Region areas
Once a very powerful duchy, today’s Normandy was split into two regions in 1956. The old duchy was broken into the Haute-Normandie(Upper Normandy) and Basse-Normandie(Lower Normandy) for easier administration.
Haute-Normandie
An administrative region of northern France, part of Normandy, located between the capital city Paris and the English Channel. Rouen is the local capital, historically important with many fine churches and buildings, including the tallest cathedral in France. However, the region’s largest city is Le Havre. The economy of Haute-Normandie is centered around agriculture, though it makes millions through tourism.
Basse-Normandie
A region in northern France which comprises the lower, western half of the historical Normandy. This part of France was the focus of the D-Day landings in June 1944. The region’s economy is heavily agricultural, with livestock and dairy farming, textiles and fruit production among its major industries. The region is the leader in France in the sectors of butter, soft cheeses, cider apples, cider, leeks, turnips, and flax. The region also breeds more horses than any other in France.