Normandy France Journal

Normandy, the beaches and World War II sites is the theme for this week. I have booked a rental home on the coast at Dives sur Mer for the week. This will provide me with a central location to explore Normandy.

The first night is spent at a hotel near Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. I now longer see it listed, so it my have new owners. I stayed here because I was picking up my rental car for the next 2 weeks here. (I'm going to the Nord region for the 2nd week.

Day 1

Once I picked up my car, it took a little bit to get out of the airport area, and I got a little turned around trying to get on the D104. I had decided last night to go to Chateau Gaillard instead of Giverny.

It is a little hazy or foggy, but a nice drive. The mustard is blooming, so there are many fields of yellow. The Chateau is on a hill above the Seine. It is primarily a ruin, but it is quite interesting, and even though it is hazy, the view is great.

I drove through some nice villages and over rolling hills as I made my way to the coast and out to Dives sur Mer. After a few missed turns, I found the house, pictured in the center foreground with the red roof thankfully the owner had provided good directions and photographs. It is a nice little house with 3 bedrooms upstairs and a nice little patio and yard. Just out the back is a path along a canal, and nearby a footbridge to Cabourg.

I went and got gas, since most stations are closed on Sunday, and then to the InterMarche for groceries. My usual staples of baguettes, Saint Nectair cheese, fruit, wine and chocolate croissants.

In this area, you need anti-calcair laundry detergent. I had a hard time finding it, but a very nice woman helped me.

After dinner, I walked across the footbridge towards Cabourg and onto the boardwalk. I explored some shops under some condos, but most were closed. I continued walking and ended up in Cabourg, which is about a kilometer from the house.

I walked past the Grand Casino and Hotel and down into an area of shops and restaurants. I found a chocolate dessert and bought some Calvados, a very popular apple liquor that is produced in Normandy. When I sampled the Calvados later, I found I don't like it at all.

I walked back along the boardwalk and watched some people flying a kite as the sun set.

Day 2

Today I went to the World War II (WWII) Beaches. Many of the museums are open as well on Sundays.

I drove as far away as I planned to go today, and could then work my way back to the house. That way, if I didn't see everything, I would only have a short journey to finish up my visits to the WWII sights.

Ste-Mere-Eglise was the first site I visited. Made famous by the 82nd Airborne parachuting into town on June 5, 1944. Red Buttons, portraying Private Steele, in the film the Longest Day, is shown parachuting into town and getting his chute caught up on the church. He had to play dead for 2 hours, but was eventually unhooked by the Germans. There is a manikin, hanging on the church today in commemoration of this event.

I decided to visit the parachute shaped Musee des Troupes Aeroportes, the Airborne Troops Museum which contains mementos of the first fighting on D-Day.

From there I drove to Utah Beach. I did not go into the museum, but walked on the beach and looked at several monuments.

My next stop was Pointe du Hoc, which was heavily defended by the Germans, the Pointe ends in a cliff about 99 feet above the rocky shore. This area overlooks Omaha Beach to the east, and received heavy bombing from the American ships in an attempt to help protect the landing troops. The Pointe has many of the craters and blockhouses preserved in memory of the events.

Omaha Beach, wow! This is such a historic place. One of many of course in WWII, but this was one most talked about in my memory. It was a very emotional moment for me to stand on the beach here. There is a beautiful steel sculpture that reminds me of swords raised in battle. Someone had put a red rose at the base of the statue.

The large American Cemetery near Colleville sur Mer followed, and was the most emotional stop of this day. Row after row of white crosses. Sadness for the losses, and grateful for the bravery of the men who fought for us.

The final stop on this drive was at Arromanches-les-Baines where an artificial port was constructed of concrete caissons.

I returned to the house and walked again to Cabourg for dinner. I went to bed exhausted from the travels of the last few days and the emotions of the day.

Day 3

It is a little foggy or hazy, but I can see some blue sky today. I'm going to take my chances and go up to Etretat and Fecamp. I'm a little worried I won't see the chalk arches cut into the cliffs, but this is really my best chance to go. There are sights to see on the way there and the way home, so no matter what I will have an interesting drive.

The first interesting sight was the Pont de Normandie that crosses the mouth of the Seine. The bridge has quite an arch, and driving up what seems like quite a steep slope in the fog was exciting! There is also a 5 Euro toll, but I felt like it was not a big cost for the "ride".

I drove through Le Havre and up the D79 to Etretat. It is still hazy or foggy on the channel, but I decided to park the car and explore. As I walked toward the water I could see the arch, wow! I really like these natural formations.

You are able to hike up the side of the cliff on steps and paths and walk out above the arch, and from there you can see what is called the Needle, and chalk protrusion, and another arch. The path up borders on a golf course that parallels the shore and rises up to the plateau above the cliffs.

I continued to walk along the top of the cliff to see if there was more. One portion of the path was not that nice. The path took quite a dip down and up, and water had eroded the trail. I walked carefully and after walking a little farther, decided that I would turn around and head back to the car. The fog was lifting a little and I wanted to see the cliffs again and have time to get back before my parking time ran out.

Walking back, I could just make out another arch and cliff to the east across the town and the beach. There is a church on top of that hill.

The fog had cleared enough for me to get some better views of the arches and I really enjoyed seeing this natural formation.

I stopped for a little lunch and then drove on to Fecamp and took a quick drive through the town before heading back towards Honfleur. On the way, I decided to drive across the Pont de Normandie again, since there was no more fog here. Again, I thought it was fun, and worth the 5 Euro toll.

I found a car park in Honfleur and found the wooden Eglise of Ste Catherine. This is a rare example in Western Europe of a building made almost completely of wood. I walked down to the Vieux Bassin, which is lined with cafes and restaurants. I found a place mat of Etretat and decided to buy it. I also found a small bottle of Calvados, the apple liquor that is famous in this part of France.

