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Family vacation in France: Day 11 from Bayeux to Mont St-Michel, Part 2

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For more than a thousand years, the distant silhouette of this island abbey has sent pilgrims’ spirits soaring. Today, it does the same for tourists. Mont St-Michel, one of the top pilgrimage sites of Christendom through the ages, floats like a mirage on the horizon.
 – Rick Steves, from Rick Steve France

We left Bayeux after lunch and began our two-hour drive to Mont St-Michel, an island community in Brittany. I had seen pictures of Mont St-Michel before, and I found it surreal. David planned our trip – and kudos to him for that and for finding great accommodations in every stopover thus far – and he made sure we saw Mont St-Michel. It wasn’t on my bucket list before, but now it is and I can already cross it off my list. The road wound its way, and every now and then I would catch a glimpse of the abbey rising from the island in the distance. It is surreal to see it in person.

Approaching Mont St-Michel.

A vast mudflat surrounds Mont St-Michel and a bridge connects the island to the mainland. You can’t drive to the island. You have to park your car in these lots and take the shuttle over. We arrived mid-afternoon when the place was swarming with tourists coming and going. It’s a bit disorienting to see all these tourists and the hotels and restaurants crowding the edge of the main road. Still, we were excited the closer we got to the island.

The texture of the mudflats up close.

King’s Gate, which served as the fortified entrance during the Middle Ages, Mont St-Michel.

The Grand Rue of Mont St-Michel. This was taken on our way out, early in the morning, hence no stores open or tourists clogging the narrow street.

When we got off the shuttle, we wheeled our luggage through the cobblestone streets, up the narrow Grand Rue, main street, to check into our hotel. We followed the hotel clerk further up the street, and I wondered where our room could be and how would we remember where our room was! I’m glad we traversed higher because it isolated us somewhat from the tourist bustle on the Grand Rue. Our room was quiet and we had my desired room with a view.

The long and winding way to our hotel room, Mont St-Michel.

A cemetery on our way to our hotel room, Mont St-Michel.

Our room with a view during the daytime, Mont St-Michel.

Once we threw our luggage in and got oriented, we headed for the abbey, which was accessed by stairs leading you higher and higher on the island. Originally built beginning in A.D. 708, the current abbey is built on the remains of a Romanesque church, which was built over the remains of a Carolingian church. The abbey’s archives, which cover 1,200 years of history, were removed for preservation during WWII, though sadly most of it was destroyed during the D-Day bombing. Though many tourists and tourist groups were in attendance, the numbers dwindled, as it was late afternoon, and we took in the sights somewhat peacefully and took many photos without tourists.

It’s difficult to show photos of the abbey without having tourists in them, so we trained our cameras skyward, Mont St-Michel. Here you can see the soaring heights of the abbey.

Columns, windows, and light, the Abbey of Mont St-Michel.

Another angle of columns, ceiling, and windows, the Abbey of Mont St-Michel.

The enormous and barren rooms of the Abbey of Mont St-Michel.

From the information pamphlet at the ticket office: “The long history of Mont St-Michel is thought to date back to 708, when Aubert, Bishop of Avranches, had a sanctuary built on Mont-Tombe in honor of the Archangel. The mount soon became a major focus of pilgrimage. In the 10th century, the Benedictines settled in the abbey, while a village grew up below its walls. By the 14th century, it extended as far as the foot of the rock. An impregnable stronghold during the Hundred Years War, Mont St-Michel is also an example of military architecture. It’s ramparts and fortifications resisted all the English assaults and as a result, the Mount became a symbol of national identity. Following the dissolution of the religious community during the Revolution and until 1863, the abbey was used as a prison. Classified as a historic monument in 1874, it underwent major restoration work. Mont St-Michel has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1979.

A time of quiet reflection in shadows and light, Mont St-Michel.

The soaring ceiling of the Abbey of Mont St-Michel.

The columns of the cloisters, Abbey of Mont St-Michel.

A darkened room, the Abbey of Mont St-Michel.

A lighter corner of the same room as above, the Abbey of Mont St-Michel.

“Saint Michael, head of the heavenly militia, was of great importance to Medieval religious sensibility. In the New Testament, Saint Michael appears in the Book of Revelation: he fights and defeats a dragon, symbol of the devil. To Medieval man living in expectation and dread of the hereafter, Saint Michael was the one who led away the dead and put their souls in the balance on the day of the last judgment.”

In 1776, a fire destroyed the west end of the church, resulting in a terrace that opens up to a grand view of the Brittany coast and countryside.

When you step out of the massive room in the picture above, you come upon this grand view terrace, which came about when a fire in 1776 destroyed the west end of the church. Here’s a panoramic view from high above the Abbey of Mont St-Michel.

Another view. You can see the road and bridge leading to Mont St-Michel.

The fertile Brittany countryside from the view of the terrace at the Abbey of Mont St-Michel.

A closer look at the countryside with rows of trees that I have grown to love here and, surprise, bales of hay! From the terrace of Mont St-Michel.

Another view of the water, from the terrace of the Abbey of Mont St-Michel.

The other side of the island is water bound. One can get dizzy looking below and seeing this building at the base of the island, Mont St-Michel.

This seagull is used to tourists taking selfies and group shots, Mont St-Michel.

View of the abbey as we descend the stairs down, Mont St-Michel.

