Normandy to Amboise

Arromanches Beaches * Clos-Luce Chateau

We traveled from Normandy to Amboise today.  First we stopped at Arromanches Beach very near our home.  This bay was turned into a deep water port for the Allies after D-day.  You can still see the concrete blocks ringing the bay and a few of the metal blocks that helped to support the floating roads to the beach.  It was an eerie reminder that a war was fought here.

We arrived in Amboise about 3:00.  Each time we arrive somewhere new there is some anxiety not knowing what our accommodations will be like.  Most of our accommodations are private homes we've rented through VRBO or AirBnB.  Some are better than others.  But, just image showing up at someone's cabin and trying to figure out where everyone will sleep.  How to work the locks, stove, washing machine, etc.  Where are the plates, silverware, cups.  Is there dish washing soap, T.P., etc?   Most places have been pretty well equipped, but we are still carrying around extra TP, dish soap, and laundry detergent.  Today we arrived with random food and extra snacks we've collected - everything from powdered sugar to cucumbers to Nutella.  It's a little like camping and the cooking and eating become very interesting.  Green salads with no salad dressings, peeling a carrot with a bread knife, using a salad spinner as a colander.  

(Our current accommodations are built right up against a steep cliff.  I'm pretty sure there wasn't running water originally.  The toilet is nestled under the spiral staircase  and the shower is in a room next to it.  We have a sink in the master bedroom upstairs, but no bathroom.  The spare bedroom downstairs was added later and built right into the soft stone of the Mountain - apparently something that is common around here.  It has finished walls, but the ceiling is the stone itself).                                                                    

The kids are getting pretty good at living out of a suitcase and keeping track of their things.  Even Charlie (most times) can pack up his suit case and get it ready to move to the next location.  As far as we know, we haven't left anything behind - but we are missing Maren's cardigan sweater, we think she left it somewhere in Florence while we were out site seeing.  I'd better knock on wood right now!

This afternoon we visited a small Chateau that was the home of Leonardo Da Vinci when he moved to France at the end of his life to be the chief engineer for the King.  We liked the house and the period furniture from the time (none was actually Leonardo's).  We got to the master bedroom and there was a cat sleeping right in the middle of the bed.  I guess he just wandered into the home and at some point decided that this was the best place for nap.

In the gardens of the home many of Leonardo's crazy machines have been built, life size, for kids to experiment with - the kids played in a tank, and twirled a helicopter type machine.  We looked at water wheels and crossed swivel bridges. We pulled a treadmill designed like a huge pulley.  The gardens were nice and relaxing and a good way to spend a couple of hours.

After dinner we learned how to play Canasta - kind of, we've got a lot of practicing to do on that one.

Arromanches Beach

Clos-Luce Chateau

Leonardo DaVinci's Inventions

Normandy Beaches - a patriotic day

Normandy Beaches * St. Mere Eglise, Pont Du Hoc * Omaha Beach * American Cemetary

We haven't hired many private guides or tours for this adventure, but this was one day we really wanted to understand the history of June 6, 1944, so we hired Lucie Hoffman for the day.  She did such a great job bringing the events of Operation Overlord (Normandy Invasion) to life, especially for the kids.  We started at Saint Mere-Eglise, which was appropriate since it was this city that saw the first soldiers of the battle, the paratroopers, who came in on planes and gliders in the middle of the night.  Because of an unrelated house fire near the church in the this town, many paratroopers were dropped right into the middle of town.  Because the Germans were awake with the sound of the fire half the paratroopers were killed in the sky before even landing.  One landed right on the steeple of the church and faked dead for 2 hours before he was rescued and captured by Germans.  We visited the museum in this town and went inside a glider (called flying coffins by the soldiers).

