeux tapestry to the floating harbour at Arromanches and the D-Day Landing beaches, there’s history at every turn. There are tours from Paris, but the area is ideal for touring by car – that way you can stop at pretty thatched-roof villages, and savour the countryside, the castles and the Calvados at your own pace. On no account miss Normandy’s crowning glory, the ancient abbey of Mont-St-Michel, standing aloof on its rock.