#holidayinnormandy

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Discovering historic Villedieu-les-Poêles

I stepped back in time this morning with a stroll round historic Villedieu-les-Poêles - the Normandy town famous for copper making. The new media library is now housed in the former corn market building with its arches dating from the mid 19th century. The church of Notre-Dame is even older with the original being built in the 12th century. Typically, it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times since then. There are numerous painted wooden statues depicting the patron saints of former brotherhoods. The saints are also represented in the stained glass windows. St Hubert - the patron saint of coppersmiths - takes pride of place in the stained glass window in the St Hubert chapel. If you want to discover Villedieu, the tourist office has information about a number of walking trails you can do. There are also information panels at key points around the town (in French and English) to help. Find out more at http://www.ot-villedieu.fr

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A Day Out in Lucerne

Today I heard the story of how a young priest from Normandy succeeded in restoring a magnificent abbey that had been destroyed on three previous occasions.

Lucerne Abbey was founded in the mid 12th century and destroyed during both the Hundred Years’ War and then during the Religious Wars. During the French Revolution a wealthy local ship owner bought the abbey and converted it into a cotton mill.

A viaduct was built to bring water onto the site for the machinery and trenches dug for the removal of the waste water. This was, literally, to be the abbey’s downfall. The trenches had been dug too close to the base of the pillars in the church and they began to crumble. The abbey was sold once again and extensively quarried. Pictures in the former gatehouse showing the sorry state of the church and abbey buildings, reveal the extent of the devastation.

Abbot Marcel Lelégard bought the ruins in 1959 aged 34 and his passion and dedication have produced amazing results. The church and refectory have been completely re-built. The dovecote, tithe barns, abbot’s house and grain mill have been restored. The Lay Brother’s house escaped too much damage and will be part of a future renovation project.

Sadly, some buildings have disappeared - the dormitory, chapter house, sacristy and infirmary to the south of the church. Also, very little remains of the cloister. However, Abbot Lelégard’s vision continues today and the impressive ongoing restoration programme will no doubt breathe more life into the stunning abbey buildings for generations to come.

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What Visitors Say About Normandy

The last of this season's guests left on 4 November. As well as the comments in the guest book, there was also a hug and very kind words about their time here. It was quite emotional! As a small business owner, feedback like that really means the world. I don't have a boss or colleagues to praise or critique what I do, so comments from guests about Normandy, the gite or me are really important. I've been very fortunate to have lovely reviews throughout the season giving me a very warm, fuzzy feeling. The gite has also been very popular with British, French, Dutch, Belgian and American guests all wanting to explore this part of Normandy. After such a busy season I bought a chocolate tart and enjoyed it with a celebratory glass of fizz.

  Created by Chris

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Normandy's Most Popular Visitor Attraction

A waiting list of almost 790 years for a facelift costing over 2.6 million euros ... Was it worth the wait and the price tag? Absolutely! The cloister at Mont St Michel in Normandy was completed in 1228 and a year-long renovation project throughout 2017 has just ended. The photos in the link below show the extent of the restoration work which has included lowering the floors by 15cm, cleaning the wooden vaulted ceilings, the stone work and spandrels above the columns. The spandrels are intricately and beautifully decorated with a botanical theme - a painstaking job. 

Traditionally cloisters are built at the centre of the abbey with all the monastic buildings leading off it. However, Mont St Michel's cloister was built on top of other buildings as a place of prayer for the monks. It's is accessed via a small courtyard which leads from the abbey church and then leads to the refectory. The cloister has remained open throughout the work except when materials have been delivered by helicopter. The garden will be planted in spring 2018 to finally complete the restoration project. Despite the numerous visitors that pass through here every year the cloister retains a sense of peace and tranquility - a nod to its original purpose of prayer and reflection.

