C’est us enveloppement (That’s a Wrap)

With a few days back on Eastern Daylight time, I’m ready for a wrap-up.

Our last day in Paris involved a lot of walking, but most days in Paris involve that. We started our day with the tour group at Musée d'Orsay. This is a wonderful art museum that inhabits a renovated train station. The main floor is light and airy and contains a number of beautiful sculptures. 

The famous Musée d'Orsay clock

Our guide took us through several galleries on the upper floors and we finally got to see some of Claude Monet’s work that resulted from his life at Giverny.  It was fascinating to see the paintings and remember that just a few days earlier we had walked around the water garden that inspired Monet. 

We finished our museum visit right at lunch time and, as we stepped through the exit, a lovely café was right in front of us.  Now you may be surprised that the Lady who sometimes finds it difficult to choose an eating establishment was quickly convinced by my not-so-subtle plea that this had to be the place for lunch. I was convinced that gastronomic fortification was needed for what I assumed would be a forced march to find the Petit Palais in heat that rivaled an Atlanta summer. The café had a diverse menu, but I homed in on their offer of a croque monsieur, the ever-popular ham and cheese sandwich. It was delicious and, thus fortified, we headed out on the streets of Paris once again. 

Although the Petit Palais was our ultimate goal, The Lady was keen to find a souvenir store. We had been told that we might find such a store on our way, and we did. I enjoyed the walking pause and knew that the Lady would require significant time to find just the right item.  

 

Purchase made, we continued on our way walking through Paris’ famous Tuileries Garden. Even though the sun was high overhead, I discovered that if I waked on the far left of the path, there was abundant shade. I love that Paris has so many trees. As a son of the South, I am quite adept at finding shade. It’s a gift. 

 

Google maps GPS led us right to the door of the Petit Palais which is right across the street from the Grand Palais. The Grand Palais was unavailable to us as it was undergoing some renovation, as much of Paris was undergoing. There is a frenzy of activity related to the upcoming Olympics next summer. I’m not sure why the French think that anyone will be interested in their museums and monuments when there are games to attend, but they are polishing up everything they can in anticipation of the crowds to come.

 

The Petit Palais is yet another art museum and while it held some interesting artwork, I had just about reached my limit of interesting artwork. As we stepped back outside my internal GPS sent up a red flag. Our hotel was not that far away, probably about a 17-minute walk but I knew enough about Paris to fully understand that it was a 17-minute walk mostly uphill. Oh Uber, Uber. The Lady Who never seems to tire on these long walks scoffed at me, but I insisted. The Uber ride was great and we were soon back at our hotel, which if I haven’t mentioned before, was on the Right Bank near the Opera.

 

We entered the lobby and seeing our fantastic Tour Director we mentioned that we had a hankering for some ice cream. She turned to the concierge desk and asked where the best of the best ice cream vendor might be found. Fortunately for my aching feet, it was found about a block away from the hotel.

 

The shop turned into a technological adventure. Of course, there was a line of customers, which there always is, at the “best of the best.” As you entered the shop there were computer screens where you choose your delight. It then asked how you wished to pay. The Lady Who was frantic to get rid of as many Euros as possible insisted that we pay cash. We then stepped to the cash payment machine. I inserted a bill in the slot, which it graciously accepted, noting a balance of a couple of coins to complete the transaction. I dutifully shoved the coins into the same slot which was a terrible mistake. It was only after I had done that that I noticed a coin slot to the left of the bill slot. I’m usually not one to destroy technology but I had done it now. Management was called and the machine was partially disassembled to remove my wayward coins. I placed them in the correct slot, and we were on to selection of our treats. My photo is probably now on file in a French database warning that I should not be allowed near any expensive technology.

 

Our day ended with a delightful farewell dinner. Our table of eight included some seasoned travelers, and we swapped travel stories as we ate.

The site of our farewell dinner.

On our drive back to the hotel, our coach driver, Patrick, took us on an early evening tour of the most famous sights in Paris. It is amazing how often the Eifel Tower pops up in its iconic way.

Early evening view

 

Unlike some of these trips, our departure for the airport the next day was at a very reasonable late morning time. That afforded us a relaxed breakfast and time to say “goodbye” to some of our new friends, as well as our long-time travel buddies Betsy and Bert, Collecting new friends is one of the unexpected pleasures of this kind of travel. It has certainly enriched our lives.

