And so to our last week, Normandy. I didn’t choose Normandy for any particular reason other than we didn’t want too long a drive to Paris at the end, and we wanted somewhere close to the coast. With all that I’ve learnt from our Airbnb stays I was rather particular with my filters when I was looking for somewhere to stay, and being summer holidays in France, our choice was rather limited. But what a delightful choice we made, the tiny village of Sommervieu, about 20 mins drive from the D-Day beaches and 10 mins from Bayeux, home of the Bayeux Tapestry.

There I was enjoying my morning coffee in the local bar on our first morning when I got a lungful of smoke and a sprinkle of ash in my coffee. It was the Sunday chicken rotisserie van! Having shared the smoke I had to get one, potatoes included,  I whipped up a salad, and that with a bottle of rosé was Sunday lunch in our beautiful garden.

Bayeux is a medieval city which remained remarkably unscathed during the D-Day campaign. I couldn’t get over how old the city is. The Norman-Gothic Cathedral de Notre Dame was dedicated in the presence of William the Conqueror in 1077. Doesn’t that just blow your mind – 1077!

The Bayeux Tapestry (which is technically an embroidery, not a tapestry) is housed in the the Bayeux Museum. It tells the story of the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Beginning in Normandy with Harold promising to support William’s claim to the English throne, then following Harold’s journey back to England where he takes the throne for himself. On hearing this news William gathers an army of 7 000 men , trave’s to England where his men rampage through the country, culminating in the Battle of Hastings where William sizes the throne. The Tapestry is wool on linen, 70 meters long, and is viewed in a long room. It’s wonderful. You are not allowed to take photos, this is a photo from Trip Advisor of the viewing room. The full story can be read here The story of the Bayeux Tapestry

The MAHB, the Museum of Art and History is Housed in the Bishop’s palace (11th – 18th Century),and offers a journey through the history of European art, from archaelogy to Modern Art. I absolutely loved the lace exhibition which included beautiful, beautiful pieces of lace as well as tools used in lace making.

 

And of course, there was the food!

 

The wifi in our gite didn’t work so I spent quite a bit of time at the local bar

I’ve never seen these charging stations for electric cars before, plug it in and pay by credit card!

Be like Australians, take your rubbish home!

 

One of my  favourite days was our visit to the floating abbey, Le Mont Sainte Michel, a magical island topped by a medieval abbey. It is situated on athe bay where Brittany meets Normandy. It was a really rainy day and I felt for the Driver driving under those conditions, but it did make for a very misty and mystical walk of 3 kms across the walkway to the island. I was all psyched up to climb the 900 steps to the abbey, but in the end the thought of all those steps in the rain was too much! Instead we had a very expensive hot drink in the crowded alleyway of souvenir shops and cafes. Le Mont Sainte Michel

 

We spent a lot of time in Normandy at the D-Day beaches and memorials, but that is for another day.