Let's go to the Normandy region! An encounter with the History of World War II at the Caen Memorial and on the Landing beaches of June 1944.
We'll continue on to discover the Dukes of Normandy at the Caen Castle, then to the Men's Abbey. After that, a change of atmosphere by relaxing on the beach at Deauville, the most glamorous seaside resort of the French coast, symbol of elegance and prestige.
Finally, we'll visit Honfleur, a charming Town of Art and History, and birthplace of Impressionist painting.
A magnificent trip and unforgettable memories.
The Caen Memorial is dedicated to the History and memory of World War II.
This highly educational site makes it possible to better understand various aspects of a conflict whose scope has never been equaled.
On June 6th, 1944, hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers, mostly American, land on the beaches of the Normandy region and catch the German troops off guard. Nine months later, France was liberated. A tour filled with emotion on the Nomandy Landing's main site: Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, the American and German military cemeteries.
The Men's Abbey, for its part, was founded in 1063. This magnificent monument now contains the Caen Town Hall. This former Benedictine abbey is one of the most beautiful Romanesque style creations in all of France.
The Caen Castle is one of the largest city-fortresses in Europe. It was built circa 1060 by William the Conqueror, to turn the budding community into a capital city.
Lodged within "a jewel-box of greenery", Honfleur is a port with a prestigious past, though still planning for the future. Seacoast city, starting point of great expeditions to new lands, world famous historic port; city of art, birthplace of celebrities; Honfleur left its historical mark throughout the centuries.
The ensemble formed by the Old Harbor: the quaint houses of Saint-Catherine's Quay, the Lieutenance and Saint-Stephen's Church, are surely what you'll find most striking the first time you visit Honfleur. This harbor was built following an order by Colbert in 1681, to replace the existing docks.
On one side of the Old Harbor, on Saint-Catherine's Quay, a whole row of tall houses form a unique background. These houses of various sizes, propped one against the other, are unusual in having their upper floors facing the rear towards "Du Dauphin" and "Des Logettes" streets, most of them therefore having two different owners.
Exalted many times by painters, the lighting of Honfleur owes much to the estuary, and painters owe it much also. Thanks to its estuary, the Seine provides marvelous sunsets and views of distant boats to painters that, combined with a foreground comprised of the harbor's outlet or one of the river's banks, allow infinite possibilities for creating a painting. This may explain why the Painters of the Estuary are often painters of the sea.
During the 19th century, Honfleur became an exceptional center of art: Eugène Boudin, whose influence was capital to the Impressionist movement, gathered around himself many of his artist acquaintances such as Jongkind, Monet and the poet Charles Baudelaire.
Saint-Catherine's district developed while the curtain walls were being built. A seaside district, "the people of the sea" have left their mark here. Their old timber-frame houses still stand.
Saint-Catherine's Church replaced an older stone church destroyed during the Hundred Years' War. It's the largest wooden church in France built by ship carpenters, and with a separate steeple.
The Satie Galleries house a unique visual and musical voyage dedicated to the musician and composer Eric Satie, born here in 1866. Erik Satie was a 20th century complete artist, also dabbling in literature and painting. He collaborated with many of the pillars of his time: Picasso, Picabia, Braque, Cocteau; and influenced other prestigious artists such as Debussy, Ravel and Stravinsky. Wearing a pair of revolutionary headphones, the visitor is guided through a musical landscape to the rhythm of Erik Satie's creations.
The scenography, combining sound, lighting, images and objects in a Satie-style fantasy and "humorous" decor, beckons visitors with a fun-filled and educational tour. Much more than an exhibition, the tour involves the visitor in a unique scenario.
Deauville, internationally renowned jet-set seaside resort, symbolizes elegance, prestige and refinement. With its casino, marina, racecourse, yearling sales, American film festival and international Bridge festival, Deauville now offers a considerable variety of sports facilities and choice of activities that make it one of the resorts most appreciated by foreign tourists.
In 1825, the location where Deauville now stands was still a vast field of sand dunes. The former village of Auvilla, built further back on the high ground, had a population of only 113 when the Duke of Morny came here for the first time. He was seduced by the site and decided to create a prestigious racecourse here; the large villas followed and a new town was born. The Duke of Morny made summer vacations in Deauville fashionable, which attracted the nobility first, followed by the world of artists and celebrities.
Promenade in the city of Caen and visit of the castle and "Men's Abbey"
Arrival expected around 9:00 pm.