Normandy Notes - from CleoB (Mont-St-Michel, Bayeux, D-Day)
May 28th, 2009, 10:18 PM
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Normandy Notes - from CleoB (Mont-St-Michel, Bayeux, D-Day)
In my Paris post (Paris Notes: Trip is Progressing!), I said I’d post something on Normandy when I got the chance. Here it is, covering Mont-St-Michel, Bayeux, and the beaches of Normandy. Again, many, many thanks to everyone who ever posted anything about these locations – our trip was so much better for your advice!
Saturday, May 23: We are driving to Normandy, so we picked up our rental car at Hertz location Porte Maillot. They have portable GPS units for rent at this location, and I can tell you from past experience, the GPS is going to be much needed. Our first stop an hnour down the road is Giverny, to see Monet’s gardens. Traffic is light and finding it is easy. Because of the bank holiday again, there is a long line to enter (and only one ticket seller booth). But because Monet is one of my favorite artists, we wait over an hour just to get in. We chatted with a nice couple from Paris about the holiday, life in France, and traveling in the US compared to France. At the booth, tickets are for either house and gardens – 6 euros – or gardens only – 4,50 euros. We do gardens only since I'm interested in garden photos. Many flowers were in bloom, so there were plenty of photo opportunities. The Japanese bridge was packed with visitors, though, and the water lily pond didn’t have anything really blooming. Still, a lovely way to spend an hour or two and break up our drive.
After leaving the garden, it’s time to head out to our next destination: Mont-St.-Michel, and the Chateau Bouceel (pronounced “boo-SAY”). This is where the GPS part came in handy, as the roads out to the chateau are small (sometimes dirt), meander through fields, and not easy to see on a map. For everyone who recommended Chateau Bouceel – THANK YOU! This lovely chateau on 600 acres is owned by Regis and Nicole Rocqfeuil (“The Count and Countess”), and it has been in the family since the 1200’s. We stayed in Oncle Francois’ room, but I think any of the rooms would have been nice. We were pleasantly greeted upon arrival by Regis (dressed in coat and tie) plus “Madame Mouche” the cat, and shown our room. The cat stayed put by the front door. She knows where the affection is!
After check-in, we drove into Mont-St-Michel, only about 15 minutes away, to watch the sun set and see the lights of the abbey come on about 10 pm. We missed the abbey tour, which is supposed to be worth taking. Oh well, something to do next time! But the abbey exterior is beautiful, peaceful, and virtually crowd-free. We had stopped at the small supermarket at the start of the causeway to pick up some snacks for dinner, Regis had recommended the restaurant Pre Sale (pronounced “prey salAY”) for its salt-marsh fed lamb specialties, but we weren’t hungry so we passed it up. The tide was on its way out, so we were able to walk along the sandy shore leading up to the buildings (low tide at midnight). Apparently the tides here are strong and the water is fast-moving - lots of warning signs about parking and avoiding the water. About 10:30 pm, we try to use our GPS to get back to the chateau, but for some reason, it has us take a very circuitous route back. It took over 30 minutes to return! But we did make it. Regis had given us the door key code so we could get in late, just in case.
The next morning, Regis greeted us again (once more dressed impeccably) at breakfast, and he asked about our "program" for the day. After describing our plans to explore D-Day beaches, he declared them good. When we inquired about the chateau property, photos, and history, he lit up and told us some amazing stories about his father’s role in the French Resistance (Germans at the chateau and his father's bicycle headlamp used for transporting messages), tulip trees on the property that are descended from some that were a gift from George Washington at Mt. Vernon, and much more. If you stay, and I hope you do, please inquire as you can tell Regis and Nicole take great pride in their home, and are pleased to share it. We wish we could stay longer - this has been a highlight of our trip!
After checkout, our day is spent heading to the beaches of Normandy. Since there have been other great posts about what to do in Normandy, I’ll just hit the highlights so you get a sense of what we covered each day. If you have questions, I will be happy to answer once I get the Internet again.
Our drive from Chateau Bouceel took about 2 hours to reach St-Mere Eglise, with its worthwhile paratrooper museum. Then, on to Utah Beach and the memorial there. My husband bought “cricket” clickers for souvenirs (3 euros each)– they are similar to the devices used by the soldiers to be able to identify themselves when on the ground. Then, to the Pointe du Hoc, where the 2nd Ranger Battalion scaled the cliffs in preparation for the assault on Omaha Beach. What an incredibly moving story! The bomb craters are still evident here.
