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France: Mont St. Michel & Environs

October 10, 2022January 12, 2024 JWF Leave a comment

ARRIVING IN MONT DOL

Doing this kind of trip requires a certain amount of flexibility. Perhaps more than usual. Just as you have mastered all the quirks of the B&B you’ve been enjoying, it’s time to move on. If you’ve traveled all or part of the day, facing a finicky wooden gate with its own key, an explanation of the additional keys for the front door and your room, plus instructions on the sensor to open the gate to the enclosed parking, it’s no wonder that your head might be swimming.

But, the Chief Penguin got the car successfully back down a short steep drive and around to the parking area at this newest lodging. Between us, we managed to carry all the luggage we needed across a gravel path, up a stone staircase, and then into the house. Our room is on the second floor up a wooden staircase which was the next challenge.

This building was a former presbytery and dates back to the 18^th century. It has a lovely view of a 19^th century castle and garden out one window. The room itself has queen sized bed, small round table, two upholstered chairs, and a decorative fireplace plus two additional small stands on which to place items. As in the other rooms we stayed, there are exposed wood beams running across the ceiling.

TABLE D’HOTE

Saturday night was the first dinner we’ve had at “the host’s table.” This is a fixed menu dinner served at a hotel, and everyone gets the same meal. Here at Le Jardin des Simples, we were surprised when the dining room accommodated 18 people. Some were staying at the castle next door, part of this complex. All were French except for us, and one group was a family with two children. After the amuse of mackerel mousse on tiny crackers, we had a lovely plate of smoked salmon made in house, followed by moist sea bass in celery broth, and then tiramisu for dessert. Cider was the aperitif with then a choice of white or red wine. It was a nicely balanced meal.

Breakfast the next morning was less elaborate than some we’ve had and was a true continental one. Baguette slices, dainty sweets, orange juice, paper thin slices of cheese, and an assortment of crumbles, crisps, and baked apples from which to choose. No eggs on offer. Yannick, the chef and owner, made the rounds to say good morning. A slender middle-aged man with a soft voice and a ready smile. He also informed us that everyone else was leaving, and we would be the only people for breakfast on Monday.

TO MONT ST. MICHEL

As you get closer, Mont St. Michel, this famous abbey set in the bay, looms large in the distance. On an island in the middle of an expansive bay, a small church was built here in 709. About two hundred years later, Benedictine monks settled on the rock at the request of the Duke of Normandy and built the pre-Romanesque church. Over the next centuries, Mont St. Michel became both an important intellectual center and a place of pilgrimage for men, women, and children seeking eternity.

I first learned about Mont St. Michel in college when I read Henry Adams’ work, Mont Saint Michel et Chartres, originally published in 1904. The Chief Penguin and I visited Chartres in the late 70’s, but it took us another forty years to get here.

Our lodging is about 35 minutes away, and we were scheduled to be at the Mont in the late afternoon. As we discovered the day before, parking is a distance away, and there are shuttle buses to take you to it. We found parking and then walked a few minutes to join a long line for said buses. It was a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon, and everyone was out, so we were in line for probably 20 minutes. We had a couple sets of instructions as to where to go, but suffice it to say, that they weren’t totally clear and we got confused.

The result was that we got off the shuttle too soon, walked a long way, had a marvelous view of Mont St. Michel, and never could find the meeting point for our appointed guide! The shuttle buses were few and far between so we walked the entire way back from the Mont to our car. We didn’t get our feet into the sand, but we did two things: we saw Mont St. Michel and we gave our legs a great workout!

MORE MEALS

We had both lunch and dinner in the nearby town of Dol de Bretagne. It’s about 15 minutes’ drive from our B&B and quite lively given its small size.

Lunch was at Bar du Centre, a very casual place for drinks and simple fare. I had a ham and Gruyère omelet which was one of the best omelettes I’ve ever had. The Chief Penguin had a green salad (which he shared) and a ham and cheese galette. My omelette had a very nice amount of filling while he thought his galette was light on the cheese.

