Normandy

A couple weekends ago, I went on an excursion with my study abroad program to Normandy, a region in the north of France. We left IES around 8am on Saturday, and arrived in Caen by noon. The bus dropped us off right in front of the Château de Caen (built by William the Conquerer c. 1060!), so naturally we explored that first. We enjoyed a picnic lunch next to a patch of flowers in the shape of a butterfly, right in front of the impressive castle.

How many people can say they've had a picnic
in the shadow of an 11th century French castle?

The weather was supposed to be terrible for the weekend, and our program director advised us to dress for cold, so it was tempting to just lay there and soak up the glorious sun when the warnings turned out to be unfounded. Instead, we walked around Caen and discovered its many marvels, including Eglise St. Pierre, Abbaye aux Hommes, and Eglise St. Etienne. It really is a beautiful city rich with tradition and history.

The next day, we got back on our big coach buses to head to les plages de débarquement (D-Day Landing Beaches), the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, and Point du Hoc. I had visited these places already while I was in France during high school, but that didn't make my second time any less emotional or moving. One of the professors from IES came on the trip with us to explain the historical significance of each places we visited. It was interesting to hear about the American contributions to the French war effort, but from a French perspective. 

Arromanches

American cemetery

Pointe du Hoc, standing in a bomb crater from WWII

This past weekend I visited Marseille with my friends Kathryn and Meghan, so check back for an update about my adventures in the south of France!