One of my favorite towns, Arles is located south o the point where the Rhône divides into the Grand Rhône and the Petit Rhône. The two arms enclose the Camargue, a region of marshlands, white horses, bulls and cowboys or gardians extending to the Mediterranean. Arles has impressive Roman remains – the Arènes and the theatre which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Constantine’s baths. We are berthed under the remains of a Roman bridge – two double towers on either bank, topped with lions, and two supports in the river. It is, of course Vincent’s town, as the French call the Dutch post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh, who lived here in 1888-1889 and produced over 300 paintings and drawings during his time here.
The Arènes are used for festivals, concerts and bullfights, the Provençal style where the bull is not killed – men try to remove ribbons from the bull’s horns and the bull is hero – and the Spanish style, using Spanish bulls, where the bull is killed and the matador is hero. The Theatre is used for plays and one opera a year, Gounod’s “Mireille” Arles also elects a Queen of Arles.
The “Espace Van Gogh” is the old “Hôtel Dieu” or hospital where van Gogh spent 15 months after the “ear” incident with Gauguin. It is now a cultural center and is easily recognizable from his painting of the courtyard. The Café van Gogh on the Place du Forum is the one depicted in “Night Café in Arles”. On the other hand, the “Yellow House” has been demolished.
The Town Hall Square is a complex of Provençal architecture including the fountain with its Roman obelisk, the Romanesque St. Trophime Church and the City Hall itself which contains a copy of the Venus of Arles (the original is in the Louvre).
The streets are a delight of color and style – a medieval wall here, a Renaissance statue there. A charming place to stroll and faire de la lèche vitrine (window licking!!!!)
The Ligurians were in this area from about 800 BC. Later Celtic influences have been discovered. The city became an important The Romans took the town in 123 BC and expanded it into an important city, with a canal link to the Mediterranean Sea being constructed in 104 BC. However, it struggled to escape the shadow of Massalia (Marseilles) further along the coast. Its chance came when it sided with Julius Caesar against Pompey, providing military support. Massalia backed Pompey; when Caesar emerged victorious, Massalia was stripped of its possessions, which were transferred to Arelate as a reward. Arelate was a city of considerable importance in the province of Gallia Narbonensis. Ancient Arles was closer to the sea than it is now and served as a major port. It also had (and still has) the southernmost bridge on the Rhone. The city reached a peak of influence during the 4th and 5th centuries, when Roman Emperors frequently used it as their headquarters during military campaigns. In 395 it became the seat of the Praetorian Prefecture of the Gauls, governing the western part of the Western Empire: Gaul proper plus Hispania (Spain) and Armorica (Brittany). Arles became a favorite city of Emperor Constantine I, who built baths there, substantial remains of which are still standing. His son, Constantine II, was born in Arles. Usurper Constantine III declared himself emperor in the West (407–411) and made Arles his capital in 408.
Arles became renowned as a cultural and religious centre during the late Roman Empire and a Christian community was present as of the 4th century.
Arles was badly affected by the invasion of Provence by the Muslim Saracens and the Franks, who took control of the region in the 8th century. In 855 it was made the capital of a Frankish Kingdom of Arles, which included Burgundy and part of Provence. In 933, Hugh of Arles ("Hugues de Provence") gave his kingdom up to Rudolph II, who merged the two kingdoms into a new Kingdom of Arles. Most of the territory of the Kingdom was progressively incorporated into France. During these troubled times, the amphitheatre was converted into a fortress, with watchtowers built at each of the four quadrants and a minuscule walled town being constructed within. The population was by now only a fraction of what it had been in Roman times, with much of old Arles lying in ruins. The town regained political and economic prominence in the 12th century, with the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa traveling there in 1178 for his coronation. In the 12th century, it became a free city governed by an elected podestat (chief magistrate; literally "power"), who appointed the consuls and other magistrates. It retained this status until the F Arles joined the countship of Provence in 1239 but suffered its prominence being eclipsed once more by Marseilles. In 1378, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV ceded the remnants of the Kingdom of Arles to the Dauphin of France (later King Charles VI of France) and the Kingdom ceased to exist even on paper.
Arles remained economically important for many years as a major port on the Rhône. The arrival of the railway in the 19th century eventually killed off much of the river trade, leading to the town becoming something of a backwater.
This is my last post. I am busy packing and will have to leave very early tomorrow morning to get the train for Paris and then transfer to the Eurostar for London. I am meeting relatives for dinner tomorrow night and breakfast on Monday. Then I’ll be homeward bound. Looking forward to seeing you all and cuddling my Bau!!!!! Au revoir from France.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Avignon
We arrived here last night in a rain shower. The temperature has dropped and, for the first time, there are clouds in the sky. Connie and are hunkered down watching the royal wedding. We’ll go out and explore Avignon this afternoon. Can’t miss a royal wedding. Hope you are all enjoying it too.
I actually photographed most of the wedding from the TV – photos are pretty good. We just loved it all. The dress was gorgeous and the service simple. I think they did a great job….and the Abbey is so much nicer than St. Paul’s. We ate our sandwiches in the room and had a carafe of white wine to drink a toast.
Then off we went to do our own walking tour of Avignon. The sky cleared and it is as warm as ever.
The site of Avignon was settled very early on; the rocky outcrop (le Rocher les Doms) at the north end of the town, overlooking the Rhône River, may have been the site of a Celtic oppidum or hill fort.
Avignon, written as Avennio or Avenio in the ancient texts and inscriptions, takes its name from the Avennius clan. Founded by the Gallic tribe of the Cavares or Cavari, it became the centre of an important Phocaean colony from Massilia (present Marseilles).
Under the Romans, Avenio was a flourishing city of Gallia Narbonensis, the first Transalpine province of the Roman Empire, but very little from this period remains (a few fragments of the forum near Rue Molière).
During the inroads of the Goths, it was badly damaged in the fifth century and belonged in turn to the Goths, the kingdoms of Burgundy and of Arles, in the 12th Century. it fell into the hands of the Saracens and was destroyed in 737 by the Franks under Charles Martel for having sided with the Arabs against him. In 1033, Avignon passed to the Holy Roman Empire. With the German rulers at a distance, Avignon set up as a republic with a consular form of government, between 1135 and 1146.
At the end of the twelfth century, Avignon declared itself an independent republic, but was was crushed in 1226 during the crusade against the Albigenses (the dualist Cathar heresy centered in neighboring Albi). After the citizens refused to open the gates of Avignon to King Louis VIII of France and the papal Legate, a three month siege ensued, ending in capitulation by Avignon on 13 September 1226. Following the defeat, they were forced to pull down the ramparts and fill up the moat of the city.
In the 13th century, Avignon passed to the counts Charles of Anjou and Alphonse de Poitiers, brothers of French king Saint Louis IX. In 1271, Avignon and the surrounding countship Comtat-Venaissin were united with the French crown. In 1274, the Comtat became a possession of the popes, with Avignon itself, self-governing, under the overlordship of the Angevin count of Provence (who was also king of "Sicily" [i.e., Naples]). The popes were allowed by the count of Provence (a papal vassal) to settle in Avignon in the early 14th century. The Black Death appeared at Avignon in 1348; killing almost two-thirds of the city's population.
In 1309 the city, still part of the Kingdom of Arles, was chosen by Pope Clement V as his residence, and from 1309 until 1377 was the seat of the Papacy instead of Rome. This caused a schism in the Catholic Church. The popes bought Avignon from the Angevin ruler for 80,000 florins in 1348. From then on until the French Revolution, Avignon and the Comtat were papal possessions, first under the schismatic popes of the Great Schism, then under the popes of Rome ruling via legates and vice-legates. In 1378, Gregory XI moved the papal residence back to Rome, but due to a dispute over the election after his death, a faction of cardinals set up an “anti-pope back in Avignong. This new schism finally ended in 1417. During this period, Avignon became a flourishing cengter of art, under the influence of Italian artists who worked for the popes. Avignon belonged to the Papacy until 1791, when it was reincorporated with France.
The period from 1309–1377 — the Avignon Papacy — was also called the Babylonian Captivity of exile, in reference to the Israelites' enslavement in biblical times.
The walls that were built by the popes in the years immediately after the acquisition of Avignon as papal territory are well preserved. As they were not particularly strong fortifications, the Popes relied instead on the immensely strong fortifications of their palace, the "Palais des Papes". This immense Gothic building, with walls 17–18 feet thick, was built 1335–1364 on a natural spur of rock, rendering it all but impregnable to attack. The building is enormous and dominates the Place du Palais. It is a magnificent example of Gothic architecture, but has been enlarged over the years and is a complex of buildings. Most of the rooms are bare, having been looted over the years. It had been, in the 14th century, a center of luxury and vice. I visited the palace years ago and did not want to go in again – once you are inside, the doors close behind you and there isonly one way out – by going through the entire complex. The old town is surrounded by a three-mile long wall fortified with 39 towers and 8 gates. The walls were built from 1350 to 1368 and restored in the 19th century. We climbed the Rocher des Doms in a beautiful park and found magnificent views of the Rhône, Villeneuve-lez-Avignon and its castle across the river, and the Pont St. Bénézet – the bridge of the children’s song: “Sur le Pont d’Avignon”. In actual fact, people danced “sous” (under) the bridge and not “sur” (on) the bridge. But, over the years, “sous” became “sur”. It was built in the 12th century and was partly washed away by a flood in the 17th century. The Rhône is known for terrible flooding – it was not completely tamed with locks and canalization until fairly recently. It can be a wild and dangerous river.
We then descended from the heights into the Place de l’Horloge, bordered by plane trees, the Hôtel de Ville, the Opéra Theatre and classic mansions. We had a coffee in one of the many open-air cafés and watched the children on the merry-go-round. On the way up to the Rocher des Doms, we were “treated” to rap music, skate-boarders and wannabee break dancers. Youth is the same the world over.
Then it was back to the ship for the captain’s farewell dinner. Another wonderful evening, with champagne to start and a delicious meal which included foie gras!! A local entertainer played ABBA and Lady Gaga and Village People and we all danced ourselves silly.
And now for the cheeses I have eaten over the past 14 days:
Camembert, Pont l’Evêque, Comtat, Bleu d’Auvergne, Cabecou, Comté, Crottin de Chavignol, Morbier, Reblochon, Epoisses, Cantal, Chaource, Livarot, and others Iève forgotten – cheese after lunch and cheese after dinner. How will I survive at home?
I actually photographed most of the wedding from the TV – photos are pretty good. We just loved it all. The dress was gorgeous and the service simple. I think they did a great job….and the Abbey is so much nicer than St. Paul’s. We ate our sandwiches in the room and had a carafe of white wine to drink a toast.
Then off we went to do our own walking tour of Avignon. The sky cleared and it is as warm as ever.
The site of Avignon was settled very early on; the rocky outcrop (le Rocher les Doms) at the north end of the town, overlooking the Rhône River, may have been the site of a Celtic oppidum or hill fort.
Avignon, written as Avennio or Avenio in the ancient texts and inscriptions, takes its name from the Avennius clan. Founded by the Gallic tribe of the Cavares or Cavari, it became the centre of an important Phocaean colony from Massilia (present Marseilles).
Under the Romans, Avenio was a flourishing city of Gallia Narbonensis, the first Transalpine province of the Roman Empire, but very little from this period remains (a few fragments of the forum near Rue Molière).
During the inroads of the Goths, it was badly damaged in the fifth century and belonged in turn to the Goths, the kingdoms of Burgundy and of Arles, in the 12th Century. it fell into the hands of the Saracens and was destroyed in 737 by the Franks under Charles Martel for having sided with the Arabs against him. In 1033, Avignon passed to the Holy Roman Empire. With the German rulers at a distance, Avignon set up as a republic with a consular form of government, between 1135 and 1146.
