Thursday, July 2, 2015
Rue Emeric David, Aix en Provence
It was a long ride down here. Our GPS kept losing a signal and we found ourselves heading toward Paris in the morning. Not good. Sometimes the good ol' map days seem so much better. We arrived in the early evening and found most of the shops closed but the restaurants were bustling!
We haven't talked about the food much but the duck has been very tasty. Amanda- we found a bakery around the corner today serving....pain au chocolat!! Mmmm! The kids have mostly been playing it safe but the ordering has been an interesting experience. We have a cheat sheet but it hasn't been too helpful. Sometimes the order is a pleasant surprise and thankfully nothing has been too intimidating. Mike- we've been hunting around for cassoulet. Nothing. Suggestions? Maybe in Paris. Not sure it could top yours! The hard cider seems to be very popular so I have been trying many varieties of that. Today the restaurant we went to did not have it but suggested beer with a fruit syrup in it. I chose peach. Surprisingly good.
Our apartment is located on the third floor. That is our street in the above photo. Our arrival was a bit stressful as I tried to navigate John through these narrow one lane alleys. That's when the GPS really is of no value. We ended up circling around and around listening to worthless directions! The famous Cours Mirabeau is very close with many shops and restaurants. It is a great place to people watch. Americans are easy to spot with the bright colors. And nowhere yet in either the UK or France have I seen one female in capris! Definitely an American give away. Adelaide noted the lack of children but I think they may be just coming to the summer break.
It's quite warm but not the terrible heat wave London and Paris were supposed to get.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
TRAPPED! (Almost)
The tide gets the best of the Notte's again! Well if Nicholas wasn't impressed with the rate the tide rose when he visited the Bay of Fundy then he certainly made up for it here Mont Saint Michel. This bay has the biggest tide variations aside from the Bay of Fundy. Always the intrepid travelers, we thought it would be an adventure to circumnavigate the Mont. We were about two thirds away around when we were stopped by slippery rocks. The tide was noticeably rising and we found where our former footfalls were on rock, now slightly underwater! A scramble over the big rocks, then a mad dash through shallow water quickly covering the sand, and a quick schlep through knee deep rushing water (slippery!). Safety! Okay- so now we understand how invading armies were swept away!
Inside Mont Saint Michel we found narrow cobblestone lanes lined by souvenir shops and restaurants. It felt like it had not changed very much from medieval times. We walked up to the abbey and peered out over the ramparts at the area where we almost met our doom. We had dinner here but the most remarkable aspect was the heat and the flies-ugh. We took the free shuttle bus back over the newly constructed bridge which replaced the causeway and allows the water to flow. Our hotel was just on the other side in a gated section (I had to call for the code upon our arrival with my limited French. Thankfully "merci" seems to go a long way.). Dessert back at the hotel was much more enjoyable. The cafe gauramond offers an espresso with an assortment of small desserts. And glace makes any child happy!
Onward to Provence...
Driving in the French countryside!
On our way to our next destination and the car GPS had us driving down tiny country lanes. John was white knuckled, Michele was gleeful, and the kids couldn't understand what the big deal was! It was great fun! John whizzed through like a native but for him just wanting to get off the road! Michele filmed from the open car window hooting with delight. The kids said, "So what?! It's a road!" The main road was met with relief, chagrin, and indifference.
Omaha Beach
After our night in Arromanches, we went further west to Omaha Beach-one of the two American landing sites on D-Day. It was filled with families and groups enjoying a sunny day at the beach--quite a contrast from its day of historical significance. On the beach was this sculpture, "Les Braves" commemorating the 60th anniversary of D-Day. The three sections signify these messages: Wings of Hope-to remind us that together it is always possible to change the future. Rise Freedom!--to help us remain strong against all forms of inhumanity. The Wings of Fraternity--to remind us of our responsibilities to others as well as ourselves.
We spent some time on the beach imagining the scene here 71 years ago and taking in the landscape. We could see the cliffs at Pont Du Hoc where the rangers scaled the cliffs to take out the German gun battery. Above us were the hills from which the barrage of artillery was raining down. A visit to the Omaha Beach Museum answered many of our questions.
Arromanches--the artificial port
Today we headed to the Normandy region. We had originally planned to go to Dunkirk but felt pressed for time so we drove straight to Arromanches. This town was part of the Gold beach landing during D-Day. Immediately after, an artificial port, called Port Winston, was constructed. It was code named Mulberry B--the Mulberry A at Omaha was destroyed in a gale soon after construction. This was an amazing engineering feat. Ships were sunk to form the outer barrier. Then huge concrete blocks, called Phoenix caissons, were hauled across the English Channel and also sunk forming a four mile breakwater. Engineers then set up floating piers up to a half mile long that were used to unload vehicles, equipment, and supplies. This really was extraordinary. The Germans had control over all the deep water ports and the Allies had a terrible defeat trying to take Dieppe so they built a port! Keep in mind that these concrete blocks were hauled 90 miles by 500 tugboats. Pretty amazing.
Fortunately for us, we arrived at low tide and were able to see the caissons and remnants of one of the piers very clearly. This area has wide tidal ranges so we could walk out a distance. We walked by one of the concrete blocks which had been brought in close to shore by storms over the years. The D-Day Landing Museum and the 360 Theater gave us a great overview.
Our hotel was right on the water and the kids had an ocean view from their room. Window screens do not seem to be common but closing the windows leads to some uncomfortably warm rooms. Arromanches has a small area of restaurants and shops. The shops closed around 6 although the restaurants remained open serving dinner from 7-9 pm. The surrounding houses were beautiful homes primarily of bricks and stone. The town is definitely a day tripping stop for both tourists and beachgoers and quiets at night.
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