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2013
Cheung Family Trip to France
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We visited and paid respects at the Normandy American Cemetary.
This memorializes the many brave men and women who died in the effort to liberate Europe and end WW2.
How they arrived. Americans were the red divisions, British blue.
Yes, we love France.
On the historic invasion beach.
Striking a dramatic pose on one of the 'pillboxes' where the Germans tried to fend off the Allies.
Our next stop was the town of Saint-Mere-Eglise. One famous person there is John Steele, who was a paratrooper that helped liberate the town from the German army. A statue of him hangs from the church tower to memorialize how he arrived originally.
We had a lunch of quiche and crepes in a local restaurant. Nothing else going on.
In one of the local stores in Saint-Mere-Eglise.
After that, our final stop of the day was Le Mont St. Michel. That is an abbey that is built on an island. We arrive at the abbey with awe and anticipation.
The week after our visit, the 100th Tour de France would go by this location. It was
great to see the familiar scenes of the race on media sites. Rider is Toni Martin.
Our local guide on the island was Queen Helena, who at 80 years still makes the climb up and down the stairs of this island several times a week. She also spoke Japanese.
Everything is tightly packed on top of this rock, and all the buildings are very close.
Ok, they made me stand here to take the picture of the knight.
I really admired the workmanship. Everywhere you look are straight flat walls or carved curves. To think that each piece was brought over by boat from a distant location.
A lot of national monuments were damaged in the French Revolution, and this beautiful abbey was no exception. Much of what you see was restored since then.
At the Mercure hotel in Mont St. Michele for that evening.
Day 4. Depart for Rouen
and Caen (pronounced: Kah)
The next day we left Paris and travelled through the French countryside. The first stop
was Rouen, and here we see the famous Gros Horloge (Big Clock).
This town is also where Joan d'Arc is memorialized.
It is a small beautiful town with many great sights and old buildings.
View from the front of the Rouen Basilica.
We then went onto our next town and stopped for a apple cider tasting at Beuvron-en-Auge.
We were told due to the cool spring, there were more flowers blooming than normal.
Our last stop of the day was the WW2 Memorial Museum in Caen.
We spent that night at the Hotel Mercure in Caen near the harbor. This is an old fort
called Chateau Ducale that is near the hotel.
View of the Church of St. Pierre from the fort.
Day 5. Visiting Normandie (Normandy) and Le Mont St. Michel
The next day we left Paris and travelled through the French countryside. The first stop
was Rouen, and here we see the famous Gros Horloge (Big Clock).
This town is also where Joan d'Arc is memorialized.
It is a small beautiful town with many great sights and old buildings.
View from the front of the Rouen Basilica.
We then went onto our next town and stopped for a apple cider tasting at Beuvron-en-Auge.
We were told due to the cool spring, there were more flowers blooming than normal.
Our last stop of the day was the WW2 Memorial Museum in Caen.
We spent that night at the Hotel Mercure in Caen near the harbor. This is an old fort
called Chateau Ducale that is near the hotel.
View of the Church of St. Pierre from the fort.
Day 5. Visiting Normandie (Normandy) and Le Mont St. Michel
We visited and paid respects at the Normandy American Cemetary.
This memorializes the many brave men and women who died in the effort to liberate Europe and end WW2.
How they arrived. Americans were the red divisions, British blue.
Yes, we love France.
On the historic invasion beach.
Striking a dramatic pose on one of the 'pillboxes' where the Germans tried to fend off the Allies.
Our next stop was the town of Saint-Mere-Eglise. One famous person there is John Steele, who was a paratrooper that helped liberate the town from the German army. A statue of him hangs from the church tower to memorialize how he arrived originally.
We had a lunch of quiche and crepes in a local restaurant. Nothing else going on.
In one of the local stores in Saint-Mere-Eglise.
After that, our final stop of the day was Le Mont St. Michel. That is an abbey that is built on an island. We arrive at the abbey with awe and anticipation.
The week after our visit, the 100th Tour de France would go by this location. It was
great to see the familiar scenes of the race on media sites. Rider is Toni Martin.
Our local guide on the island was Queen Helena, who at 80 years still makes the climb up and down the stairs of this island several times a week. She also spoke Japanese.
Everything is tightly packed on top of this rock, and all the buildings are very close.
Ok, they made me stand here to take the picture of the knight.
I really admired the workmanship. Everywhere you look are straight flat walls or carved curves. To think that each piece was brought over by boat from a distant location.
A lot of national monuments were damaged in the French Revolution, and this beautiful abbey was no exception. Much of what you see was restored since then.
At the Mercure hotel in Mont St. Michele for that evening.