After Saint Mere-Eglise we went to Pont Du Hoc where the Rangers were charged with scaling a 100 ft cliff and destroying german guns with a 15 mile range.  When the Rangers arrived their ropes with grappling hooks were too heavy with water to shoot to the top of the cliff.  Miraculously one Ranger made it to the top using sharp tools on the edge of the cliff then helped his mates up.  140 out of 225 Rangers made it to the top of the cliff.  For the next 2 - 3 days the Rangers fought the Germans (250) in a fight to the death with no reinforcements.  They killed every last German.  90 Rangers survived.  We went in the German bunkers, saw the turrets for the guns, and the pill boxes that were never used.  The Germans had moved their guns to safety from Pont Du Hoc to build more protected pill boxes for them - when the Rangers arrived, they found decoy guns (large tree trunks) covered in camouflage.  Good news for the troops on Utah and Omaha beaches, but unfortunate for he Rangers who lost many lives fighting over decoy guns.

Next we went to Omaha Beach.  We approached the beach from the street Easy Company would have used to exit the beach.  Omaha, although ultimately successful, was the worst battle fought that day losing over 3000 soldiers by mid-day.  Measures to prepare the beach for the landing had failed, because of high winds, bombs had missed their mark, because of high seas tanks to destroy the mines on the beach had sunk.  Soldiers arrived in 7 minute increments unprotected and like sitting ducks on an open beach exposed to German fire.  It took the Allies until 12:00 noon to secure the beach and then another 6 hours to travel up the access roads from the beach to the town.  (Probably 1 km).  Our guide drew the battle plan in the sand as we 

looked out onto the peaceful beach and tried to imagine what it could have been like on that fateful day.

Finally we ended up at the American Cemetery where 9000 soldiers from WWII are buried (not all from the battle of Normandy).  The entire day was very moving and made us all realize the great sacrifice others have made for our freedoms.  It was a great 4th of July.

Eric and I finally got our anniversary date tonight.  We took the kids to the grocery store so they could pick out their dinner - frozen pizza, fruit and whipped cream and a French cookie.  Eric and I went to a nice French restaurant in town and had the best meal of our trip - with dessert!  Tender meats (lamb and pork) with yummy sauces and perfectly cooked vegetables.  Fresh salad with warm goat cheese on the side.  Dark chocolate cake and apple pastry with ice cream.  Yum!  We might need to celebrate another occasion soon and leave the kids home.  

St Mere-Eglise

bunkers on Pont du Hoc

Omaha Beach

Normandy - Mont St-Michel

Church * Mont St. Michel

7,000 steps

We had a nice time at the ward in Caen this morning.  We were just a couple of minutes late so after getting the kids off to YW and Primary, Eric and I snuck into our meetings.  It took me a few minutes to figure out what the lesson was about, but soon I realized it was from the History of the Relief Society manual and I was able to follow along on my IPad in English.  The girls were the only YW in church today.  This ward has a YW president, but no girls. She told Maren, Emma, & Sydney that she had been inspired to prepare a lesson today and asked the sister missionaries to come in and translate.

The primary on the other had was huge, and as Charlie put it, just as crazy as primary in the states.  In fact, when we told Charlie he could join us all in Gospel Essentials (which was being taught in English), he declined as he wanted to stay in primary.  I'm so glad my kids aren't intimidate by new situations or new people. The church is always a comfortable and safe place to be.

We had a nice Sunday dinner with chicken skewers Eric grilled outside, roasted peppers and zucchini, orzo salad, and a great chocolate cake.  We relaxed around the house until about 4:00 and then decided to drive to Mont St- Michel to see the Abbey on the Island.  We got there just 15 minutes before the last entry to the Abbey, which was too bad, put we did get to see the tides rushing in and we were on the island as the tides swelled up and surrounded the abbey into an Island like it does twice a day.  These tides are the 2nd fastest moving tides in the world and can be very dangerous if you're out on the sand.

We spent a couple of hours wandering around the island, discovering almost every street possible - including the tiny Cemetery.  It was relaxing and peaceful as all the tourists had left and the souvenir shops were all closed.  We enjoyed hearing only the squawks of the seagulls and the rush of the waves.

Mont St. Michel

Normandy - Old and New Wars and Biking tours

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.

Bayeux Chapel

Tour bikers finally arrive

Utah Beach