D-Day Beaches

I could never have imagined how much we would enjoy our visit to the Normandy Beaches.  In the car on our way to the beaches, I gave the kids a timeline of WWII events (from my Rick-Steve's book, not from memory!).  I was hoping desperately that this would give them context for what they were going to experience today.   From the moment we approached Arromanches and got a view of the makeshift harbor (Port Winston) created by the British, we were overwhelmed by emotion.  I could imagine the young men parachuting into German occupied France in the dark of night, and then the thousands of men facing enemy fire on these beaches.

In Arromanches, you can still see the cement blocks that were pulled across the channel and then sunk by the Allies to create a breakwater and ultimately a makeshift bay.  On the beach, there are also rusted floats that supported the pontoon roads that allowed the Allies to transport vehicles, troops, and goods to the beach.

Arromanches is also a cute little seaside town so we also stopped to take a quick carousel ride.  Gotta keep it a little light for the kiddos!

From Arromanches, we traveled to the German gun batteries in Longues sur Mer.  The kids loved this as they were able to go inside a battery and climb on the guns.  I still cannot believe that these guns could aim accurately 12 miles out to sea.

Last, we pulled out our tissues and visited the American Cemetery above Omaha Beach which is an amazing memorial to all the troops that were lost during this battle.  They have a great visitor center with videos and exhibits and the cemetery itself is breathtakingly beautiful.

This day is one that Bobby and I will never forget.  I think the kids were impacted as well and I wish this was something that every American kid could experience.  The courage and sacrifice of our troops is vividly displayed throughout Normandy and the people here have not forgotten the sacrifices made to free occupied France and end the Nazi regime.  We are truly proud to be Americans today:)

Bound for Normandy

We left Marly le Roi yesterday to travel by car to Normandy.  I must say that the most miserable times we have are with all of us in the car.  Inevitably, someone is arguing, hungry, thirsty, angry, whining, getting smacked, or otherwise miserable.  Add to this tornado of emotions the anxiety of driving in a foreign country and you can understand that car rides are not our favorite.  So, we decided to prepare well for this 2.5 hour drive to Bayeux--the car was filled with snacks, all electronics were charged, bathroom stops were mapped out--check.

The drive north passes through beautiful countryside---many times I am reminded of the east coast of the US because it is so lush.  As we entered Bayeaux, the first thing I noticed was the American flags flying.  I read that this area of Normandy is very grateful to Americans for our D-Day participation and I expected that we would be greeted with kindness as we have all over France, but I never imagined that I would see our flag flying at the entrance to a town in France.

Bayeaux is a lovely town with a beautiful Cathedral at the center.  We saw the cathedral, said a few prayers for better weather and family harmony, and headed down to the Battle of Normandy Museum.

This museum was excellent, but it is really difficult to explain WWII to the kids since they haven't studied it in school and without this frame of reference, I'm not sure that this battle has much meaning for them.  Maddie asked really excellent questions and I was wishing that I had a degree in history so that I could answer her accurately.

After the museum, we checked into Chateau de Damigny.

 The surroundings of this chateau date back to the 12th century and contain an original defense tower from that time period.  The current chateau was built in the 1800s and was renovated several years ago by the owners who run it as a Chambre d'Hote (B&B).  The most enchanting part of the Chateau is 3 year old Paul (the son of the owners) who greets you at the door and loves playing with the kids.  There is also a pretty fruit and vegetable orchard to explore--Maddie tried the fresh green beans and loved them--now how can I get her to eat them at home?


Last evening, we went back to Bayeux for a yummy dinner and the kids ate their first chocolate crepe--the best quote is from Jacob who said, "This is like heaven!".  The plate was licked clean.

A final view of the Cathedral at night and off to bed in the castle----Bonne Nuit!

Giverny

Today we visited Monet's house and gardens in Giverny.  It was breathtaking to see the garden that inspired this wonderful artist.  The kids were not too excited about this day trip and I guess I can't really blame them.  However, I do think they appreciated the beauty of the gardens and I pray that this trip will broaden their world view and expand their minds.

Off to Normandy---another adventure awaits!

Day of Rest

Quiet day today--we always need a day of rest after a day of Paris.   I think it is Sunday so a day of rest is a perfect idea.  One of my favorite things about vacation is that I have no idea what day it is.  Bobby ventured out (after his run in Parc De Marly and swim in the local Piscine with his new found French friends in Speedos) to the bakery and local market by himself because the kids were sleeping and the market closes at noon.  He did a great job and came back with 2 bottles of wine, great produce, and some amazing croissants.

We went to a small park for an afternoon picnic.  With kids, a park anywhere is a recipe for fun. 

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 Back home for another roasted chicken, wine, dessert and bed.  Did I mention that it is raining now----again---and we love it!  What a change from home--thunder, lightening, rain.  Bon Nuit mes Amies!

Je T'aime Paris

I must admit that our first venture into Paris with 3 kids was pretty difficult, but we didn't let that deter us as we planned our second trip into the city.  Yesterday, our goal was to see St. Chapelle and Notre Dame---anything on top of that would be icing on the cake.  We spent hours preparing--essentially we were researching where we could feed the kids without breaking the bank.  We also made a commitment that this time we would leave from our local train station, buy tickets early, get the kids up before noon, and get home before midnight.

Navigating the train/RER/Metro system in France is starting to get easier for us and we were able to make it into Paris in around an hour.  Jacob would like to drive in, "It is only eleven miles, Dad!", but I don't think my heart is strong enough to survive driving in Paris.  Perhaps in August when the locals leave for their summer homes:).