After the abbey closed, we also stopped by St. Peter’s Church, where a statue of Joan of Arc stands by the entrance, recognizing her association with St. Michael, whose voice came to her to rise up with the French against the English. The church is dedicated to St. Peter, the patron saint of fishermen.

St. Peter’s Church is named after the patron saint of fishermen, Mont St-Michel. I am guessing that someone placed the soccer ball because France was making its way through the World Cup. Weeks later, the act must have worked because France indeed won the World Cup!

After dinner, David wanted to get photos of Mont St-Michel at night, all lit-up, so we strolled down to the mudflats and walked around to find good views while we waited for the summer sun to give way to the moon. It wasn’t cold, but it was windy. I decided to leave while it was still light, taking pictures along the way back to our room. Later that evening, David showed me his photos. You just can’t take enough pictures of Mont St-Michel.

Mussels and frites on Mont St-Michel. The food is fit for tourists. But no grocery store to get wine, cheese, bread, and charcuterie and eat with a view! Next time: Bring in dinner.

Waiting for the sun to go down on the mudflats, with Mont St-Michel in the background.

Looking up at the abbey on my way back to our hotel room, Mont St-Michel.

I gave up and headed back to our hotel room. Here’s our view from our room at night, Mont St-Michel.

The sun slowly goes down, Mont St-Michel.

The lights start coming on at Mont St-Michel.

The last picture David took before calling it a night. Beautiful, Mont St-Michel.

In the early morning, after our breakfast of chocolat chaud (hot chocolate) and croissants, we hightailed it out of Mont St-Michel. While the food trucks were unloading their goods, tourists started streaming in, by foot, by shuttle. Like water from high tide, it would soon be inundated with tourists, and we were very happy to have seen the abbey and the village without too much tourist distraction. I’m fortunate that we were able to visit Mont St-Michel. Crossed off our bucket list.

Leaving Mont St-Michel as the food trucks unload and before the tourists start their descent.

Au revoir, Mont St-Michel!

Family vacation in France: Day 11 from Bayeux to Mont St.-Michel, Part 1

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Lieutenant Welsh remembered walking around among the sleeping men, and thinking to himself that ‘they had looked at and smelled death all around them all day but never even dreamed of applying the term to themselves.’ They hadn’t come here to fear. They hadn’t come to die. They had come to win.
– Stephen E. Ambrose, Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne

Last view of Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux from our apartment window.

We didn’t get to see everything we wanted in Bayeux (still didn’t when all is said and done), so we decided that we’d go back to the Visitors Center at the WWII Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial and also see the Overlord Museum before heading out to Mont St.-Michel, our next destination. But first a last look at our quaint AirBnB apartment, which is an old building that includes a wonderful charming painting and textiles shop on the ground floor and is next to a stream with a water wheel.

What you see when you first walk up the very steep staircase to our apartment. It is decorated with a poppy theme.

The other side of the living and dining area of our apartment in Bayeux.

The red couch is adorned with poppy pillowcases from the charming shop below us. And poppy paintings adorn the walls.

Our serviceable kitchen in our Bayeux second-floor AirBnB apartment.

A little alcove between the kitchen and the bathroom and main bedroom of our Bayeux apartment.

Our bedroom was very light and bright and tastefully decorated, Bayeux apartment.

Isabella slept in her own bed in our bedroom, Bayeux apartment.

Last look at the shop below our Bayeux apartment.

Another reason we stayed is to go to this antique shop in Bayeux that we perused on our first day here. Jacob saw some WWII souvenirs there, and while he was interested, he wanted to check out other such shops at our stay in Bayeux. We didn’t see any other antique shops, so we had to wait until it opened on our last day since it was closed on Sunday. A British woman ran the shop, and she was knowledgeable about many of the items. I was interested in vintage and antique pins. I ended up getting two – one is a French pin from the turn of the century from a social club and the other is a sterling silver “sweetheart” pin, which is what a person in the armed services gave to either his wife or girlfriend. This sweetheart pin represents the service of the man. I thought they were a nice find.

The antique shop on the main street in Bayeux.

The display of pins in the front window of the antique shop in Bayeux.

More pins! Most of them were authentic WWII pins and metals, Bayeux antique shop.

More pins and other WWII souvenirs, Bayeux antique shop.

My Bayeux vintage pins. The one on top is French social club pin for music from the turn of the century. The bottom pin is a WWII “sweetheart” pin from an American serviceman.

When we first arrived in Bayeux and passed by this building, I thought of the setting of Lord Farquaad’s kingdom in Shrek. Now I bid this beautiful little town adieu.

As we leave the main roundabout in Bayeux, we say adieu to the knights on topiary horses.

We went to the Overlord Museum, or should I say, David and Jacob ventured inside. At that point, I felt I’d seen more than my share of D-Day museums in such a short period of time! The Overlord Museum holds a collection of WWII-era vehicles, with exhibits covering American, British, and German vehicles. Next up on our last morning was the Visitors Center, but our GPS had difficulty getting us there. I was afraid we were going to give up trying to find it as we looped around and around. Ironically, the entrance to the cemetery and visitors center was across the street from the Overlord Museum.

Entrance to the WWII Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, France.

