Normandy Area

The Chateau Mike booked for us was pretty nice. We had a family room so Nick was put in the kid’s room. J There wasn’t a shower, only a bath, which was awesome for me. J Since I LOVE baths…but Mike and Nick weren’t as enthused. The Chateau was equipped with spiraling stone stairwells (great for carrying luggage up and falling down – which I did twice) and a nice gym, sauna, and spa. All and all, a thumbs up selection on Mike’s part.

We spent our first full day wandering the country side from one D-Day beach to the next. We stopped at a 101^st Airborne museum, Pointe du Hoc, and the American Cemetery. Of the three, I think I found Pointe du Hoc the most interesting. It was littered with craters and the remains of bunkers from the attack. Seeing the results over sixty years later, really made you think. I can’t imagine what it was like on that day.

We also traveled to Bayeux to see the tapestry they are famed to house. It was rather impressive. The tapestry, which was actually embroidery, was nearly 60 meters long and was displayed in horseshoe format around a room. We were provided with an audio guide that led us through the story told through the embroidery. It was actually quite interesting. A bonus on the trip was the beautiful cathedral (which used to house the tapestry) located just down the road from the tapestry's display.

We split up for our last day in the area. Mike and Nick really wanted to get a day in golfing at the Omaha Beach Golf Course…I wanted to see the Mont St. Michel…so the boys went golfing and I drove down to the monument. Both agreed that the golfing was the best they’ve ever experienced. The difficult terrain, spectacular view, and bunkers scattered as obstacles made the golf course -unique and a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience. It sounded like they really had fun….

My trip was equally as rewarding. I wasn’t really sure what to expect as I drove down to the monastery. The single road that led up to the elevated mini-village revealed an astonishing view. The cluster of buildings was surrounded by quicksand and water at low tide..the sea of buildings surrounding the monastery were shops and restaurants appealing to the tourists. It was steep spirally walk up (including hundreds of steps) which definitely let you know whether you were in shape or not. The monastery was a massive building with numerous rooms...each room as breathtaking as the next. (I took loads of picture so ensure you check them out!) The advantage of visiting alone was that I could easily slip past all the mass of tourists and I managed to walk through the place rather quickly. ;)