FRANCE - Normandy

Normandy was everything that we remembered and more.  The cider was more drinkable this time and it is my guess that it was our palettes that had improved more so than the local brew.  Here I go walking to a Cider farm to buy supplies for our  month down south.  We found some 2% cider as well as Pommeau and Calvados.  All products made from apples.

We hit our stride within the first hours having indulged on the road for the previous two evenings.  We were both surprised that it had been seven and a half years since our last visit to the region . . .  Seven and a half years since our first overseas jaunt . . .  Seven and a half years since the beginning of our love affair with France . . .  

I acted as the driver while on the Mr’s travels to the beaches.  The Mr was in seventh heaven with a vast increase in his intake of historical experiences.  

Omaha Beach Museum

Our first evening was spent in The Mulberry Hotel, Arromanches.  It was Bastille Day so we alighted to the Town Square for the 11pm fireworks display.  It was a spirited display with not a word of French in its soundtrack.  Just some funky-arsed, hip schwinging, Beyoncé inspired rubbish {a little disappointing – for a D-Day location on Bastille Day}

The Mulberry Hotel to the left of the church.

We checked out the 360 degree cinema which aired a twenty minute show aimed at immersing its audience in the landing and ensuing battle.  Highly emotive stuff!  After years of osmosis, I am truly starting to appreciate what it’s all about.  The numbers were beyond comprehension.  The terrain and its inhabitants were rustique and beautiful.  There were many American tourists, as you would imagine.

The view back over Aramanches on the way to the 360 cinema.

Look at what we found near the top.  Not another tank!

The town of Arromanches was lovely, if a little touristy, as one would expect.  We enjoyed a crepe for lunch and were impressed by the naughty 'graffiti' kids we discovered.

Second night saw us safely to Carentan where we stayed in the most gorgeous of Logis, called the Auberge Normande.  Again with the pink with splashes of purple ;)  I had the best entree ever!  It was the local speciality, 'a plate full of seashells'.  This meal was unique in that each meal grew progressively smaller.  A nice change :)

We spent the final day at a couple of sites and of particular significance was Brecourt Manor.  For research purposes, the Mr insisted that I watch the third episode of Band of Brothers, to prepare me for the scope of what happened there. 

We also enjoyed some time in Sainte Mere-Eglise.  The village is one of the places where the 101st Airborne landed.  It's the one where the paratrooper, John Steele, was hanging from the church spire. The Mr was wrapped to see the life-size memorial still dangling above us.

Before we headed back to Monpatry to finish our time in Normandy, we visited the Biscuiterie in Sainte Mere-Eglise.  Yummo!  We gathered our biscuit supply to take south with us :)

FRANCE - Monpatry

On the third day of our journey we arrived in the small hamlet of Monpatry, near Domfront in Normandy.  We were to spend some time with our Fraussie friends and their new baby girl.

The home that they were gifted with for the 'northern' summer is owned by an Australian couple, with whom Cyril, collaborates.  Over the course of seven years they have successfully restored what was once a cellar, into a charming, country retreat.  C'est bon!

 The home was surrounded by lush, green countryside.  A reminder that part of the joy of time spent in Normandy is the five C's:  Cream   -   Camembert   -   Cidre   -   Calvados   - Crepes

In total we spent four nights, with the weekend spent stomping around the Normandy beaches in search of our first Bastille Party.  Happy fourteenth of July!