Michael and I just returned from our trip to Normandy and had such a wonderful time! The first few days were a little wet, but the days following were absolutely picture perfect. In addition to visiting all the stunning and provocative places, already on our itinerary, we also tried out new places and made new discoveries.

Chateau de Breuil was amazing and Martine was extremely accommodating as she explained the history and mechanics of making the famous Calvados and Pommeau. Of course we got to taste it afterwards and picked up some bottles for ourselves and friends back home.



 Martine at Chateau de Breuil

 We also used this opportunity to discover a few lesser known distilleries near Livarot and visited Madame de Lesdain and Didier Gautard (Cave Cidricole), who were both kind enough to show us
around and give us a taste of their fabulous products. 


            
                                
  
          Madame de Lesdain                                                                  Didier Gautard

We  discovered in Livarot, a wonderful fromagerie- Le Village Fromager -that makes the famous Livarot, Camembert, and Pont l’Eveque cheeses and had a great time watching the molding and binding of these delicious cheeses. Yum! 


                     

Le Village Fromager       

    

   Michael working for his supper


       
Cheese, cheese, cheese...


We decided to start our visit to the D Day Beaches with a stop at Pegasus Bridge. On the way there, David kept us fascinated with the story of the amazing landing the British made in these huge gliders by the riverside. Even more interestingly, his father was involved in this endeavour. After hearing this, we were really excited to see the bridge and the Café Gondree which also played an integral part in the victorious outcome.
What a celebration of humans’ determination against all odds.

                             


Pointe Du Hoc and the American Memorial Cemetery were even more poignant than we remembered, and as it was the week following the June 6 anniversary,and as if the skies were also remembering, a light drizzle fell on us. We saw many former servicemen in their colored berets also remembering …
 

  

                        

American Memorial Cemetery 

We used this opportunity to also take many walks in the area surrounding our accommodations and discovered many new paths. There were several marked paths to follow so we wouldn’t  get lost.

 One night we went down to the 1,000 yr. old church and it was both amazing and a little eerie. Michael took a lot of pictures and I watched the glow of the light against the old stone walls, and listened to the wind rustling through the trees. It was as if I were experiencing a surreal light and sound show.

 

Of course, our trip to Normandy wouldn’t be complete without several sojourns to the nearby town of St. Pierre sur Dives. We took many walks visiting the Jardin Conservatoire, the Abbaye de Sainte Pierre , and of course our favorite bar, Le Greenwich (so named because it is located on the Greenwich Mean Time). We also visited the marketplace (Les Halles) which hosts a food market every Monday and an antique market the first Sunday of every month.

On this trip to St. Pierre, we discovered a restaurant we hadn’t tried before-Eleven- at Hotel Du France. I had the steak and fries and my steak was perfectly done. I ordered it "tres bien cuit, "which means very well done. Michael ordered the chicken, and although he enjoyed it, he was a little jealous when he saw the duck confit some of the other guests had ordered. He will try it on our next trip.
    

 
Another great little local place we discovered was Bar de la Fontaine in Boissey just about 1 mile from our gites. The owners, Valerie and Stefanie were great and we love the garden setting out back where our group can sit and have drinks and enjoy a typical French meal and ambiance.
 




Falaise and William the Conqueror’s Castle began another memorable day, further enhanced by a walk through the nearby majestic L’Eglise Sainte Trinite, and intimate streets lined with charming restaurants and stores.

On the way home we could not resist exploring the remarkable Chateau de Vendeuvre with its exquisitely laid out gardens and surprising interiors.

 
David and Suzie made some very memorable meals including one night when we dined in the restaurant at the gite complex. We feasted on appetizers of goat cheese and tapenade tarts followed by platters of pates, sliced salami, Parma ham, cornichons (gherkins), and boiled eggs stuffed with sour cream. This was followed by a trou Normand, which is a sorbet with Calvados poured over it. This is used to cleanse the palette. Next came platters of sautéed carrots and green beans, roasted baby potatoes sprinkled with diced bacon, and perfectly grilled steaks accompanied by a mushroom sauce. It was blissful! We ended with a delicious dessert. Of course, everything was washed down by some great wine.



Just being in and driving through Normandy is so amazing, you feel you are in a movie production. The views envelop you and if you gaze to the left, you miss an experience on your right. You awake each morning to a symphony of melodies from the birds. The people are extremely friendly and welcoming, and the food is varied and delicious. Visiting this wonderful part of France always leaves you wanting more, which is why we keep going back again and again, and again….