Countryside pursuits

Why not see how cider is made, or bake your own bread in a traditional wood-fired oven? How about riding in the unspoilt countryside around the town? Cycling to the coast? Or just walking the many kilometres of trails in the nearby national forests? 

Whatever you do, don't forget to sample the local apples and cheese.

Pamper yourself

Forges has been a spa town since the Middle Ages, and the 19th-century spa and casino is still the centre for entertainment. They have a pool, beauty centre and regular music and cabaret acts all year. 

They also have an artificial beach and outdoor concert in summer. 

Dive into history

The beautiful cathedral cities of Amiens and Rouen are a short drive away, as are the battlefields of two world wars. 

Forges itself is full of history, as you can learn in its three small museums. The 'Sun King' Louis XIV was supposed to have been conceived in Forges; Monet painted the coast and the cathedrals, Gustave Flaubert, Victor Hugo and Jules Verne wrote nearby. 

On the wilder side...

There's a man down the road who owns a hot air balloon you can ride, and there's a microlight centre nearby. Or perhaps you'd like to meet Monsieur Roche, trainer of birds of prey for the movies? Get lost in a maze? Walk a treetop forest? Just because it's peaceful here, it doesn't mean you have to be. 

Take a break from the hustle and bustle.