At the end of the twelfth century, Avignon declared itself an independent republic, but was was crushed in 1226 during the crusade against the Albigenses (the dualist Cathar heresy centered in neighboring Albi). After the citizens refused to open the gates of Avignon to King Louis VIII of France and the papal Legate, a three month siege ensued, ending in capitulation by Avignon on 13 September 1226. Following the defeat, they were forced to pull down the ramparts and fill up the moat of the city.
In the 13th century, Avignon passed to the counts Charles of Anjou and Alphonse de Poitiers, brothers of French king Saint Louis IX. In 1271, Avignon and the surrounding countship Comtat-Venaissin were united with the French crown. In 1274, the Comtat became a possession of the popes, with Avignon itself, self-governing, under the overlordship of the Angevin count of Provence (who was also king of "Sicily" [i.e., Naples]). The popes were allowed by the count of Provence (a papal vassal) to settle in Avignon in the early 14th century. The Black Death appeared at Avignon in 1348; killing almost two-thirds of the city's population.
In 1309 the city, still part of the Kingdom of Arles, was chosen by Pope Clement V as his residence, and from 1309 until 1377 was the seat of the Papacy instead of Rome. This caused a schism in the Catholic Church. The popes bought Avignon from the Angevin ruler for 80,000 florins in 1348. From then on until the French Revolution, Avignon and the Comtat were papal possessions, first under the schismatic popes of the Great Schism, then under the popes of Rome ruling via legates and vice-legates. In 1378, Gregory XI moved the papal residence back to Rome, but due to a dispute over the election after his death, a faction of cardinals set up an “anti-pope back in Avignong. This new schism finally ended in 1417. During this period, Avignon became a flourishing cengter of art, under the influence of Italian artists who worked for the popes. Avignon belonged to the Papacy until 1791, when it was reincorporated with France.
The period from 1309–1377 — the Avignon Papacy — was also called the Babylonian Captivity of exile, in reference to the Israelites' enslavement in biblical times.
The walls that were built by the popes in the years immediately after the acquisition of Avignon as papal territory are well preserved. As they were not particularly strong fortifications, the Popes relied instead on the immensely strong fortifications of their palace, the "Palais des Papes". This immense Gothic building, with walls 17–18 feet thick, was built 1335–1364 on a natural spur of rock, rendering it all but impregnable to attack. The building is enormous and dominates the Place du Palais. It is a magnificent example of Gothic architecture, but has been enlarged over the years and is a complex of buildings. Most of the rooms are bare, having been looted over the years. It had been, in the 14th century, a center of luxury and vice. I visited the palace years ago and did not want to go in again – once you are inside, the doors close behind you and there isonly one way out – by going through the entire complex. The old town is surrounded by a three-mile long wall fortified with 39 towers and 8 gates. The walls were built from 1350 to 1368 and restored in the 19th century. We climbed the Rocher des Doms in a beautiful park and found magnificent views of the Rhône, Villeneuve-lez-Avignon and its castle across the river, and the Pont St. Bénézet – the bridge of the children’s song: “Sur le Pont d’Avignon”. In actual fact, people danced “sous” (under) the bridge and not “sur” (on) the bridge. But, over the years, “sous” became “sur”. It was built in the 12th century and was partly washed away by a flood in the 17th century. The Rhône is known for terrible flooding – it was not completely tamed with locks and canalization until fairly recently. It can be a wild and dangerous river.
We then descended from the heights into the Place de l’Horloge, bordered by plane trees, the Hôtel de Ville, the Opéra Theatre and classic mansions. We had a coffee in one of the many open-air cafés and watched the children on the merry-go-round. On the way up to the Rocher des Doms, we were “treated” to rap music, skate-boarders and wannabee break dancers. Youth is the same the world over.
Then it was back to the ship for the captain’s farewell dinner. Another wonderful evening, with champagne to start and a delicious meal which included foie gras!! A local entertainer played ABBA and Lady Gaga and Village People and we all danced ourselves silly.
And now for the cheeses I have eaten over the past 14 days:
Camembert, Pont l’Evêque, Comtat, Bleu d’Auvergne, Cabecou, Comté, Crottin de Chavignol, Morbier, Reblochon, Epoisses, Cantal, Chaource, Livarot, and others Iève forgotten – cheese after lunch and cheese after dinner. How will I survive at home?
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Viviers
This morning we are in Viviers and we can see the magnificent church high on the hill. As a point of interest, we always dock upriver and then the boat turns around when we leave to go downriver. Founded in the 5th century in a sheltered canyon, Viviers was called Vivarium by the Romans, a food and supply area…hence the name. Then it was part of the Holy Roman Empire in the 2th and 13th century. In 1307 it was united with the kingdom of France. We walked down the 100-year old alley of Plane trees. The original trees were planted by Napoleon as shade for his troops. On the winding way up to the fortifications and cathedral, we passed houses from all centuries and reflecting all periods. The town is shabby in many areas, as there is little work in the area. Many homes are for sale and restoration work on Renaissance buildings has come to a halt. The government is trying to tempt people from Paris and Lyon, which are overcrowded, and will need to tempt industry and commerce in order to do this. The TGV allows people to live farther and farther from the big cities.
The views from the cathedral square are just spectacular – over the Rhône valley on one side and all the red tiled rooftops of the town – a jumble of all sizes and shapes, all connected to each other at all angles – and the enormous statues of the Virgin on one hill and St. Michael on the other.
We went into the old Cathedral of St. Vincent, a Romanesque construction started in the 12th century. During the religious wars, the roof of the nave was destroyed. The current nave was created in the 18h century. The paintings and tapestries are very beautiful. The vaults of the flamboyant Gothic choir are truly amazing.
We were treated to a wonderful organ concert by ValérY Imberon (Yes, there is a story behind the capital Y). He played pieces by Clérambault, Couperin and Lefébure-Wély. And for an encore – th, bordered by cedars of Lebanon, through the wonderful town…past tiny Medieval alleys whose buildings are held up by very old arches; roses spilling from balconies; crumbling Renaissance façades, towers, turres, tiny statues in unexpected places.
During the afternoon, we chose to cruise rather than go to a truffle farm and taste Châteauneuf du Pape, which I know and love! It was a gorgeous afternoon – we went through all sorts of locks, the deepest of which is 75 ft. deep. We passed the largest nuclear plant in Europe, next to which is a hydroelectric dam and a wind farm. Talk about alternative forms of energy. 80% of France’s electricity comes from nuclear power. We passed Montélimar, home of nougat and the Gorges de l'Ardèche with some amazing arêtes on the mountains. Here and there, we could see ruined castles and picturesque villages. We stopped at Châteauneuf du Pape to pick up the excursion-ers....beautiful castle on the hill.
In the evening, we were invited by Canadian friends to join their table of 10 to celebrate their 43rd wedding anniversary. The ship provided champagne. We felt very honored and it was a delightful evening. The dinner was the Provençale dinner. (All along, we have had regional dinners.) Pissaladière; garlic soup, mullet in bouillabaisse sauce with rouille….and more cheeses! Just magical…there's that word again.
The views from the cathedral square are just spectacular – over the Rhône valley on one side and all the red tiled rooftops of the town – a jumble of all sizes and shapes, all connected to each other at all angles – and the enormous statues of the Virgin on one hill and St. Michael on the other.
We went into the old Cathedral of St. Vincent, a Romanesque construction started in the 12th century. During the religious wars, the roof of the nave was destroyed. The current nave was created in the 18h century. The paintings and tapestries are very beautiful. The vaults of the flamboyant Gothic choir are truly amazing.
We were treated to a wonderful organ concert by ValérY Imberon (Yes, there is a story behind the capital Y). He played pieces by Clérambault, Couperin and Lefébure-Wély. And for an encore – th, bordered by cedars of Lebanon, through the wonderful town…past tiny Medieval alleys whose buildings are held up by very old arches; roses spilling from balconies; crumbling Renaissance façades, towers, turres, tiny statues in unexpected places.
During the afternoon, we chose to cruise rather than go to a truffle farm and taste Châteauneuf du Pape, which I know and love! It was a gorgeous afternoon – we went through all sorts of locks, the deepest of which is 75 ft. deep. We passed the largest nuclear plant in Europe, next to which is a hydroelectric dam and a wind farm. Talk about alternative forms of energy. 80% of France’s electricity comes from nuclear power. We passed Montélimar, home of nougat and the Gorges de l'Ardèche with some amazing arêtes on the mountains. Here and there, we could see ruined castles and picturesque villages. We stopped at Châteauneuf du Pape to pick up the excursion-ers....beautiful castle on the hill.
In the evening, we were invited by Canadian friends to join their table of 10 to celebrate their 43rd wedding anniversary. The ship provided champagne. We felt very honored and it was a delightful evening. The dinner was the Provençale dinner. (All along, we have had regional dinners.) Pissaladière; garlic soup, mullet in bouillabaisse sauce with rouille….and more cheeses! Just magical…there's that word again.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tournon, Tain l'Hermitage
We awoke at berth in the little town of Tain l’Hermitage. On the opposite bank, we could see Tournon and its wonderful castle from our cabin. Both towns date from the Middle Ages. Tain is at the foot of the Hermitage Hills, on the left bank of the Rhône, where the Hermitage vineyards are located. The red wine is made fro the Syrah grape and the white from the Roussanne and Marsanne grapes. The St. Joseph vineyards are located up steep hills on the right bank, north and south of Tournon. Between 1956 and 1969, all the vineyards of this part of the Côtes du Rhône were awarded local AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée). As some of you know, these are some of my favorite red wines.
We set off after breakfast and crossed the wooden-paved, twisted cable suspension bridge, buildt by Marc Seguin in 1849 and visited Tournon, one of France’s oldest cities. The feudal castle, dating back to the 10th century, overlooks the river and the houses. One of France’s oldest lycées, the Gabriel Faure, founded in the 16t century is located here. Tournon is a pretty little town with tree-lined promenades – pollarded horse chestnuts and plane trees. Adjacent to the castle is the Collégiale St. Julien with a square bell tower and an elaborate Italianate façade. Inside, in the narthex, the walls still bear the original painted walls, ceilings and pillars….to remind us that all Medieval churches were once painted inside, top to bottom.
Then, we crossed the river to Tain and went to the Cellar Chapoutier whose name is written large on the adjacent hillside. We tasted three wines: A Croze L’Hermitage Petite Ruche white 2010, the same, but a 2009 red and then 2009 Deschants Saint-Joseph from the Ardèche side of the river.
I almost forgot that there is a very famous factory in Tain – the Valrhona chocolate factory. We get Valrhona choccies on our pillows every night and the ship’s boutique sells them.
This evening, we had our Epicurean Dinner. We started in the lounge with a special apéritif, Crémant de Bretagne with the peach liqueur we drank two days ago….both from the same vineyards. Then down to the dining room where we were served blond foie gras as an amuse-bouche, then truffle-filled mini ravioli in truffle oil sauce, next cream of celery soup, then we had a choice of fish or veal – I had the veal, a veal medaillon with veal kidneys; then dessert a Napolean garnished with strawberries, and finally the cheeses! I have eaten so many cheeses on this trip – all local. And to accompany all these dishes wonderful Côte du Rhône wines, white and red and dessert wines.
I almost forgot to mention that les Amis de l'Orgue et du Carillon of the little church in Tain rang the bells for us as we left.