I’m so glad we returned to the Visitors Center, located in Colleville-sur-Mer. The cemetery is is managed by the American Battle Monuments Commission, a small independent agency under the U.S. federal government that maintains overseas American cemeteries. France granted the U.S. a perpetual concession to the land occupied by the cemetery. Luckily, it wasn’t crowded when we got there. We didn’t check out the computer terminals, which contain the Roll of Honor database – the names and stories of every U.S. service person whose remains are buried in Europe – on the ground level. The underground level’s exhibit is extensive, and I wish we’d had more time to read every panel. We watched the video Letters in the theater, which focused on a handful of men who lie in the cemetery. One story told of a doctor who didn’t tell his wife that he volunteered to go into combat, though he did write to a friend of the news. She didn’t know until she saw the letter to the friend. This film and other videos put a face to the names we saw, to the thousands of soldiers – 25,000 Americans died in the battle for Normandy – who gave their lives for freedom. I was quite moved. We didn’t have enough time to read all the panels, which included a detailed timeline of the important events from September 1939 to June 5, 1944. The panels for June 6, 1944, highlight the landings in three-hour increments.

The infinity pool just outside the full-length glass windows and doors of the Visitors Center, WWII Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, France. You can see a map of the landings.

Just outside of the Visitors Center is a peaceful infinity pool that invites you to walk through a park surrounded by Kentucky bluegrass to the bluff overlooking Omaha Beach. It’s a beautiful view, one that can’t be reconciled with what happened on D-Day. This would be our last view of Omaha Beach. And so we left Normandy after lunch, with me telling Jacob that upon his return he could check out the other beaches we missed and linger longer, and go up north to Dunkirk. In my mind, I was thinking I would do the same sometime in the future.

A view of Omaha Beach from the bluff overlooking the beach.

Panoramic view of Omaha Beach from the bluff. Breathtaking.

A cute dog at the restaurant where we ate our last Normandy meal. He laid down at our table by my backpack, hoping for some crumbs.

Family vacation in France: Day 10 in Bayeux

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There’s a graveyard in northern France where all the dead boys from D-Day are buried. The white crosses reach from one horizon to the other. I remember looking it over and thinking it was a forest of graves. But the rows were like this, dizzying, diagonal, perfectly straight, so after all it wasn’t a forest but an orchard of graves. Nothing to do with nature, unless you count human nature.
– Barbara Kingsolver, American novelist

On our way to our first tour stop, we encountered a cow crossing, outside of Bayeux, Normandy, France.

We got up early in the morning for our personal tour of Normandy, particularly Gold Beach (the D-Day Museum at Arromanches), Longues-Sur-Mer (the German fortifications from the Atlantic Wall), Omaha Beach (including a visit of the Military Cemetery Memorial and the Landing Beach), and Pointe du Hoc (the Ranger’s Memorial and the cliffs they had to scale). The tour was all morning. In the afternoon, we were on our own, so we added Utah Beach D-Day Museum in the town of Sainte Marie du Mont and went back to Omaha Beach to explore further. There was so much to see and so much information to let wash over us, we decided to go back to the Military Cemetery’s Visitor’s Center, since we didn’t go there in the morning, and the Overlord Museum, on our way out of Bayeux to our next destination.

The cliffs along the Utah and Omaha Beaches.

Another view of the cliffs near Omaha Beach.

It is difficult to put into words what we experienced. I’d seen the WWII movies and thought it would be an interesting history lesson, but the more details and depth we absorbed from what happened in Normandy during WWII, I grew to appreciate just what was at stake here – life, liberty, freedom – and what was sacrificed. I was so moved by my experience in Normandy. As David said when we were watching the 4th of July fireworks at the Oakland A’s game the day before July 4th and listening to the patriotic songs, he felt a depth of gratitude that he’d not fully appreciated before. I felt the same way.

The barbed wire that the Germans ran along the bluff still remains.

We were led by our guide, Antoine, who was a nice but serious fellow. Our first stop was Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument, situated on a bluff overlooking the beaches. The Germans heavily fortified this area along the Utah and Omaha beaches. Interestingly, the cliffs are so steep that the Germans were not expecting the Allied forces to scale the cliffs, and so, they turned their guns in the opposite direction for an inland attack. The U.S. Army Rangers had other ideas. The 225 hand-picked rangers scaled the cliffs with the task of disabling the German gun battery, a move that was necessary in order for the landing of Allied forces on the beaches to be successful. Only 90 survived. Ponte du Hoc is full of eroded bunkers and craters created by 10 kilotons of bombs that were dropped within a span of seven weeks. We stood at the top of the bluff and looked in awe at the cliffs that the Rangers scaled. Amazing. The German gun battery included more than a mile of tunnels connecting its battlements. It held six 155mm guns that were capable of firing as far away as 13 miles, reaching both Omaha and Utah beaches. Despite the heavy bombing, which commenced in April 1944 until June 6th, the bunkers survived.

A bombed-out gun battery, Pointe du Hoc.

A viewing platform above one of the bunkers, Pointe du Hoc.

Inside a bombed-out bunker, Pointe du Hoc.

Plaque in one of the bunkers honoring the U.S. Rangers who gave their lives to the cause, Pointe du Hoc.

Antoine provides background as we walk the path to the Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument, near Omaha Beach.

The Dagger Memorial represents the Dagger the Rangers used to get them up the cliffs. We walked in and out of the observation bunker, which housed the officers and enlisted soldiers’ quarters, and command room. The Rangers only had 30 minutes to get off the beach because of the rising tide. Upon reaching the bluff, they discovered that the Germans had moved and hidden the guns a half-mile inland, but the Rangers eventually found the guns and destroyed them.

