Normandy

After picking up our car at Orly airport, we drove from Paris to Normandy. Wonderfully for us, the van has a GPS, which given our past experience navigating in Italy, has been a huge help. No more trying to figure out which of 5 exits to take out of a traffic circle in the midst of fast traffic, or worrying about going the wrong way up a small village street. About the only miscue we've had was not the fault of the GPS but a mistake by Pete, which took us over the Pont de Normandie and back. Normally, this would been quite cool, as this is the longest cable-stayed bridge in the western world - however, we got clipped 5 euros for each direction as a toll.

We had lunch in Honfleur, a quaint and somewhat touristy coastal town that originally was a fishing village, but now seems to mainly be art galleries and restaurants. It was quite picturesque, especially the harbor, and as a bit of trivia, this was where Samuel Champlain sailed out of when he went to explore America.

Our Normandy home base was Bayeux, just a few km from the beaches, and which was the first town liberated by the D-Day invasions. We liked Bayeux because it felt more like a town where regular people live, rather than surviving just on tourism. For a rather small place, it has a stunning cathedral that dominates the skyline. The most famous sight though, is the Bayeux Tapesty, basically a 70-yard ancient comic strip that tells the story of William the Conquerer's ascent to the English throne, including the Battle of Hastings. The tapestry was a lot more entertaining than I had supposed, with an audio guide that was at times pretty humorous.

We spent Monday hitting the Normandy beaches. First, Arromanches, which was where the artificial harbor was set up (within a few weeks it became one of the largest harbors in France), and where there are still large remnants visible in the ocean. Arromanches was also the near the west edge of Gold Beach, the first of the three British landing areas. We got a chance to see some of the actual German fortifications and guns at Longues-sur-mer, and to crawl all over the top and inside these concrete structures. It was no wonder the Allies took so long to knock them out - many feet of concrete over the top of each one. Our stop at the US Omaha Beach cemetery was humbling - when you see the crosses lined up in row upon row in brings home the cost.

Sophie and I then walked down the hill and along Omaha beach. With imagination, one can see the landing happening and what the men who hit the beaches saw. Without it though, Omaha looks like an everyday vacation beach, with people playing in the sand and sunbathing, and not a hint of WW II debris that I could see. We finished off our D-Day day with a stop at Pointe-du-hoc, where the US Rangers scaled the cliffs. This spot was most interesting because it was heavily bombed and shelled, and they left all the craters and debris as it was, so that you get a feel for what the landscape felt in 1944.

We also saw a number of GI re-enactors, who not only drove around in WW II jeeps and motorcycles (one jeep had a machine gun mounted on the back!) in period uniform, but camped out in tents straight out of WW II too.

Today we arrived at Mt. Saint-Michele, truly one of the impressive structures I've ever seen. It rises out of the water and is an island topped by an abbey. We are staying on the island, and in hiking around you spend lots of time going down up and down stairs in little side routes and along the ramparts, with magnificent views of the mud flats around the island, and the abbey and church everywhere you turned.

We are eating extremely well - too well frankly, and will have to learn how to lay off some of the desserts. We're still trying to get the kids to really get into the local cuisines. I think Noelle and Marie have had more pizza and noodles than when we were in Italy. Sophie has been a little more adventuresome, and we've tried to sample different foods most times, but sometimes a baguette with ham and cheese is just the thing. The fluffy omlettes here on Mt. Saint Michele were interesting - cooked egg on top, and a liquid froth of egg underneath - not the way I've ever had them, but very tasty, especially when topped with chocolate for dessert.

Tomorrow we're off for the Loire Valley, where we'll see chateaus and probably be without Internet for a few days...


The girls walk through Bayeux towards the cathedral

Girls being spied upon by a gargoyle outside the Bayeux cathedral

Sophie walking on Omaha beach

Pete on the Arromanches beach with the remains of the Allied port remains in background

Trish and Sophie walk the Arromanches beach one of the Mulberries in the distance

Noelle hasn't been quite as engaged in the sights as the rest of us at times...

I thought Civil War re-enactors were hard-core, but these GI guys were really realistic looking, except for the chair on the back of course

Sophie and Pete look out of a German artillery control bunker over the English Channel

Trish checks out a German battery at Longues-sur-mer

Unloading the car at Mt. Saint Michel, trying to unsuccessfully haul as few bags up the narrow, vertical streets as possible

Sophie looking out an abbey window near the top of Mt. Saint Michel - the views in the distance were amazing in pretty much any direction

Girls walking the Mt. Saint Michel ramparts, hoping to find a place to eat supper

Marie and Sophie on the sand flats, covered during high tide, that surround Mt. Saint Michel