After spending a few days of March in Paris, we’ve headed to Normandy. What a beautiful place! And too exciting for anyone who likes the stories of World War II. The place provokes reflection, and it really gives you goosebumps, makes you cry, marvels at the amount of energy that exists there.
In addition to walking through the beautiful streets, full of shops and souvenirs, we visited the D-Day beaches, Omaha Beach, Gold Beach, Arromanches, the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, the D Day Museum, the Omaha Memorial Museum Beach, and Pointe Du Hoc, where you can see many remnants of what the German army have organised during the war. By the way, many bunkers built by them are still intact. Nowadays, the Pointe Du Hoc is a kind of American memorial, with photos and plaques about the soldiers and combatants who lost their lives on the battlefield.
We also visit the cliffs of Etretat, on the edge of the English Channel. One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen in my life! We walked through a cave, climbed the stairs carved in the stone (not very easy with children) and reached the other side of the beach. Of course, the tide was low, you need to be aware of this so as not to get “stuck”. There are incredible rocky walls for you to lose your breath in front of so much beauty. Walk around the region, wear comfortable sneakers, take a bottle of water and walk through the hills, it’s worth every climb, believe me!
On the way back to the hotel, we’ve let instinct guide us and stopped in a town called Domfront. Over there we’ve had dinner at the family-run Auberg du Grand Gousier restaurant. Wow… what a wonderful food and divine dessert. With no doubt, one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been! And how friendly the owners are! The lady did her best to explain the menu to us, which was only in French, and she even played with our son, so we could eat in peace for a while. Sensational!
We’ve stayed in Caen, in a wonderful hotel, a bit far from the buzz and at a great price, Le Relays de Montigny, which also has an excellent breakfast! However, if you want to stay close to the famous places, book a hotel in Rouen, the capital, is busier, with nightlife, full of bars and restaurants, and easy to visit, as everything is close to the historic center. And in almost every shop you’ll find delicious cheeses and caramels!
Ruen holds the monument in honor of Joan of Arc, which is located in the same place where she was burned, and the Episcopal Palace, where it is possible to see a little of her trajectory. The capital also has the beautiful Cathédrale Notre–Dame de Rouen, where the Dukes of Normandy and the heart of Richard the Lionheart, King of England, are buried. In addition, you can still find a lot of art, as the Museum of Fine Arts holds arts by Caravaggio, Velásquez, Delacroix, Mondigliani, and Monet.
At the end of the trip, we’ve visit the Mont Saint-Michel, which was a sanctuary in honor of the archangel Saint Michael, was transformed into a prison, housed prisoners of the French Revolution, and was later restored as a sanctuary. It is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, managed by the State, and today it’s a medieval walled village, where you can find traces of the 100 Years War, restaurants and souvenir shops, and where daily celebrations take place, organised by the monks and sisters of the Monastic Fraternity. from Jerusalem.
What else is special about it? The view is beautiful and there is a time when the tide rises quickly and turns the Mont Saint-Michel into an island. This happens at high tides, in periods of full and new moons. If you want to see this show, the official website informs you of the tide times daily.
Palace of Versailles and Monet’s Gardens
Before saying goodbye to France, we’ve stopped at the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, and at Monet’s Gardens, in Giverny. The garden of the Palace of Versailles is beautiful, and just looking at that immensity, and walking through it is worth the trip there. Monet’s gardens are also beautiful and, despite being full, being there was very peaceful! The flowers and plants are exactly like in the Monet’s paintings, and inside the house where he have lived you can see some of his furniture and paintings. If you want to go there, know that the gardens and the house are open every day, from April to October.