We left Pernes les Fontaines early Friday morning June 26.
Thursday evening as we drove home, the horses in the field nearby came over to say farewell...there was going to be a beautiful sunset for our last night in Provence.
Boncourt le Bois was our destination for Friday night...
and we arrived just in time for Carolyn to take us to Nuits-Saint-Georges to a wine cellar visit and wine tasting!
I love the message under the cellar name about "well raised" vines!
A perfect way to end a hot drive through Lyon...if you have ever done the drive through Lyon you know what I mean!!!
Down in the "caves"...
A wall of bottles....
Our guide doing a perfect pour!!!
What "flavors" to look for in red wines...
Some discussion on what to buy...
It all looked something like this...
Off to get a few baguettes at the boulangerie.
Later Laurent prepared a delicious paëlla outside while the rest of us just enjoyed sitting around glass in hand!!
The empty pan and the master chef pre-paëlla.
The paëlla feast!
Merci for a wonderful evening. Lots of talking, laughing and discussion!!!
Saturday morning early we sneaked out of the house and onto the autoroute aiming our car towards île de France. Driving along the beautiful countryside we saw this castle perched on a hilltop.
The route was a sort of rosy pink color (don't know if it really comes off as pink in the photo) which is good for the mood...especially when you are going to spend several hours in a car!
By late afternoon we arrived in Commes near Port en Bessin. I love how beautiful it is. We are staying in a real château which is being restored by friends...pretty amazing! I have never slept in a château so another first for this trip!
The view from our bedroom window.
Our bedroom in one of the wings of the château.
On Sunday I finally got to see the tapestry in Bayeux and I would like to go see it again. Really such incredible work and to think it is 1000 years old!! All hand embroidered.
Also visited the cathedral...notice the various tower styles on this cathedral. Very unique.
One of the truly amazing stained glass windows. During the D-Day bombings it is so interesting to note that some windows were reduced to powder and some of the others like this one stayed intact.
These pillars are in the most ancient part of the cathedral which you get to by going down some stone steps. I think it dates from the early XIth century and look at how the paintings have stayed in perfect condition!
We also visited a newly restored regional museum. I liked this unexpected display of chairs in one room!
I took these pictures in the lace room...the glass armoires are full of lace making equipment and you can see the samples of types of lace rolled up on the side display. Loved it!
Bayeux is a really charming town with well preserved old streets and buildings. We were in amazement that this treasure had been spared the same type of bombing as took place nearby in Caen. That is the cathedral in the distance.
The artist who owns this little shop paints poppies on all sorts of items which is a recurring theme in this part of France!
We also saw the war memorial museum in Caen which was so well done. We are reflected in the glass of the entry...the four of us are in the foreground...I am photographing second from left...I liked this photo!!
We visited the first landing sites for D-Day and the military cemetery...so hard to imagine what it was like with the steep cliffs and the difficult passage.
At the military cemetery there was a beautiful blue sky, soft, gentle breezes and it made me pause to see so many crosses lined up...this site especially touched my heart.
In Arromanches we saw how the huge, artificial harbor was created in just a few days by the British...still many vestiges and something to be seen.
I think a visit to these sites should be a REQUIREMENT for everyone in the world!
On a lighter note here are a few shots of shops in Arromanches which is also a beach town!
Some very artistic cows...remember this is the land of Camembert and butter!!
These beach items are all MADE IN FRANCE as the sign says!!!(Sun too bright for the words to stand out).
As I finish this final post I am in Portland! I arrived near midnight on Thursday July 2 to a very quiet airport. What a voyage! After unheard of high temperatures in Paris (in the 100's for several days) since 70 years...I am also feeling the very warm temperatures in Portland. Now to unpack and get some laundry done while the memories of this trip turn around in my mind. Could it already be over??!!