It being Sunday night, there were few options for dining, again because it’s the end of the season, and Sunday is a usual closure day, or some establishments were just closed for their annual vacation. We ended up at La Table Ronde, a King Arthur themed creperie and grill with a roaring wood fire and Arthur-related tapestries and posters on the walls. They opened at 7:00 pm and quickly filled up with locals, everyone from couples to a group of teenage guys, and a family of four.

Deciding we didn’t need another savory galette, we ordered the scallops fricassee (Chief Penguin) and the grilled salmon. His scallops were aligned on a bed of apples and pineapple. Each entrée also came with fries and a timbale of leeks over mashed potatoes. The fish and scallops were both very fresh and satisfying. We watched the couple at the neighboring table devour galettes with salmon and potatoes and then dessert galettes smeared with chocolate. You’ll never go hungry if there’s a galette on the menu!

Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)

France: Bayeux to Mont Dol

October 9, 2022January 12, 2024 JWF 1 Comment

STYLE OF TRAVEL

Some of you may wonder about our lodgings on this trip. They are Bed and Breakfast places, but carefully curated ones. Each one is distinctive and different in its own way. They are run like inns and may have six or eight rooms available or, like our place outside Bayeux, only two rooms. In each case so far, the rooms have been tastefully decorated and sometimes even with a bit of whimsy. Le Manoir du Senot is a medieval house with very thick walls (no hurricane would blow it over!), absolute quiet, and the most modern plumbing we’ve experienced. Good hosts like people and entertaining, at least entertaining to the point of providing an ample breakfast. Walkyrie here has tempted our palates each morning with a different local cheese, cider or freshly squeezed orange juice, grapes or pineapple, and some sort of homemade custard or cobbler. This is in addition to croissants and bread to go with the standard coffee and tea.

The advantages of this approach to travel are staying in quieter places, often in the countryside, and getting to meet local people as well as other travelers. The disadvantage is that more driving is involved as going to the center of town or even out to dinner requires getting in the car again. As I’ve noted, we are becoming quite adept at operating the various kinds of parking ticket kiosks and finding our way to and from the current B&B. We are indebted to Laura and Emilie of France Just for You for creating this marvelous itinerary!

LAST DINNER IN BAYEUX

After our day in town and some time at the B&B, we returned to the center of town to a restaurant near the cathedral. Le Pommier was already open and humming with diners before 7:00, so we went in and got our table a few minutes early. This was another satisfying meal! Both a menu option with choices and the a la carte menu were on offer. We did a combination of the two. The Chief Penguin had the silky foie gras terrine to start, while I ordered smoked salmon. Both were delectable! His main course was the lamb that was cooked for seven hours and served with potato gratin. Lovely! I decided to try a dish I’d now call country comfort food. It was poule au blanc or two pieces of boiled dark meat on the bone in a simple white sauce served with fries. It was perfectly fine, but not quite what I expected. Dessert was an apple affair for CP and three boules of sorbet (chocolate and two cassis) for me.

ON THE ROAD TO MONT DOL

Our drive from Bayeux to Mont Dol was not a long one which meant we had time for lunch plus a leisurely stroll around Granville. It’s a seaside town probably more dependent on tourism than fishing. In earlier centuries, it was a center for cod, and even now, more than 60 trawlers and other boats bring in shellfish. In the mid-19^th century, it became the place during the bathing season, and for those summer months was like an extension of Paris. It’s also the birthplace of Christian Dior and one can visit his house, although we did not.

Granville was crowded, perhaps because it was Saturday, so it took us a few blocks to find a restaurant that looked to have seating. We ended up at a casual place called La Bolee Normande. It was our first time ordering galettes or buckwheat crepes that are filled and then folded up in a square shape. They cover the entire plate and sometimes come with a mound of greens.

The Chief Penguin had one with ham and cheese and I the smoked salmon norvegienne version. They were very good and made for the light lunch I desired. We provided some entertainment for the couples on either side of us (tables were close together) as the CP pantomimed what he wanted, and I contributed clarification with my modest French. It all became quite convivial when after his cappuccino arrived, the waiter then landed his two boules of chocolate and vanilla ice cream smothered in whipped cream in front of me. Everyone had a good chuckle.

