Normandy

After a 2 hour drive from Paris, we arrived at the family home in Houlgate, Normandy. We were pleasantly surprised by the unusually clear and sunny skies which aren't typical of Normandy weather.

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We dropped off our things at the house and quickly got back in the car for a mid afternoon drive up the coast. Heading east, our first stop took us to Honfleur, a cute little fishing village where we walked on the cobbled stone streets and enjoyed port-side cafes! The all wood church was also quite interesting as it had unusually been built by sailors ... following the architecture of a boat, and of course using all wood.

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Heading back west towards Houlgate, we stopped in Trouville, sister town of famous Deauville, where we had dinner at renowed brasserie Les Vapeurs.

The next day was a nice family day. Aside from a few hours at nearby villages to check out antiques, we spent most of our time at the house relaxing and being lazy. The highlight of the day was definitely the meal cooked over the fireplace while we all sat around and enjoyed a few amazing wines that Uncle Phillipe had hand picked. Keeping with the Normandy traditions, the end of the meal was adorned by a cheese plate which had two of Normandy's well known cheeses, Camembert and Pont L'Evêque, AND a customary shot of Calvados liquor... which we flambeed with a cube of sugar!


Monday, our final full day in Normandy, we all decided to drive west to see one of France's most iconic images: Mont Saint Michel. The abbey that sits high atop Mont St. Michel dates back to 708, and the bay that surrounds it is famed for having Europe's highest tidal variations, which means that the difference between low and high tide can be as much as 15 meters. At times the Mont is completely surrounded by water, and sometimes the parking lots even get swallowed up by the tides!

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Tomorrow, we're off to the south of France... bonsoir!