Saturday 28 September

Our hotel is an historic building – Villa Andry – pretty much on then town side of the beach promenade in Ouistreham. Built in the 1800’s and then occupied by the Germans in the war, it oozes history. I paid for a sea view and we look out through large French windows to the golden sands and English Channel. Just to the left is Sword beach, one of the D-day landing beaches of the British. You can feel the memories and respect are very much alive.

After a very unimpressive breakfast, where I hoped to sample my first regional cheeses and there were NONE on the buffet but a few thin slices of Emmental… we went for a walk on the beach and read about a bit of the war history. There are concrete anti tank blocks still there that the Germans had put to stop the English/Allied forces, and big boards with stories from Veterans who had been involved in the landing there. It was very powerful reading their accounts.

We readied ourselves and departed Ouistreham in the Renault cautiously for Camembert – about an hours drive away. Yes, the place where a woman invented Camembert with the assistance of a Brie expert. Vern quickly has become accustomed to the driving like an old hand jumping back on a horse. I am navigating for him carefully so he just has to concentrate on what is happening on the road.

The highways are nice and easy and the country roads not too scary. There are some very nice villages that look like they have been frozen it time and like the English, the French take great pride in their rural areas evident with tidy farms and villages. It is also very green in Normandy, with a climate similar to the south of England, thus the perfect place for butter, cream, cider and cheeses.

It was a little buzz as we entered Camembert, complete with old apple orchards with imperfect golden and red apples hanging ready for cider or calvados, brown and white spotted cows, beautiful restored farm buildings, mainly half timbered. We were just about the only ones at the factory shop, and there was no tour for a couple of hours, however we were able to have a sample platter. Yippee-yi-yay!

Of course we had to wash it down with organic cider. Nomy nom NOM. We got such pleasure from standing at the rustic wooden bench table, eating fragrant creamy cheese with French bread, and reading the history and description of the cheeses on a wall display. The air in the room smelt like the feet of angels – as they say, and it seemed so surreal looking out the window at the verdant valley with cows and historic buildings as we feasted on the most delicious Camembert and local cheeses.

The four cheeses for the Normandy area are Camembert, Le Livarot, Neufchâtel, and Le Pont L’Eveque. Our favourites are the Livarot and Le Pont L’Eveque as both rind washed, the Livarot more pungent. Our platter was very generous, and we had to work to get through it – truely.

Not far from Camembert is the town of Vimoutiers so we thought we would stop and get a coffee for the drive. It turned out to be a special find with a beautiful cathedral, and a stream with a weir. Beautiful buildings and flower displays kept in pristine condition. There are plaques with stories of war damage, and stories of resilience and repair.

Our coffees were excellent, Verns Viennese particularly impressive, and sat outside French style and enjoyed the scenery of day to day life. When we went inside the cathedral we were treated with the organist practicing whilst the light illuminated the stained glass. These moments are perfect examples of the style of travel we are now enjoying and embarking on. For any new readers, we have already ticked off most of the big items in Europe and now are venturing off the main tourist routes to experience more of the local culture and scenery.

Onward to Rouen, about another hour or so through more gorgeous country side and villages and an easy entry into the Mercure, our home for two nights. It is right on the edge of town, near the old historic centre so we did not have to negotiate too much traffic. I was delighted to be welcomed by reception with an upgrade to a premier room which is huge. Another bath and shower, a separate lounge area, and Nespresso machine.

We had a little settle in, cuppa and then headed out for dinner before the light show on the Cathedral Notre Dame which started at 9:30. It was about a 10-15 minute walk to the heart of the old town, and we were delighted by streets and streets of cheerfully coloured topsy turvy timbered houses, around 5 stories high. Rouen is known as the city of spires, has over 2500 listed buildings, 2000 of them being half timbered, and has so much to discover and enjoy.

Try as we might we couldn’t seem to get a table anywhere. So we ventured a bit further and saw an Indian restaurant that was not bulging onto the pavement with guests. Whilst it would not have been the cuisine of choice we took the opportunity as we needed to eat before the show and were running out of time to do so.

It turned out to be one of the best Indian meals I have had. I had a chicken vindaloo and Vern had a lamb salad. Both were ample and very good. I also had the best cheese Naan ever – oozing on the inside with melted French cheese. Oh yeah. The vindaloo was not spicy hot, however the balance of spices perfect. There were even some whole spices in there that I could not recognise. Vern had a great chat with the owner who spoke good English reporting back that he was originally from Sri Lanka.

We didn’t have to wait long for the show which was a real bucket list experience for me. The thrill of the dark night, stars above and the old cathedral lit up with story telling in French and English. People ooohed and ahhhed as it began, then hushed until the end when we joined in appreciative applause.

Around the corner is the an astronomical clock called the Gros Horloge (Great Clock)- The workings were made in 1389, and it was transferred to an arch in 1528. It is one of the oldest working clocks in Europe. Keen to see it at night we made a little detour before dreamily strolling home. We are still having moments of having to pinch ourselves that we are over here, experiencing and making wonderful memories again.