Beautiful Normandy

If I am to be honest, having been married to a World War II buff, I always envisioned that I would witness Normandy for the first time with Dan.  That we would walk the Normandy beaches together. That he would recount to me some of the great stories of heroism that took place on those beachheads, and together we would share pride in what our country helped to defeat over 68 years ago on that hallowed sand.  But as we all know, life’s path often veers us in unplanned directions.  It did take me to Normandy, that is true, but with a different American.

My friend and fellow ex-pat in Paris, Richard, and I decided to do this trip about 9 days before the planned departure date.  It was on my “Before I Leave Paris” bucket list and he was just interested in going. Richard and I met about 8 months ago at a foodie event in a hotel particulier in the 16eme.  Since then we have been to several group dinners together, a football game and French Socialist election rallies.  A 4 night trip to Northern France just seemed like the next logical step in our new friendship :). On the car ride out of Paris towards Mont Saint Michel, Richard asked me, “Jen, have you thought about how much time we are going to be spending with each other this weekend!?” Uh huh…and then I broke the news to him that it takes me about an hour to get ready in the morning.  He didn’t reply.

  Mont Saint Michel 

After a small snafu with our first rental car from Conklin Honda Salina (while still in the parking lot, Richard rolled into a parked taxi driver :). No one was hurt!) that resulted in a few hours of paper work, discussion and a car change, we were on the road to the land of Camembert cheese, calvados and cidre.  The new car was a manual and so I became the sole driver of our black Skoda Citigo.  I am a more enthusiastic passenger than driver…and the above pictures shows my relief to have finally arrived at the famous abbey on the rocky tidal hill.  It perhaps also shows a little road fatigue from the long first leg of our road trip.

  Bed & Breakfast, Les Blotteries – au coeur de la Baie du Mont Saint-Michel

My fatigue turned to contentment when we drove into the first of 3 charming bed & breakfasts we would stay at over the course of the 4 nights.  Rest and relaxation at a quaint old farmhouse in the French countryside where the propriétaire, Jean Luc, makes his own conficture from garden fresh rhubarb and raspberries? Yes, please!  His faithful and aging dog, Plume, was a permanent fixture at the front door (you can see her, the black spot, next to the door).

The Abbey on Mont Saint Michel

I took these pictures during our audio guide tour of the abbey whose history dates back to the 8th century.  It is a UNESCO heritage site and one of the most visited places in France. Given the August crowds we had the pleasure to be part of, I can attest to the accurateness of the latter fact.

Cloister at Mont Saint Michel

American Cemetery in Brittany

From Mont Saint Michel, we stopped to discover what would be the first of 2 American WWII cemeteries we would visit during our Normandy stay.  This cemetery, like its more famous counterpart in Normandy, is the permanent resting ground for American soldiers who lost their lives in battles in the neighboring regions (mostly during the years of 1944 and 1945). The Brittany cemetery is the eternal home to 4,410 souls.

This cemetery, and 23 like it around the world, is maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission. The caretaker is always retired American military. Walter Benjamin was the caretaker of this cemetery.  He was wonderful…so eager to answer our questions and also encouraged us to go up into the bell tower of the chapel so that we could get a panoramic view of the grounds.  The whole place was immaculately maintained.

“To those who gave their lives and to those who bear the wounds of battle, we their comrades in arms render most grateful and humble tribute.” – Words etched inside the chapel at the memorial

Honfleur at Night!

Called the “jewel of Normandy,” this little fishing town since the Middle Ages became our home for the next two nights.  It also became the first town in Normandy that we enjoyed fresh oysters! Surprisingly I don’t have one photo…I know! What went wrong!?

Honfleur in the Morning!

After buying 2 bottles of cidre, a bottle of jus de pomme and 2 French CDs (Piaf and Bruel!) at the Saturday market, it was time to head to the town of Bayeux to catch our afternoon Normandy D-Day tour of Omaha beach and some of the surrounding sites.

The tour was led by a Normandy native named Francis.

Pointe du Hoc

This is the site where early on D-Day, 225 US Rangers scaled the 100-foot cliffs, under heavy enemy fire. Their mission was to capture and destroy 6 heavy guns capable of firing shells a maximum range of 15 miles.  Only upon capturing the battery did Colonel Rudder and his men learn that the Germans had moved the guns half a mile inland and hidden them.

The scarred, rugged landscape is the lasting evidence of the heavy bombing that was done to this pointe prior to D-day.  Try to imagine how treacherous and scathed it would have looked in 1944….

Memorial to the Rangers who took possession of Pointe du Hoc.

The 2nd Battalion suffered heavy casualties during the two and a half days here, only 90 of the original 225 survived.

A look towards the direction of Omaha Beach from Pointe du Hoc

The German “eyes and brain” on the Pointe.

The Rangers were finally able to evacuate the Germans from this stronghold after several days. They threw a fire grenade into the ventilation openings that chased out the enemy.  I was able to look up inside the battery and still see blackened, char-coaled ceiling.

