european chronicles- france 2.0 normandy

In addition to life in Paris, we also got to experience different parts of Normandy on a little road-trip. 

{road-trip scenery}

We rented the car at some place right near the Arc de Triomphe. We didn’t think much of it, but as soon as we exited the lot and were still trying to figure out the car, map, and GPS navigation system, we were in one of the most harrowing turnarounds I have ever seen. Thank God Monica was driving cause I would have cried.

So we finally got on the road and spent day 1 touring some of the port towns of Normandy.  We decided that most Disney movies come from here. Belle definitely sang and read while wandering the streets of Rouen, Prince Eric has got to be from Honfleur, and Rapunzel’s castle IS Mont Saint Michel.   

Honfleur was probably my favorite of the port towns, mostly because I didn’t have any expectations. It had such an enchanting, old charm to it; and we saw an amazing sunset over the harbor. There was a boat for sale, and for a moment I really was tempted to sell everything I own and just live and travel around on a boat. I’m sure it would get old pretty fast, but let me just have this fantasy. Thanks.

{rouen was our first stop... i love timbered houses!}

{pretty church details- bayeux and rouen cathedrals}

{honfleur}

{gorgeous town}

{i could live on a boat here, right?!}

On Saturday, we did a day trip out to Mont Saint Michel, which was simply stunning.  It is an island… sort of. It is connected to the mainland via a walkway at low tide, but is completely surrounded by water at high tide. Apparently the tides used to change very quickly, hence the term “galloping tides” and pilgrims would be swept out to sea or stuck in quicksand, but there is a dam now that slows it down.  <I wish I could insert some damn/dam joke here, but I’m not clever enough> Also, we like to live on the edge, and so even though the tides were on their way “galloping” in and walking tours were closed, we walked around the sandy island. I almost didn’t make the trek because we had to crawl around some fortress-looking structure through a muddy, slippery mess and I was concerned for my boots. #Firstworldproblems. I’m so glad I got over myself, because the whole experience and view was worth every pair of boots in my closet. We walked quite a bit and got to see the most magnificent sunset ever. EVER. I will not try to describe it, so here are some pics:

{top: view from the "parking lot"- where you have to park
so your car doesn't get swept away in high tide;
bottom: view from the walkway}

{views of the shore from within the city walls}

{debating the slip 'n slide journey to the other side}

{worth it}

{sunset explorations}

{night time view}

Also, sheep and cattle graze at low tide in the salty meadows, creating the most amazingly flavored meat. Sorry to my vegetarian friends, but it was really incredible. Our lunch in Avranches of local lamb and steak was my favorite meal of the whole trip. (Even including Italy!) We almost didn’t even stop in Avranches. It wasn’t on our list and we had no idea what to expect, but we were driving to Mont Saint Michele and were getting hungry, and saw this town that looked like a castle on the top of a hill and were curious, so we decided to check it out. I believe the exact conversation was: "Is that a castle over there?! Should we go there for lunch??" The answer to that question should always be "yes".  I felt like we time traveled the second we got out of the car. It felt like a little village, delightfully untouched by time. Like Brigadoon. 

{sadly i have no pictures from here. i honestly think it could have been a dream}

Sunday was the last day of our road trip, so we toured around the landing beaches in Normandy and saw the WW2 Memorials along the coast.  This whole trip ended up being a very good history lesson on WW2, and this was another enlightening perspective.  We went to the German battery of Longues-Sur-Mer, the American War Cemetery, Omaha, and Pointe du Hoc. Those were all so beautiful, but eerie. You could actually walk into the artillery bunkers, some with the original guns in place, rusted but covered in bullet holes.  When we walked along Omaha, it was a similar sensation to Dachau- where you could admire the beautiful surroundings, despite its tragic and painful past.  It was also incredible to actually see how the earth is still scarred from warfare.  Pointe du Hoc is a 100 foot cliff with a stunning view of the other landing beaches, but the landscape is still covered with deep bomb craters.

{german battery- with the artillery still standing}

{american war cemetery}

{deeply scarred, but beautiful landscape at pointe du hoc}

{omaha beach}

On a lighter note, we wanted to get one last, great meal of moules-frites on our coastal trip, but were running so late to return our rental car, that we drove through McDonalds! It felt very anticlimactic. And I’m ashamed. Or maybe we were just being subconsciously patriotic? No, that is probably not it. A quarter-pounder is no match for some fresh mussels and cider. Ironically, we were too late anyways and had to sneak the car into the creepy, deserted rental car lot, trying to understand the key drop directions in French, and make our way back to our apartment in Paris (OMG I just love saying that… our apartment in Paris!! I still can’t believe we made that happen).