Notre Dame Cathedral

Wed, Sep 2, Paris, France:  After breakfast this morning we took a taxi to where we had to pick up our Paris Pass. This pass allows us access to museums, attractions, subways, buses, and some trains. After picking it up we headed to the subway to try it out. Managed to get back to our hotel pretty easily. We’re going to have to try a transfer soon though to get to most places. Then we walked over to the Cathedral of Notre Dame. What an amazing place when you consider it was started in 1160. How they did this with such primitive tools is incredible. We read a good book on the subject by Ken Follet—“Pillars of The Earth”. A really good read with many interesting characters. After walking all around the Cathedral, we stopped at a little café for some dinner. Walked back to our hotel and headed to the downstairs bar for a glass of wine, but no one there. Asked at the front desk if it was open, and were assured it was. Waited a bit and then gave up and came up to our room. Beautiful day today. Probably somewhere in the mid to upper 70s. So far, so good.

At dinner last night.

The Eiffel Tower is lit up at night.

Need a tripod to get a good picture, but you get the idea.

Notre Dame Cathedral

The craftsmen who did the work inside the cathedral used to leave their "mark".  Here is one.

You can see them on this column.

Very ornate carvings on the entrance.

The builders used these buttresses to take the weight of the ceiling.

We were sitting at a little cafe on the side of the cathedral and wedding pictures were being taken on the side entrance.

Every once in a while you see these soldiers walking around with automatic weapons.  Saw a lot at the Gare du Nord.

Garden and fountain behind the cathedral.

These are the "lovers locks" on the Pont Neuf bridge. They affix their lock to the bridge railing and then throw the key in the Seine.

Here we are on the Pont Neuf bridge.

One of the boats plying the Seine.

Paris

Tue, Sep 1, Port-en-Bessin, Huppain, to Paris, France:  Left Port-en-Bessin this morning at about 9:30 and made it back to Gare du Nord by 4:00. Traffic wasn’t too bad around the Periphonique.  Turned our car back and took a taxi to our hotel. A really nice room (though lacking in storage) including a private balcony with a view of the Eifel Tower. Ooh, la, la! Unpacked, relaxed a bit and then headed out to explore and find a little café for dinner. The roads in our travels here have been really good, and Mike did a great job driving.

Through little villages one last time.

Our home for the next 10 days.

With a view of the Eifel Tower.

Another view from our balcony.

Sitting area.

Door to our balcony.

Our cute little balcony.

Ready to hit the Paris streets.

D-Day Beaches

Mon, Aug 31, Port-en-Bessin, Huppain, France:  Toured the D-day historic areas and beaches today. Had to meet our tour at Place de Quebec in Bayeux. Couldn’t find it to save our lives. Finally found an English woman on the street that knew exactly where we were trying to go because she was going on a tour also—but not our tour. We all gathered together and Mike had to take the car over to the train station to park, so our tour guide, Alan, let Mike follow him to the train station where we picked up an Irish couple and we were off. We went to the German cemetery first, which I didn’t even know existed over here. Then we went to St. Mere Eglise, Utah Beach, Pont du Hoc, Omaha Beach, and then the American Cemetery. We had lunch at our tour guide’s home in a little village near the Normandy beaches, which was here when the invasion happened. He doesn’t live in it, but uses it on the tours. He said the roof was blown off by battle ships shelling the area just before the landing. Got back to Bayeux going on 6:00 and headed back to Port-en-Bessin for some drinks and dinner. We were all pretty tired. And the weather wasn’t so great either. Foggy at first, then rainy, then windy, then more sprinkles—and voila! The sun came out. Tomorrow we drive to Paris.

This is the church in St. Mere Eglise where Pvt. Strong with the 101st Airborne landed on the church where his parachute got hung up.

They have a likeness of him hanging there today.

Utah Beach sculpture of three US soldiers coming off a Higgins boat.

Rocky outcropping at Pont du Hoc.

Sculpture of a US soldier helping a fellow wounded soldier--Omaha Beach.

Entrance to the American Cemetery--Omaha Beach.

This place is immaculately maintained.

View of Omaha Beach from the American Cemetery at the top of the bluff.

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Normandy

Sun, Aug 30, Limetz to Port-en-Bessin-Huppain, France:  Left the pretty L’Oree de Giverny B&B where we spent the last two days with our hosts Rex and Veronique after another nice breakfast. Said our good-byes and I proceeded to set up the GPS for our next stop.  Finally got it and we were on our way. Going through some of these tiny little villages is a challenge. Each little village has its own church and I loved listening to the bell on our church ringing the hour and half hour. I didn’t sleep too great last night because our resident cat kept trying to get into our room.  She made it in once and then wanted out. I made sure the door was latched this time and she came two or three times scratching, meowing, and trying to get in. Mike is allergic, but I should have just let her in. She would just curl up in one of the chairs and not bother us. It took over three hours to make it to Port-en-Bessin-Huppain where we’ll be for two nights. We couldn’t check in right away, so we walked down the quay and had dinner at a little restaurant right on the marina. The service in France is excellent and the food even better. Tips are included, but I tipped extra because our server was really excellent. She spoke no English and I speak just a little French. We’re staying at Hotel de la Marine which is right across from Gold Beach.  Lugged our suitcases up to our room and then walked around this little fishing village. Tomorrow we go on our D-Day tour of Normandy.

Winding our way through the little village of Limetz.

Grain silos maybe?

Outside Caen.

Tres narrow streets.

Our hotel at the marina.

Pretty foggy here.

Monet Maison et Jardins

Sat, Aug 29, Giverny:  Up this morning and downstairs to enjoy a lovely full breakfast prepared by the owner himself, after which we headed to Giverny and the Monet Maison et Jardin.  Everyone warned us there would be lines, but we zipped right in.  I bought the tickets weeks ago on line.  The gardens are beautiful.  He bought this property and moved here in 1886 when he was 46.  He built the lily pond, and both the gardens and lily pond were the inspiration for most of his paintings since.  The house is much larger than I thought.  A very comfortable home and he created for himself a beautiful, bright and airy studio.  After touring the house and gardens we stopped at a little café for some lunch.  On the way over here, I took a stab at driving the car.  I thought I did pretty well.  Only jerked it once and never stalled it out.  Mike thinks he’s an Indy driver now with this six-speed Opel.  Back to our lovely B&B and relaxed with the resident cat.  Think we’ll go back to Giverny for dinner tonight.  Tomorrow we head to Normandy.  That’s if we/I can program the GPS correctly (sigh).  A beautiful, sunny day today and really warm—somewhere in the 80s.

Walking through Giverny.

Touring the gardens.

So beautiful!

Dining room in Monet's home.

The kitchen.

Look at that stove!

Photo of Monet.  He reminds me of Hemmingway.

Back to our B&B.  That's our entrance up the stairs.  This used to be a barn.  Animals were housed downstairs, people lived upstairs.

The resident cat.