The two young ladies are taking the zip line at the end of the challenging obstacle course adventure, or as they see it, Hunger Games obstacle course.
Tag Archives: Normandy
More Rouen Videos
Here are two more videos from the Sound and Light Show at the Rouen Cathedral. Simply amazing.
Rouen Cathedral Organs
While visiting some of these splendid structures, on a number of occasions, we were treated to the sound of roaring organs. Rouen Cathedral was also a nice treat. Someone was taking the organs for a spin and they sounded mighty.
Around Amiens
The first known settlement is Samarobriva (“Somme bridge”), the central settlement of the Ambiani, one of the principal tribes of Gaul. The town was given the name Ambianum by the Romans, meaning settlement of the Ambiani people. The town has been much fought over, being attacked by barbarian tribes, and later by the Normans. In […]
Amiens Cathedral
Amiens Cathedral is situated on a ridge overlooking the River Somme in Amiens and it is the 19th largest church in the world. Medieval cathedral builders were trying to maximize the internal dimensions in order to reach for the heavens and bring in more light. In that regard, the Amiens cathedral is the tallest complete […]
Road Trip – Bruges
While I am trying to catch up on all the updates, we are off to Bruges for two nights. It is not a long drive and we are going to be stoping in Amiens on the way there.
Farewell Omonville
Today we are saying goodbye to our fantastic little cottage in Omonville. Despite the weather, we had absolutely fabulous time here. I would say one of the best stays on this trip. Don’t get fooled by this picture, it rained 30 min later, exactly when we were checking out…
Heaven in a Jar
This habit we picked up in Paris 3 years ago. I can’t put my tiger on it but this is the best yogurt we found and it is only sold in France and it comes in a glass jar. Absolutely delightful – so we gorged ourselves on it.
Crêpes
For a treat, after climbing some trees and stopping to smell the hydrangeas we drove back to Dieppe to have crepes, exactly at the same spot where we had them on the first day. A couple stops at a chocolate shop and a bakery too were on the agenda. Crepes are great but nothing beats […]
Dieppe War Cemetery
Tomorrow is the 72nd anniversary of the Dieppe Raid of 1942. Dieppe is dressed up and down with Canadian flags – it looks very heartwarming. The Canadian War Cemetery located 5km from Dieppe is unique in that it was created by the occupying Germans, as the Allied raid was a disaster and many dead were […]
Horticulture
Continuing with our fun theme for the day after Tree Top Adventure we set off for Hydrangea Gardens. The gardens which are about 2ha in size claim to have the largest collection of hydrangeas from around the world, with hundreds of flowers and millions of blooms. I am not sure if this qualified as fun […]
Arb’Aventure
This morning the kids asked what we are doing today? Having fun was the reply and fun we were going to have. In the old days you could either climb a tree or you did not, today they made that into a sport, which I think is a lot more fun. First stop for today is a Tree […]
Chapel of Our Lady of Salvation
Behind the bunkers and the radar ruins left from WWII is this lovely chapel which can be seen from the city. Perched hight up on the top of the cliff and originally built in the eleventh century as the story goes, by Count Baldwin, this chapel was rebuilt in the thirteenth century. It takes the […]
Cape Fagnet
Cape Fagnet is the highest point of the Alabaster Coast, it offers a breathtaking panorama of the sea, the cliffs, the harbor and the town of Fecamp. It peaks at 105 m and was once called the “Slam Fécamp.” It is currently occupied by a navy radar installation. Cape Fagnet was part of the German Atlantic […]
Fecamp
About 20 min drive from Etretat is the fishing town of Fecamp. During WWII Fecamp was part of Atlantic Wall fortification project run by Nazis. It was the third best fortified city in Normandy in WWII which was held by the Germans until 1944. Fecamp is an ancient fishing village and it shows signs of habitation dating […]
La Rebelle
In the middle of Normandy, in the middle of farmland with cows and sheep everywhere a rather displaced act of civil disobedience and protest. If , like us, you support PETA ( People Eating Tasty Animals) then this is just a bit of whimsical fun!