The travel buddies

This Tauck trip, entitled “Normandy – Brittany – Loire Valley – Paris” was extraordinary. I was impressed by the beauty of the French countryside and the many somewhat out-of-the-way places we visited. Our Tour Director told us at the beginning of the trip that many people found Brittany a delightful surprise. We certainly did. The beaches of Normandy were a solemn reminder of the price of freedom. And, of course, to quote Audrey Hepburn, “Paris is always a good idea.” If you have an opportunity to visit these parts of France, go for it. 

 

Our trip was certainly enhanced by our knowledgeable and delightful Tour Director, Marianne Radwan. She sensed our every need and made sure we were enjoying ourselves. That kind of attention is priceless. Thank you, Marianne.

Our amazing Tour Director, Marianne

I have enjoyed having you traveling along with us and I especially appreciate your comments. They motivated me. We travel again in September to Northern England, Scotland and Wales. I will send an invitation for you to join us before we head out. I hope you can come along.

 

I would be remiss if I did not thank the Lady Who checks my grammar and spelling as well as reminding me of the things I forget. It’s a team effort.

 

For now, au revoir, until we meet again.

 

 

Paris High and Low

Paris is a city with so many perspectives. Today, we experienced two of those.

This morning we toured the city from our motor coach seat. We did disembark several times for photo opportunities, but for the most part, we watched the city go by from our windows. Our local guide, Sabrina, provided commentary as we moved past all the most recognized landmarks of the city. The bus tour ended at the Luxembourg Gardens and that’s where we experienced a new perspective.

 

We were now at ground level with an unlimited field of view as Sabina guided us on a walking through the city. We made our way to Notre Dame to see the progress of the reconstruction from the fire that nearly destroyed the historic landmark four years ago. The repairs are to be completed late next year, but not in time for the Olympic crowds. The missing spire reminded me all too well seeing it topple and crash through the burning roof. I look forward as do many at seeing that spire back in place.

 

We left the church and walked along the Seine and observed the many famous bridges that cross this river. It was sunny and hot but one of the other great features of Paris are the trees. There were plenty of opportunities to step into the shade.

 

We completed our return to the hotel with a three-stop ride on the Paris Metro. It was early afternoon so we avoided the rush-hour crowd and were soon back at our hotel.

 

While I certainly enjoyed the motor coach tour, there is nothing like a ground level view of a beautiful city like Paris. You can see and experience so much more this way.

 

After a quick recharge at the hotel, it was time for more shopping. I had declared earlier in the day that I thought I needed a “City Hat.”  I had my wide brimmed “Country Hat” and my newly purchased jaunty cap which you saw the other day. With a bit of luck, we found just the thing as you can see below. I may have to start referring to this trip as Jim’s Hat Tour. Dear Readers, please continue to weigh in on my hat collection. The Lady Who helped me with this purchase just looked at me and rolled her eyes.

My City Hat

Another benefit of staying in central Paris is the number of great restaurants nearby. There are at least six or seven restaurants within a few blocks of our hotel. For our semi-official closing ceremony, Betsy, Bert, The Lady and I wandered down the street to the Brasserie Capucine where we toasted a tour well-traveled as we ate our fill of very delicious food.

 

Tomorrow is the last day of our tour and our last day in Paris. Our trip ends tomorrow night with a farewell dinner. Because we will return to our hotel late and will be in a tizzy of last-minute packing, you may not have my wrap up until the day after tomorrow. Don’t worry, it will come.

 

Rollin' rollin' rollin'

Today was mostly a travel day. Turns out that France is a fairly big country and getting from this place to that place can take some time. Bags were due outside our room at 8:00 for a planned departure of 9:15 am. 

The Lady Who plans these trips is especially enamored of the baggage service. She will tell you that one of the features of these trips that she most enjoys is that from the time we land in whatever far flung country we are visiting until we fly back out, she never has to tote that bag. The bags mysteriously appear in our room when we arrive at a new hotel and they disappear magically when we depart.

 

We ride in a very high-type bus which prefers to be called a Motor Coach. It is comfortable and we have a remarkable driver, Patrick. I think he has special buttons like the ones on the Harry Potter bus that allows him to immediately change the shape of the bus when we must move down these tiny streets in the small villages.

 

Our ever clever Tour Director, the Tour Director Who,  changes our seats every day mostly to confuse us but she swears it’s to keep people from rushing the bus just to get the front seats. Being confused tends to make us be quiet and behave. She also plays nice music to keep us drowsy. She talks a lot but one day I realized she was saying some important things, so I started listening. I am now the most informed member of the tour and delight in telling other people who aren’t listening those important things. The Lady Who says she is also listening says that I’m just being a smarty pants. 