The Dagger Memorial, Pointe du Hoc.

There were many informational panels along the walkway of the Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument. Here is one: “Sacrifice: The Price of Freedom: Of the 350,000 Allied personnel who took part in the D-Day invasion, including 156,000 troops who landed on Normandy’s beaches, approximately 9,000 were casualties on June 6. By the end of the campaign for Normandy, the Allies suffered more than 200,000 casualties, including over 50,000 killed.” On the French side, “more than 90,000 French soldiers died defending France in 1939-40. Another 58,000 soldiers and approximately 20,000 members of the French Resistance died fighting alongside the Allies from 1940 through 1945. The famed French 2nd Armored Division came ashore on nearby Utah Beach and suffered more than 1,000 casualties spearheading the Allied drive into Paris. Although thousands of French civilians died during the Normandy fighting, the population continued to welcome and assist Allied troops.”

More barbed wire and treacherous cliffs, Pointe du Hoc.

Next we visited Omaha Beach. My touchstone was the film Saving Private Ryan. Standing there, where people were peacefully walking on the beach or frolicking in the water, I couldn’t comprehend what had happened here that day June 6, 1944. It’s unfathomable. Nearly half of all D-Day casualties occurred at Omaha Beach, which was nicknamed “Bloody Omaha.” We saw the metal memorial, entitled Le Braves, which was sculpted by the Parisian artist, Anilore Banon, and erected for the 60th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings. The sculpture honors the liberators, symbolizing “the rise of freedom on the wings of hope.” The sculpture was only to be displayed temporarily, but supporters rallied to keep it still standing, and so it still stands.

The Braves, 2004, the metal statue at the center of Omaha Beach.

Family portrait with The Braves, Omaha Beach.

Eight nations’ flags fly here, representing the countries who took part in the invasion, though only two American assault units landed in Omaha Beach, namely the 1st Infantry Division and the 29th Infantry Division (a National Guard citizen army unit with, understandably so, little combat experience). The mission was ill-fated for these men. Despite heavy Allied bombing before the invasion, the heavily armed Germans surrounded the four-mile-long beach above the cliffs on three sides. The 500 German soldiers and their 1 gun nests picked off the American soldiers as they disembarked the landing ships. The troops kept coming, and by the end of the day, 34,000 soldiers had landed. The Germans were eventually pushed inland. Still, it was not without great sacrifices, which were not lost on us as we stood surveying the beach.

Paragliders over Omaha Beach makes for a surreal scene.

Two bronze soldiers, commemorating the Bedford Boys. The small town of Bedford, Virginia, sent 35 men to the landing forces. Of the 35 men, 19 were killed.

Next, we visited the WWII Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. As we approached the green grass and the rows of white crosses, I kept thinking of Saving Private Ryan, my only touchpoint for this place. How moving was standing at the edge of the grass and surveying the lines of marble tombstones – 9,386 of them. Overlooking the cemetery is a memorial with a pool and a rising statue representing the spirit of American youth. The statue is surrounded on either side by two walls depicting two enormous reliefs of the Battle of Normandy and the Battle of Europe. Behind the that memorial is the semicircular Garden of the Missing, which includes the names of 1,557 soldiers who died but whose remains were never recovered. Among the soldiers buried here are the Niland brothers, who inspired Saving Private Ryan. Other facts: Among those buried, 33 pairs are brothers lying next to one another, a father and son, 149 African Americans, 149 Jewish Americans, and four women.

The line of white, marble tombstones is a sobering sight at the WWII Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.

A close-up of the tombstones, WWII Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.

Another view of the crosses. I was mesmerized by them. WWII Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.

The reflecting pool and Memorial from a distance, WWII Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.

One wall of the Memorial depicts the Battle of Europe.

The other wall of the Memorial depicts the Battle of Normandy.

On the other side of the Memorial is the semicircular Garden of the Missing.

A close-up of the wall with the names of the soldiers whose bodies were never found.

One last look at the tombstones as they gleam and recede in the background.

The last stop of the tour, within the town of Arromanches, was Gold Beach, where the British troops landed. What’s fascinating here is that the Allies built their own port rather than try to seize a German port. In an engineering feat, within 12 days – in the midst of battle – the Allies built Port Winston, which served as the base in Normandy that aided in the liberation of France, the push to Berlin, and the end of WWII. We visited the D-Day Landing Museum (Musée du Débarquement) in Arromanches and saw dioramas, models, photographs, and videos of how the artificial harbor was built. Pretty remarkable.

Musée du Débarquement, Gold Beach.

Remnants of the man-made harbor at Gold Beach.

Eight country flags flying over Gold Beach.

That concluded our private tour. After lunch in Bayeux, we plotted our free afternoon. We hopped into our rental car and took off for other sites and returned to Omaha Beach. Along the way, we stopped for photos of the beautiful countryside.

My fascination of bales of hay in the Italian countryside carried over to France.

Queen Anne’s lace grows wild along the roadside. We ended up getting a decorative pillowcase with this beautiful flower.

Artsy photo of bales of hay with fence post and grains in the foreground, Normandy, France.

Bales of hay with French road sign, Normandy.

Stopping by an old cemetery to take photographs, Normandy.

Close-up of three tombstones in an old cemetery, Normandy.