We set off after breakfast and crossed the wooden-paved, twisted cable suspension bridge, buildt by Marc Seguin in 1849 and visited Tournon, one of France’s oldest cities. The feudal castle, dating back to the 10th century, overlooks the river and the houses. One of France’s oldest lycées, the Gabriel Faure, founded in the 16t century is located here. Tournon is a pretty little town with tree-lined promenades – pollarded horse chestnuts and plane trees. Adjacent to the castle is the Collégiale St. Julien with a square bell tower and an elaborate Italianate façade. Inside, in the narthex, the walls still bear the original painted walls, ceilings and pillars….to remind us that all Medieval churches were once painted inside, top to bottom.
Then, we crossed the river to Tain and went to the Cellar Chapoutier whose name is written large on the adjacent hillside. We tasted three wines: A Croze L’Hermitage Petite Ruche white 2010, the same, but a 2009 red and then 2009 Deschants Saint-Joseph from the Ardèche side of the river.
I almost forgot that there is a very famous factory in Tain – the Valrhona chocolate factory. We get Valrhona choccies on our pillows every night and the ship’s boutique sells them.
This evening, we had our Epicurean Dinner. We started in the lounge with a special apéritif, Crémant de Bretagne with the peach liqueur we drank two days ago….both from the same vineyards. Then down to the dining room where we were served blond foie gras as an amuse-bouche, then truffle-filled mini ravioli in truffle oil sauce, next cream of celery soup, then we had a choice of fish or veal – I had the veal, a veal medaillon with veal kidneys; then dessert a Napolean garnished with strawberries, and finally the cheeses! I have eaten so many cheeses on this trip – all local. And to accompany all these dishes wonderful Côte du Rhône wines, white and red and dessert wines.
I almost forgot to mention that les Amis de l'Orgue et du Carillon of the little church in Tain rang the bells for us as we left.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Lyon
When we awoke, we had descended the Saône around the point of the presqu’île formed by the confluence of the two rivers, and gone upriver on the Rhône and docked in Lyon.
It was very windy and hence a bit cooler. The Mistral, the famed Provençal wind was blowing….and keeping the rain away! Still, the skies were as blue as ever and the sun was warm.
Lyon is the second largest industrial and commercial city in France, located at the confluence of the mighty Rhône and its main tributary, the Saône. Lyon has long been the principal center of the French textile industry, specifically the production of silk, dating back to the 15th century; the chemical industry; and metallurgy. Many famous people were born here: Rabelais, Ampère, St. Exupéry, Jacquard, the Montgolfier brothers and the Lumière brothers. Lyon is still the world’s leading center for textile design.
Julius Caesar founded the city in 44BC as Lugdunum and there is a wealth of roman antiquities here. Lugdunum was the commercial and military capital of Gaul. This entire area and that to the south is replete with Roman or Gallo-Roman influences. Lyon also has most well-preserved Renaissance buildings after Venice. Much of Lyon dates to the 19th century. The mix of architecture makes it one of the most beautiful cities.
And then there is the cuisine – Lyon is the gastronomical center of France. It makes sense since the city is in the middle of the country, able to draw on so many different culinary traditions: Burgundy, Ardèche, Alpes, Provence.
Our tour took us through the very old parts of the city on the west bank of the Saône, past the Roman theatres, built in 15BC – the Grand Theatre is the oldest in France and can seat 30,000 spectagtors - and to the top of the Fourvières Hill, dominated by Notre Dame de Fourvière, Lyon’s counterpart to the Sacré Coeur in Paris. Both churches are white basilicas, built after the Franco-Prussian War to thank the Virgin Mary for having spared the cities from les Huns our les Boches. In both cases, the work was paid for by donations from the people. Lyon’s basilica is a gaudy mock-Baroque creation. Yikes!!! A riot of turrets and crenellations outside, marble and mosaics of all colors inside. Not at all to my liking….and I don’t like the Sacré Coeur either!!! But the views over Lyon from the top are stunning: The Croix Rousse area of the silk workers; the Quartier St. Jean and the Quartier St. George …..he two rivers merging, the red-tiled roofs…all of Lyon at our feet.
We had a lovely walking tour through the oldest part of town, the St. Jean district, and we went from street to street through the traboules, something typically Lyonnais. They are literally tunnels that link streets, but inside there are houses on courtyards with access to light. People still live there. It is very hard to explain. You could walk right past the big wooden door and not know that there is a traboule there. They were also used by the Résistance during WWII. Lyon was the center of the Résistance. It is here that Jean Moulin was tortured and sent to a camp where he died….and where 20 odd years ago the “butcher of Lyon”, Klaus Barbie was brought to justice, after he was discovered in South America. France no longer has the death penalty so he was sentenced to life.
We stopped to admire a trompe l’oeil painting on the side of a building….exactly the same type as the one in Québec (and painted by the same group). It depicts various floors with windows; at each window is a famous Lyonnais. These paintings are really wonderful.
Next stop, Place Bellecour located on the presqu’île. The largest square in Europe, it is bordered by majestic 19th century buildings. An equestrian statue of Louis XIV stands in the center.
In the afternoon, there was a lecture on silk painting and weaving. I forgot to mention earlier that we have had lectures on Impressionism; river boats and life – the ships, the lock system in France etc.; current French life, politics etc.
It was very windy and hence a bit cooler. The Mistral, the famed Provençal wind was blowing….and keeping the rain away! Still, the skies were as blue as ever and the sun was warm.
Lyon is the second largest industrial and commercial city in France, located at the confluence of the mighty Rhône and its main tributary, the Saône. Lyon has long been the principal center of the French textile industry, specifically the production of silk, dating back to the 15th century; the chemical industry; and metallurgy. Many famous people were born here: Rabelais, Ampère, St. Exupéry, Jacquard, the Montgolfier brothers and the Lumière brothers. Lyon is still the world’s leading center for textile design.
Julius Caesar founded the city in 44BC as Lugdunum and there is a wealth of roman antiquities here. Lugdunum was the commercial and military capital of Gaul. This entire area and that to the south is replete with Roman or Gallo-Roman influences. Lyon also has most well-preserved Renaissance buildings after Venice. Much of Lyon dates to the 19th century. The mix of architecture makes it one of the most beautiful cities.
And then there is the cuisine – Lyon is the gastronomical center of France. It makes sense since the city is in the middle of the country, able to draw on so many different culinary traditions: Burgundy, Ardèche, Alpes, Provence.
Our tour took us through the very old parts of the city on the west bank of the Saône, past the Roman theatres, built in 15BC – the Grand Theatre is the oldest in France and can seat 30,000 spectagtors - and to the top of the Fourvières Hill, dominated by Notre Dame de Fourvière, Lyon’s counterpart to the Sacré Coeur in Paris. Both churches are white basilicas, built after the Franco-Prussian War to thank the Virgin Mary for having spared the cities from les Huns our les Boches. In both cases, the work was paid for by donations from the people. Lyon’s basilica is a gaudy mock-Baroque creation. Yikes!!! A riot of turrets and crenellations outside, marble and mosaics of all colors inside. Not at all to my liking….and I don’t like the Sacré Coeur either!!! But the views over Lyon from the top are stunning: The Croix Rousse area of the silk workers; the Quartier St. Jean and the Quartier St. George …..he two rivers merging, the red-tiled roofs…all of Lyon at our feet.
We had a lovely walking tour through the oldest part of town, the St. Jean district, and we went from street to street through the traboules, something typically Lyonnais. They are literally tunnels that link streets, but inside there are houses on courtyards with access to light. People still live there. It is very hard to explain. You could walk right past the big wooden door and not know that there is a traboule there. They were also used by the Résistance during WWII. Lyon was the center of the Résistance. It is here that Jean Moulin was tortured and sent to a camp where he died….and where 20 odd years ago the “butcher of Lyon”, Klaus Barbie was brought to justice, after he was discovered in South America. France no longer has the death penalty so he was sentenced to life.
We stopped to admire a trompe l’oeil painting on the side of a building….exactly the same type as the one in Québec (and painted by the same group). It depicts various floors with windows; at each window is a famous Lyonnais. These paintings are really wonderful.
Next stop, Place Bellecour located on the presqu’île. The largest square in Europe, it is bordered by majestic 19th century buildings. An equestrian statue of Louis XIV stands in the center.
In the afternoon, there was a lecture on silk painting and weaving. I forgot to mention earlier that we have had lectures on Impressionism; river boats and life – the ships, the lock system in France etc.; current French life, politics etc.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Beaune, Tournus and countryside
This morning, we left early for our visit to Beaune and its famous hospices.
Beaune is the wine capital of Burgundy and one of the key wine centers in France. Indeed the annual wine auction of the Hospices de Beaune is the primary wine auction in France. Beaune is surrounded by some of the world's most famous wine villages…Puligny Montrachet, Volnay, Pommard, Chassagne Montrachet, Meursault, for example. It is situated on the route des Grands Crus tourist route among the vineyards. The road runs north from Beaune to Gevrey Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges and south to Nolay, Saisy and Autun.
Beaune is an ancient and historic town on the plain, by the hills of the Côte d'Or. There are features from pre-Roman and Roman times, from the Antiquity, medieval, renaissance and modern times. It is a walled city; about half of the 15th century battlements, ramparts, and the moat, remain in good condition. The central "old town" is extensive. Historically Beaune was the seat of the powerful Dukes of Burgundy until the 16th century when it became part of France.
The most famous landmark in Beaune is the Hospices de Beaune or the Hôtel Dieu. Founded in 1442 by Nicolas Rolin, chancellor of the Duke of Burgundy, and his wife, Guigogne, the Hospices are a medieval jewel. The superb geometric multi-colored tiled roofs are extraordinary. The buildings are arranged around a central courtyard, flanked by a wooden gallery, above which rise high dormer windows topped by weather vanes. The courtyard well is Gothic ironwork.
Rolin had made a small fortune….er, well, by cooking the books most likely. He needed to find a way to ensure his place in heaven after so much sinning!!!! After the Hundred Years’ War, many of Beaune’s inhabitants suffered the effects of poverty and famine. So he and his wife founded the hospice in 1443. The architecture was inspired by Northern French hospitals. The Rolins provided an annual grant, and vines and salt works for income. The hospice was not a hospital for the sick; it was a refuge for the poor. It remained one until 1959! Now the entire building is a museum, but there is still an old-age home on the premises.
The ground floor houses the Great Hall of the Poor (Pôvres in medieval French). It is stunning: 28 four-poster beds, 14 down each side, under a painted, carved roof. Often, each double bed was used by two or more people at a time. Each bed has red curtains and a red blanket, so you can imagine the effect! The linens are both generous and substantial. A corridor running behind each row of beds contains chests, one per bed, against the outer wall, for belongings. Each bed has a small table and chair. Meals were served by the nuns from central tables. The nuns' dormitories were on the upper floor; small windows in the corners of the great hall allowed the nuns to check on the inhabitants, mainly to ensure no mixing of the sexes!!! The rooms are replete with medieval paintings and hangings and a recurring theme in tiles and tapestries of the entwined letters N and G and the world “Seulle” (referring to Rolins’s wife as his “one and only”). There is a priceless polyptych of the Last Judgment by Rogier van der Weyden from the 15th century. Traditionally, as with the van Eyck altarpiece in Ghent, the polptych was opened and closed so that both sides could be seen. In the 19th century, this one was cut in half so that the inner and outer panels could be seen at the same time.
The kitchens are beautifully preserved with a dual-hearth Gothic fireplace and a 17th century mechanical spit, turned by a wooden “robot”. We also visited the Pharmacy, lined with wooden shelves displaying beautiful porcelain pots containing all sorts of unusual potions such as woodlouse powder, shrimps’ eyes and vomit nut powder. The best one of all was Theriaca, which cured all ills – opium!!!!!
The entire hospice is filled with beautiful stained glass windows, statues, tapestries, wooden chests, candelabras – a medieval feast for the eyes.