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If I Was A Tourist For A Day in Caen

  Once upon a time a young man called William made Caen in Normandy his main place of residence. However, he wasn't just any young man; he was Duke of Normandy also known as William the Conqueror. Today, you can walk in his footsteps by visiting the abbeys he founded as well as the castle he built. Nowadays the castle also houses the Musée des Beaux Arts (fine arts museum) as well as the Musée de Normandie. Both William and his wife Matilda were buried in the abbeys; William in the Abbaye aux Hommes and Matilda in the Abbaye aux Dames. Just a few steps from the castle, Caen's old quarter has been transformed into a foodie heaven. The medieval timbered-framed houses have now become restaurants welcoming diners in a very pretty setting. There is also the Mémorial de Caen- a very large museum looking at the events leading up to, and following, WW2. It's located in the northern suburbs of the city on the site of an old blockhouse. Visiting Caen is a real opportunity to learn more about William the Conqueror, the relationship between Normandy and England and the events of WW2.

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A Magnificent Church in Normandy

There is small church is Angoville au Plain just a few miles from us, this little church in a community of 57 in June 1944 became the first 1st Aid post on D Day – the 2 Dr’s from The Screaming Eagles 101st Kenneth Moore & Robert Wright treated over 70 injured plus a child from the village – the battle raged for 3 days around the 11th century Church and unknown to them 2 German snipers were hidden upstairs in the bell tower…I think it was hunger that forced them down in the end…

Today, due to the efforts of the Mayor who has raised the fund to restore this little church, it is possible to go in and see, on the floor a stone is cracked/smashed where a shell came in but didn’t explode, blood stains are still visible on the pews…it really is a special place to visit.

We are offering a ride out in our Tilly a 1942 Standard Flying 12 Staff car – a woody – if you haven’t been to Angoville auPlain we’ll take you along with a picnic – 100€ for 2 – a typical picnic reads like this :

The picnic menu: (all eggs from our girls)

asparagus quiche made with 2 goose eggs roasted mediterannean vegetable tart with goats cheese & black olives assorted sandwiches hard boiled eggs Camembert cheese rhubarb & custard tart with creme fraiche (rhubarb from our garden) Lemon & elderflower drizzle caketo drink: fizz & white wine

a very civilised way to see some sights

serving the fizz

Our delightful guests who really go for the 1940’s look

And The Mayor joined in too!

101st window

  this window dedicated to the medics

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The One Thing You Can’t Miss in Normandy - 6th June

The fact that the biggest invasion ever took place along this coast on 6th June 1944…I am writing this on June 6th 2018 – 74 years to the day the ships came across the horizon along with parachutists descending all around, aircraft, gliders, bombing, hand to hand combats it must have been mayhem, shocking and very loud!

Every day we go to Carentan or Sainte Mere Eglise and on a regular basis to St Lo…these towns and cities were battlefields and in St Lo’s case 90% destroyed by allied bombing…when you look around you can still see the bullet holes in buildings…the emotion of it all is still palatable but gradually becomes more history and not so much a living history, the old folk that remember it are getting less, there are fewer veterans each year.

For us we are adapting to not having a veteran stay with us…Harry Kulkowitz stayed with us every year started at the 60th anniversary when he was billeted with us by our Mayor…his son bought him back every year until he passed 2 years ago.

We also had Reg Alexander a 101st Screaming Eagle visit this village as the guest of the Mayor quite often, he too has passed. This photos we are scattering the ashes of Reg on the field he landed in Normandy smashing both ankles on 6th June

1944, the aircraft he was in had been hit & his parachute was burnt, so he candled down, local people tried to help him but after 3 days he was taken prisoner and then after further 10 days eventually rescued and shipped to England for hospital treatment, the pain he was in must have been unbearable – his daughter Bonnie reading a few words – so moving – I’m in tears just thinking about it…

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Our Favourite Beach in Normandy

This part of Normandy has in excess of 1000 kilometers of coastline around the peninsula – to include the Invasion Beaches, Utah, Omaha, Sword, Juno & Gold.

All the beaches are incredibly respected and visited by millions of people every year, with great museums commemorating the incredible invasion that took place 6th June 1944…but at the same time the beaches are also destinations for holiday makers.

During the summer, never incredibly crowded, busy if you count that in the off season months we can walk miles without seeing another person, the picture with people & a trotting horse was taken peak summer season, you can see what I mean!

Utah Beach is less than 10 minutes from Ferme de l’Eglise  & 4 minutes from Band of Brothers House.