Blogs from Lower Normandy, France, Europe - page 9

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Europe » France » Lower Normandy July 5th 2015

Everywhere you look there were fast expensive cars. Kids loved the beach (they said it was the best so far), it was refreshing because it was too hot (kids were dictating this one).... read more
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Europe » France » Lower Normandy July 3rd 2015

Au lendemain de cette nouvelle découverte parisienne, j'ai mis le cap sur la zénitude des jardins fleuris de la maison de Claude Monet à Giverny. Difficile ici de ne pas apprécier cette toile vivante où se mêlent toutes les couleurs vives et les pastels qui sont la signature de ce grand impressioniste qui a vécu plusieurs années dans cet endroit paradisiaque. Pas difficile non plus de comprendre son inspiration lorsque le matin, se réveillant, il avait cette vue sur ce vert pénétrant et sur les mille odeurs que dégagent ces jardins somptueux. Les chants mêlés des différents oiseaux et les millions de papillons papillonnant sans relâche... En s'asseyant sur un banc de bois au détour du jardin de bambou, on comprend alors l'importance de faire le vide pour apprécier la beauté de la nature. On ressent ... read more
Le jardin de bambou
Les nymphéas en fleurs
L'étang des nymphéas

Europe » France » Lower Normandy » Benouville June 28th 2015

Bob had carefully chosen a route, for our quite long travelling day, to be half quiet country roads and half dual carriageway. It worked very well and Clarissa Tomtom was pretty much up to the challenge. We followed the coast down to St Brieuc passing several seaside towns, including Binic, a very popular holiday resort with the French and where I stayed for a few day a long time ago, As usual for France everywhere is lovely and tidy and clean, full of flowers and the roadsides totally lacking in litter. I wish I knew what it is the French do to persuade people not to just drop their rubbish down. I know of several areas of Britain which could take lessons from them. From St Brieuc we took a faster dual carriageway to get us ... read more
Pretty villages and churches as we drove from Brittany to Normandy
Clean and tidy little towns full of flowers and tall steepled churches
Normandy cattle

Europe » France » Lower Normandy June 3rd 2015

Day 76 Friday May 29 At sea through the Straits of Gibraltar and back into the Atlantic. A bit of a swell once we got into the Atlantic. 22c some cloud and wind Gail went to tap while I did some washing. Then we did the quiz and line dancing. Next I went to the second half of a talk on Michelangelo. We had a cup of coffee and read for a while then went to a ballroom dance class on the Rhumba. The crew talent show was on and while we had seen all the crew members before it was still enjoyable. We read a some more then walked and did the stretch class then went to our cabin and finished the last of our cabin red wine. Dinner was fine and the entertainment was ... read more

Europe » France » Lower Normandy » Mont Saint-Michel May 27th 2015

Tuesday 26 May 2015 Today dawned sunny and warm for our much anticipated visit to Mont Saint Michel, the historic abbey built high on a rock just off the coast where Normandy meets Brittany. With a history of the first Christian building here going back to early in the eighth century, this place has been built to fit the rock, giving it its distinctive silhouette when seen from a distance. Approaching the Mont by Road It looks almost surreal that such a sight could be possible in the wide and flat coastal landscape. Ample parking Is provided at a cost and free shuttle buses sweeten that pill by transporting visitors to a spot quite close to the destination. These buses can be driven from either end, saving the driver the trouble of turning. Alighting from the ... read more
Mont Saint-Michel
The church seen from the cloisters
Beauty and peace in the cloisters

Europe » France » Lower Normandy » Granville May 25th 2015

Saturday 23 May 2015 After fours days of exploring Normandy it was time to repack the car and head for our next destination, Granville, on the south west coast of the Cotentin Peninsula. From Bayeux it only takes about two hours by the direct route. We had all day to complete the journey. Our first port of call was Sainte Mere Eglise. As we got near we detoured off the highway to visit a German Military Cemetery. The setting was just as picturesque as the Allied cemeteries and on this day with low fog it made for grim viewing with so many buried here. Sainte Mere Eglise became famous during World War 2 when American Airborne divisions landed in and around the town. Again there is an opportunity to visit a museum but this touring party ... read more
La Cambe
Sainte-Mere-Eglise
Bricquebec

Europe » France » Lower Normandy » Caen May 23rd 2015

Friday 22 May 2015 Seventy-one years ago the Allied armies were preparing to land at the Normandy beaches only a few kilometres from where we are staying. It is hard to believe the turmoil that would be unleashed on such beautiful countryside. Today the weather is fine, the fields have been planted in summer crops of grain, corn and broad beans. They look lush and sway in the light breeze. We wondered if this is how it would have looked all those years ago. Our destination today is the Caen Memorial Museum. We were greeted by a larger than life American sailor embracing a local girl, a sign of happiness and relief perhaps. Inside a very large bunker -like building we are greeted by a light welcoming feeling. Without any questions being asked we are charged ... read more
Lion sur Mer, Sword Beach
Arromanches
American Military Cemetery, Omaha Beach

Europe » France » Lower Normandy » Alencon May 23rd 2015

Thursday 21 May 2015 A vague memory surfaced while we were in the Bayeux area and noticed the town Alencon on the map. A remembered association of this town's name with lace making was enough to send us on a mission to set eyes on some of the lace. A little preparatory detective work found the Musee des Beaux-Arts et la Dentelle would be the place to find the lace in Alencon, so we set off through the green countryside with more than a hint of sun to cheer us. Our excellent GPS lady directed us to a free carpark in the centre of town. We duly headed off on foot to find the Tourist Office where an English woman married to a Frenchman gave us easy-to-follow instructions. The town market was closing so a bite ... read more
Alencon
Alencon

Europe » France » Lower Normandy » Honfleur May 22nd 2015

Tuesday 19 May 2015 We and the weather forecasters had predicted very little chance of rain for our visit to Honfleur. Nevertheless, we made sure umbrellas and jackets were at hand for this much anticipated stop en route from Rouen to Bayeux. A picnic lunch was planned but as we drove into Honfleur the picturesque cloud formations dramatically darkened and heavy rain began to fall. Oh well, c'est la vie, the picnic was relocated to our comfortable car in the large car park. Before the rain set in we had seen the elegantly proportioned bridge that crosses the Seine estuary to Le Havre, but decided not to cross and instead spend our time in Honfleur. Once the heavy shower cleared we headed on foot into the town and were delighted by the buildings around the waterfront ... read more
Honfleur
Honfleur
Honfleur

Europe » France » Lower Normandy » Bayeux May 22nd 2015

Wednesday 20 May 2015 We seemed to have arrived in Normandy at the same time as a rather wet cold weather pattern descended on the region from the North Atlantic. It reminded us of occasional days in Dunedin. So with appropriate layers of clothing we headed off for Bayeux. The car park was only a few minutes drive away and to those with a tight budget this might have seemed extravagant but the weather was being quite unpredictable. Just as we arrived so did a heavy shower of rain and hail. The cathedral offered us sanctuary from the patchy weather. The interior was quite outstanding. It has been lovingly restored and well worth a visit. The cathedral was built by Odo, the brother of William the Conqueror. It seemed like an English invasion today with many ... read more
Bayeux Cathedral
Bayeux
British War Cemetery, Bayeux




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