Beaune is renowned for its annual charity auction in November – Les Trois Glorieuses – three days during which there is the banquet of the Chevaliers du Tastevin at the Clos Vougeot and an auction of wine from vineyards owned by nearby hospitals
After our visit, we stopped at a cave and had a glass of Puligny Montrachet and sat outside staring longingly at the pâtisserie opposite……and NOT going in!
After lunch on the ship, I set off on an optional excursion (Connie was still not quite herself) to Tournus where we visited the church of St Philibert (early 11th century), once belonging to the Benedictine abbey of Tournus, suppressed in 1785. The architecture is in Burgundian Romanesque style which was influenced by Lombardian stonecutters. The façade lacks one of the two flanking towers originally designed for it. The nave is roofed with barrel vaulting, supported on tall cylindrical columns. The style is simple – the pillars are rough cut and the capitals off center. I love the early Medieval architecture and it is all the more fascinating as I get deeper into “The Pillars of the Earth”.
The drive through the Burgundian hills was breathtaking: more Charolais with newborns; horses and tiny colts; forests, meadows, castles, manoirs. In the tiny hamlet of Chapaize we visited the 11th Romanesque church built in the Lombard style. The church is surrounded by stone-built houses with the typical covered galleries of this region and a 16th century watch tower. We passed through Cluny, whose Benedictine abbey had once been the most prestigious monastery in Europe. Only a small part remains since the abbey was sacked during the French Revolution. We passed through Taizé, an evangelical center and Milly-Lamartine, the birthplace of the great romantic poet and député, Alphonse de Lamatine.
Our final destination was the Château de Pierreclos deep in Chardonnay country. A wonderful 11th castle surrounded by horse chestnuts and a magnificent view of the countryside. We visited the kitchens and bakery and then descended deep into the very cool “cave” and sat on stools amid the barrels. We tasted the following wines and liqueurs:
Macon 2009
Saint-Véran 2008
Pouilly-Fuissé 2009
Pinot Noir 2009
Crème de Pêche de Vigne and Crème de Cassis.
The tasting was excellent and very informative. My favorite was, of course, the Pouilly-Fuissé!
Then it was back to Macon where the boat was waiting for us. We had just enough time to change for the Captain’s reception and gala dinner. These gala dinners consist of the following: an amuse-bouche, a starter, a soup, a fish course, a main dish, a trou normand, cheeses and dessert. Formal service! Our new captain is only 28!!! Emmanuelle calls him “the baby”. Everyone is just as nice as on the Baroness.
I have neglected to mention all the famous people born in all the places we visited: Balzac, Maupassant, Greuze...there are just too many, naturellement!
Beaune is the wine capital of Burgundy and one of the key wine centers in France. Indeed the annual wine auction of the Hospices de Beaune is the primary wine auction in France. Beaune is surrounded by some of the world's most famous wine villages…Puligny Montrachet, Volnay, Pommard, Chassagne Montrachet, Meursault, for example. It is situated on the route des Grands Crus tourist route among the vineyards. The road runs north from Beaune to Gevrey Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges and south to Nolay, Saisy and Autun.
Beaune is an ancient and historic town on the plain, by the hills of the Côte d'Or. There are features from pre-Roman and Roman times, from the Antiquity, medieval, renaissance and modern times. It is a walled city; about half of the 15th century battlements, ramparts, and the moat, remain in good condition. The central "old town" is extensive. Historically Beaune was the seat of the powerful Dukes of Burgundy until the 16th century when it became part of France.
The most famous landmark in Beaune is the Hospices de Beaune or the Hôtel Dieu. Founded in 1442 by Nicolas Rolin, chancellor of the Duke of Burgundy, and his wife, Guigogne, the Hospices are a medieval jewel. The superb geometric multi-colored tiled roofs are extraordinary. The buildings are arranged around a central courtyard, flanked by a wooden gallery, above which rise high dormer windows topped by weather vanes. The courtyard well is Gothic ironwork.
Rolin had made a small fortune….er, well, by cooking the books most likely. He needed to find a way to ensure his place in heaven after so much sinning!!!! After the Hundred Years’ War, many of Beaune’s inhabitants suffered the effects of poverty and famine. So he and his wife founded the hospice in 1443. The architecture was inspired by Northern French hospitals. The Rolins provided an annual grant, and vines and salt works for income. The hospice was not a hospital for the sick; it was a refuge for the poor. It remained one until 1959! Now the entire building is a museum, but there is still an old-age home on the premises.
The ground floor houses the Great Hall of the Poor (Pôvres in medieval French). It is stunning: 28 four-poster beds, 14 down each side, under a painted, carved roof. Often, each double bed was used by two or more people at a time. Each bed has red curtains and a red blanket, so you can imagine the effect! The linens are both generous and substantial. A corridor running behind each row of beds contains chests, one per bed, against the outer wall, for belongings. Each bed has a small table and chair. Meals were served by the nuns from central tables. The nuns' dormitories were on the upper floor; small windows in the corners of the great hall allowed the nuns to check on the inhabitants, mainly to ensure no mixing of the sexes!!! The rooms are replete with medieval paintings and hangings and a recurring theme in tiles and tapestries of the entwined letters N and G and the world “Seulle” (referring to Rolins’s wife as his “one and only”). There is a priceless polyptych of the Last Judgment by Rogier van der Weyden from the 15th century. Traditionally, as with the van Eyck altarpiece in Ghent, the polptych was opened and closed so that both sides could be seen. In the 19th century, this one was cut in half so that the inner and outer panels could be seen at the same time.
The kitchens are beautifully preserved with a dual-hearth Gothic fireplace and a 17th century mechanical spit, turned by a wooden “robot”. We also visited the Pharmacy, lined with wooden shelves displaying beautiful porcelain pots containing all sorts of unusual potions such as woodlouse powder, shrimps’ eyes and vomit nut powder. The best one of all was Theriaca, which cured all ills – opium!!!!!
The entire hospice is filled with beautiful stained glass windows, statues, tapestries, wooden chests, candelabras – a medieval feast for the eyes.
Beaune is renowned for its annual charity auction in November – Les Trois Glorieuses – three days during which there is the banquet of the Chevaliers du Tastevin at the Clos Vougeot and an auction of wine from vineyards owned by nearby hospitals
After our visit, we stopped at a cave and had a glass of Puligny Montrachet and sat outside staring longingly at the pâtisserie opposite……and NOT going in!
After lunch on the ship, I set off on an optional excursion (Connie was still not quite herself) to Tournus where we visited the church of St Philibert (early 11th century), once belonging to the Benedictine abbey of Tournus, suppressed in 1785. The architecture is in Burgundian Romanesque style which was influenced by Lombardian stonecutters. The façade lacks one of the two flanking towers originally designed for it. The nave is roofed with barrel vaulting, supported on tall cylindrical columns. The style is simple – the pillars are rough cut and the capitals off center. I love the early Medieval architecture and it is all the more fascinating as I get deeper into “The Pillars of the Earth”.
The drive through the Burgundian hills was breathtaking: more Charolais with newborns; horses and tiny colts; forests, meadows, castles, manoirs. In the tiny hamlet of Chapaize we visited the 11th Romanesque church built in the Lombard style. The church is surrounded by stone-built houses with the typical covered galleries of this region and a 16th century watch tower. We passed through Cluny, whose Benedictine abbey had once been the most prestigious monastery in Europe. Only a small part remains since the abbey was sacked during the French Revolution. We passed through Taizé, an evangelical center and Milly-Lamartine, the birthplace of the great romantic poet and député, Alphonse de Lamatine.
Our final destination was the Château de Pierreclos deep in Chardonnay country. A wonderful 11th castle surrounded by horse chestnuts and a magnificent view of the countryside. We visited the kitchens and bakery and then descended deep into the very cool “cave” and sat on stools amid the barrels. We tasted the following wines and liqueurs:
Macon 2009
Saint-Véran 2008
Pouilly-Fuissé 2009
Pinot Noir 2009
Crème de Pêche de Vigne and Crème de Cassis.
The tasting was excellent and very informative. My favorite was, of course, the Pouilly-Fuissé!
Then it was back to Macon where the boat was waiting for us. We had just enough time to change for the Captain’s reception and gala dinner. These gala dinners consist of the following: an amuse-bouche, a starter, a soup, a fish course, a main dish, a trou normand, cheeses and dessert. Formal service! Our new captain is only 28!!! Emmanuelle calls him “the baby”. Everyone is just as nice as on the Baroness.
I have neglected to mention all the famous people born in all the places we visited: Balzac, Maupassant, Greuze...there are just too many, naturellement!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Chalon sur Saône
We drove down the N6 from Paris to Chalon with a nice rest stop. After Auxerre, we started to see the Burgundy countryside. Fields of various crops gave way to rolling hills, pasture land with the white Charolais cows (for beef, not dairy) and then hillsides of vineyards, dotted with lovely old villages. We passed some of the most famous Burgundy vineyards in the Côtes de Beaune and the Cotes Chalonnais: Puligny, Meursault, Chablis, Pommard, Volnay…….this is wine-lover’s heaven.
We arrived in Chalon and embarked on the River Royale in time for lunch. This boat is larger and our cabin is significantly larger and very nicely appointed. The décor is traditional but the decorator has not been heavy-handed…much nicer on the eyes. I wish I could upload photos, but just cannot. Since the same thing happened on Cunard in January, I think that maybe these two companies have poor satellite providers.
After lunch, I walked around the town. It was empty and very quiet, since it is Easter Sunday and Easter holiday for the children, so many families are away on holiday. Chalon-sur-Saône lies in the south of the Burgundy region of France. It was historically a busy port for transporting wine, timber and other goods. Today, it is more of an industrial town with many glass factories – for the wine industry of course. St. Vincent's Cathedral on the Place Saint-Vincent, has some elements dating from the eighth century and a neoclassical nineteenth century façade. There are some old half-timbered houses in this area. The statue of Chalon’s famous son, Nicéphore Niepce, the inventor of photography, stands along the riverside.
This city square also has a number of cafés and a busy market on Fridays and Sundays. I happened onto Town Hall Square where 17th century church of St. Pierre stands. The doors were open and so I climbed the stone steps and ventured in. I thought it would be nice to light a candle on Easter Sunday. I was sitting in a chair, just contemplating, when three girls came in. They asked me if it would bother me if they sang. I said, of course not. They positioned themselves under the dome and treated me to a glorious a cappella rendition of “Gracious Lord”. How is that for serendipity!!! I talked with them and found out that they were students at the local conservatory and they just loved to sing. I told them that their song in the church was a better present than chocolate…….which, by the way, here, are delivered by bells, not bunnies!
We arrived in Chalon and embarked on the River Royale in time for lunch. This boat is larger and our cabin is significantly larger and very nicely appointed. The décor is traditional but the decorator has not been heavy-handed…much nicer on the eyes. I wish I could upload photos, but just cannot. Since the same thing happened on Cunard in January, I think that maybe these two companies have poor satellite providers.
After lunch, I walked around the town. It was empty and very quiet, since it is Easter Sunday and Easter holiday for the children, so many families are away on holiday. Chalon-sur-Saône lies in the south of the Burgundy region of France. It was historically a busy port for transporting wine, timber and other goods. Today, it is more of an industrial town with many glass factories – for the wine industry of course. St. Vincent's Cathedral on the Place Saint-Vincent, has some elements dating from the eighth century and a neoclassical nineteenth century façade. There are some old half-timbered houses in this area. The statue of Chalon’s famous son, Nicéphore Niepce, the inventor of photography, stands along the riverside.