 

Right at 9:15 am we cruised out of the Hotel Normandie Barriere in Deauville and headed for Giverny to visit the home of Claude Monet. We toured his famous gardens including his water garden and were able to walk through his house. We learned that Monet was not well-liked in this community mostly because he diverted the local stream onto his land for his water garden, not a smooth move if you are running for citizen of the year. He was also kind of grumpy. After all, he was an impressionist, and he did leave quite an impression although he did not leave any of his original artwork there. You must go to other places to see a real Monet.

 

The gardens were beautiful although it was one of the hottest days we have experienced on tour.

 

After lunch, we left Giverny and headed for Paris. We arrived just in time to experience the famous Paris traffic. Patrick let us enjoy just enough traffic for fun then once again shape-shifted our bus and slipped into a lane just for us. We are staying at the Hotel Scribe on the Right Bank and there was a welcoming committee of about 200 cars that met us and thwarted all of Patrick’s attempts to move with any rapidity. 

 

Soon after our arrival the Tour Director Who can handle anything took us on a walking tour around the hotel to prove to us that even we can’t get lost In Paris. The Lady will test that hypothesis tomorrow. I plan to take flares with me.

I hope you don’t find this edition of “Jim and The Lady Who Take France” too low yield. We had such a wonderful dinner that we didn’t want to leave the table, so we didn’t. First, we had coffee to delay our departure and then another glass of wine to accompany more scintillating conversation. So, its late and I’m over-wined. I beg your indulgence.

 

Tomorrow we will walk the street of Paris and shop. I will follow obediently The Lady Who shops and prepare to faithfully report our escapades.

 

Until then . . .

Freedom

The day started out cloudy and gray representing my mood. I wanted to visit the battlefields that I had heard about for many years, but I also dreaded that sadness I was sure to feel.

Our first visit of the day was to a private museum that held countless items from the war in Normandie. We could try on uniforms, sit in trucks and jeeps and marvel at the collection of guns and other ordnance that had once filled the battlefields.

 

We soon moved on to the battlefield at Pointe du Hoc and learned how badly things turned for the American troops trying to gain a foothold in this part of France. The Germans had arrayed their troops in strategic positions for which the invading force was not prepared. Add to that the fact that the pre-invasion aerial bombing and assault from the sea went terribly wrong leaving the troops dangerously exposed. When the commandos responsible for taking Pointe du Hoc finally reached the German positions, they discovered that the soldiers had abandoned their positions simply because they had run out of ammunition.

The German's devastating
View from Pointe du Hoc

 

When we moved on to Omaha Beach, we discovered more things that went wrong that day. The Germans were only defending the natural exits from the beach that the allies would need to move massive troops numbers and supplies. The troops that landed near these exits were slaughtered. The troops that landed between the exits found little resistance and, in fact, circled around behind the Germans at the exits and captured those positions.

 

In spite of all the things that went wrong, the Allies succeeded in the invasion although it took much more time than planned and the cost in lives was much higher than expected. 

 

We learned during the day that the father of one of our tour mates was in the invading force. Judy Rayman’s father, Max Freeman, was a passenger in one of the gliders that brought troops to French soil. He survived what was must have been a harrowing experience to also participate later in the Battle of the Bulge. Having Judy with us made our visit seem even more personal.

 

Our last visit of the day was to the final resting place of American servicemen and women who perished throughout this part of France during the war.

 

Standing among the rows of graves at the American Military Cemetery/Colleville sur Mer all I could think about was how each of those graves added up to create the freedoms you and I enjoy every day. Their sacrifice changed the world for the better and it is incumbent on us to do everything we can, every day, to make the world a better place just as they did.  It is asking so little compared to what they did.

 

As the sound of taps began to play across that field bringing tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat, my thoughts to all those brave people that lay at my feet was . . . 

. . . thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

War Day

We left Brittany today and entered Normandie. The landscape changed as the flat fields of Brittany gave way to the hills of Normandie. 

 

After having missed visiting Mont St. Michel, imagine our surprise that we were able to see the isle from the bus. Yes, it was tiny and misty, but we did see it. Check that off our list.

