Introduction
We started our Journey landing at the airport which is located about 25kilometers north of Paris where ryanair and other low cost companies operate (Beauvais Airport). There are shuttle buses connecting Beauvais with Paris centre as well as with Paris Disneyland.We decided to rent a car in order to be more flexible throughout our Journey.
The first Day we stayed in Paris near the Arc de Triomphe at the Mercure Arc de Triomphe just to get a Glimpse of magical Paris.
After a short Coffee in Paris we started our Journey towards Normandy.
Rouen
Rouen is a city on the River Seine, in northwestern France. It is in the prefecture of region of Normandy . Formerly one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe.
Rouen was one of the capitals of the Anglo-Norman and Angevin dynasties, which ruled both England and large parts of modern France from the 11th to the 15th centuries. From the 13th century onwards, the city experienced a remarkable economic boom, thanks in particular to the development of textile factories and river trade. Claimed by both the French and the English during the Hundred Years’ War, it was on its soil that Joan of Arc was tried and burned alive on 30 May 1431. Severely damaged by the wave of bombing in 1944, it nevertheless regained its economic dynamism in the post-war period thanks to its industrial sites and its large seaport.
Rouen is known for Rouen Cathedral, with its Tour de Beurre (butter tower). The cathedral’s gothic façade (completed in the 16th century) was the subject of a series of paintings by Claude Monet, some of which are exhibited in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.The Gros Horloge is an astronomical clock dating back to the 14th century.] It is located in the Gros Horloge street.
Other famous structures include Rouen Castle, whose keep is known as the tour Jeanne d’Arc, where Joan of Arc was brought in 1431 to be threatened with torture (contrary to popular belief, she was not imprisoned there but in the tour de lady Pucelle(since destroyed); the Church of Saint Ouen (12th–15th century); the Palais de Justice, which was once the seat of the Parlement (French court of law) of Normandy; the Gothic Church of St Maclou (15th century); and the Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics which contains a splendid collection of faïence and porcelain for which Rouen was renowned during the 16th to 18th centuries. Rouen is also noted for its surviving half-timbered buildings.
There are many museums in Rouen: the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen, an art museum with paintings by well-known artists such as Claude Monet and Géricault; the Musée maritime fluvial et portuaire, a museum on the history of the port of Rouen and navigation; Musée des antiquités, an art and history museum with local works from the Bronze Age through the Renaissance, the ., the Museum of Natural History, founded in 1834 and re-opened in 2007, and the Musée Le Secq des Tournelles, which houses various collections of objects.
In the centre of the Place du Vieux Marché (the site of Joan of Arc’s pyre) is the modern church of St Joan of Arc. This is a large, modern structure which dominates the square. The form of the building represents an upturned Viking boat and a fish shape.
Interesting Stops are the La Couronne the oldest Inn of France with many gamous visitors.
The Fish Market where someone can smell and taste the Treasures of Atlantic Ocean .
The ancient Pharmacy just opposite the Notre Dame Cathedral of Rouen
We also had an excellent Lunch at the Paul Brasserie
Auzou Macarons for delicious Macarons
Honfleuer
The Gem of Normandy ,the artistic City and Port retains its Charme though it is nowdays a popular Tourist Centre
It is especially known for its old port, characterized by its houses with slate-covered frontages, painted frequently by artists. There have been many notable artists, including, Gustave Courbet, Eugène Boudin, Claude Monet and Johan Jongkind. They all meet at La Ferme Saint Siméon, which is now a 5-star hotel, and create the “Saint Siméon gathering” contributing to the appearance of the Impressionist movement.
The Sainte-Catherine church, which has a bell tower separate from the principal building, is the largest wooden church in France.
Saint-Catherine’s Church.