This city square also has a number of cafés and a busy market on Fridays and Sundays. I happened onto Town Hall Square where 17th century church of St. Pierre stands. The doors were open and so I climbed the stone steps and ventured in. I thought it would be nice to light a candle on Easter Sunday. I was sitting in a chair, just contemplating, when three girls came in. They asked me if it would bother me if they sang. I said, of course not. They positioned themselves under the dome and treated me to a glorious a cappella rendition of “Gracious Lord”. How is that for serendipity!!! I talked with them and found out that they were students at the local conservatory and they just loved to sing. I told them that their song in the church was a better present than chocolate…….which, by the way, here, are delivered by bells, not bunnies!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Paris
A bit about the ship. The River Baroness is very nice, very elegant, apparently the owner’s wife got involved with the latest – 2 weeks ago – refitting. Er um, how shall I describe her taste: the Hapsburg Archduchess of Castle Niersteindomtalkielwasser von und zu meets Leona Helmsley. But seriously, it is very comfortable, but the décor is a bit over the top. The cabins are, as I said, compact, but we manage. Everything is brand new; the boat has just been refitted and the carpets on the sundeck have not yet been fitted. The bed linens are beautiful quality and the towels are the fluffiest I have seen – only problem is that there is very little space for them to be hung. Shower is larger and nicer than on Cunard – it has two doors, so you can’t fall out! Hahahaha. The service is impeccable. As for the food, it is wonderful. The best I’ve experienced so far. The chefs are very clever. The selection of cheeses is endless. We have not had the same kind of dinner rolls twice; we’ve had different wines every night (included in the cost). The cruise director is my best friend and is going with us on the Rhone! The excursions are wonderful, both the ones that are included and the optional ones. Uniworld has its own buses and drivers – exceptional. And the local guides everywhere – just wonderful. I cannot say enough good things about this line.
Now for Paris. Connie and I took off on our own and headed straight for the Sainte Chapelle which Connie had not seen. For me, it is the most beautiful gothic church in the world – it is breathtaking – red, gold, green, blue statues, ceiling, tiles, frescoes, enamels, arches; the tallest stained glass windows with blue dominating; the rose window has more green than any other rose window I have seen. Built in the 13th century for Louis VII or Saint Louis as a chapel for him (upstairs) and his servants (ground floor) when the royal residence was next door at the Conciergerie. It is an example of gothique flamboyant! It was wonderful to see it again. Then we crossed the Seine over the Pont Neuf and walked the quais – flower stalls, pet stores – ending near the Forum des Halles where we had lunch at the Pied de Cochon where Connie had bee so many times over 45 years ago when the area was still les Halles – the wholesale markets of Paris, which were moved around 1970 to Rungis near Orly airport. The new Forum de Halles is a semi-underground Mall. I think it’s very ugly. It was highly criticized when it was built and they are currently renovating it for the second time. The Pied de Cochon is now an elegant restaurant – but the original zinc bar is still there. Connie had their famous onion soup, which was about all you could there, in addition to alcoholic beverages when it was surrounded by markets, and I had plump juicy escargots. Connie had the escargots as a main and I had stuffed pig’s feet. Yum! At the next table, there was an adorable little girl and her mother and we struck up a conversation. She is 4 years old and she sang for us an English song she had learned in school – “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”. And then we sang “Au Clair de la Lune”. This serendipitous encounter just made the day for us. We parted the best of friends and she kissed us!!!! Just delightful.
After lunch, we walked to the Palais Royal, only to find it was draped in scaffolding cloth, as are so many buildings in the spring. It was very, very warm today, so we called it a day and took a taxi back to the boat.
We’ve had a lot of sick people – probably 75% which would be about 70 people. 24-28 hr. bug it seems, but they are dropping like flies. The ship has been taking all sorts of precautions. Connie and I are trying very hard to pickle ourselves in alcohol so the bug won’t get us! Hahahahahah. One poor gentleman is still in hospital in LeHavre!
Oops! Connie became ill just after dinner tonight. Poor thing...I hope she'll recover in 24 hrs. I the meantime, it's flat coke for her!
Now for Paris. Connie and I took off on our own and headed straight for the Sainte Chapelle which Connie had not seen. For me, it is the most beautiful gothic church in the world – it is breathtaking – red, gold, green, blue statues, ceiling, tiles, frescoes, enamels, arches; the tallest stained glass windows with blue dominating; the rose window has more green than any other rose window I have seen. Built in the 13th century for Louis VII or Saint Louis as a chapel for him (upstairs) and his servants (ground floor) when the royal residence was next door at the Conciergerie. It is an example of gothique flamboyant! It was wonderful to see it again. Then we crossed the Seine over the Pont Neuf and walked the quais – flower stalls, pet stores – ending near the Forum des Halles where we had lunch at the Pied de Cochon where Connie had bee so many times over 45 years ago when the area was still les Halles – the wholesale markets of Paris, which were moved around 1970 to Rungis near Orly airport. The new Forum de Halles is a semi-underground Mall. I think it’s very ugly. It was highly criticized when it was built and they are currently renovating it for the second time. The Pied de Cochon is now an elegant restaurant – but the original zinc bar is still there. Connie had their famous onion soup, which was about all you could there, in addition to alcoholic beverages when it was surrounded by markets, and I had plump juicy escargots. Connie had the escargots as a main and I had stuffed pig’s feet. Yum! At the next table, there was an adorable little girl and her mother and we struck up a conversation. She is 4 years old and she sang for us an English song she had learned in school – “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”. And then we sang “Au Clair de la Lune”. This serendipitous encounter just made the day for us. We parted the best of friends and she kissed us!!!! Just delightful.
After lunch, we walked to the Palais Royal, only to find it was draped in scaffolding cloth, as are so many buildings in the spring. It was very, very warm today, so we called it a day and took a taxi back to the boat.
We’ve had a lot of sick people – probably 75% which would be about 70 people. 24-28 hr. bug it seems, but they are dropping like flies. The ship has been taking all sorts of precautions. Connie and I are trying very hard to pickle ourselves in alcohol so the bug won’t get us! Hahahahahah. One poor gentleman is still in hospital in LeHavre!
Oops! Connie became ill just after dinner tonight. Poor thing...I hope she'll recover in 24 hrs. I the meantime, it's flat coke for her!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Giverny
The boat docked at Vernon, a pretty little town on the river and we took a very short bus ride to Giverny. A walk through a winding tunnel under the main road brought us to Monet’s water garden through which flows a diversion of the river Epte, said diversion created by Monet.
How do I begin to describe the water garden! It is breathtaking. A winding path, bordered by all sorts of plants and trees takes you to the famous lily pond. The nympheas were not in bloom of course, but the pads were there and one could easily recognize them from Monet’s paintings. The weeping willows bent down to the water; the Japanese bridge gleaned green under a canopy of wisteria. Yellow Viburnums; pink dogwoods; bronze Japanese maples,; tulips and pansies of all colors; pink, purple, white, orange, yellow azaleas; perennials of all types; trellised roses ready to bloom, peonies about to burst; clematis……..all absolutely breathtaking. A shrine to impressionism!
We then went under another road into the main gardens in front of Monet’s house. The gardens are laid out in long rows in front of the house. The garden is bordered by trellised roses. Beds of tulips of all colors, pansies of all colors, blue myosotis, white, pink and lavender phlox, deep purple hyacinths, blue centaurea, blue Siberian iris, purple bearded iris (though only a few were in bloom), yellow yarrow and alyssum….and many, many more.
We visited Monet’s house, which he finally bought after renting it for so many years. Every room is painted in a different pastel: greens, blues, yellows. The dining room was stunning in yellow, as was the kitchen with blue and white tiles. I could have moved right into this house! Monet had an amazing collection of Japanese prints, one of the largest in private hands – over 300. Every wall was filled with them.
Monet first discovered Giverny when he saw it in 1883 from a train (yay for the railroads!) and the little town has remained unchanged since then. Monet lived here until his death in 1926. The property was bequeathed to the Académie de Beaux-Arts by Monet’s son Claude. Monet originally bought the “Press House” with an orchard, known as the Clos Normand which he changed into a garden of flowers. Then he began to limit himself to painting his water garden.
I must say that, despite all the beauty of the more formal gardens and the house, the water garden is the most spectacular. I could have spent hours and hours there, watching the light change the reflections in the pond. One could easily understand what was going through Monet’s mind.
In the afternoon, we sailed to Mantes la Jolie. The group going to Versailles left us there and we sailed on to Conflans Ste. Honorine, where we picked up the Versailles crowd. Conflans is pretty little town, where the Oise and the Seine meet, with a church whose roof is made of Burgundy-style colored tiles, such as we will see in Beaune. That evening we had the captain's farewell reception and dinner.
We passed through 6 sets of locks going down and coming back up the Seine. Not quite the Panama Canal, but interesting when we were awake....I slept through a lot of them.
How do I begin to describe the water garden! It is breathtaking. A winding path, bordered by all sorts of plants and trees takes you to the famous lily pond. The nympheas were not in bloom of course, but the pads were there and one could easily recognize them from Monet’s paintings. The weeping willows bent down to the water; the Japanese bridge gleaned green under a canopy of wisteria. Yellow Viburnums; pink dogwoods; bronze Japanese maples,; tulips and pansies of all colors; pink, purple, white, orange, yellow azaleas; perennials of all types; trellised roses ready to bloom, peonies about to burst; clematis……..all absolutely breathtaking. A shrine to impressionism!
We then went under another road into the main gardens in front of Monet’s house. The gardens are laid out in long rows in front of the house. The garden is bordered by trellised roses. Beds of tulips of all colors, pansies of all colors, blue myosotis, white, pink and lavender phlox, deep purple hyacinths, blue centaurea, blue Siberian iris, purple bearded iris (though only a few were in bloom), yellow yarrow and alyssum….and many, many more.
We visited Monet’s house, which he finally bought after renting it for so many years. Every room is painted in a different pastel: greens, blues, yellows. The dining room was stunning in yellow, as was the kitchen with blue and white tiles. I could have moved right into this house! Monet had an amazing collection of Japanese prints, one of the largest in private hands – over 300. Every wall was filled with them.
Monet first discovered Giverny when he saw it in 1883 from a train (yay for the railroads!) and the little town has remained unchanged since then. Monet lived here until his death in 1926. The property was bequeathed to the Académie de Beaux-Arts by Monet’s son Claude. Monet originally bought the “Press House” with an orchard, known as the Clos Normand which he changed into a garden of flowers. Then he began to limit himself to painting his water garden.
I must say that, despite all the beauty of the more formal gardens and the house, the water garden is the most spectacular. I could have spent hours and hours there, watching the light change the reflections in the pond. One could easily understand what was going through Monet’s mind.
In the afternoon, we sailed to Mantes la Jolie. The group going to Versailles left us there and we sailed on to Conflans Ste. Honorine, where we picked up the Versailles crowd. Conflans is pretty little town, where the Oise and the Seine meet, with a church whose roof is made of Burgundy-style colored tiles, such as we will see in Beaune. That evening we had the captain's farewell reception and dinner.
We passed through 6 sets of locks going down and coming back up the Seine. Not quite the Panama Canal, but interesting when we were awake....I slept through a lot of them.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Etretat, LeHavre, Honfleur
Another lovely drive through the countryside to the famous cliffs of Etretat, on the Côte d’Albaâtre or Alabaster Coast,a seaside resort. Painters like Courbet, Monet and Boudin immortalized these beautiful chalk cliffs, standing on both sides of the gray shingle beach. It is strictly forbidden to remove any of the lovely round pebbles. At one end of the cliffs, there is a natural arch, which looks like an elephant trunk, with the cliff representing the body. Maupassant lived here
Next, we drove through LeHavre, which was virtually obliterated during World War II by Allied bombing. The port is strategically positioned on the Sine estuary and was created in 1517 by François premier after the Seine silted up the nearby port of Harfleur, which is now situated several miles inland. Much of the city center was rebuilt in the 1950s to 1960s by the architect August Perret, the father of concrete architecture. Much of the post-war concrete architecture is hideous to my mind, but these buildings, all very similar, were quite appealing. His towering Eglise St. Joseph is a designated UNESCO heritage site. There is a huge industrial zone beside the enormous port. LeHavre is still a yachting center and has two very clean beaches.