Next stop was to the town of Saint Marie du Mont, specifically Utah Beach, a campaign that Eisenhower added late in the game. Two U.S. paratrooper units, the 82nd and the 101st Airborne Divisions, parachuted behind enemy lines the night before D-Day. Unfortunately, many landed off-target. The Germans had flooded the farmlands in the area to make a push up the peninsula to the port city of Cherbourg difficult. Tragically, many paratroopers landed in the swamps and drowned. In fact, more than 1,000 paratroopers sacrificed their lives in order to clear the way for the actual beach landing. Still, Utah Beach was overtaken within 45 minutes, with 194 American soldiers perishing, thanks to the fact that the beach was defended by conscripted Czechs, Poles, and Russians who had no skin in the game. It took three weeks, however, before the troops overtook Cherbourg.

The Germans scattered Czech hedgehogs on the beaches to keep landing crafts and tanks from penetrating the German line of defense. The hedgehogs are scattered around the Utah Beach museum.

The Utah Beach Landing Museum (Musée du Débarquement).

There are a lot of museums on D-Day scattered throughout Normandy, but the most memorable museum for me was the Utah Beach Landing Museum (Musée du Débarquement) because it highlighted the human element, the faces of the French townspeople and American soldiers, and their stories. Indeed, in 1962, Michel de Vallavieille, the mayor of Saint Marie du Mont, began his campaign to build the Utah Beach D-Day Museum as “a living expression of the town’s appreciation and gratitude for the Allies’ sacrifices.” Vallavieille, a boy during WWII, was injured by Allied bombs on his family’s farm, but he held no ill will, understanding that the bombing was necessary to liberate France and bring an end to WWII. The museum includes many panels of American soldiers and French residents sharing their stories of D-Day and their mutual support and friendship.

A statue of soldiers disembarking from their Higgins landing craft outside of the Utah Beach Landing Museum.

Inside the Utah Beach Landing Museum, a wooden Higgins landing craft.

 

The museum underwent two major extensions. Its third major extension includes a fascinating story stemming from a visit by two American brothers on June 6, 2007: “With an interest in the Second World War, David and Gene Dewhurst visit the Utah Beach D-Day Museum on a family trip. In an exhibit, they recognize a photo of their father, Major David Dewhurst, posing at the foot of his B-26 Marauder with his crew and learn that he was a decorated squadron commander, who courageously led the final bombing run on the German stronghold WN5, moments before the Allied landing at Utah Beach. The two brothers are stunned by their discovery, as their father, Major David Dewhurst, had died when they were very young, and they knew very little about him. Inspired by their visit, the brothers decide to spearhead the major renovation and expansion project that had been under review for several years. They go on to finance over a third of this ambitious project.” Four years later, in 2011, the museum reopened with 23,000-square feet of gallery space. This is an amazing museum – the best of the lot. The images stayed with me long after we left.

The B26-Martin Marauder “Dinah Might” was the U.S. Army’s high-speed medium bomber. Major David Dewhurst was the commanding officer of the squadron assigned to drop bombs on Utah Beach.

You are now entering Utah Beach.

Picking up shells for Isabella along Utah Beach.

The tide is out at Utah Beach. It’s difficult to imagine what happened here 74 years ago.

There was so much to see in one day. We breezed through some of it in order to see as much as we could. We could have stayed an extra day and it still would not have been enough to see everything. We didn’t even make it to two other beaches, Juno and Sword, which were fought by Canadian, and British and Canadian troops, respectively, let alone Dunkirk, which is farther up north. I told Jacob he’d have to return. And so must we.

At the end of the long pier at Omaha Beach, Jacob and Isabella stare out into the English Channel.

Family vacation in France: Day 9 in Bayeux

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This operation is not being planned with any alternatives. This operation is planned as a victory, and that’s the way it’s going to be. We’re going down there, and we’re throwing everything we have into it, and we’re going to make it a success.
– Dwight D. Eisenhower, American army general, statesman, and 34th President of the United States.

Picturesque Bayeux, France.

We left Rouen in the morning, but not without drama, courtesy of the tight parking spot and lane leading out the hotel underground garage! We didn’t think we needed a code to get out, but we did. The problem was, we didn’t have a code. So as we scrambled to figure out if David should call the front desk or I should go to the front desk, the car with a German couple came up behind us, making a tense situation even more stressful. The man kindly gave us the code. I got out of the car and at the entrance of the garage exit to help guide David out of the lane. But David had trouble with the stick shift, and the garage door came down. While I stood outside, I heard the car rev up and then a bang. I thought, oh no, the car backfired and hit the German couple’s car! The next thing I know, the garage door goes up and our rental car comes out, with the German man having driven it out! He said our car merely tapped his car and took off. With a sigh of relief, we took off and said au revoir to Rouen!

Water wheel and stream in Bayeux, France. Our AirBnB apartment is the building on the left with the poppies at the window sills.

As I mentioned in my first blog of our France vacation, the whole reason we came to France was because Jacob, our WWII buff, wanted to visit Normandy. So here was the crowning jewel of the trip for him. We were going to stay in Bayeux for two nights and explore the various sites of Normandy and D-Day. Before we checked into our AirBnB, we stopped off at the Musee Memorial 1944 Bataille de Normandie. This museum is dedicated to the Battle of Normandy, so lots of tanks and weapons, mannequins in various uniforms, military maps, timelines, and dioramas, and historical panels and videos. This is for the hardcore WWII military buff, which meant this was not Isabella’s cup of tea. But we were indulging Jacob, our graduate. Isabella will get her turn in three years.

