North by Northwest

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We woke up bright and early. It is Sunday. We are leaving Paris today and heading to Normandy! We finish the last of our packing and head down to breakfast at 7am.

Surprisingly, four of our tour mates are already in the breakfast room. As we eat, another two join us to wish us well. The people are headed back to the States, the gentleman is staying in Paris til Tuesday, the sisters are headed to the D-Day beaches by train and our leaders are in Paris for a few days before heading to Italy.

Steve walks us to the train station a couple blocks away and makes sure we get on the correct train. It is an express train to the airport where we will pick up our rental car. This train makes fewer stops than our train into Paris and we sit back to recollect a bit and enjoy the trip.

At this point, we are a little nervous about driving. I haven't talked about French driving to this point. Controlled chaos might be a way to describe it. I'm honestly surprised each day when we don't see accidents and motorcyclists strewn about all over the Paris pavement. Bicyclists ride in the same traffic with no regard for personal safety or helmets and people on stand up scooters go whizzing by in the bus lanes. No one gives anyone an inch. Bumper to bumper. That's the way they like it!

We get off the train at the airport and slowly make our way to Hertz. I have to ask for directions at least 3 times because everyone speaks in generalities. "Up to the 5th floor." "In terminal 2E." "Around there." Success! We finally find the correct doors and head to the desk. After discussion in English, (Thank you, Jesus) we are loading our suitcases into a 6 speed Renault and setting the GPS toward Normandy.

We have already discovered the beauty of driving. We decided to head to Bayeux by way of Honfleur on the French coast. We set the GPS for "back country roads" and we're off!

Getting out of the airport was ridiculously tricky but we managed somehow. The traffic was light because it was Sunday and, for that, I'll be forever grateful. I had to adjust a bit to the clutch and I'm sure my left thigh will be bigger than my right by the time we head home.

We have larger roads as we make our way north and we are surprised to see men just out walking the fields carrying guns. We realize they are hunting birds of some sort as we also see a few with dogs. I also see two dead badgers on the roadside. Badgers! I wonder if the French are amazed to see skunks. I'll trade them!

It doesn't take us long before we are out in the countryside on little tiny two car (I mean NARROW) roads. We zoom through town after town. I love them. It is literally just like watching my own Tour de France and the roundabouts are AWESOME! No stopping. Everyone knows how they work. Smooth as clockwork.

Oh! The cows! I've never seen so many fat and sassy cows. White, cream, brown, black, brown and white, black and white, rust colored, the list goes on and on. They are everywhere and not just cows! Sheep, geese, goats, horses and chickens. This is fun!

As we get closer to the English Channel, the weather changes. The skies get gray and rain is threatening. Our first week had been so perfect, it's not surprising. It sprinkles off and on but no real down pour. It freaks me out when the windshield wipers come on automatically! They know! Why don't we have this magic?!

As we pull into Honfleur, we aren't sure where to park. Our Rick Steves book has given us ideas but #1 we need to find these spots and #2 I am still trying to be brave enough to drive with these crazy people. We make one pass through town to scope things out, develop a plan and then turn around to park where we find a spot.

We find a lot across from all the hubbub and dress for the chilly wind. Our next obstacle is the French language parking machine. You must pay to park EVERYWHERE in this country. They work just like our parking machines do where you then put the ticket on your dash but the language barrier makes it a little more confusing. It's easier than I thought (it usually is). I psych myself out too much.

On we go to walk this charming little fishing village. There are tourists all over. You'd think we'd be used to it after Paris but this is different when you can tell that as soon as the buses leave, no one will be left! They'll roll the sidewalks up! (This ends up being a recurring them the next few nights)

It is so picturesque and exactly what you'd think a little coastal French village would be. We have a good time peaking in shops for trinkets, drooling over regional products like caramels, nougat and cider and then we see the wooden church!

I have no idea how the salty windy sea doesn't rot the wood away but we get into St. Catherine's just as the rain begins. As I turn to Mom to see her reaction, I hear music playing from speakers. They have monks singing (ok, it could be a choir but monks make for a better story). The church has beautiful stained glass and the combination of the beauty and the music has me in tears within seconds. Time to go be with my own thoughts again.

I collect myself in time to head out onto the square with Mom and we contine our window shopping. We have a ways to go before we reach Bayeux and we still prefer the backroads which adds time so we decide to head for the car.

But first, the merry-go-round!! They have a beautiful 2 story merry-go-round at the end of the promenade and I rush to buy 2 tickets. Thinking of Evan and how much he loves to ride them, we climb the stairs to ride up top! What fun!!

We hop in the car and set our course for Bayeux. It's only an hour or so and we can still make it before the cathedral closes for the evening! The ride is more of the same. Twisty roads, cows and small villages! I really could get used to this!

As we reach the outskirts of town, there is the cathedral, soaring high above in the distance. It is an amazing sight. (Paris stole all of my adjectives. I need to make up some words!) Anyway, we were pleasantly surprised to find that our B&B for two nights was less than a block from the church. What a view!!

We quickly checked-in, got the low down of the area from the owner, Christophe, and headed to get in before they locked the doors.

Bayeux wasn't bombed during WWII and so the town stands as it has for centuries. The church has parts that date back to 1066 and it's the original viewing spot for the Bayeux tapestry (which we'll see later). They have permanent memorials for WWI and WWII complete with poppies. The emotion starts. Tomorrow will be a tough one at the beaches.

We had to grab a bite to eat at a pub. Toasties and frités. (That's grilled ham and cheese with fries for those of you keeping score at home) Then it's back to the B&B to relax a bit before our long day tomorrow.

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