After crossing the stunning Normandy bridge, a cable-stay (my favorite) which, was the longest of its kind in the world at the time it was constructed. A short drive brought us to the Calvados region and the Domaine d’Apreval, a family-owned estate surrounded by apple orchards. The owner gave us a tour of the apple presses and the distillery. They produce Normandy cider (hard cider), Pommeau, an aperitif wine, and the famous Calvados, which I love. In fact, I’ve been handy one every night after dinner. When in Normandy!! We had our aperitifs outside on the lawn and then sat down inside to a lunch of duck pâté, roast potatoes, tomato salad, cucumber salad, green salad and Normandy cheeses including my favorite, Pont L’Evêque. And, of course cider and home-made bread. Dessert was gingerbread made with honey and Calvados. I am not a love of gingerbread, but this was divine. The weather was, once again, gorgeous and we sipped our Calvados outside, watching the blond Limousin cows in the orchard. So far, it has been sunny and hot, most unusual, but we are not complaining.
On to Honfleur. What a treat! Honfleur is on the south bank of the Seine. Honfleur and Harfleur once guarded the entrance to the Seine, but now Harfleur, as I mentioned, is inland. It is a beautiful picturesque port with picturesque 17th century tall (6-7 stories) houses on the Vieux Bassin. We walked through the very old part of town called l’Enclos, which made up the fortified heart of the town in the 13th century. We stopped at one of the two remaining (out of 3) salt warehouses, a magnificent stone building with a beautiful beamed roof. If you remember your history of the French Revolution, the onerous salt tax, or la gabelle, was a major cause of anger and resentment among the peasantry. We then emerged onto the Vieux Bassin - an array of yachts, brilliantly colored umbrellas at cafes all round the basin and the amazing tall houses. They are narrow, vary in height, but all attached, mainly shades of grey. I have never seen anything quite like it. At one end of the basin, one can see parts of the old fortifications. A little climb to the street behind the tall houses brought us to the church of
Saint Catherine of Alexandria most of which dates back to the 15th century. The church is most unusual in that is made entirely of wood. The pillars of the nave are beams of wood, some with stone footings. The famous “axe masters” of the naval yards created the buildings without using any saws; this is most evident on the pillars. The design is based on a market hall, but the naval techniques used, make it look like an upside down hull. The bell tower is located across the small square so that parishioners would not be burned in case of fire since the tower drew lightning strikes.
By the 12th century, Honfleur, with its safe harbor and rich hinterland, was already a significant transit point for goods from Rouen to England. Charles V strengthened the town’s defenses during the Hundred Years’ war, but ir fell to the English in 1357 and was occupied again from 1419 to 1450. At the end of this long war(!!), Honfleur benefited from the boom in maritime trader until the end of the 18th century. Several great explorers, including Samuel de Champlain, the founder of the city of Québec, and La Salle, who opened up the Louisiana territory for Louis XIV, set sail from Honfleur Honfleur thrived on trade with Canada, the Antilles, the African coasts and the Azores. It was one of the five principal ports for the slave trade in France. During this time of expansion, the fortifications were demolished on the orders of Colbert, Louis XIV’s famous, or infamous, finance minister.
Honfleur became a center of artistic activity in the 19th century. Eugène Boudin was born here. Sisley, Courbet, Pissarro, Renoir and Cèzanne all painted here.
As we made our way back to the boat which was docked at Caudebec en Caux, we saw thatched roof houses with irises growing along the peak. Some were in bloom and it was quite a site. It is unique to the Auge region. The iris roots protect the thatch during strong winds. Of course, we saw more half-timbered houses.
Next, we drove through LeHavre, which was virtually obliterated during World War II by Allied bombing. The port is strategically positioned on the Sine estuary and was created in 1517 by François premier after the Seine silted up the nearby port of Harfleur, which is now situated several miles inland. Much of the city center was rebuilt in the 1950s to 1960s by the architect August Perret, the father of concrete architecture. Much of the post-war concrete architecture is hideous to my mind, but these buildings, all very similar, were quite appealing. His towering Eglise St. Joseph is a designated UNESCO heritage site. There is a huge industrial zone beside the enormous port. LeHavre is still a yachting center and has two very clean beaches.
After crossing the stunning Normandy bridge, a cable-stay (my favorite) which, was the longest of its kind in the world at the time it was constructed. A short drive brought us to the Calvados region and the Domaine d’Apreval, a family-owned estate surrounded by apple orchards. The owner gave us a tour of the apple presses and the distillery. They produce Normandy cider (hard cider), Pommeau, an aperitif wine, and the famous Calvados, which I love. In fact, I’ve been handy one every night after dinner. When in Normandy!! We had our aperitifs outside on the lawn and then sat down inside to a lunch of duck pâté, roast potatoes, tomato salad, cucumber salad, green salad and Normandy cheeses including my favorite, Pont L’Evêque. And, of course cider and home-made bread. Dessert was gingerbread made with honey and Calvados. I am not a love of gingerbread, but this was divine. The weather was, once again, gorgeous and we sipped our Calvados outside, watching the blond Limousin cows in the orchard. So far, it has been sunny and hot, most unusual, but we are not complaining.
On to Honfleur. What a treat! Honfleur is on the south bank of the Seine. Honfleur and Harfleur once guarded the entrance to the Seine, but now Harfleur, as I mentioned, is inland. It is a beautiful picturesque port with picturesque 17th century tall (6-7 stories) houses on the Vieux Bassin. We walked through the very old part of town called l’Enclos, which made up the fortified heart of the town in the 13th century. We stopped at one of the two remaining (out of 3) salt warehouses, a magnificent stone building with a beautiful beamed roof. If you remember your history of the French Revolution, the onerous salt tax, or la gabelle, was a major cause of anger and resentment among the peasantry. We then emerged onto the Vieux Bassin - an array of yachts, brilliantly colored umbrellas at cafes all round the basin and the amazing tall houses. They are narrow, vary in height, but all attached, mainly shades of grey. I have never seen anything quite like it. At one end of the basin, one can see parts of the old fortifications. A little climb to the street behind the tall houses brought us to the church of
Saint Catherine of Alexandria most of which dates back to the 15th century. The church is most unusual in that is made entirely of wood. The pillars of the nave are beams of wood, some with stone footings. The famous “axe masters” of the naval yards created the buildings without using any saws; this is most evident on the pillars. The design is based on a market hall, but the naval techniques used, make it look like an upside down hull. The bell tower is located across the small square so that parishioners would not be burned in case of fire since the tower drew lightning strikes.
By the 12th century, Honfleur, with its safe harbor and rich hinterland, was already a significant transit point for goods from Rouen to England. Charles V strengthened the town’s defenses during the Hundred Years’ war, but ir fell to the English in 1357 and was occupied again from 1419 to 1450. At the end of this long war(!!), Honfleur benefited from the boom in maritime trader until the end of the 18th century. Several great explorers, including Samuel de Champlain, the founder of the city of Québec, and La Salle, who opened up the Louisiana territory for Louis XIV, set sail from Honfleur Honfleur thrived on trade with Canada, the Antilles, the African coasts and the Azores. It was one of the five principal ports for the slave trade in France. During this time of expansion, the fortifications were demolished on the orders of Colbert, Louis XIV’s famous, or infamous, finance minister.
Honfleur became a center of artistic activity in the 19th century. Eugène Boudin was born here. Sisley, Courbet, Pissarro, Renoir and Cèzanne all painted here.
As we made our way back to the boat which was docked at Caudebec en Caux, we saw thatched roof houses with irises growing along the peak. Some were in bloom and it was quite a site. It is unique to the Auge region. The iris roots protect the thatch during strong winds. Of course, we saw more half-timbered houses.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Rouen
Rouen is the historical capital of Normandy, once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe. It was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages. Originally founded by the Gauls who called it Ratumacos, it was conquered by the Romans who called it Rotomagnus, which in time became Rouen. In the 9th century, it was overrun b. It was one of the capitals of the Anglo-Norman dynasties which ruled both England and large tracts of France from the 11th to the 15th century. In 1204, Philippe August entered Rouen and definitively annexed Normandy to the French Kingdom. In the 12th century, Rouen was the site of a yeshiva; at that time, about 6,000 Jews lived in the town, comprising about 20% of the population. Well-preserved remains of the yeshiva have been found under the Law Courts and are being restored. Today, the Rue aux Juifs, leads past the 15th century Gothic Palais de Justice, once Normandy’s parliament from the Cathedral to the Vieux Marche.
During the Hundred Years’ War, on January 19, 1419, Rouen surrendered to Henry V of England, who, once again, made Normandy part of England. Joan of Arc, the charismatic Maid of Orleans, who had led the French troops, was captured by the Burgundians and sold to the English, who put her on trial as a witch and heretic. One of the main reasons she was deemed to be a witch was that she refused to wear women’s clothes! She was burned at the stake on May 30, 1431 in the main market place, place du Vieux Marché. A stone marker commemorates the place. In addition, a large modern structure whose architecture is loosely based on Norman and Icelandic houses dominates the square – it is the Eglise Jeanne d’Arc. It contains some beautiful stained glass windows, from local churches, which had been removed and hidden, probably in Dordogne caves during the war. Since the churches were destroyed, they were put to good use here.
The French recaptured the town in 1449 and the Dauphin, Charles VII, for whom Jeanne d’Arc had fought so valiantly, was crowned in Rheims.
The city was heavily damaged during World War II and on D-Day its famed cathedral was almost destroyed by Allied bombs.
Rouen is a major port for grain and was known for its wool trade. It remains an important and flourishing cultured maritime city. The old areas around the Eglise Saint Maclou (or Saint Malo), an example of flamboyant gothic architecture, are replete with half-timbered houses dating from the 15th century. They comprise an array of all sizes and heights and are still occupied. They are absolutely charming. Rouen is also known for its faience, or soft-paste porcelain, which was the first porcelain in France, at the end of the 17th century.
After walking through the old areas, we continued to the Cathedral Notre-Dame, well-known from Monet’s 32 paintings in all seasons and light conditions. He took up residence in a house across the street. When you see what his perspective was, you understand why he could not paint the entire height of the cathedral. The square in front of the cathedral is too small….impossible to get a photo or paint a picture of the entire building. The cathedral is gothic and dates from the 11th century. It houses the tomb of Richard Coeur de Lion which contains his heart. The cathedral is framed by two unequal towers and an enormous Neo-Gothic spire, made from cast iron and erected in 1876, rises above the central lantern. The northern and southern 14th century Portails have been restored and contain beautiful sculptures and tracery. After the Wars of Religion, Protestants destroyed made of the niche statues, which have deliberately not been replaced – a piece of history is retained..
From the cathedral, we walked down Rue du Gros Horloge, dominated by just that, a Gros Horloge – beautiful astronomical clock dating to the 16th century, though the movement probably dates from 1389.
Our tour ended in the Place du Vieux Marché, where Connie and I settled into a lovely restaurant with a huge array of fresh seafood. We had local, Blancville, oysters – small and salty – and I had fish (can’t remember which one, but it was good) and then apple crepes with caramel sauce for dessert.
We then went back to a faience store we had seen along the way and we bought some souvenirs, which we are having shipped because they are fragile.
A beautiful city which I would gladly revisit.