From there, we drove into Bayeux, to the Churchill Hotel (again, thanks to Fodorites who recommended this place!). On a pedestrian strip in the old town, this hotel has free parking in back, and is perfectly situated for exploring the region. There’s a Laundromat a few blocks away, a small supermarket literally next door, and wonderful bakeries and restaurants in abundance. We enjoyed a traditional meal at La Fringale just up from the hotel that was reasonably priced. Also a bonus at the hotel, Wi-Fi is free in the lobby to guests! Breakfast is optional (9,50 euro a day), so we didn’t choose it and instead, enjoyed the local patisseries’ offerings.
May 24 (US Memorial Day): We visited the Bayeux Cathedral and the Bayeux tapestry (both just minutes walking from the hotel). The tapestry is even more impressive than we expected, and makes us realize how much history we don't know!. We then set out for more D-Day sites. Today’s visit includes Omaha Beach, the Musee D’Omaha Beach, and the American cemetery. Wow. We have a much better understanding of the great price of freedom. There are both French and American flags at each white granite headstone. Flower arrangements in honor of our sacrifice are displayed near the water lily pond. Very moving. Our last stop is Arromanches, with its mulberry harbors still afloat, and an impressive 360-degree circle-vision movie.
May 25: From Bayeux, we continued to explore D-Day locations, such as the Pegasus Bridge. No crowd here, and we were feeling "museumed out," so we didn't go in the building. It's also raining. We are leaving France today, so that's pretty much the extent of our week here! I hope this trip report is helpful to anyone planning a trip. I don’t think I would change a thing about our itinerary. CleoB
Saturday, May 23: We are driving to Normandy, so we picked up our rental car at Hertz location Porte Maillot. They have portable GPS units for rent at this location, and I can tell you from past experience, the GPS is going to be much needed. Our first stop an hnour down the road is Giverny, to see Monet’s gardens. Traffic is light and finding it is easy. Because of the bank holiday again, there is a long line to enter (and only one ticket seller booth). But because Monet is one of my favorite artists, we wait over an hour just to get in. We chatted with a nice couple from Paris about the holiday, life in France, and traveling in the US compared to France. At the booth, tickets are for either house and gardens – 6 euros – or gardens only – 4,50 euros. We do gardens only since I'm interested in garden photos. Many flowers were in bloom, so there were plenty of photo opportunities. The Japanese bridge was packed with visitors, though, and the water lily pond didn’t have anything really blooming. Still, a lovely way to spend an hour or two and break up our drive.
After leaving the garden, it’s time to head out to our next destination: Mont-St.-Michel, and the Chateau Bouceel (pronounced “boo-SAY”). This is where the GPS part came in handy, as the roads out to the chateau are small (sometimes dirt), meander through fields, and not easy to see on a map. For everyone who recommended Chateau Bouceel – THANK YOU! This lovely chateau on 600 acres is owned by Regis and Nicole Rocqfeuil (“The Count and Countess”), and it has been in the family since the 1200’s. We stayed in Oncle Francois’ room, but I think any of the rooms would have been nice. We were pleasantly greeted upon arrival by Regis (dressed in coat and tie) plus “Madame Mouche” the cat, and shown our room. The cat stayed put by the front door. She knows where the affection is!
After check-in, we drove into Mont-St-Michel, only about 15 minutes away, to watch the sun set and see the lights of the abbey come on about 10 pm. We missed the abbey tour, which is supposed to be worth taking. Oh well, something to do next time! But the abbey exterior is beautiful, peaceful, and virtually crowd-free. We had stopped at the small supermarket at the start of the causeway to pick up some snacks for dinner, Regis had recommended the restaurant Pre Sale (pronounced “prey salAY”) for its salt-marsh fed lamb specialties, but we weren’t hungry so we passed it up. The tide was on its way out, so we were able to walk along the sandy shore leading up to the buildings (low tide at midnight). Apparently the tides here are strong and the water is fast-moving - lots of warning signs about parking and avoiding the water. About 10:30 pm, we try to use our GPS to get back to the chateau, but for some reason, it has us take a very circuitous route back. It took over 30 minutes to return! But we did make it. Regis had given us the door key code so we could get in late, just in case.
The next morning, Regis greeted us again (once more dressed impeccably) at breakfast, and he asked about our "program" for the day. After describing our plans to explore D-Day beaches, he declared them good. When we inquired about the chateau property, photos, and history, he lit up and told us some amazing stories about his father’s role in the French Resistance (Germans at the chateau and his father's bicycle headlamp used for transporting messages), tulip trees on the property that are descended from some that were a gift from George Washington at Mt. Vernon, and much more. If you stay, and I hope you do, please inquire as you can tell Regis and Nicole take great pride in their home, and are pleased to share it. We wish we could stay longer - this has been a highlight of our trip!
After checkout, our day is spent heading to the beaches of Normandy. Since there have been other great posts about what to do in Normandy, I’ll just hit the highlights so you get a sense of what we covered each day. If you have questions, I will be happy to answer once I get the Internet again.
