Normandy, 27-29 May

An early morning start, fetching our 2 Aussie mates Ben and Michelle at about 5am, and then off to Dover. We arrived in good time, and just after 7, we were driving up onto a ferry, along with a couple of thousand other holiday-makers. The ferry was more like a cruise liner, with huge shops, restaurants, and activities for kids. Before long we found ourselves in Calais, and driving again, but this time on the wrong side of the road. We headed south, along the coast initially, and then slightly inland to the city of Rouen. Famous for it's cathedral (also known as Notre Dame), and as the place where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake, it is reputedly the most beautiful city in Normandy. We explored, ate some lunch, and then jumped back in the car, on course for our next stop, La Ducrie, a 15th century castle which would be our base for 2 nights.

La Ducrie is run by a british couple, a couple of dogs, a few cats, some ducks, and a few black swans. It is really out in the country, and our rooms were spacious and unique, with a splash of french flair.

We decided to spend sunday morning seeing the D-day beaches, Bayeux, and then travelling south to see Mont St Michel in the late afternoon. Everything went according to plan, and we had a great day. Our first stop was Saint-Mere-Eglise, the first french town to be liberated by the allies. We then travelled east past a few memorials and monuments, and came to Omaha beach, where the allies faced their toughest conflict. The american cemetery really hits home the human loss of war, and with over 9000 crosses up on a slope overlooking the beach, it is a sight to behold.

Our next stop was Bayeux, which was a surprisingly beautiful town. The main reason for the stop, was the famous Bayeux tapestry. This was made in the 11th century, and is a 70m long story of William the Conqueror's victory over the Norman's.

Our next port of call was Mont St Michel, essentially a village and Abbey built on a rocky island. It is a truly spectacular sight, not only from far, but also close up. We walked through the streets, and made our way up to the Abbey, which unfortunately was closed. Great views from the top though, and amazing that they were able to build something so massive, in such a difficult location, so many years ago.

The food and restaurants visited over the weekend were interesting to say the least. Nobody in the group was on top of their french vocab, and interpreting the menu's became something of a problem. A bit of a lottery with choice of food, but on the whole we had some good stuff. Our first dinner was at a place called Chalet Frittes, which is essentially an outdoor/garden restaurant with little shed's housing individual tables. The top meal was the mussels, which were really tasty and good value for money. I desperately wanted to taste some of the local seafood, and my chance finally came on monday at lunch. The meal started with some shockingly fresh local oysters which slid down with very little resistance. I then had a fillet of perch with a rich and creamy bisque sauce. My culinary experience then took on some of the local cheeses, and finally a creme brule to close the deal. A superb meal.

Our drive back to Calais on monday took us past a few coastal towns, the highlights being Deauville and Honfleur (where I finally got my seafood meal). Our last stop was the white cliffs at Etretat, which were pretty spectacular. There is a golf course right up on the ridge, but I don't think it would have been that pleasant on the course. There was a wind of almighty proportions, and any wayward shot had a good chance of landing somewhere in England.

We drove into Calais with a couple of minutes to spare, and made it up onto the ferry for our trip back to the UK. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip, with some great travel companions (even though they were prone to a snooze in the car every now and then) and a great destination.