During the Hundred Years’ War, on January 19, 1419, Rouen surrendered to Henry V of England, who, once again, made Normandy part of England. Joan of Arc, the charismatic Maid of Orleans, who had led the French troops, was captured by the Burgundians and sold to the English, who put her on trial as a witch and heretic. One of the main reasons she was deemed to be a witch was that she refused to wear women’s clothes! She was burned at the stake on May 30, 1431 in the main market place, place du Vieux Marché. A stone marker commemorates the place. In addition, a large modern structure whose architecture is loosely based on Norman and Icelandic houses dominates the square – it is the Eglise Jeanne d’Arc. It contains some beautiful stained glass windows, from local churches, which had been removed and hidden, probably in Dordogne caves during the war. Since the churches were destroyed, they were put to good use here.
The French recaptured the town in 1449 and the Dauphin, Charles VII, for whom Jeanne d’Arc had fought so valiantly, was crowned in Rheims.
The city was heavily damaged during World War II and on D-Day its famed cathedral was almost destroyed by Allied bombs.
Rouen is a major port for grain and was known for its wool trade. It remains an important and flourishing cultured maritime city. The old areas around the Eglise Saint Maclou (or Saint Malo), an example of flamboyant gothic architecture, are replete with half-timbered houses dating from the 15th century. They comprise an array of all sizes and heights and are still occupied. They are absolutely charming. Rouen is also known for its faience, or soft-paste porcelain, which was the first porcelain in France, at the end of the 17th century.
After walking through the old areas, we continued to the Cathedral Notre-Dame, well-known from Monet’s 32 paintings in all seasons and light conditions. He took up residence in a house across the street. When you see what his perspective was, you understand why he could not paint the entire height of the cathedral. The square in front of the cathedral is too small….impossible to get a photo or paint a picture of the entire building. The cathedral is gothic and dates from the 11th century. It houses the tomb of Richard Coeur de Lion which contains his heart. The cathedral is framed by two unequal towers and an enormous Neo-Gothic spire, made from cast iron and erected in 1876, rises above the central lantern. The northern and southern 14th century Portails have been restored and contain beautiful sculptures and tracery. After the Wars of Religion, Protestants destroyed made of the niche statues, which have deliberately not been replaced – a piece of history is retained..
From the cathedral, we walked down Rue du Gros Horloge, dominated by just that, a Gros Horloge – beautiful astronomical clock dating to the 16th century, though the movement probably dates from 1389.
Our tour ended in the Place du Vieux Marché, where Connie and I settled into a lovely restaurant with a huge array of fresh seafood. We had local, Blancville, oysters – small and salty – and I had fish (can’t remember which one, but it was good) and then apple crepes with caramel sauce for dessert.
We then went back to a faience store we had seen along the way and we bought some souvenirs, which we are having shipped because they are fragile.
A beautiful city which I would gladly revisit.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Normandy Beaches, Bayeux, American Cemetery
We set out at 8 am for a full day in Normandy. We had a nice view of Rouen as we left the city from our dock just in front of the magnificent cathedral, which we will visit tomorrow, and drove through the Norman countryside – cultivated fields, some green with wheat, barley and flax, some yellow with rapeseed flowers, some recently ploughed.; orchards of blooming apple trees; black and white Norman cows with their “sunglasses”; blond Limousin cows with newborns; half-timbered houses draped in wisteria in full bloom; simple stone Norman style churches with low towers; swans and ducks dibbling in streams.
I am not going to bore you all with an account of Operation Overlord – the D-Day landings. Most of you know all this; and it would take up too many pages. Suffice it to say that Operation Overlord was the code name for the Allied invasion of northwest Europe which began on June 6, 1994 and ended on August 19 (!!!) of the same year whe the allies crossed the Seine. Sixty odd years later, the Normandy invasion remains the largest seaborne invasion in history, involving almost 3 million troop crossing the English Channel from England to Normandy. There was absolutely no precedent for the generals upon which to draw. And they had to hope that the weather, moon and tides would be in their favor – they had a tiny window of opportunity. June 6th was hardly perfect, but it was good enough.
Operation Neptue was the code name for the initial assault phase of Operation Overlord. The primary allied forces in Normandy came from the US, Canada, the UK. After this phase, forces from other countries participated. The invasion was preceded by the overnight parachute and glider landings, massive air attacks and naval bombardments. Then came the invasion which was launched from bases along the south coast of England, mainly Portsmouth.
There are so many wonderful stories of how the Allies fooled the Nazis into thinking they were going to invade from further north, in the Pas de Calais. It is a miracle that all the disinformation worked.
Our first stop along the miles and miles of Normandy beaches, where there were no natural harbors, was Arromaches-les-bains. This is where the first ever pref-fab harbor, or Mulberry Port, was built; it was Churchill’s brainchild and it was named Port Winston. Seventeen old ships crossed the English Channel under their own steam and were sunk by their crews bow to stern. Then 115 football-sized cement blocks, called Mulberries, were towed across the Channel and sunk, creating a four mile-long Dover. Then seven floating steel “pier heads” with extendable legs were set up and linked to shore by four mile-long floating roads made of concrete pontoons. Anti-aircraft guns were set up on the pontoons; within 6 days, 54,000 vehicles, 326,000 troops and 110,000 tons of goods had been delivered. The toehold in Normandy was secured and eleven months later Hitler was dead.
Today, you can still see the ruins of the harbor, especially at low tide – chunks of concrete of all shapes and sizes. There is a memorial to the US liberator of Arromanches, Sir Alexander Stanier. You could also see as far as Omaha Beach, one of the two US beaches.
Arromanches was the UK beach, code-named Gold. Just before arriving, we made a quick stop at Juno Beach, which was the Canadian Beach. Here we saw tanks and German bunkers and a small memorial. Canadian visitors were given the option to be dropped off here and picked up later.
For some reason – probably to do with timing, we visited Bayeux and then went back to the coast to visit Omaha Beach. I am going to continue with the beaches and get to Bayeux later.
Omaha Beach has many memorials to the American troops. A fairly recent one, right on the beach, sometimes submerged in water, is an amazing sculpture, called “Les Braves”, by Anilore Banon, and which consists of “Wings of Hope”, “Wings of Fraternity” and, the tallest, “Wings of Liberty”, made of steel embedded in the beach. There is no doubt that the French are eternally grateful to the US and they do not hesitate to express this in memorials and plaques.
This is the beach where several things went wrong on the 6th: the troops were dropped too far from the shore and, though the area was not heavily fortified, the cliffs here were manned by a crack German regiment. The loss of life was significant. From Omaha beach you can see the impressive cliffs of “Utah Beach”.
When D-Day was over, more than 135,000 med had been brought ashore, with losses of 10,000….far less than Ike had imagined. D-Day was just the beginning, however and it took weeks to advance a few miles. There was also the battle of the hedgerows – the Norman hedgerows very thick and bordered by ditches….perfect hiding places for the Germans!
I found the whole experience very moving. This period of history, despite all the books I’ve read and all the films I’ve seen, extremely emotional.
After leaving the beaches, we drove to Bayeux, the first city to be liberated. It is here that, on June 16th, 1944, de Gaulle made his first major speech, declaring unity with the Allies. Bayeux was the cradle of the Dukes of Normandy, where William the Conqueror, descendant of Rollo, the first Duke of Normandy, was born. This is why the famous tapestry is housed here. The tapestry, commemorating William’s defeat of Harold of England and his subsequent conquest of England, was supposedly woven by Queen Mathilda, William’s wife. Apparently, this is a myth; it was probably commissioned by Bishop Odo on the occasion of the consecration of the original Romanesque church in 1077; it was probably woven by monks. It is basically an action-packed comic strip of weaving and embroidery. It tells the story of the Battles of Hastings and the events leading up to it. But is is done in a very amusing way and the lower order contains all sorts of animals, both real and mythic and, toward the end, decapitated soldiers – arms, heads and legs all over the places. Today the 230-foot long tapestry is displayed in a U-shaped case. It is a marvel of handiwork; the perspective of the horses going into battle is quite extraordinary for its time. The story is told in Latin, with some hints of Early French….if they did not have room to finish a sentence between illustrations, they just put the words under the first sentence….and the sizes varied. The colored wool has faded very little since the 11the century. Amazing! A wonderful work of art and historical document. (Amy, I bought myself the book!!!)
The town of Bayeux is lovely….a nucleus of 15th-19th century buildings. We did not have time to go into the cathedral because a table outside the cathedral in a lovely café called! The siren song of Kirs and croque madames in the full sunshine!!! Yum!
So then it was off to Omaha Beach, which I’ve already described. After Omaha, we went to the American Cemetery in Colleville sur Mer, the final resting place for about 10,000 servicemen who gave their life during the Normandy campaign. Their average age was 22. In addition to the white marble headstones (both crosses and stars of David) in endless rows, facing west toward the US, most of whom were identified, but not all, there is a wall of the missing – 1557 names of US soldiers who were never found. The grounds are beautifully groomed: lush grass; heathers for remembrance, a reflecting pool, a chapel and a colonnade with loggias at each end containing maps and narratives of the Normandy invasion. I the center is a bronze statue of a youth reaching to heaven, called “The Spirit of American Youth”.
Our guides gave us all bouquets of flowers. We went off to find a grave upon which to lay them. Not having found a serviceman from Rhode Island, I laid mine on the headstone of an unknown soldier. Connie laid hers on that of a soldier from Colorado. We walked to the northern edge of the cemetery – Omaha Beach was spread out before us.
It was a very, very emotional day.
I am not going to bore you all with an account of Operation Overlord – the D-Day landings. Most of you know all this; and it would take up too many pages. Suffice it to say that Operation Overlord was the code name for the Allied invasion of northwest Europe which began on June 6, 1994 and ended on August 19 (!!!) of the same year whe the allies crossed the Seine. Sixty odd years later, the Normandy invasion remains the largest seaborne invasion in history, involving almost 3 million troop crossing the English Channel from England to Normandy. There was absolutely no precedent for the generals upon which to draw. And they had to hope that the weather, moon and tides would be in their favor – they had a tiny window of opportunity. June 6th was hardly perfect, but it was good enough.
Operation Neptue was the code name for the initial assault phase of Operation Overlord. The primary allied forces in Normandy came from the US, Canada, the UK. After this phase, forces from other countries participated. The invasion was preceded by the overnight parachute and glider landings, massive air attacks and naval bombardments. Then came the invasion which was launched from bases along the south coast of England, mainly Portsmouth.
There are so many wonderful stories of how the Allies fooled the Nazis into thinking they were going to invade from further north, in the Pas de Calais. It is a miracle that all the disinformation worked.
Our first stop along the miles and miles of Normandy beaches, where there were no natural harbors, was Arromaches-les-bains. This is where the first ever pref-fab harbor, or Mulberry Port, was built; it was Churchill’s brainchild and it was named Port Winston. Seventeen old ships crossed the English Channel under their own steam and were sunk by their crews bow to stern. Then 115 football-sized cement blocks, called Mulberries, were towed across the Channel and sunk, creating a four mile-long Dover. Then seven floating steel “pier heads” with extendable legs were set up and linked to shore by four mile-long floating roads made of concrete pontoons. Anti-aircraft guns were set up on the pontoons; within 6 days, 54,000 vehicles, 326,000 troops and 110,000 tons of goods had been delivered. The toehold in Normandy was secured and eleven months later Hitler was dead.
Today, you can still see the ruins of the harbor, especially at low tide – chunks of concrete of all shapes and sizes. There is a memorial to the US liberator of Arromanches, Sir Alexander Stanier. You could also see as far as Omaha Beach, one of the two US beaches.
Arromanches was the UK beach, code-named Gold. Just before arriving, we made a quick stop at Juno Beach, which was the Canadian Beach. Here we saw tanks and German bunkers and a small memorial. Canadian visitors were given the option to be dropped off here and picked up later.
