We left Mont St-Michel, and stopped in another beautifully preserved medieval city, Villedieu-les-Poêles, known as the city of copper, for a quick lunch. We then made our way to Bayeaux, visited its cathedral and then viewed its primary claim to fame: the Bayeaux Tapestry. Made shortly after the Norman invasion of 1066, the story of which it tells in embroidered cloth 231 feet long, it is remarkably well preserved and housed in a very interesting museum.
We then traveled to Arromanches les Bains, a small town situated right on the Normandy beaches and in the center of the Allied landings on D-Day. The artificial harbors installed by the Allies still mark the landing areas. In the morning we met a very knowledgeable local guide who led us to a nearby German cemetery, the town of St. Lo, where American airborne troops parachuted during the night before the invasion, Utah Beach, Pointe du Hoc, where American Rangers climbed sheer cliffs to take out German gun emplacements, Omaha Beach, site of the fiercest fighting on D-Day, and, finally, the incredibly moving American cemetery, situated on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach. We visited on Memorial Day weekend so each grave was marked with American and French flags, making the scene even more poignant.
The next morning, we left Normandy and traveled to Giverney, home of Claude Monet. His gardens are still impeccably maintained and are just an explosion of color. Since it was also a holiday weekend in France (Pentecost), it was very crowded. We would suggest checking holiday schedules in your Rick Steves' guidebooks in planning your trip and taking them into account.
After Giverney, we traveled back to Paris and enjoyed a farewell meal together at a very elegant Art Deco restaurant on the Left Bank.
We then traveled to Arromanches les Bains, a small town situated right on the Normandy beaches and in the center of the Allied landings on D-Day. The artificial harbors installed by the Allies still mark the landing areas. In the morning we met a very knowledgeable local guide who led us to a nearby German cemetery, the town of St. Lo, where American airborne troops parachuted during the night before the invasion, Utah Beach, Pointe du Hoc, where American Rangers climbed sheer cliffs to take out German gun emplacements, Omaha Beach, site of the fiercest fighting on D-Day, and, finally, the incredibly moving American cemetery, situated on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach. We visited on Memorial Day weekend so each grave was marked with American and French flags, making the scene even more poignant.
The next morning, we left Normandy and traveled to Giverney, home of Claude Monet. His gardens are still impeccably maintained and are just an explosion of color. Since it was also a holiday weekend in France (Pentecost), it was very crowded. We would suggest checking holiday schedules in your Rick Steves' guidebooks in planning your trip and taking them into account.
After Giverney, we traveled back to Paris and enjoyed a farewell meal together at a very elegant Art Deco restaurant on the Left Bank.