At this time of year, Lower Normandy, especially the part near the coast from the Cotentin Peninsula to Le Havre is full of people. I’m continually amazed and, yes, often dismayed at how greatly industrial tourism has penetrated and altered so many parts of the world. Time was when, other than the French themselves, most tourists in France came from Britain and America. Britain is still well represented, especially in the region I’m writing about, since Normandy is very much Britain’s near abroad. Americans, however, are scarcer then they once were, and this is too bad for a reason I’ll come to below.