Normandy & Brittany, France

June 18 - July 1, 2008

ITINERARY

Day 1-2
Arriving at the Paris airport, we drive north through rolling countryside, following the winding Seine River, to our first destination, the tiny village of Connelles. Our hotel is a magnificent manor house, remarkably situated over the Seine itself. After resting from our journey, lounging by the river, strolling the beautiful grounds, or perhaps taking a swim in the heated pool, we set out to explore this fascinating region. We visit the ruins of the beautiful Château Gaillard, built by Richard the Lionheart in the 12th century in Les Andelys, a charming medieval village. In the evening we enjoy a gourmet dinner in the elegant dining room of our mansion. The next day we visit Rouen, where our local guide shows us this beautiful medieval city, steeped in history and memories of Joan of Arc. We return to Connelles for another splendid dinner.

Day 3-4
A leisurely drive across Normandy takes us over the border into Brittany, stopping in the lovely town of Fougères for lunch. We then arrive at our home for the next four nights, the charming town of Dinan. Dinan is as quaint as you can imagine, with narrow medieval streets, beautifully restored half timbered houses, a wonderful castle, and lovely gardens at every turn. We enjoy a guided walking tour of the oldest part of town. Next we visit Dinan's more famous neighbor, St-Malo, a delightful port on the Atlantic Ocean. Most striking are St-Malo's massive 12th century ramparts, which offer a splendid walk, looking out over the harbor and islands. The historic old center is a maze of medieval streets, quaint boutiques, sidewalk cafés, and beautiful old houses.

Day 5-6
Today we visit the village of Cancale, known throughout Europe for its abundance of oysters. We'll find out if they taste as good as their reputation claims. We enjoy a sumptuous seafood lunch in a chateau overlooking the ocean before following the stunning coastal route back to Dinan. The next day, we cross back into Normandy and we soon come to the spectacular Mont Saint Michel, France's most visited treasure. The ancient abbey, which has always played an active role in French history, is truly a wonder to behold. Set atop a hill which becomes an island when the tides are at their highest, it is visible for miles around and offers a splendid view of the surrounding coast and tidal marshes. It has been a place of worship and refuge for more than 2,000 years and has also been a fortress and a prison. Much of the abbey was built in the 10th century, but the whole complex of religious buildings took over 1,000 years to complete. Today this architectural marvel draws 2 million visitors a year. After a guided tour of the abbey, we have time to wander on our own and choose the most enticing crêperie for lunch. We drive north to Bayeux, where our quaint hotel in the center of the old town is an 18th century coaching inn and becomes our home for the next three nights.

Day 7
In the morning we take a short drive to Caen to visit the recently completed World War II Memorial Museum. In 1944 Caen was at the center of the Battle of Normandy and suffered tremendously. Today the memorial is meant to be a « Museum for Peace » in hopes that all those who visit will believe that the horrors of such a war must never be repeated. After this World War II history lesson we journey back through the centuries to William the Conqueror's Caen. We visit the two abbeys he built in the 11th century and see the tombs of William and his wife Matilda. We stroll through the ruins of his château, now a lovely park overlooking the town. At the end of the day we return to Bayeux for a gourmet dinner in our hotel.

Day 8
Today we visit Omaha Beach and the impressive American cemetery. The sight of the 9,385 marble crosses is unforgettable. From Colleville-sur-Mer to Vierville, we will study the history of the Allied invasion of Europe on June 6, 1944, or what was called Operation Overlord. In this historic event the largest invasion fleet in history landed at the beaches code-named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. The Monument to the 5th Engineer Special Brigade commemorates those who lost their lives while protecting the men in the landing craft and on the beaches. At Pointe du Hoc we will see the steep cliffs which the Allied soldiers had to climb to attack the German defenses. On this site 135 specially trained Rangers of the 2nd Battalion lost their lives in the attack. The 116th Regiment of the US infantry tirelessly fought the Germans who tried in vain to resist. The sight is covered with craters from hundreds of shells, and the smashed blockhouses have been left as a living museum to record the historic battle. Our guide is an expert on World War II and has many stories to share with us from the locals who experienced the Battle of Normandy. We return to Bayeux for dinner.

Day 9
A visit to the museum built to display the Bayeux Tapestry is a fascinating and pleasant way to understand the history of William the Conqueror's defeat of King Harold and the Norman conquest of England. It is a unique medieval work of art, the oldest known tapestry, measuring 203 feet long. It shows us incredible details of the events and life style of the 11th century. After stopping to see the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral, we leave Bayeux and travel east along the coast through the lively resorts of Deauville and Trouville to our next destination, Honfleur. Our hotel in the center of this lovely harbor town is a beautiful 18th century manor house, complete with its own tapestries, chandeliers and period furniture. We spend the afternoon exploring Honfleur and in the evening enjoy a gourmet dinner in the old town.

Day 10
Today we drive to Etretat where we take a cliff walk for a spectacular view of the English Channel. We return to Honfleur for some free time before dinner.

Day 11
This morning we enjoy a visit to a medieval distillery, where we can try Normandy's famous most famous brew, Calvados. We leave the coast to drive to our final destination, a beautiful Louis XIII style château near Evreux and our home for the last two nights. Surrounded by moats and a wooded park, we can stroll the grounds, play tennis, or relax by the fireplace. Dinner is served in the elegant dining room.

Day 12-13
We are a short drive from Giverny, where we visit Claude Monet's lovely home and its spectacular gardens. We have time to enjoy the adjacent Museum of American Art with its collection of works of art by 40 American artists, many of whom were influenced by Monet and came to Giverny to paint. In the afternoon we have a guided tour of the beautiful Château Bizy, built for Fouquet, Louis XIV's finance minister, and subsequently lived in by King Louis XV and King Louis Philippe. We return to our own château to relax before our farewell dinner. In the morning we drive to the Paris airport for the return flight home.