Omaha Beach today…

It looks a lot different today than what our soldiers would have landed on at 6:30am that bloody morning of June 6, 1944.  The once scorched hillside that cascaded down to a beach full of German obstacles, gun fire and dead and mutilated young heroes is now the tranquil site of vacationing locals, tourists and souvenir and ice cream stands.  But that is why our boys gave the ultimate sacrifice, right?  Around 5,000 American soldiers died here on that day…most of them in the first few hours of battle. I couldn’t feel them on that beach that afternoon, but I sure as hell remembered each and everyone of them.

Thinking of Dan, I did text him from this site. He responded, “You are witnessing one of the most accomplished acts of pure heroism and patriotism.” Yes, I am. I felt proud to bear witness to such a place and proud to be an American.  I collected some sand, wiped a tear and headed back to the van.  Never forget.

The Memorial at the American Cemetery in Normandy

It is the second most visited cemetery in the world after Arlington and the final resting place of 9,387  American military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations. The Italian marble crosses and Stars of David rise from the beach in neat rows as if storming up from the beaches.

Included here are three recipients of the Medal of Honor, one being Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., son of President Theodore Roosevelt, and 4 women.

The German battery at Longues-sur-Mer

The final stop on our tour was to Longues-sur-Mer. The battery here is the only gun battery in France that still has the original cannon in the bunkers, untouched since 1944.

 The Allies had tried to knock out this battery with aerial bombardment leading up to the landings, but it was not until D-Day that the guns were finally silenced by off-shore Allied Navies.   In doing so, these guns did not kill one Allied soldier.

Richard and I arrived back to our Bed and Breakfast in Honfleur full of emotion and exhilaration.  We had learned so much, we had seen so much…and we had felt so much.  Pride, loss, happiness, awe, patriotism, sadness, gratitude….it all still swirled around inside of us as we settled in for our dinners of Noix de Saint Jacques and Gambas.

“What was your favorite part of today?” I asked Richard.

“Definitely Point du Hoc.”  he replied.  “Yours?”

“The same, but my favorite moment was meeting the World War II vet.”  So special…a huge smile comes over my face as I write about it now.  I don’t know his name, but he was in a wheelchair and had on one of the trademark WWII veteran hats. My eyes lit up the minute I saw him on the trail at Pointe du Hoc. Our guide, Francis, went straight to him to thank him for his service and asked him if he had fought in Normandy.  “Nah,” said the vet in the most American heartland accent I have heard since being here, “I was at the Battle of the Bulge.” And then added humbly, ” But I didn’t do much…I just drove the gasoline truck.”

 God Bless him for driving that gasoline truck.

Rouen 

The final stop on our Normandy tour was a town called Rouen.  It too bared scars from WWII, but what made this town so important, so special to me didn’t have anything to do with the war.  It had everything to do with food! It was here, in this town, that the woman who brought French cooking to America, Madame Julia Child, first became inspired by French cuisine!  She and her husband, Paul, passed through Rouen on November 3, 1948.  They were coming from the port in Le Havre on their way to his post at the American Embassy in Paris and stopped for lunch at a restaurant called La Couronne…which so happened to be the same restaurant we had 8:30pm reservations at that evening!!

I know I wasn’t the first Julia Child pilgrim to this city…but I was a very reverent one.

Plaque marking the location where Jeanne d’Arc was burned alive

Across from the Old Market Square and near the restaurant where we would dine in Rouen, a small placard marks the spot where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in on May 30, 1431.

*Sigh* The picturesque streets of Rouen…and me!

Pleased as Punch to be at La Couronne!

 The restaurant originally opened as an inn in 1345 and is today billed as the “oldest auberge in France.”  Wanting to see if the sole meunière that inspired a laudible career still had its magic today, I ordered the same as Julia…and Richard.  The server brought us the two whole fish on a presentation platter, perfectly browned and in the butter sauce. We approved and he whisked it away to bone it.  I was worried that perhaps after 60 years the dish wouldn’t be as inspiring or even as good as my sole meunière (I make a mean one!).  The server then came back to present us the four fillets.  I took my first bite.  Not bad, but mine is indeed better.  I felt bad at first admitting it, but then thought, “You know what, I can thank Julia Child for that!”  Her love for French cooking planted that seed in me also…and, well, at least today I can brag about one of my French dishes!

Julia wrote in “My Life in France”, “The whole experience (at La Couronne) was an opening of the soul and spirit for me. I was hooked, and for life, as it would turn out.”  Julia and her personality hooked me too.  I was happy to be in the same 4 walls where she had “the most exciting meal of (her) life.”

Our fun and witty server with a very large bottle of calvados!

Get out of Paris and the French are delightful :)! (oh, some are in Paris too…sheez!).

Bonne Nuit, Rouen…and Good-bye Normandy!

Phew! What a weekend!  From War Heroes to Cooking Heroes and lots of good food, cidre, oysters, cheese and conversation in between. Normandy was a feast for all senses and evoked in me such a grand range of emotions that I don’t know where else I could go in the world to feel the same. I gained so much from my 4 days there…one being a stronger friendship with my great travel partner, Richard.  I was glad we shared this together.

“We, too, born to freedom, are willing to fight to maintain freedom. We, and all others who believe as clearly as we do, would rather die on our feet than live on our knees.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Thank you to all our current men and women in the military, veterans and those who have paid the ultimate price for freedom.