2 Best Sights in Normandy, France

If you've ever imagined your home strewn with haute-couture creations, this place will, perhaps, give you a clearer picture. Christian Dior's childhood abode is now a museum dedicated to the fashion designer; the house would prove to be a source of inspiration throughout his career, as he recalled "the nostalgia of stormy nights, of the foghorn, of the Norman drizzle." A number of his garments are on display, and special exhibitions focus on themes like Dior creations worn by movie stars on- and off-screen. The beautiful "artist's" garden, created by Dior's mother Madeleine, overlooks the sea. On select Wednesdays, the museum offers themed workshops to children and adults.

A good place to begin exploring Caen is the Hôtel d'Escoville, a stately mansion in the city center built by wealthy merchant Nicolas Le Valois d'Escoville in the 1530s. The building was badly damaged during the war but has since been restored; the austere facade conceals an elaborate inner courtyard, reflecting the Italian influence on early Renaissance Norman architecture (there's no access to the interiors). The on-site city tourist office is an excellent resource.