We had extra time before our stated arrival in Mont Dol. We, therefore, stopped in Dol de Bretagne to see the impressive Saint Samson Cathedral and walk the main streets. The cathedral is magnificent and the town was lively with many more eateries and shops than you might expect.

Note: There is only one photo in this post because the Wi-Fi at our newest place is very, very slow. It makes even composing text difficult. Header photo shows the casino overlooking the beach in Granville.

France: Bayeux, pt. 2

October 7, 2022October 7, 2022 JWF Leave a comment

DINNER IN BAYEUX

Last night we had a real dinner in a modern restaurant in an old building in Bayeux. Only the second restaurant dinner this trip. La Quarante Neuf was recommended by our trip organizers. And our B&B hostess said we’d made a good choice. Our reservation was for 7:00 pm, the minute they opened, and we were surprised when all seven tables in the main dining room filled up immediately—and not just with Americans!

The menu is presented on a large portable blackboard and is French with some Asian accents. We opted for three courses, entrée, plat, and dessert. I had the deconstructed tomato cooked several different ways first which was delectable, and the Chief Penguin had the rillettes.

We each then had fish. Mine was cod with fennel and black lentils in a grapefruit broth with sections of pink grapefruit, while he had the half-cooked tuna.

The dishes were creative and imaginative and tasty. For dessert, we shared my cheese selection and then his chocolate mini cake with chocolate ice cream. The chef, a woman, came out to greet us, and we were able to sing our praises to her.

THE TAPESTRY & MORE

Today was a day spent mostly on foot. We parked in the usual lot at the train station and then walked to find the tapestry museum, using the towering cathedral as a navigation aid. The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the story of William, Duke of Normandy’s conquest of England in 1066 and is a hand embroidered piece of art that is almost 230 feet long. The original, which used to reside in the Bayeux Cathedral, is mounted on a curved wall behind glass. The audio guide, included in the admission price, is essential to appreciating the events shown. The various scenes from King Edward naming William as his heir to the end of the battle are numbered. The guide narrates what is happening and points out subtleties one might miss. I found it fascinating and a great way to experience this famous tapestry.

A bonus was seeing the special exhibit, David Hockney’s A Year in Normandy. Hockney was enamored of the tapestry and also fond of this region in France. He decided to create a parallel work of art, also a long mural, showing the changing seasons in Normandy from spring through summer and fall ending with winter.

I liked the hay rolls and the straight trees

An artist who delights in trying out new techniques and approaches, Hockney created his work by drawing on his iPad using a program called Brushes. The result is a marvelous progression of images employing lots of bright greens and yellows with fuchsia and lavender accents. The Chief Penguin and I were especially pleased to see this work since we met Hockney some years ago in Los Angeles when an exhibit of his work was being installed.

BAYEUX CATHEDRAL

The Bayeux Cathedral is striking for its two Romanesque towers and its soaring and elaborate Gothic one. The original church was consecrated in 1077, and William the Conquerer was present. Only the two older towers, the first level of the nave, and the crypt remain from the Romanesque building.

The sanctuary that one sees today is the result of rebuilding in the 12^th century and later after it was damaged. It is soaring Gothic with flying buttresses and clerestory windows and stunning stained glass windows.

MUSEUM OF THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY

To round out the day, we walked to visit the Museum of the Battle of Normandy after lunch. Lots of exhibits with lots of text and photos and profiles of important generals, along with tanks and other machinery of war, make this a museum for anyone interested in the fine structure of this historic battle. We only spent a short amount of time here, but it was still worth visiting.

THE PERFECT LUNCH

Wandering around historic Bayeux near the cathedral, we noted several possible lunch options ranging from simple crepes to probably heavier Norman cuisine to the little place we selected. Le P’tit Resto was perfect in every way: the right amount of food, the right price, welcoming wait staff, and a delicious meal. We both had the Formule du Jour, menu of the day, and chose the fish preparation with either fries or rice.

Couldn’t resist sampling before I took the photo!

