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Archive for July, 2011
A visit to Mont-Saint-Michel
Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France is visible for miles across the rolling plains of the southern edge of the Cotentin Peninsula. The historic, Benedictine Abby is majestic from a distance and even more so when you enter its gate. We arrived at Mont Saint Michel around 3:30pm. The weather was not the best, overcast skies and rain off and on during our visit but we were treated to a little blue sky before we left. We opted to walk to the Abbey via the ramparts to avoid the crowds along the main road leading to the Abbey through town. It was a good way to enjoy the panoramic views of the bay and the tidal flats from the towers along the walls (ten in total). The village inside the walls of Mont-Saint-Michel is quaint but very touristy. There are a number of hotels, several restaurants and numerous places to buy tacky souvenirs (in my opinion) along the narrow Grande Rue.
Legend has it that the Archangel Michael appeared to Aubert, Bishop of Avranches, inspiring him to build an oratory on what was then called Mont Tombe. But Aubert repeatedly ignored the angel’s instruction until Michael burned a hole in the bishop’s skull with his finger. That did the trick. The dedication to St Michael occurred on October 16, 708. During the Revolution the abbey was closed and converted into a prison, it closed in 1863, and the mount was declared a historic monument in 1874. Mont Saint Michel and its bay were added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979.
We joined a guided tour of the Abbey. We saw numerous chapels, the cloisters, the Aquilon Chamber and other rooms, many are not furnished. One interesting area contained a large diameter wheel (approx. 20 feet) known as the Great Wheel that was used to move goods from the ground to the Abbey. Built during the period when the Abbey was a prison, it was powered by men (up to 6) who would walk inside of the wheel and propel it in a direction that would wind a rope pulling the supplies into the Abbey.
Despite the weather & the crowds it was a nice visit, I’m glad we made the two hour drive from Honfleur.
More photos are posted on our Facebook page.
Bayeux France
One of our stops during our recent trip to Lower Normandy France was the town of Bayeux. It is home of the Bayeux Tapestry & the Bayeux Cathedral.
The Bayeux Tapestry is a 70m long linen embroidered cloth telling the history of William, Duke of Normandy’s conquest of England in 1066. It is a unique medieval fresco on display at the Tapestry Museum. The Tapestry is listed in UNESCO’s “Memory of the World” register. In the museum you are guided through the tapestry by audio guide telling the story scene by scene. There is also a movie that helps further explain the tapestry history and story. Just down the block from the Tapestry museum is the Bayeux Cathedral.
The Bayeux Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Bayeux) is a Norman-Romanesque, located in the town of Bayeux. It was the original home of the Bayeux Tapestry and is a national monument of France. The site is an ancient one and was once occupied by Roman sanctuaries. The present cathedral was consecrated on 14 July 1077 in the presence of William, Duke of Normandy and King of England. It was here that William forced Harold Godwinson to take the oath, the breaking of which led to the Norman conquest of England. More Bayeux photos on Facebook.
Sixty Second Geography – Honfleur France
Our second stop on our recent trip to France was Hounfleur. The beautiful harbor town of Honfleur is a delightful location to explore while in Normandy, France. It’s located 20 minutes south of Le Havre, first exit after crossing the Le Normandie Bridge (one of the world’s longest cable stayed road bridges). Honfleur has picturesque narrow paved streets, situated at the mouth of the River Seine it is a sea and river port. As you explore the town and port area you will find many places of interest, activity revolves around the Vieux Bassin with its slate fronted houses behind them are 17th century salt warehouses which are now home to temporary art exhibitions, originally they were used to store salt for the cod fleets. Along the Vieux Bassin you will find many café terraces and the inner harbor has craft shops to browse. As you walk around the harbor area you can admire all kinds of yachts and the brightly colored fishing boats. The main point of interest is the Eglise St. Catherine, the church was built by the town’s shipmakers largely of wood in the 15th century, and it has a free standing belfry. There are some interesting museums: The Les Maisons Satie, dedicated to the eccentric French composer Erik Satie who was born in Honfleur, you will hear his music through headphones as you move through the exhibitions of his life. Musée d′ Ethnographie et d′ Art – a Norman folk museum on the site of a former prison. And the Musée Eugène Boudin – presenting works of 19th Century artists who drew their inspiration from this region. See more photos of our visit to Honfleur on
2012 Olympic Countdown Clock in Trafalgar Square ~ London
Every time we visit Trafalgar Square since the 2012 Olympic countdown clock was installed I take a photo. Wish we were going to be here next summer.
On March 14 the 2012 Olympic Games countdown clock was unveiled. The launch of the Countdown Clock is a key moment in the build-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is a reminder for people across the UK, as well as international visitors to the capital, that London will soon be hosting the greatest show on earth. The steel clock measures 6.5 meters high, five meters long and weighs around four tons. Its design reflects the look of the Games, with beams inspired by London and its connection with the Prime Meridian in Greenwich, the home of time.
60 Second Geography – Étretat France
I just returned from a visit to Lower Normandy France. Our first stop was Étretat, a pretty little costal town located on the Normandy coast, 20 miles north of Le Havre. The square has some very attractive and interesting medieval half-timbered buildings around its four sides, with elaborate wood carvings. There are plenty of shops to browse and restaurants specialising in fish, oysters, moules frites, and crepes to enjoy after you have walked the promenade along the sea front. Don’t miss the spectacular coastal walk; it’s where the chalk cliffs rising up from the English Channel create the magnificent image of the Alabaster Coast. There is a pebble beach that can be explored best at low tide.
The impressiveness of the location has long been recognised – Monet, Maupassant and Flaubert were all enthusiasts of the region around the town, and Monet painted several well known pictures of the coast and cliffs around Étretat.
Both the cliffs and village are the scenic highlight of the region and not to be missed if you are visiting this part of Normandy.
See more photos on Facebbook.