Weather Forecast
Yesterday in Rouen we had amazing weather – read no rain and even some sunshine. Today’s forecast is somewhat similar. Cloudy, with light wind, occasional sunshine and guaranteed downpour or five. I think that by now we all got used to the idea that the beach towels we brought with us will go back home […]
Étretat
Etretat is a small town of about 1500 people located about 100 km from where we are staying. Étretat is best known for its cliffs, including three natural arches and the pointed “needle”. These cliffs and the associated resort beach attracted artists including Eugène Boudin, Gustave Courbet and Claude Monet, and were featured prominently in […]
Sound and Light Show
While I am trying to find some time to catch up on the last two days of posts here is a quick update from Rouen. Our last thing to do in Rouen today was to see the great Cathedral Light and Sound Show. It is similar to what we saw at the Quarries of Light […]
Made in Normandy
First thing this morning we made online dinner reservations at a very nice little bistro in Rouen. Made in Normandy Bistro is in the old town and we were quite happy to be able to get a table there. In a typical French style we are celebrating our 17th Wedding Anniversary today with foie gras […]
Rouen
Rouen is a very cool city, well worth a good visit or two. We loved Metz, but Rouen I think is going to be a bit more special to us. This is a wonderful city with a lot of great places to visit and explore. The city has a great atmosphere, it has great shops […]
Timber Houses
Another one of predominant landmarks in Rouen are the timber houses. The entire old town it seems is dotted with them. Some in better shape than others, some looking like they were just built and some so skewed they look like they are falling over. All of them however, absolutely charming and beautiful. Most of these […]
Exercise Park
In the park behind the Church of St. Ouen church is where all the action is. Great church, beautiful park, a fountain, a pond, a tennis table, a playground for kids, bachelorette party meeting place and an exercise park. Since this trip is all about collection experiences, we thought we would give it a try. We entered the […]
Something in Pink
On the other side of the Church of St. Ouen park is a beginning of rowdy to be bachelorette party. It starting slow but I bet it will be a barrel of fun.
Benedictine Monastery
This Benedictine Nun Monastery was established in 1677 by a nun from Paris. In 1802 the nuns moved to the former convent of the Minimes, which was built in the 17th century. They have been praying every since and now they also bake and sell delicious cookies to support the monastery and themselves.
Church of St. Ouen
The Church of St. Ouen is a large Gothic Roman Catholic church in Rouen, northern France, famous for both its architecture and its large, unaltered Cavaillé-Coll organ, which Charles-Marie Widor described as “a Michelangelo of an organ”. Built on a similar scale to nearby Rouen Cathedral, it is, along with church of Saint Maclou, one […]
Ironwork Musuem
Since 1921, the church of Saint-Laurent which dates from the 15th and 16th century has housed a collection of wrought ironwork that to this day is the only one of its kind in Europe. The family collection of Henri Le Secq des Tournelles was donated to the city of Rouen, which at the time was the most comprehensive collection of […]
The Great Clock
The Gros-Horloge or Great Clock cannot be dissociated from the surrounding buildings, since their history is so intimately linked. Since its construction in the late 14th century, the Gothic belfry has housed the town’s bells and clock, the latter being a simple mechanism meant to sound the bells on the hour, half-hour and quarter-hour. In […]
Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc 1412 1431 nicknamed “The Maid of Orléans” is considered a heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. She was born to a peasant family at Domrémy in north-east France. Joan said she received visions of the Archangel Michael, Saint Margaret and Saint Catherine instructing her to support Charles VII and recover […]
Le Treport
Le Treport is a small fishing port situated in the Pays de Caux, some 34 km northeast of Dieppe. The mouth of the Bresle river meets the English Channel here, in between the high 110 metres chalk cliffs and the pebbly beach. Le Tréport is also a sea-side resort with a free funicular that takes you […]
Dear God
I have no idea what this is called – but triple bombastic custard, liqueur and caramel bomb would be a very good approximation. There are eight pieces of sponge like pasty each the size of a cream puff. Each is filled with custard and soaked in liqueur, then immediately covered with some caramel to keep […]
Around Rouen
We got to Rouen this morning, totally forgetting the fact that Friday is a civic holiday and most of the places are closed. We had a good look at the Rouen Cathedral and a quick walk around part of the old town. We are going to be coming back here tomorrow for a better look so we […]
Rouen Cathedral
The first church on this site dates back to 4th century, The 6th century it was enlarged and elevated to cathedral status. The cathedral was struck and portions of it destroyed by lighting no less than 5 times It was burned and bombed and damaged by hurricanes. One of the fires was so intense it melted […]
Middle of Normandy
Omonville is literally in the middle of nowhere in Normandy, yet it is close to everything. It is just the way we like it, quiet and serene and peaceful – this is one of the roads we take out of the cottage.