The main course was preceded by a small shot glass of veggie cappuccino and followed by either two cheeses or a presentation of little desserts. We both selected the cheese which was Camembert and Pont-l’Eveque with a little salad. With this menu, you also had your choice of a glass of wine (small) or café.

Note: All photos by JWFarrington (some rights reserved).

France: Bayeux, pt. 1

October 6, 2022October 6, 2022 JWF Leave a comment

COUNTRY HOSPITALITY

Our B&B about 5 miles outside Bayeux, Le Manoir du Pont Senot, is a medieval home dating from the 15^th century which has been lovingly restored. There are only two rooms for guests, and ours is very spacious with a round table and chairs, queen size bed, and a very modern bathroom.

Our hostess, Walkyrie, was most welcoming and solicitous and prepared a wonderful breakfast. Croissants and French bread plus apple cider, coffee and tea, almond cake, and individual strawberry rhubarb cobblers. She lives in the country, the grounds are lovely, and she keeps peacocks, parents and four babies.

D-DAY BEACHES

For the morning, we toured some of the Normandy Beach area. Our guide, Eva, is from Germany, but has lived and studied in France for a number of years and is exceedingly well versed in the history of the D-Day battles. She was also easy to be with.

Our tour began with Pointe du Hoc, which I have to admit I was not familiar with. But, as a result of this tour, and knowledge shared later by the Chief Penguin, I understood that this steep cliff where American Rangers used climbing ropes and grappling hooks to reach the top, being fired upon by machine guns and grenades from the enemy above, was a key piece of the Allies’ D-Day offensive against the Germans and their battery of weapons there.

In 1984, on the 40^th anniversary of D-Day, President Reagan came to Pointe du Hoc and gave a commemorative speech, an address considered one of the greatest by any U.S. president. Here is one paragraph from that speech:

“You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One’s country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it’s the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you.”

Seeing the height and steepness of the cliff, it is hard to fathom that any men made it to the top.

From Pointe du Hoc, we went on to a stretch of Omaha Beach. Today it is a peaceful stretch of sand and the waves roll in and back ceaselessly as the tide ebbs and flows. In June 1944, it was a very different scene of ships and soldiers and extreme loss of life. This beach stretches for six miles and the entire Normandy beach battleground is about 30 miles long. On a map, one doesn’t realize how extensive the area of battle was. What I also never appreciated until seeing it is that even if a solider made it from the ship out of the deep water to the land, there is a steep embankment just behind the beach.

Our last stop was the Normandy American Cemetery. There are some nine thousand graves here of individuals who died in the D-Day Landings and after. They represent 40% of the American military personnel buried in cemeteries around the world. The cemetery is in a beautiful spot above the beach. The rows and rows of crosses are in no particular order. There are a few topped with a Star of David signifying a Jewish grave. And there are graves for just four women, one a nurse, and the others three Black women who served. It is a moving sight to see all these crosses, each one someone who gave his or her life in service to their country.

We were fortunate to arrive when a small ceremony was taking place in the colonnade at the front end of the cemetery. Hearing both the Star Spangled Banner and Taps sound out over the graves was stirring and sobering simultaneously. A chapel midway down the cemetery is a simple building between the newer graves and the original temporary cemetery created in 1944. This cemetery was started in 1948 and opened to the public in 1956. The Walls of the Missing now include more than 1500 names; a few of the missing have been identified since the walls were installed, thanks in part to today’s DNA testing.

LUNCH

After our half day tour, lunch was a simple affair. We drove into Bayeux and as it was approaching 1:00 pm, we parked at the train station lot, figured out how to use the latest parking ticket machine, and then walked across the street to Hotel de Gare. This casual restaurant was busy, but we found a table to squeeze into. I ordered salade Parisienne which sounded like my kind of thing. Greens, tomatoes, egg, and tuna with mixed vegetables. It looked very pretty, and I loved all of it except the mushy peas and whatever underneath which constituted said veggies. The Chief Penguin had a lovely plate of tomatoes followed by an acceptable croque monsieur. Basic fare which fit the bill and assuaged our hunger.

Category: France

France: Mont St. Michel & Environs

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