The church is dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria as evidenced by a wooden sculpture above the porch of the bell tower which separates the two naves. She is shown holding a wheel and a sword. The first nave is the oldest part of the building, dating to the second half of the 15th century, constructed right after the Hundred Years’ War. It was built on the model of a market hall, using naval construction techniques, which gives the impression of an upside-down ship’s hull. Then the bell tower was built a good distance away, so that parishioners would not be burnt in case of a fire. Indeed, the bell tower did draw lightning strikes due to its height and its position on the side of a hill. In the late 15th century, a second nave was added, whose vault was like the wooden vaults of modest Gothic churches. This second part was more round, and did not look like a ship’s hull. In the 16th century, four supplementary bays were added to both naves.
The famous “Axe masters” of the naval yards of the city created this building without using any saws, just like their Norman ancestors (who can be seen in action in the Bayeux Tapestry), and like the Vikings before them.
After strolling around the Old Port and the beautiful Alleys of Honfleuer we headed to Deauville.
Deauville is a commune in the Calvados department, Normandy,. Major attractions include its harbour, race course, marinas, conference centre, villas, Grand Casino, and hotels. The first Deauville Asian Film Festival took place in 1999. As the closest seaside resort to Paris, Deauville is one of the most notable seaside resorts in France. The city and its region of the Côte Fleurie (Flowery Coast) have long been home to the French upper class’s seaside houses and is often referred to as the Parisian riviera.
Since the 19th century, the town of Deauville has been a fashionable holiday resort for the international upper class.[4] In France, it is perhaps most well-known for its role in Proust’s In Search of Lost Time.
Modern times
During the 1960s, Deauville started to see more mass-market visitors. Nonetheless, the town and the surrounding coastline still contain high-profile seaside resorts, haven for the rich and famous . Deauville hosted the 37th G8 summit.
Deauville American Film Festival
In an effort to prolong the summer season, Lucien Barriere and Michel d’Ornano agreed to sponsor Lionel Chouchan and Andre Halimi’s idea of a film festival that specifically promoted American films, including both big-budget and independent features.
The festival was established in 1975 and The Reincarnation of Peter Proud was the first film to be shown in the festival’s history. Since then, the festival has continued to promote American cinematography and bring American and European stars to Normandy. The festival, not known for its competitive nature, began to hand out awards in 1995. In 2014 the Festival celebrated its 40th year.
After a very demanding day we reached our Hotel in nearby Trouville the picturesque Hotel Flaubert with an undeniable Old World Charme.
Trouville (Trouville-sur-Mer)
Trouville-sur-Mer, nicknamed “Queen of Beaches” in the 19th century, is slightly less flashy than its famous neighbor Deauville, but it is nonetheless polished. With half-timber buildings, a long, wooden boardwalk, and a plethora of upmarket hotels and restaurants, it’s popular with Parisians looking for sand between their perfectly pedicured toes.
Avignon has a very large number of sites and buildings that are registered as historical monuments
Tipps
In Trouville at Les Vapeurs Brasserie I had one of the best Seafood dinners of my Life.and at extremely reasonable Prices (thanks to the proximity to the Atlantic Ocean).The buttered Normandy sauce of the Mussels was something to remember
The next Day we left Normandy just for a bit to visit another Gem of France s atlantic coast ,part of Bretagne (Brittany) Saint Malo.
Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo is a historic French port in Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany.
The walled city on the English Channel coast had a long history of piracy, earning much wealth from local extortion and overseas adventures. In 1944, the Allies heavily bombed Saint-Malo. The city changed into a popular tourist centre, with a ferry terminal serving the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey, as well as the Southern English settlements of Portsmouth, Hampshire and Poole, Dorset.
The famous transatlantic single-handed yacht race Route du Rhum, which takes place every four years in November, is between Saint Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe.
In World War II, during fighting in late August and early September 1944, the historic walled city of Saint-Malo was almost totally destroyed by American shelling and bombing.
Post-war
Saint-Malo was rebuilt over a 12-year period from 1948 to 1960.
Saint-Malo was the site of an Anglo-French summit in 1998 that led to a significant agreement regarding European defence policy.
We made a walking Tour around the Walls of Saint Malo ,tried the local delicacy Kouign-amann .It is a sweet, round Breton laminated dough pastry, originally made with bread dough (nowadays sometimes viennoiserie dough), containing layers of butter and incorporated sugar, similar in fashion to puff pastry albeit with fewer layers. It is slowly baked until the sugar caramelizes and the butter (in fact the steam from the water in the butter) expands the dough, resulting in its layered structure. A smaller version, kouignette, is similar to a muffin-shaped, caramelized croissant.
