St Augustin

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.
Who lives sees much, who travels sees more.



Monday, August 29, 2011

Normandy in France, a beautiful place to visit. Photos from my latest trip.


Well I've been home from my latest trip for a month or so now, but was really sick with some Parisian bug so have been slow to post anything about my holiday here. So here is the first of many posts where I will share photos of Morocco, Spain, France, Andorra.
After a wonderful 9 days in Morocco, we flew from Casablanca to Paris. There's nothing like re-visiting favourite places, so after collecting our hire car at Orly Airport, we hit the road. One hour down the motorway we arrived at one of the prettiest villages in France in our opinion, La Roche Guyon, right on the border of Isle de France and Normandy. It's only a few minutes from Monet's Garden at the tiny village of Giverny which we'd vowed to revisit in summer (previously visited in winter.) It is a delight driving around this area with its picture-perfect farmlands growing apples and other produce.

Village of La Roche Guyon, all white cliffs and troglodytes. A right royal town in the past.


The wonderful restaurant at Les Bordes de Seine, the hotel we always stay. The best meals we've ever eaten in France are served here. Always full of Parisians on a day trip. Local produce is served, so we had plenty of duck and foie gras.


Sunset as seen from our hotel window overlooking La Seine. Pretty in pink.


That would be moi in the centre on Monet's steps.


In Monet's Garden, which looks just like his impressionist paintings.


Posing on Monet's famous bridge which appears in many of his paintings.


The Hotel Baudy, one of the oldest buildings in Giverny. Used to be a meeting place for many famous artists, Monet included. Once a brothel, now a restaurant. We ate our very first meal here - salmon rillettes.

The bucolic Normandy countryside. A picture in summer. We saw this scene many days as we drove towards the Normandy coast to see the D-Day Beaches.
  • What do you think of the first couple of days of our French tour? Have you visited these villages, or Normandy?
  • I'll have more on Normandy later...
All photos are taken by ourselves. 

6 comments:

Duncan D. Horne - the Kuantan blogger said...

Hi Denise, good to see you back blogging again, and hope that you're fully over the illness.

France is a beautiful country, and ever since watching the recent Tour de France, have thought very highly of it and would love to visit some day.
Duncan In Kuantan

Denise Covey said...

Duncan, we actually got to see it at Mount St Michel. lucky us.

Sarah Tokeley said...

Beautiful pictures and how wonderful Monet's garden looks.

I visited Mont St Michel as a schoolgirl. I wish I could remember more about it!

Anonymous said...

Before her accident, the old Jen wanted to go to France. Now we have to be content to experience it through such gorgeous photographs as these. They're all SO beautiful, Denise. I love Monet! And yes, that scene does look like something out of one of his paintings. I'm so happy I decided to take some time this evening and check in to some of my favorite people's blogs. This "tour" has cheered me up!
Ann Best, Author of In the Mirror, A Memoir of Shattered Secrets

Diane said...

Hope by now you are feeling better. Lovely photos, Monet's garden I have yet to see. Take care Diane

Indian Travel said...

This is a very beautifully written blog about a really fascinating and exhilarating trip.
It is really informative and encouraging. i like it very much because the description was very realistic.

Vacation Deals