A year in Europe followed by a move to Bangkok

Normandy: A Few Favorites


There is something about Normandy... the landscape is lush, the colors are vibrant and the air is crisp.  From our hotel, we could drive 15 minutes and arrive in the chic seaside town of Deauville, or head 10 minutes in the other direction and be in Honfleur, a perfectly preserved fishing village.
Half an hour whisked us back in time to charming villages and gorgeous farmhouses surrounded by acres of apple orchards.  And of course, there is the underlying history of the D-day landings, felt throughout Normandy and enhanced by everyday reminders like the numerous displays of the American, British, Canadian and French flags standing side by side.



Honfleur
A visit to this quaint fishing village makes you feel as if you have stepped into a painting.  To be more specific, a Monet, as this is where the artist first tried his hand at painting outdoor scenes, guided by his mentor Boudin, a Honfleur native.  Today, Honfleur caters to tourists with its souvenir shops, restaurants and art galleries.  Small enough to see in a few hours, but large enough to happily get lost in while exploring its winding streets, Honfleur's picturesque charm is still going strong.  





Beautiful Drives
Jake and I loved driving through the Normandy countryside.  Although there were an alarming number of single lane roads, there was something beautiful around every corner.  I especially liked the cows dotting the landscape - they were the best looking cows I had ever seen.



When in Normandy...



D-Day Beaches and the American Cemetery
I intend on doing a separate post about our visit to the D-day beaches and American Cemetery, but here are a few photos.  I'm so glad we had the opportunity to see these places.




Deauville
I fell in love with Deauville.  Here is the post I wrote: http://veryeuropean.blogspot.com/2015/08/deauville-france.html




The Cider Route
Known for its apples, it follows that some of Normandy's signature products are its hard apple cider and calvados, an apple brandy.  The Cider Route is a 25 mile path through one of the most beautiful parts of the Normandy countryside.  The route is marked by signs, leading you past some of Normandy's best cider and calvados producers.

We stopped at the DuPont family estate and were given a really nice private tour of their apple orchards, distillery and cellars.  We learned everything you could ever want to know about turning apples into alcohol.  The estate was beautiful.  We were told that the main house is used for an annual family gathering at Christmas, which I imagine is pretty fabulous!







Beuvron-en-Auge
Beuvron-en Auge is listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France.  We made a quick stop here after visiting the DuPont Family Estate.  The village was absolutely lovely.  We came away with one souvenir... a stick of Normandy's famous butter.  We chose the butter with salt crystals, and it didn't disappoint.





4 comments:

  1. Wow that all looks so gorgeous! I've never been to Europe and want/need to go soon!!

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    1. Thank you, Kristina! There are so many cool places to visit in Europe!

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  2. wow your pictures are gorgeous! looks like you had some great adventures over there! i'm dying to get over to Europe, but I'll have to settle with living vicariously through you until I get there! :)

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