- Caen - You will definitely be spending time in Caen. Other assistants that you meet live there. Probably the coolest part about Caen is the Abbaye aux Hommes. Take a tour of it, it's very cool. There are great restaurants and overall it's a nice city to walk around.
- D-Day Beaches - This is a day trip that you can not miss while you're here. The 3 main sights are Omaha Beach, the American Cemetery, and Pointe du Hoc. They are all absolutely breathtaking. Pointe du Hoc is a point between Omaha and Utah beaches where you can see both of them on a clear day. All of the holes caused by mortar shells are still in place, as are some of the German bunkers. There isn't very good public transit access here. I would recommend either renting a car, or taking a tour leaving from Caen or Bayeux.
- Mont Saint Michel - This is an absolute must. Some professors will offer to take you. The public transportation options are easy from Pontorson, but not from Vire. Again it's easiest to get to with a car. Take a tour of the Abbey at the top - the English tour guide is great. One of the French ones however... not so great (and not because it was in French), so look for the English one if possible.
- Saint Malo - You can take a train to Saint Malo. This is a walled city about a half hour west of Mont Saint Michel, actually in Brittany. It's very picturesque, and it sits right next to the ocean. It's definitely worth the day trip. There are tons of really cool souvenir shops as well.
- Honfleur - I have never been there and likely will not make it, but you can take the Busverts buses there, it is supposed to be beautiful. I have heard positive reviews from many other assistants. It's on the ocean northeast of Caen.
And make sure you drink plenty of Cidre! It is quite delicious and local to the area. If you are brave, you can try the apple brandy Calvados, for which our département is named.
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