Visible in the mist

 

Our first stop of the day was in Bayeux to view the famous tapestry which displayed in detail, the 1066 war for the English throne. That war pitted King Harold of England against William, the Duke of Normandie. This cloth, 230 feet long, 20 inches wide consisting of 58 scenes is technically not a tapestry because it is embordered, not woven. It is thought to have been created just a couple of years after the war, in 1068. It has been displayed annually in the Bayeux Cathedral since 1729. It shows the story of the battle that was ultimately won by William, known thereafter as William the Conquer. It is interesting to note that this embroidered cloth has survived almost completely intact for more than nine centuries.

We enjoyed lunch in Bayeux at Le Garde Manger. Our friend Steve Rayman pointed out that the menu had 27 dessert items from which to choose. Alas, we did not have time for dessert. More war called.

Tha Caen Memorial - Designed to look like a bunker

We made our way from Bayeux to Caen and the Caen Memorial. I must confess that I did not recall knowing anything about Caen and its importance in World War II. The Caen Memorial tells the story of World War II including detailed exhibits on D-Day and the Battle for Caen. Reaching and taking Caen was a primary objective of D-Day because it was the closest German Headquarters to the beaches of Normandie. We initially viewed a presentation showing the preparation for the D-Day invasion both from the Allies’ perspective and that of the Germans. 

 

A section of the museum dedicated to D-Day showed graphic footage of the invasion and the struggle to penetrate the German lines. Success was achieved but at great human cost. Today’s free world owes an unimaginable debt of gratitude both to those who lost their lives and those that persisted in the face of grave danger. I was left with an emotional sense of loss for those that made such a great sacrifice that I benefit from every day. 

 

This visit was a prelude to our visit tomorrow to the beaches of Normandie. It will be a solemn day of remembrance and appreciation.

More Retail than Not

It was a somewhat tough decision day on the vacation trail. We were scheduled to visit Mont St. Michel this morning but after hearing the description of the activity we had a decision to make. Our tour director explained that we would need to walk up several very steep ramps and after that ascend several hundred steps to reach the top. Staying below was not a comfortable option because of the crowds. 

Add to the mix the fact that rain was forecast for the morning. Given that the Lady Who really wanted to make the climb had broken her foot in January and just before the trip had been advised that the break, while healing nicely, was not fully healed. The prospect of slick steps on a steep descent among a pushy crowd sealed the decision. We would not visit the site. 

 

The Lady Who was disappointed to miss this venture was joined by friend Betsy and enjoyed a morning of retail therapy covering many of the streets of Dinard.  Shopping always seems to heal the burn of disappointment. 

The ferry to St. Malo awaits

The streets of St. Malo

 

More therapeutic shopping occurred after a quick ferry ride to nearby St. Malo where we wandered around that lovely walled city and enjoyed looking at the many wares available. Unable to avoid the pull of this mercantile madness, I spotted a spiffy hat in one shop window and went inside to consider it further. The Lady exercised her considerable French by mentioning “chapeau” to the salesperson. She was unable to conjure up the word for plaid, so she guided the salesperson out into the street and pointed to said chapeau in the window. I was encouraged to try on several sizes until the correct one was found and then submitted myself to a number of oooo’s and ahhhhs. I caved and the purchase was made – with the understanding that this would be my birthday present. The Lady Who manages these things is quite efficient: finding an excellent stylish cover for my head AND wrapping up a birthday gift at the same time.

Le chapeau par excellence

More beautiful streets of St. Malo

 

We enjoyed a decadent lunch of Caesar salad and french fries believing that the joining of a healthy/unhealthy combination cancelled each other out. Add to that a Coke Zero to remind us of home and you have the perfect lunch.  In the cute sidewalk restaurant, we had a great time people watching, this being Saturday. We spotted locals with their baby carriages, toddlers running around looking at the many dogs on leash and, of course, tourists by the handfuls being dazzled by this medieval village. Our disappointment at not visiting Mont St. Michel was assuaged.

 

The weather cleared after lunch and the sun appeared. It turned into a beautiful day as you can see from the photo below taken from our hotel room window.

The view of Dinard from our hotel room

 

Dinner on our own tonight was another adventure. First, finding the place. We had decided to visit an Italian eatery and received directions from the front desk we thought we understood. We took a hard right at the first intersection and got nowhere. Friend Bert said we should have taken a lazy right. I’m all for lazy so we retraced our steps and finally found our way.

The view on our stroll to dinner

 

Its always fun trying to read a French menu. Trying to read Italian dishes on a French menu is double the fun. Our efforts were rewarded with a delicious dinner and a lovely stroll back to our hotel after. 

Le Grand Hotel Dinard

 

It is easy to guess that tomorrow will bring more adventures and I will faithfully report them to you.