Summer in Normandy
It would appear that summer in Normandy consists of three different weather forecasts: looks like it will definitely rain, it’s raining or it’s pouring. Actually, that statement is not entirely true. It should be two forecasts – looks like rain and it is a biblical proportion deluge. It usually pours for anywhere between 2 to […]
The Abbey
Mont Saint-Michel was used in the sixth and seventh centuries as an Armorican stronghold of Gallo-Roman culture and power until it was ransacked by the Franks, thus ending the trans-channel culture that had stood since the departure of the Romans in CE 460. Before the construction of the first monastic establishment in the 8th century, […]
Mont St. Michel
Mont Saint-Michel is an island commune in Normandy. It is located approximately one kilometre off the country’s northwestern coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches. 100 hectares (247 acres) in size, the island has a population of 44. The island has held strategic fortifications since ancient times, and since the eighth century […]
The Bridges
You have to admire the architects and civil engineers here. Someone apparently decided to take a whimsical approach to road works and built these two bridges to look like the road is a part of a roller coaster ride. One is twisted and the other steep like a mountain. I am sure there is a reason […]
Road Trip Normandy
This morning we are setting off on a 3 hour drive to the other end of France it seems. Mont St. Michel is perhaps as well know in France as is the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre. This will officially be as far west as we have travelled by car from Nuremberg which is almost 1200km. […]
Chateau de Miromesnil
Our last visit for the day is Chateau de Miromensil. The only way to see the chateau inside is either by booking a night or by booking a guided tour. We booked a guided tour of the chateau, the gardens and the chapel. The tour was in French but we were given information in […]
Saint-Jacques
The Saint-Jacques Church was built between the 12th and 16th centuries, the Saint-Jacques church bears evidence to various epochs. The 1st church was constructed on the remains of the small chapel of Sainte-Catherine, which itself was destroyed in 1195. The church that we see today, dedicated to Saint-Jacques was built around 1283. The church on the sea route […]
Saint Rémy
The Saint Rémy Church: the first Saint-Rémy church, of which only the tower remains today, was built in the 13th century. It was built at the foot of the hill on which today stands Château-musée. The church gradually fell to ruins and the new Saint Rémy church was built in the heart of the town. It […]
Canadian War Memorial
The Dieppe Canadian War Memorial is dedicated to the Canadian and British soldiers who were killed during the Dieppe Raid in 1942. 944 members of the Allied Armed Forces are interred at Dieppe, of which 707 are Canadian. Other dead from the raid are buried in Rouen, where the Germans took captured raiders, some of whom died […]
Dieppe
Today we set off for Dieppe. A small costal city of 32,000 people about 20km from where we are staying. First recorded as a small fishing settlement in 1030, Dieppe was an important prize fought over during the Hundred Years’ War. Dieppe housed the most advanced French school of cartography in the 16th century. Two of […]
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