Maxfield Adventures - Living life to the Max: Normandy

Bayeux Tapestry & Church * Tour de France * Utah Beach * Air Show

11,000 steps

Today is our 23rd wedding anniversary. We celebrated by seeing the Bayeux Tapestry, wandering a medieval fair, watching the Tour de France roll into Utah Beach, visiting the WWII museum and memorial at Utah Beach, watching an air show over the English Chanel while sitting on the beach, and last, but not least, having dinner at McDonalds. A banner anniversary.

The Bayeux tapestry was something I knew nothing about 2 years ago. I'd heard of William the Conqueror and the Battle of Hastings in 1066, but I didn't know the battle had been commemorated in a 70 meter long banner than hung in the church. Completed in 1070 it is an amazing work of art. The embroidered pictures tell the story of the battle between William and Harold for the rights to the English crown. It's in amazingly good condition for being nearly 1000 years old.

After wandering the town of Bayeux and visiting the booths of the medieval festival we had a quick lunch and drove 45 minutes to Utah Beach hoping to catch the Tour De France. We had to re-route our drive only a couple of times to avoid all the blockades, but thanks to GPS and Google Maps, we managed to find parking within a kilometer of the beach. I had no idea what to expect. It was a party! People lined the streets behind barricades as far as the eye could see. We watched for 45 minutes as the Tour De France caravan passed - support vehicles, advertising, sponsors, merchandise to purchase. It was like watching a car parade with Macy's Day Parade characters on the cars - everything from razors, to baguettes, to cheerleaders - all advertising their contribution/sponsorship of the Tour. They threw hats, bags, toys, cookies, blow-up-pillows, etc into the crowds. We enjoyed diving into the grass to retrieve our Tour swag.

Then about 10 minutes before the racers arrived it got quiet as the announcer called the race - I couldn't understand a word he was saying, but it sounded like a horse race and the excitement was palatable. The crowds slapped their hands on the barricades and then SWOOSH - they passed about 12 bikers together in the first peloton. It took about another 15 minutes for the others to pass and then it was over, as fast as it started. Eric and I bought Tour De France biking jersey's so we can look cool when we go biking back in Salt Lake.

While the crowds dispersed we visited the WWII memorial and museum at Utah Beach. We were surprised to learn that there would be an airshow on the beach celebrating the first day of the tour. I felt patriotic sitting on Utah Beach watching Red, White, and Blue planes dance around in the sky shooting red, white, and blue smoke.

Since it was our anniversary we had hoped to go out to dinner, but leaving the Tour and Air Show was like leaving an Olympic Event with only tiny 1 lane streets for miles and miles. We didn't get back to our area of Normandy until 9:45 and we were lucky to find a McDonalds still open and serving food. Good old USA to the rescue again.