Our drive from Chateau Bouceel took about 2 hours to reach St-Mere Eglise, with its worthwhile paratrooper museum. Then, on to Utah Beach and the memorial there. My husband bought “cricket” clickers for souvenirs (3 euros each)– they are similar to the devices used by the soldiers to be able to identify themselves when on the ground. Then, to the Pointe du Hoc, where the 2nd Ranger Battalion scaled the cliffs in preparation for the assault on Omaha Beach. What an incredibly moving story! The bomb craters are still evident here.
From there, we drove into Bayeux, to the Churchill Hotel (again, thanks to Fodorites who recommended this place!). On a pedestrian strip in the old town, this hotel has free parking in back, and is perfectly situated for exploring the region. There’s a Laundromat a few blocks away, a small supermarket literally next door, and wonderful bakeries and restaurants in abundance. We enjoyed a traditional meal at La Fringale just up from the hotel that was reasonably priced. Also a bonus at the hotel, Wi-Fi is free in the lobby to guests! Breakfast is optional (9,50 euro a day), so we didn’t choose it and instead, enjoyed the local patisseries’ offerings.
May 24 (US Memorial Day): We visited the Bayeux Cathedral and the Bayeux tapestry (both just minutes walking from the hotel). The tapestry is even more impressive than we expected, and makes us realize how much history we don't know!. We then set out for more D-Day sites. Today’s visit includes Omaha Beach, the Musee D’Omaha Beach, and the American cemetery. Wow. We have a much better understanding of the great price of freedom. There are both French and American flags at each white granite headstone. Flower arrangements in honor of our sacrifice are displayed near the water lily pond. Very moving. Our last stop is Arromanches, with its mulberry harbors still afloat, and an impressive 360-degree circle-vision movie.
May 25: From Bayeux, we continued to explore D-Day locations, such as the Pegasus Bridge. No crowd here, and we were feeling "museumed out," so we didn't go in the building. It's also raining. We are leaving France today, so that's pretty much the extent of our week here! I hope this trip report is helpful to anyone planning a trip. I don’t think I would change a thing about our itinerary. CleoB
May 29th, 2009, 08:49 AM
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Thanks. I enjoyed and it brought back memories of our similar trip a year ago. We too enjoyed watching the lights come on from the causeway, and got a wonderful blow-up picture of the sunset in the background.
May 30th, 2009, 02:21 PM
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Hi, CleoB,
I am so glad you loved the Chateau Bouceel! Did you buy a copy of the book by Regis' father? We stayed there June 2007 and also considered it to be a highlight of our trip. Like you, we felt we would not have changed a thing about our trip.
I leave for Provence in 2 weeks - I have never been there. Again, I am glad you had a wonderful trip.
I am so glad you loved the Chateau Bouceel! Did you buy a copy of the book by Regis' father? We stayed there June 2007 and also considered it to be a highlight of our trip. Like you, we felt we would not have changed a thing about our trip.
I leave for Provence in 2 weeks - I have never been there. Again, I am glad you had a wonderful trip.
May 30th, 2009, 02:45 PM
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Great report Cleo. My parents just returned from Normandy last week. My father is a Lt.Col.(retired)US Army. My parents were very emotional about their trip. The beaches and cemetery (especially) affected them deeply. When they arrived at the cemetery they were each given a bouquet to place on the grave of their choice. The found two fallen soldiers from Minnesota (where they grew up) and placed the flowers there.
May 30th, 2009, 09:42 PM
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I have to say the American cemetery was incredibly emotional. You could tell they were preparing for Obama's visit. We visited at the grave of a soldier "known only to God." and found many from June 6, the day of the invasion.
Kansas, I didn't know the book by Regis' father was for sale! Regis did show us - it was beautifully illustrated. This gives me something to look forward to next time. Enjoy Provence - it's on my short list of places to go next!
Kansas, I didn't know the book by Regis' father was for sale! Regis did show us - it was beautifully illustrated. This gives me something to look forward to next time. Enjoy Provence - it's on my short list of places to go next!
May 31st, 2009, 08:40 AM
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Sounds really nice! We too stayed at the Churchill and had a dinner at La Fringale
I am still amazed at all the DDay sights. We have been twice now, but would love to stay in the area for at least a week to see even more.
309pbg--My DH is a retired Naval Officer. On our first trip to France, he had just returned from a 6 month deployment a couple weeks before. So like your parents, it was a pretty emotional time at the sights.
I am still amazed at all the DDay sights. We have been twice now, but would love to stay in the area for at least a week to see even more. 309pbg--My DH is a retired Naval Officer. On our first trip to France, he had just returned from a 6 month deployment a couple weeks before. So like your parents, it was a pretty emotional time at the sights.
