Monday, September 21, 2009

Monday, September 21st, Honfleur







Greetings!

My perfect breakfast consists of a bowl of wheaties and raisins with fresh milk, a bowl of chopped mixed fruit including six half-apricots (Pat would add yogurt), a small serving of breaded raisin cake, an assortment of croissants and pastries, fresh squeezed orange juice, an opportunity to make lunch sandwiches out of fresh French bread and sliced meats, and a bowl of oranges and pears to take along. We found that (and more) at breakfast this morning.

We navigated as many backroads as we could find today on our way north from Mortagne au Perche to Honfleur. It’s not that the major roads aren’t scenic, it’s just that the smaller rural roads are too good to pass up. And we’re in no hurry after all. Our motto is “There is no wrong road”. We passed through one town that claimed ownership of Camembert cheese (Vimoutiers), and passed nearby the national horse-breeding ranch. Eventually, we arrived in Equemauville at a large manor on a ridge overlooking the mouth of the Seine River, which has been turned into a hotel. Since we arrived early, and our room wasn’t ready, we drove down the steep and narrow road to Honfleur and its Harbor entrance. We found a nice park bench, and enjoyed that picnic lunch we had prepared for. In the Honfleur basin, the yachts anchored in front of upscale tourist shops reminded us of Copenhagen. The winding and narrow, cobblestone streets resembled many Italian towns, and I was glad Pat was driving. Her genes must have a greater tolerance for vertical hairpin turns and poor signage. Though I have to say, we’ve been very impressed by the road signs in France.

We bought some apple-based brandy and cider, visited a chapel not far from our hotel that was founded by Richard II (rebuilt between 1600 and 1615), and finally returned to our room for a short nap and an early dinner. Tomorrow, we’ll drive up the coast a bit, and then head down to Bayeau.

To see all the photos taken today, click on:
Monday, Sep 21st

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