Bon Anniversaire a Moi
Turning 35… What an age. The celebration though, was the special event. I was on the bank of the Atlantic, looking at an abbey that has stood for more than a thousand years. Perspective is a beautiful thing. My life, all 35 years of it, is what it took to complete some of France’s largest Chateaus.
I am in France, enjoying some of the most beautiful spectacles I have ever witnessed. An early morning arrival in Paris on my birthday was very special. The weather was warm and dry, the sun was shining, and the sky was clear. Thank God! The weather reports projected five days of rain and scattered clouds. There are small miracles.
Rena and I got into the rental car (easily the smallest vehicle I had ever driven), and made a mad dash through Paris traffic towards our destination of Normandy. We arrived in Bayeux for lunch, trying desperately to shake off the effects of jet lag. We had a quaint little lunch looking at a thousand year old church that was build to immortalize William the Conqueror.
We spent the majority of the day honoring the U.S. soldiers that died liberating Europe from the oppression of the Nazis. The U.S. cemetery at Omaha Beach was emotional and heavy. Amongst all of the beauty of the gardens and the majesty of the Atlantic Ocean, 9700 men lay in rest. The sadness was very gripping, and it was as if the brightness and clarity of the sun was diminished here. The beaches here also were the inspiration of impressionist painters. Awe inspiring.
Our drive took us south through the small towns and rural farm land of Normandy. This could be one of my favorite places on earth. By sunset we arrived at the west coast of Normandy (bordering on Brittany) staring into a fleeting sunset. The sun was a giant luminary on the horizon painting the Mont-St.-Michel is a glorious soft hue of orange. I felt at perfect peace here. Rena took the best photo of me on our vacation here. The sun is shining over my shoulder while I bask in the light of this perfect moment. http://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/accueil_gb.htm
We left the Abbey, and made the drive into Brittany to look for our Chateau. Our vacation was not comprised of traditional hotels, but of stately Chateaus scattered throughout the French country side. They ranged in size from large to larger. Our first stop was at Chateau Boceel. It was spooky at first. Dusk had come, and the night was quickly approaching. The Chateau is large and the idea of spending the night in a Count’s home was intimidating. He is a true noble, and his hospitality and grace quickly made us feel at ease. He romanced us with family stories, including a most incredible tale of when his father, part of the French resistance during WWII, was taken captive by the German Gestapo. The Chateau was built in 1763 and is still owned and operated by the family that founded the estate back in the 12th century. http://www.chateaudebouceel.com/anglais/bienvenueUK.php
After a beautiful breakfast and a leisurely stroll over the estate’s grounds, we made our way to St. James, the site of the second largest WWII U.S. cemetery in Europe. 4400 men lie at rest here.
We were now officially on our way into the heart of the Loire Valley. A lush valley inhabited by Kings and Nobles for a thousand years. We purposefully kept our journey to small roads that carved their way through the French country-side and quaint villages. Our meals were consistent over the course of our journey – French crepes, banana and Nutella. We would also “throw in” a pain du chocolate and the odd croissant. Pure gastronomical joy!!! We drove the majority of the day, stopping to enjoy the sights and sounds, and arrived in late afternoon at Saumer. We were able to enjoy some beautiful baguettes with sausage and butter, cold Orangina, and the views overlooking the vineyards of the Loire Valley and the Chateau Saumer. We clumsily made our way to our next Chateau, and somehow made it into our bed despite EVERY road that we needed NOT being on our map. It was another small miracle. Domain de Tortiniere, although very beautiful, was really nothing special. The photos did a fantastic job selling us on the property. I have included the website so you can see for yourself. http://www.tortiniere.com/
This BLOG is getting pretty lengthy, and this is really just the end of day 2. I will post more tomorrow… Bon soir mes amis.