Museum of the Battle of Normandy, Bayeux, France.

Display in the Battle of Normandy Museum, Bayeux, France.

One of the many tanks at the Battle of Normandy Museum, Bayeux, France.

Adjacent to the museum is the Monument to Reporters (Le Mémorial des Reporters), a beautiful garden and memorial to all the reporters who have died in the line of service, reporting on wars and other conflicts around the world since WWII to the present. The grassy walkway through this green garden with white roses bushes wends its way among standing stone tablets that list the names of those fallen, categorized by year. The monument was inaugurated on October 7, 2006. According to the Bayeux Award for War Correspondents, “in 2015, 110 journalists have perished because of their profession or in dubious circumstances. Reporters Without Borders assures that of those 110, 67 have been killed for the sole reason of being journalists. In total, 787 journalists have been killed on the job since 2005. To that number, 27 netizens and 7 media associates can be added. This worrisome situation can be explained by the peak of violence against journalists in the last decade. They are now deliberately targeted and all the efforts put toward their safety have failed so far.” We noticed that some years bore a long list of names, and we tried to match the conflict to the year. At any rate, this was a very moving tribute.

The very moving Monument to Reporters, Bayeux, France.

A shady part of the Monument to Reporters, Bayeux, France.

After lunch, we settled in our very cute apartment above a local artist’s shop and next to a stream and waterwheel. What’s more, we had a view of Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, which is yet another beautiful cathedral and as big as Paris’s Notre-Dame. Miraculously, Bayeux was spared any bombing and its cathedral and buildings remained intact, which is a gift not to just the town and France, but to all of us visiting. The cathedral is a mix of Romanesque (ground floor) and Gothic (upper floors) architecture. The high central window above the altar contains rare 13th-century stained-glass pieces.

Approaching the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France.

Another view of the imposing Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France.

The entrance of the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France.

Outside details of the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France. Note the flags of France and Great Britain flying at the top.

Stained-glass window in the upper part of the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France.

Statue detail in the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France.

Stained-glass windows on the ground floor of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Bayeux, France.

Light filtering through the windows on the stairs and columns, Notre-Dame Cathedral in Bayeux, France. And no tourists!

Jacob and Isabella goofing off in front of the timeline, Notre-Dame Cathedral in Bayeux, France.

Upper-floor windows and ceilings of Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France.

Beautiful stained-glass windows in the upper floors, Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France.

Ground-floor stained-glass windows, Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France.

The altar, Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France.

Close-up of the altar, Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France.

Curves and light, columns like folds of heavy cloth, Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France.

More stained-glass windows, Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France.

The other side of the steps – light and shadows and no tourists, Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France.

Gargoyle detail, Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France.

The Tapisserie de Bayeux Museum was steps from our apartment. You can’t take any pictures of the actual tapestry, which was made in the 11th century, but I can share its history and story. Once believed to have been displayed in the cathedral’s nave, the tapestry, which spans 70 yards, is made of wool embroidered onto a linen cloth. A historical document meant to inform the largely illiterate citizenry, the tapestry tells the story of William the Conqueror’s journey from duke of Normandy to king of England. William successfully battled England’s King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

The Bayeux Tapestry museum is literally a stone’s throw from our apartment in Bayeux, France.

The tapestry is housed in this enormous building in Bayeux, France.

Today was a nice introduction to Bayeux and set us up for our big half-day tour of Normandy for tomorrow.

The kids by the oft-photographed water wheel and stream, which runs alongside our apartment in Bayeux, France.

A very cute shop operated by an artist who painted many of the poppy and other designs on canvas and textiles is the ground floor of our two-story apartment in Bayeux, France.

A room with our view: Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France.

The view of Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux, France, at night.

Family vacation in France: Day 8 in Rouen

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It’s on the strength of observation and reflection that one finds a way. So we must dig and delve unceasingly.
 – Claude Monet, French Impressionist painter

While the rest of the family was excited for our next leg of the trip, I was very sad to leave Paris. For one, it was nice staying in one place for a while. I loved the energy of the city. I am definitely an urban dweller compared to the rest of the family. I also wanted to keep exploring other neighborhoods; there’s so much more to see and do. But it just means I must return to Paris. We got our taste of what it’s like to drive through Paris and to get to Charles de Gaulle Airport, a city unto itself. Gridlock. We rented a car at the airport and thus began the driving journey part of our trip.

The kids’ room with a view from the Mercure Hotel in Rouen: the medieval town.

Our room with a view at the Mercure Hotel, Rouen.

First stop was Rouen, about 84 miles northwest of Paris and 1.5 hours on the road. We figured out the toll system – which signs to follow to get into the right lanes for pay by credit card! It was our first stay at a hotel, the Mercure Hotel in Rouen. We had an adventure driving on cobbled streets through barricades to get to the hotel’s underground parking lot, and another adventure parking the car in the very tiny stall. No doubt we were an amusement to the German tourists who parked their two cars with ease. David gets a gold star for driving, driving stick shift, and coming up with alternatives when our British-speaking GPS system led us astray (she was more accurate than our GPS system in Italy, but she was not without error).

The medieval town of Rouen.

See the half-timbered homes in Rouen.

This Gothic structure houses city administration offices.

The bulge of the half-timbered buildings is characteristic of the medieval homes dating back to the early 1500s in Rouen.