For some reason – probably to do with timing, we visited Bayeux and then went back to the coast to visit Omaha Beach. I am going to continue with the beaches and get to Bayeux later.
Omaha Beach has many memorials to the American troops. A fairly recent one, right on the beach, sometimes submerged in water, is an amazing sculpture, called “Les Braves”, by Anilore Banon, and which consists of “Wings of Hope”, “Wings of Fraternity” and, the tallest, “Wings of Liberty”, made of steel embedded in the beach. There is no doubt that the French are eternally grateful to the US and they do not hesitate to express this in memorials and plaques.
This is the beach where several things went wrong on the 6th: the troops were dropped too far from the shore and, though the area was not heavily fortified, the cliffs here were manned by a crack German regiment. The loss of life was significant. From Omaha beach you can see the impressive cliffs of “Utah Beach”.
When D-Day was over, more than 135,000 med had been brought ashore, with losses of 10,000….far less than Ike had imagined. D-Day was just the beginning, however and it took weeks to advance a few miles. There was also the battle of the hedgerows – the Norman hedgerows very thick and bordered by ditches….perfect hiding places for the Germans!
I found the whole experience very moving. This period of history, despite all the books I’ve read and all the films I’ve seen, extremely emotional.
After leaving the beaches, we drove to Bayeux, the first city to be liberated. It is here that, on June 16th, 1944, de Gaulle made his first major speech, declaring unity with the Allies. Bayeux was the cradle of the Dukes of Normandy, where William the Conqueror, descendant of Rollo, the first Duke of Normandy, was born. This is why the famous tapestry is housed here. The tapestry, commemorating William’s defeat of Harold of England and his subsequent conquest of England, was supposedly woven by Queen Mathilda, William’s wife. Apparently, this is a myth; it was probably commissioned by Bishop Odo on the occasion of the consecration of the original Romanesque church in 1077; it was probably woven by monks. It is basically an action-packed comic strip of weaving and embroidery. It tells the story of the Battles of Hastings and the events leading up to it. But is is done in a very amusing way and the lower order contains all sorts of animals, both real and mythic and, toward the end, decapitated soldiers – arms, heads and legs all over the places. Today the 230-foot long tapestry is displayed in a U-shaped case. It is a marvel of handiwork; the perspective of the horses going into battle is quite extraordinary for its time. The story is told in Latin, with some hints of Early French….if they did not have room to finish a sentence between illustrations, they just put the words under the first sentence….and the sizes varied. The colored wool has faded very little since the 11the century. Amazing! A wonderful work of art and historical document. (Amy, I bought myself the book!!!)
The town of Bayeux is lovely….a nucleus of 15th-19th century buildings. We did not have time to go into the cathedral because a table outside the cathedral in a lovely café called! The siren song of Kirs and croque madames in the full sunshine!!! Yum!
So then it was off to Omaha Beach, which I’ve already described. After Omaha, we went to the American Cemetery in Colleville sur Mer, the final resting place for about 10,000 servicemen who gave their life during the Normandy campaign. Their average age was 22. In addition to the white marble headstones (both crosses and stars of David) in endless rows, facing west toward the US, most of whom were identified, but not all, there is a wall of the missing – 1557 names of US soldiers who were never found. The grounds are beautifully groomed: lush grass; heathers for remembrance, a reflecting pool, a chapel and a colonnade with loggias at each end containing maps and narratives of the Normandy invasion. I the center is a bronze statue of a youth reaching to heaven, called “The Spirit of American Youth”.
Our guides gave us all bouquets of flowers. We went off to find a grave upon which to lay them. Not having found a serviceman from Rhode Island, I laid mine on the headstone of an unknown soldier. Connie laid hers on that of a soldier from Colorado. We walked to the northern edge of the cemetery – Omaha Beach was spread out before us.
It was a very, very emotional day.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Rouen
Before I post any more, I need to tell some of you that I am having a terrible time with my e-mail. It is not the internet; it is Verizon. I am very frustrated, but at least I can do my blog. So you may not get responses to your e-mails for a while.
Les Andelys
When we woke up, we were docked here. A small town on one of the many loops of the Seine, best known for its fortress, Chateau Gaillard, which was built in 1197 by Richard I of England – Richard the Lionheart, or, as he is known in France, Richard Coeur de Lion. Richard was also Duke of Normandy at the time when England ruled the entire western part of France. Sacrés Anglais!!!!! His aim was to protect Rouen. Richard died before the construction was complete and his brother, John Lackland, took over. In 1203, the French king, Philippe Auguste, captured the castle after a long siege. Depending of which version you believe, the French or the English, 4 Frenchmen saved the day with cunning and strategy or the English had great big siege towers. The French version is far more interesting!!! This area changed hands several times over the centuries and the English turned the castle into a jail during the Hundred Years War in the 14th century. Once France was united and central power established in the late 16th century, Henry IV ordered the castle dismantled after 400 years of existence. It was a long walk up (and back!) the hill to the castle. There was also a bus on hand for those who did not want to do the walk..
The little town is very pretty with typical Norman half-timbered houses and lovely courtyards and gardens. The church, Saint Sauveur, was built in 1202, a gem of early gothic architecture. Anyone who has read Ken Follett’s “The Pillars of the Earth”, which I am currently, reading, would immediately recognize it.
We came back to the boat for lunch and spent the afternoon on the sun deck watching the world go by – beautiful nouveau Norman homes and little villages dominated by typical Norman churches. Every now and then, we saw limestone outcroppings and even some cliffs. Everything is lush and green. ….or yellow (rapeseed fields) or pink (flowering trees). Birds twitter, swams glide and ducks take uff with raucous quacks. What a life!
Lock watching – still a family activity…what fun to watch the kids with their parents and grandparents as we go through the d”Anfreville locks. I remember going out to the Marne years ago (another life) to picnic and watch the barges go through the locks,
The Captain's Reception and Gala Dinner tonight was fabulous - the best meal I've ever had on any cruise. So far, this line has my vote! After dinner, we had brandy (I had Calvados - when in Normandy!) and listened to a terrific local musician play all the great American blues and rock and roll songs from the 50s ---and we danced.
The little town is very pretty with typical Norman half-timbered houses and lovely courtyards and gardens. The church, Saint Sauveur, was built in 1202, a gem of early gothic architecture. Anyone who has read Ken Follett’s “The Pillars of the Earth”, which I am currently, reading, would immediately recognize it.
We came back to the boat for lunch and spent the afternoon on the sun deck watching the world go by – beautiful nouveau Norman homes and little villages dominated by typical Norman churches. Every now and then, we saw limestone outcroppings and even some cliffs. Everything is lush and green. ….or yellow (rapeseed fields) or pink (flowering trees). Birds twitter, swams glide and ducks take uff with raucous quacks. What a life!
Lock watching – still a family activity…what fun to watch the kids with their parents and grandparents as we go through the d”Anfreville locks. I remember going out to the Marne years ago (another life) to picnic and watch the barges go through the locks,
The Captain's Reception and Gala Dinner tonight was fabulous - the best meal I've ever had on any cruise. So far, this line has my vote! After dinner, we had brandy (I had Calvados - when in Normandy!) and listened to a terrific local musician play all the great American blues and rock and roll songs from the 50s ---and we danced.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Paris
Arrived here just before noon with the TGV – free wifi!!! Jacques Olivier met me and we went to his place for an aperitif…..crémant de Touraine (sparkling wine) Next, lunch at Axeria, a new restaurant with Basque cusine. It was delicious: boudin de crevettes (kind of like quenelles, but not quite), spring lamb and soufflé Grand Marnier, tout arrose dèun excellent Bourgogne.
Jacques accompanied me to the River Baroness at the Quai André Citroën in the Port de Javel bas in the 15th arrondissement……downriver from the famous Pont Mirabeau…..
Sous le Pont Mirabeau
Coule la Seine
Et nos amours
Faut-il que je m’en souvienne?
Ah, the memories!
Met up with Connie who arrived in Paris on Thursday. Reconnoitered the boat and had drinks in the lounge. After an informational session with the lovely cruise director,
Emanuelle, and the captain, we went to dinner. Since I had only finished eating lunch at 4pm, I was not hungry…but the menu was very nice. Our cabin is well…as Jacques said when he saw it….compact!!! But it has sliding doors and a French balcony –meaning you can just about stand on it. The entire ship has just been renovated and redecorated and it is impressive. I have never seen so many plugs: European, English, American. Wifi is free. And we all have walkie talkies to be sued with the guides…it means we can wander away, hang back or move ahead and still hear what the guide is saying. Oh how I wish we had them in Karnak when we could not hear our guide and we ran away! Remember, Ross!!
We had beautiful views of the banks of the Seine, the suburbs of Paris and then villages. We went through two sets of locks and we were right up tight against the lock walls. We also went through more locks during the night, but that did not preventme from having a wonderful night’s sleep.
Jacques accompanied me to the River Baroness at the Quai André Citroën in the Port de Javel bas in the 15th arrondissement……downriver from the famous Pont Mirabeau…..
Sous le Pont Mirabeau
Coule la Seine
Et nos amours
Faut-il que je m’en souvienne?
Ah, the memories!
Met up with Connie who arrived in Paris on Thursday. Reconnoitered the boat and had drinks in the lounge. After an informational session with the lovely cruise director,
Emanuelle, and the captain, we went to dinner. Since I had only finished eating lunch at 4pm, I was not hungry…but the menu was very nice. Our cabin is well…as Jacques said when he saw it….compact!!! But it has sliding doors and a French balcony –meaning you can just about stand on it. The entire ship has just been renovated and redecorated and it is impressive. I have never seen so many plugs: European, English, American. Wifi is free. And we all have walkie talkies to be sued with the guides…it means we can wander away, hang back or move ahead and still hear what the guide is saying. Oh how I wish we had them in Karnak when we could not hear our guide and we ran away! Remember, Ross!!
We had beautiful views of the banks of the Seine, the suburbs of Paris and then villages. We went through two sets of locks and we were right up tight against the lock walls. We also went through more locks during the night, but that did not preventme from having a wonderful night’s sleep.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Brussels
April 13-16 Brussels
Spent 4 very nice days here with Estelle. We went twice to a fabulous testaurant – Le Prince d’Orange and I had kidneys!!! Hahahahaha. Love them. The second day we went with her daughter Michele and we saw granddaughter Laurence very briefly. We went to Louvain one morning…I had never been there. Unfortunately, we could not get near the Grande Place (the Flemings would kill me for using French!!) because it was Freidagmarkt, but we could see the beautiful buildings. It is also the home of the oldest university in Europe.
My last full day, we went down to the Petit Sablon, my favorite place in Brussels. We wandered through the shops and then settled in an outdoor café and stayed there for 5 hours!!! We had mid-morning drinks – beer with cherry or raspberry juice; then lunch; then coffees. We sat and soaked up the sun. The weather is amazing. Well into the 70s and blue skies…..even in Brussels.
Spent 4 very nice days here with Estelle. We went twice to a fabulous testaurant – Le Prince d’Orange and I had kidneys!!! Hahahahaha. Love them. The second day we went with her daughter Michele and we saw granddaughter Laurence very briefly. We went to Louvain one morning…I had never been there. Unfortunately, we could not get near the Grande Place (the Flemings would kill me for using French!!) because it was Freidagmarkt, but we could see the beautiful buildings. It is also the home of the oldest university in Europe.
My last full day, we went down to the Petit Sablon, my favorite place in Brussels. We wandered through the shops and then settled in an outdoor café and stayed there for 5 hours!!! We had mid-morning drinks – beer with cherry or raspberry juice; then lunch; then coffees. We sat and soaked up the sun. The weather is amazing. Well into the 70s and blue skies…..even in Brussels.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
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