Saint-Lazare Train Station

Our first stop was Sainte-Chapelle.  I could have spent hours looking at the stained glass windows and trying to make out the Bible stories illuminated in the glass.   It is impressive that this church was built in only 6 years to house the "Crown of Thorns" relic while Notre Dame took over 200 years to build.  The kids were definitely not as excited as we were, but Bobby and I just chose to ignore the complaining---snacks were doled out to keep their mouths full and quiet.  Note to self, buy lollipops for our next museum trip.

Next, we visited the Conciergerie which is a prison where they kept the most prominent prisoners who were awaiting death by guillotine--Marie Antoinette was imprisoned there prior to her beheading.  The kids were excited about this and hoping to see an actual guillotine, blood, brains, etc.  We were sorry to disappoint them, but I am sure I can pull up some illustrations on the IPad.

Next stop, Notre Dame and a plan to climb the 300+ steps to the top of the tower.  This is what we have all been waiting for---gargoyles, heights, exercise.....a 1.5 hour line....yikes!  It is such a blessing that there is a park behind the cathedral where I rested with the kids while Bobby stood in line (Rock Star Husband!).  After climbing to the top, we all decided it was worth the wait.

We ended our day with a picnic at the beach.  Maddie's comment, "It isn't the beach if you can't touch the water...".  Well, in July and August in Paris, they close the road on the right bank of the Seine and truck in tons of sand to create Paris-Plages.  This is definitely a local scene with Parisians hanging out all day and into the evening.  Our picnic was lovely--the only thing missing was a bottle (or two)  of wine!:)

Paris-Plages

So, we accomplished all our goals yesterday, but most importantly, we fell in love with Paris.  This is such an amazing city with so much beauty, history, and romance.  We will definitely wear our shoes out walking the streets, but we can't wait to come back for more!

Really??

Okay, so the kids slept in again today--according to Maddie, this is my fault for feeding them dinner at 9:45 last night--she is probably right.  So, instead of heading into Paris, Bobby planned a trip to a small town call Rambouillet where we could see a 400 year old farm.  Really?  Do we need to come all the way to Paris to see some horses, goats, and pigs?  I have been taking the kids to Zoomars since they were little and they have had plenty of time to hang out with farm animals.  However, submissive wife that I am:), I said "Okay, let's do it!" (the exclamation point is for my great enthusiasm).  The farm was enchanting--meaning stinky and fly filled.  Our excitement peaked while seeing the cows and goats being milked--Really??

After visiting le ferme, we walked through the streets of town.  The town of Rambouillet is actually very charming with lovely shops, a beautiful chateau, and cathedral in its center.

The highlight of the day was hearing Jacob say "Bonjour madame, Je voudrais un boule de chocolat" at the ice cream shop. This brought a smile to all of our faces even though we were still swatting at the flies.  Really?

Chateau de Monte Cristo

Yesterday was a quieter day for us as the kids were exhausted from our trip to Paris.  We visited the Chateau de Monte-Cristo which was Alexander Dumas' home here.

Alexander Dumas wrote the Three Musketeers and the Count of Monte-Cristo.  The estate is beautiful with lush gardens and walking paths and we were the only ones there.  After the crowds at the Eiffel Tower, we appreciated the serenity!

The most enchanting sight is the little house built across from the chateau where Dumas did all of his writing.  Seeing all of this has inspired Maddie to read "The Three Musketeers"!

The Highs and Lows of Paris

Yesterday was quite a day for us as we made our first trip into Paris.  Everyone says that the train and metro systems are easy to navigate, but somehow, we managed to run into difficulties with every turn.  We started by walking down the hill to the local station in Marly le Roi with plans to buy our tickets and head into the city.  Unfortunately, the machine did not work with our credit card and there was no attendant so Bobby and Jacob ran back up the hill to the house to get the car to drive us to another station.  At the next station, we were able to purchase tickets, but found out that this particular line was under construction and we would need to change trains and transfer to another.  As you can tell, the kids were absolutely thrilled with the transportation system and its lack of air conditioning!

Thank God for a lovely French woman who guided us in the right direction and somehow, 2 hours later, we arrived in Paris at the Eiffel Tower.  Wow--absolutely worth the trip--the kids are finally impressed:)

Of course, we are walkers and wouldn't dream of taking the elevator up, so we proceeded to climb the 670 steps to the second level.  (Brooke only needed to be carried the final 300 steps---thank God for my triathlete husband!)  Jacob and Bobby would have loved to go to the top, but the wait was a couple of hours to get the elevator (climbing is not allowed), so unfortunately, we did not ascend to the summit.

After the Eiffel tower, we walked a half mile to purchase tickets for a boat cruise on the Seine.  We figured this would be a relaxing way to beat the heat and see some of the highlights of the city.  Unfortunately, after we purchased our tickets, it started to rain and then it poured!  We got soaked and had to take cover in the metro to wait for the rain to clear.  Of course, at that point everyone got hungry and VERY cranky--food was needed immediately.  Unfortunately, all the street vendors were back by the Eiffel tower and none of us was in the mood to sit down in a cafe.  The kids had seen the Eiffel tower hot dogs and that is all they wanted.  So, we trekked back a half mile and spent an exorbitant amount of money on hot dogs, strawberries, and water.  Note to self, feed the kids and Bobby before they are starving!

With new energy and enthusiasm, we walked back to the boat cruise and enjoyed amazing views of the city from the River Seine.  Our cruise took off at 9pm and we were able to see the Eiffel tower "sparkle" at 10.  This was definitely the highlight of our day.

Once off the boat, we walked up to the Arc de Triomphe where we caught our train back toward home.  Finally home at 12:30 and kids showered and in bed by 1.  How are they ever going to adjust back to an 8:30 bedtime?

Arc de Triomphe

Kids slept in until noon today so I think we will be up late again tonight.  Hmmm....what should we do today?