Rouen is a 2,000-year-old city that boasts medieval half-timbered houses and Gothic architecture. In its heyday, Rouen was the country’s second-largest city next to Paris with 40,000 residents. The Normans made Rouen its capital in the ninth century. It was home to William the Conqueror before he moved to England. Joan of Arc, whom I vividly remember learning about when I was a child, was burned at the stake here in 1431. She was canonized in 1920 and later became the patron saint of France. Sadly, in April 1944, Allied bombers destroyed 50 percent of Rouen as they sought to break down the Germans’ control of Normandy leading up to the D-Day landings. Once we checked in (see our amazing room with a view), we immediately hit the cobbled streets, admiring the Gothic structures that house city administration. We admired the medieval structures that are still standing. You’ll notice that they bulge out, a characteristic that authenticates the age of the building.

An open-air market near the town square, Rouen.

The Big Clock in Rouen.

An antique/vintage shop in Rouen. I found a couple of chairs I would have loved to have brought home.

Always scenic – a French flower shop, Rouen.

We visited the Joan of Arc Church, Eglise Jeanne d’Arc, a modern church that was completed in 1979. The town’s Normandy Nordic roots is captured in the church’s Scandinavian architecture. The church boasts 16th-century windows, which were salvaged from a church that was bombed during WWII. Nearby the town square is a restaurant called Restaurant La Couronne, supposedly the oldest restaurant in France, but also made famous by American chef and author Julia Child. In 1949, Child ate her first French meal here and thus changed her culinary world and the American culinary scene. We did not eat dinner here, though it would have been cool to do so. Next time.

Stained-glass windows in the Joan of Arc Church, Rouen.

Statue of Joan of Arc, Joan of Arc Church, Rouen.

The Scandinavian architecture of the Joan of Arc Church, Rouen. See how the windows look like eyes with a helmet on top!

Restaurant La Couronne, made famous by Julia Child, Rouen.

The main reason we came to Rouen was to see the Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was made famous by the many different studies Claude Monet painted of the Gothic façade at different times of the day. Constructed between the 12th and 14th centuries, the cathedral endured lightning strikes and wars. In fact, the cathedral was bombed in WWII required extensive rebuilding. It’s a gorgeous cathedral. No wonder Monet painted it several times.

Notre-Dame Cathedral of Rouen. Hold your breath!

A close-up of a the frilly Gothic architecture of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Rouen.

Another view of the facade of the Notre-Dame Cathedral at Rouen.

Even closer, a detail of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Rouen.

Statues on the facade of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Rouen.

Stepping into Notre-Dame Cathedral at Rouen.

The ceiling of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Rouen.

A quiet, reflective moment at Notre-Dame Cathedral at Rouen.

David’s view of the light hitting the stairs, Notre-Dame Cathedral at Rouen.

In a twist on Who Wore It Best?, my version of the same stairs, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Rouen.

Statues at Notre-Dame Cathedral, Rouen.

Statues in light and shadows, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Rouen.

We dined at La Petite Auberge (164 rue Martainville), which is a Rick Steves recommendation. It’s nearby the equally impressive St. Maclou Church (Eglise St. Maclou). Isabella surprised us all by eating a whole big bowl of mussels. We ate outdoors, and while it was a cool Normandy evening, the wind died down enough for us to enjoy our meal. We only stayed one night in Rouen. Traffic in Paris ate up our hours. It may be one of the times when you say, we’ll return and stay a while.

Our restaurant, La Petite Auberge, was right around the corner from St. Maclou Church, Rouen.

Somebody was being funny. Jacob had his first glass of wine our first night at Galerie Kitchen Bistro, but once he turned 18, he started drinking wine with us during meals. He is getting used to it, trying to discern the change in taste when you pair wine with food.

Salmon salad, served two ways for David, La Petite Auberge, Rouen.

Goat cheese salad for me, La Petite Auberge, Rouen.

Isabella’s goat cheese and crouton salad, La Petite Auberge, Rouen.

David’s steak with cheese sauce and mushrooms, La Petite Auberge, Rouen.

My zucchini lasagna was a little overdone, but still worthy, La Petite Auberge, Rouen.

Isabella’s mussels! At La Petite Auberge, Rouen. She ate the whole thing.

Isabella’s chocolate fondant with creme anglaise, La Petite Auberge, Rouen.

It got dark after 10pm, which is when we finished our only dinner in Rouen at La Petite Auberge.

Family vacation in France: Day 7 in Paris

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Oh Paris
From red to green all the yellow dies away
Paris Vancouver Hyeres Maintenon New York and the Antilles
The window opens like an orange
The beautiful fruit of light
(“Windows”)”
 ― Guillaume Apollinaire, French poet, writer, art critic, from Zone

Today, Thursday, June 21st, was our last full day in Paris. It was Summer Solstice, which means Paris celebrates with live music and revelry in the streets across the city. It was Jacob’s 18th birthday, which means he can now vote and drink wine in France, which is something that he did on a regular basis the rest of our vacation here. We also met up with friends from El Cerrito who were also visiting Paris at the same time. It was a special last day in Paris and summer day period.

Happy Birthday to Jacob, who turned 18 atop Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris! What a memorable birthday for you!

