Normandy is a region of northern France known for its coastline of varied beaches, white-chalk cliffs and WWII beachheads, including Omaha Beach. It has a tranquil landscape of half-timbered houses and grazing cattle, yet has been a battleground throughout history, from the Viking raids to the D-Day landings. Offshore, Mont-St-Michel, a 12th-13th-century Christian pilgrimage site, rises from the sea like a mythical castle.