The name comes from the Breton language words for ‘bread’ (kouign) and ‘butter’ (amann), and in 2011 the New York Times described it as “the fattiest pastry in all of Europe.”
Our Tipp for eating at Saint Malo is Caffe de L Ouest
After enjoying the wonderful weather and summer atmosphere in St Malo we headed to the last Station of our Trip The Famous Mont Saint Michel Island.
As a Top Tipp to feel the authentic Medieval Atmosphere I suggest to stay at the Hotel Du Guesclin ,one of the few Inns inside the Castle ,at very affordable prices.
The chance to have the Castle for yourself at sunset and Sunrise without all the Crowds is a unique Experience.
Mont Saint Michel
Mont-Saint-Michel is a tidal island and mainland commune in Normandy, France.
The island lies approximately one kilometre off France’s north-western coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches . As of 2019, the island had a population of 29.
The commune’s position—on an island just a few hundred metres from land—made it accessible at low tide to the many pilgrims to its abbey, and defensible as the incoming tide stranded. The island remained unconquered during the Hundred Years’ War. A small garrison fended off a full attack by the English in 1433. Louis XI recognised the benefits of its natural defence and turned it into a prison.
Mont-Saint-Michel and its surrounding bay were inscribed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979 for its unique aesthetic and importance as a Catholic site. It is visited by more than three million people each year, and is the most-visited tourist attraction in France outside of Paris. Over 60 buildings within the commune are protected as historical monuments.
The next day we left to Paris Beauvais Airport .Tipp for those who don’t want to travel with car there is a High Speed Train from Rennes which is very close to Mont Sain Michel and connects the city with Paris Central.
This was a quick Tour of Normandy plus St. Malo.Other polular Attraction
Le Havre Cruise Port (Terminal Croisières Le Havre)
Set on France’s western coast at the mouth of the English Channel and the Seine River, the Le Havre Cruise Port (Terminal Croisières Le Havre) serves as a popular stop for European cruise liners and is considered the “gateway to Paris.”
Omaha Beach
As one of Normandy’s D-Day landing beaches, Omaha Beach was the backdrop to one of the most significant events of World War II, immortalized in the movie Saving Private Ryan and forever etched into history. Today, visitors to Omaha Beach can follow in the footsteps of the Allied soldiers and pay their respects at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.
Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial
Located above Omaha Beach, just outside Bayeaux, the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is a moving site. The cemetery is the final resting place of more than 9,000 soldiers, the vast majority of whom lost their lives fighting the D-Day battles of Normandy. Other World War II heroes are buried here as well.
Caen Memorial Museum (Mémorial de Caen)
Located a short drive from the D-Day Landing Beaches, the Caen Memorial Museum (Mémorial de Caen) puts one of the most significant battles of World War II into historical context. The museum gardens serve as a poignant tribute to the international soldiers that lost their lives on Norman soil.
Pointe du Hoc
One of France’s most important World War II landmarks, Pointe du Hoc is best known for its role in the D-Day Landings. Today, the promontory overlooking the Normandy coast is a destination for history buffs, those with personal ties to the conflict, and others wishing to pay tribute to the many soldiers who lost their lives here.
Giverny
A short train ride from Paris, Giverny is best known as the home of Claude Monet, who created many of his iconic paintings. Head to this tiny, bucolic village to see the impressionist master’s beautifully preserved home and gardens. Here you can see the famous water lily pond and Japanese gardens that inspired so many of the world’s best-known Monet paintings.
Bayeux Tapestry (Tapisserie de Bayeux)
The Bayeux Tapestry (Tapisserie de Bayeux) might be almost 1,000 years old, but it’s still one of the top tourist attractions in northern France. Housed in a purpose-built museum and depicting the infamous Norman invasion of England, its detailed needlework and impressive size draw hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the world every year.