I stopped at the HyperU and picked up a few groceries and then stopped at the bakery at the Intermarche and lastly bought some gas before returning to the house.

I unloaded groceries and decided to walk over to the bar in Port Guillaume which is a little sheltered marina with several shops and houses that are part of the little harbor. I was able to get my favorite Belgium white beer. It was pretty funny, because the beer I was served is the same that I can find in Seattle!

I walked around and looked at the cafes and shops and found a little bakery and bought a couple of chocolate croissants, before returning to the house for dinner.

Day 4

There is supposed to be a covered market in Dives sur Mer today, and I haven't really explored the town, so that is the plan for this morning.

I was able to find parking and walked to the market, but there is no market. I guess that it might be off season, or I read wrong information. Oh well. I found something good, anyway. I found a patisserie and chocolatier, and will stop by on my way back and get some treats.

I drove to Beuvron en Auge, which was recommended by the owner of the house. This is a great little village! The architecture is interesting and has a lot of character. There are many half-timbered houses. I was really glad that I decided to visit here.

On the way to Caen to see "The Memorial", I stopped to look at an interesting church at Hotot en Auge and for a small chateau at Janville.

The Memorial in Caen was incredible. I had no idea it would be such an experience. I cried, I pondered, I hurt, and I was touched in so many ways. I spent over 4 hours here (plan your trip to spend that amount of time at a minimum), there was so much to see. There is some information on wars in Europe, much on WW I and WW II, but with all that is presented, it is really a memorial to Peace.

There is also memorabilia from the Cold War, including 2 sections of the Berlin Wall. There are some I-beams from 9/11 Ground Zero. There is a Nobel Peace Prize gallery, and several gardens.

Reading several letters written to families on December 5, 1944, was so moving. 50,000,000 people died in WW II. 20,000,000 were reported to be civilians. Not all these were French, of course, but after seeing just this area of Normandy and this museum, you can see why the people here don't want any more war.

Seeing yellow stars, Klu Klux Klan garb, knowing there is still so much prejudice in this world, hurts.

I read something today about soldiers being gassed in WW I. I never met my paternal grandfather. He died when my father was a year old. He had been gassed in the war and it affected him upon his return. I was wondering where he was here in France during the war, and would find out when I got home.

This was a good day, though sad and hard at times, the sites visited today were interesting and great choices.

Day 5

Today I'm heading out early, as I plan to drive to Cherbourg.

My first stop is the fishing port of Barfleur, the guide books shows pictures of granite houses and the quay. It is a cute little town.

I visited an allee couverte (ancient chambered tomb) on the way from Barfleur to Cherbourg. Then drove into Cherbourg and saw the ferry port. I decided to drive on through and then found a place along the shore to have the lunch I'd brought.

I was enjoying the drive, so I decided to go all the way out to Cap de la Hague, which is the furthest northwest point along the peninsula. There was offshore haze, so I couldn't see far, but I enjoyed driving and the views.

On the way back to the house, I drove to Chateau Fountaine-Henry, but it was closed, so I was only able to view it from the gate.

I had enough time to drive across the Pegasus Bridge, but did not stop at the Memorial or Museum recounting the Battle of Pegasus. Pegasus was the emblem of the brigade that helped to liberate a small French enclave here.

When I got back to the house, I called my sister to let her know that all was well.

I left the house for Houlgate, and when backing out of the parking spot and turning around caught the corner of the passenger mirror on the edge of the fence and broke it off. I called the travel insurance company I use, and they told me that they will send me forms to file a claim when I get home. I will pay the charges at the rental car agency when I return the car. It shouldn't be much as it is only the back plastic of the mirror that is cracked. I'm glad I have the travel insurance, though my credit card will also cover any expenses since I used it to rent the car.

In Houlgate, I walked the beach and looked at the architecture of the houses, which I thought were quite interesting. There are similar in style to those on the way to Cabourg. The beach is very wide and long and it was warm enough that there were a few people out enjoying the late afternoon.

Day 6

Again, I rose early for the drive to Rouen to see the cathedral and the Place du Vieux-Marche that has a cross that marks the spot where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431. I visited the Eglise Ste Jeanne d'Arc here which has 13 panels of stained glass that were saved from a 16th century church that was destroyed in 1944.

The Cathedrale Notre-Dame is amazing, I walked all the way around it admiring the French Gothic architecture. There are two different towers, which is something I don't remember seeing before. The central tower with its spire is the tallest in France at 495 ft. The exterior work is very intricate. The interior is equally amazing. The cathedral has been under restoration since 1945 and it is still not complete. This was well worth the visit!

I drove to Abbaye de Jumieges, but they were closed for lunch (about 2 hours), and they had just closed, timing is everything! I decided to walk around the exterior. Which turned out to be a very long walk around the block, but I got to see some good views of the Abbaye. I also so a sculpture studio that had some sculptures on display in the yard (it was closed for lunch, too).

On the way back towards the house, I was able to see different views of the Seine.

I visited Beaumont en Auge on the way back to the house. There is kaleidoscope manufacturer here. I did not find the shop open, but I did look in the window and saw a few kaleidoscopes. I think it is too early in the season for it to be open every day.

It was probably 75 F today, so I sat out on the deck at the house and had bread, wine and cheese.

Day 7

Today is an easy day locally, I leave tomorrow for Nord Picardie.

I went to the store for a few supplies and then walked to Cabourg for lunch at the Welsh. I got excellent service and had a lunch of steak and frites (french fried potatoes).

I then walked along the shore towards Houlgate and watched some children that were getting sailing lessons.

I returned to the house to clean up and get organized for my departure tomorrow morning.