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5th May 20006
Normandy
Melissa and I started our trip in Normandy after spending several days with Jane and Dave in Ettalleville.
We left Yevote and took the scenic route to Cean, This seemed like a good idea at the time but unfortunately it took a lot longer than we realised,
Cean is amazing small town with a large Chateau in the centre. The chateau has castle walls surrounding it with a draw bridge over a dry mote.
Walking through the town we came across Abbaye aux Hommes which was built in 1066 and is the resting place for William the Conqueror.
6th May
The D Day Beaches
Even though we had seen many images of the American cemetery nothing could describe walking through the memorial.
By the end of the D Day over 135,000 men had been brought ashore, with losses totalling 10,000.
As we travelled along the different Allied landing sites we stopped as St Laurent. The sheer size and difficulty the soldiers faced scaling those cliffs was immense.
7th May
St Michel
While staying at our B and B near St Germain D.Elle we awoke to the sound of a singing sheep!! Only to find
she had given birth to two baby lambs.
The Island of mont - tomb (tomb on the hill) is the site for the fortified abbey of St Michel.
St michael is a 8th century monastery but now is turned into a national monument, but really just a tourist Mecca with alleyways crowed with restraints and souvenir shops. Once in the Abbey you are greeted with a kind of peace and tranquillity from the hustle and bustle below. Ad Melissa and I walked through a maze of rooms, stairs, courtyards and gardens we keep thinking to our selves what it would have been like back then.
8th May
Brittany
St Malo is a fortified island. Inside the stone walls is a web of cobbled streets with cafes. shops and restraints. Melissa thought she saw Orlando Bloom.
Dinard is a lovely costal village a bit like tamaki drive with large houses on all the cliff tops. We both admired them as we walked below.
Fougeres is a little fortress town set on a hill over looking the Nanvon river, The chateau was the first we saw with a moat and draw bridge. The impressive surrounding gardens made this stop a very
enjoyable one.
9th May
The Loire Valley
The Loire Valley is renowned for its sumptuous chateaux's. We thought is sounded nice too but after a few days going through chateaus and looking at nice country side, we got over it big time!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Over a wine and g&t we decided hot weather, sunshine, cheap living with little driving was in order.
so,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Spain here we come.
10th May
Chinon
We read up on this place over breakfast and thought it was worth a look. Chinon is like a shrine to Joan of Arc. Although the chateaux is now mostly in ruins we still enjoyed walking through the ramparts and going down into dungeons.
11th May
Two Chateaus
1st was Chateaux d'Azay-le Rideau it was a palace, lived in mostly over the summer. The moats are picturesque pools and the interior was full of renaissance style furniture with a cool snooker table. My shoes kept squeaking on the wooden floors which pissed Melissa off big time.
2nd was Chateaux de Chenonceau. This chateaux stretched 70 meters over the river cheer. It was given to Diane King Henri's mistress. Mel was getting hungry so we went back to the
car and snuck into a no-go area to have a picnic under the trees, very romantic. Jealous are you?
12th May/13th May
Still in the loire region, with all the chateauxs, you can see we why we are chateauxed out!!! Today we woke up however to a beautifull breakfast that wasnt bread and jam but cereal, very uncommen in france. The lady of the house spoke very good english and managed to tell us about some sights to see in the village near by. She suggested to go to two large chateaux's, but also interactive gardens which we decided to see and ended spending about two and a bit hour there, very fun.
So after spending a week in northern France we decided to come home(aunties home), after spending one more night in a B&B on the way back, which did have horses.
We are kinda tired, it is hard living out of a suitcase, driving from one b&b to another. But on the upside our french is improving, but in the next few weeks we will have to learn spanish.See its not all relaxing.
Love to you all
Tim and mel
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jlat
non-member comment
hi lovers
Hi u 2 Wow how amazing that you are there finally and having such a gr8 time.Been thinking of you both such alot but not at all feeling sorry for you how tiring it is living out of a sitcase pleeeease!!!haha. anyways all good here weather is only fair and getting set to light the fire and watch a dvd. ,feels funny not to have celebrated the engagement but will be all the better when you get home . Berns is having a fab time on long haul just went on safari in south africa last week amazing . Take care of each other and thanks for all the news and photos lv ya jen and ross x