We got up early and returned to the Paris Catacombs, and we successfully got in with the second wave of entrants. “The ossuary known as the Catacombs was created in the late 18th century in abandoned underground quarries dating from the 15th century in the locality of ‘Tombe-Issoire.’ The first bones were transferred here from what was the largest Parisian cemetery at the time, the Saints-Innocents Cemetery, located in the ‘Les Halles’ district. The cemetery was closed in 1780, at the request of the municipality, due to concerns for safety. The Quarry Department, created by a decree of the Royal Council on 4 April 1777 with the aim of protecting and fortifying the Parisian subsoil, was put in charge of choosing and developing the site for the ossuary. Little by little, these former limestone quarries began to house the bones from all the cemeteries of central Paris, particularly during the urban development work carried out by Prefect Haussmann, up until 1860. Beginning in the early 19th century, the Catacombs were opened to the public, creating a wave of curiosity that attracted a growing number of visitors.”

The Paris Catacombs – enter at your own risk!

After a descent of stairs, we enter the depths of Paris and its series of pathways.

Apparently, something happened in 1859….

The organizers of the ossuary were very meticulous about stacking the bones and skulls. I was impressed!

And they were very creative in how they stacked the bones, too, in the Paris Catacombs!

Something happened in 1787, too, at the Paris Catacombs.

I can attest to the fact that this is a very popular attraction in Paris. The tour route is quite long. You access the galleries via a staircase of 130 steps leading to 20 meters underground. These long, narrow corridors follow the paths of the streets above ground. It was a fascinating tour, with only a handful of people being let in at a time, which greatly enhanced the experience of exploring the underground. I’m glad we went, as strange an experience as it was. It was literally like looking at the history of Paris as if they were layers of sediment, given the years listed for various events.

Clearly, we were enamored with the bones and especially the skulls, at the Paris Catacombs.

How many photos can one take of bones and skulls? Apparently a lot. I curated carefully, at the Paris Catacombs.

After we emerged from the underbelly of Paris, we walked back to Notre-Dame Cathedral and finally got a chance to ascend the towers to catch yet another view of the city from above. Isabella especially appreciated the ascent, given her affinity for The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

We’ve seen city views from the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and now Notre-Dame Cathedral. It never gets old.

Another view of the Seine River and one of the spires of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris.

The gargoyle’s view from atop Notre-Dame Cathedral Tower, Paris.

What these statues have witnessed through history! Notre-Dame Cathedral Tower, Paris.

The gargoyle atop Notre-Dame Cathedral, with the Seine River and the Eiffel Tower in the background, Paris.

One last sweeping view of Paris from atop the Notre-Dame Cathedral Tower, Paris.

We wandered around the Island of Saint Louis, which was fast becoming my favorite neighborhood of our time in Paris. The shops were so colorful and quaint.

Quaint street of shops on rue Saint Louis en l’Isle, Paris.

Sweet shop on rue Saint Louis en l’Isle, Paris.

More quaint shops along rue Saint Louis en l’Isle, Paris.

Puppet shop! On rue Saint Louis en l’Isle, Paris.

My friend Laura recommended this patisserie and ice cream shop. It was always closed when we came by. So now it’s open and we had to try to many flavors…. rue Saint Louis en l’Isle, Paris.

We chose well with our ice cream flavors! At rue Saint Louis en l’Isle, Paris.

Remember this beautiful shop, Galerie Kara. We would return on our last full day from Versailles to Paris to get my “butterfly” earrings, rue Saint Louis en l’Isle, Paris.

Our last day walking on the many bridges over the Seine River and enjoying the beautiful trees lining the banks.

For the most part, Isabella and Jacob got along really well. They were best buds on this vacation. Sharing one of many moments on the bridges overlooking the Seine River, Paris.

Artful photo of the Seine River and colorful tables on the banks, Paris.

We met up with our friends, Yoko and Bruce Keilin, and their kids. Our sons were on the same traveling baseball team for several years, and Bruce and David were part of the coaching crew for the Hornets. It was really nice to meet up with them for dinner at Le Caveau de l’Isle (36, rue Saint Louis en l’Isle, 75004 Paris), where we had eaten a few nights before.

Yoko Keilin and me on the Saint Louis Bridge over the Seine River, Paris. It was windy and cold!

Sharing good wine with friends at Le Caveau de l’Isle, Paris.

Taking a picture of Bruce and David. You can see Yoko and me in the mirror, Le Caveau de l’Isle, Paris.

This salad looks familiar – it was delicious the first time, so I ordered it again this time, at Le Caveau de l’Isle, Paris.

David’s meat and potatoes, Le Caveau de l’Isle, Paris.

My duck confit and potatoes. I was spoiled with duck confit at the other restaurants, but this one was good, at Le Caveau de l’Isle, Paris. Very artfully presented.

Afterwards, we walked around the neighborhood to hear the music and see the sites. It was freezing and windy, which was quite the opposite of the night before when it was hot late in the evening! We didn’t stay out late because we ill-dressed for this kind of weather! We also had to pack up, as we were heading out of Paris in the morning. We said good night to the Keilins and returned for one last night in our AirBnB apartment in such a wonderful neighborhood in Paris. I was really sad to be leaving this bustling, lively city. I can’t wait to return, but other parts of France beckoned to us. Happy Summer Solstice, Happy Birthday to Jacob!

A popular music act that we stayed and listened to on Summer Solstice, Paris.

A lively Summer Solstice celebration outside of Notre-Dame Cathedral with the Keilin and Enrado-Rossi families.