Paris to Normandy--Caudebec

Caudebec, Normandy, France
M/S Bizet

The Bizet set sail to Caudebec around 8 am.  We are now in the maritime where there are tides and many more ships.

The post extension briefing was held today as tomorrow we will go to the D-Day Beaches all day.  For those not going on the post trip there was a disembarkation briefing.

The cooking demonstration had people from the audience making tarte tatin.  Do you recognize George in this photo?

George used the apple peeling machine like a pro.  Of course, it was a machine.

It was fun to watch and everyone was given a copy of the recipe.

Yesterday the three program directors went shopping for fresh cheese and sausage.

They made up these trays of appetizers for everyone to try.

The glasses of wine were poured.  I must say French wine is the best I've ever tasted.  Maybe that's why, on average, they consume 66 bottles a year.  

We also learned about sausage and how different it is as you move around France.

The cheese was very good and we learned a lot about it.  I thought the Brittany butter was wonderful.

When the cheese tasting was over, we went to the dining room for our lunch and wine.

Lunch was an hour earlier and we departed for the cliffs of Etretat at 1 pm.

Those round balls in the trees are mistletoe.

We stopped an saw the oldest tree in France--over 800 years old.    When the tree was about 500 years old, it was struck by lightning and split in half. A local resident made it into a "house of worship.

It was difficult to walk up when people were coming down, but I'm glad I did.

This is the view looking in to where the tree was seperated.

This was the second story sanctuary.  

Here's the public restrooms in Etretat.  No charge!  The men's room was outside.

The homes were beautiful in this town of 1500 residents.  We were lucky that it wasn't high season because the population could be 10 times higher.

  
This area also has homes with thatched roofs which are very expensive.

Notice the church up on the cliffs.  There's a walking path up to the top.

This is the side we decided to climb.  George is the only one who didn't give up and climbed to the top.

Here's a German bunker.  No wonder no one invaded at this location.

This doesn't show how high up we are.  I think we are still tired from climbing the 440 meters up to the castle the other day.

Bill decided to walk on the beach.  There is no sand, it is all round stones.  






We were all given bags of salted caramels which the town is famous for.

This town is famous for its oysters.  The tour group were given plates of shrimp with the heads and tails on them and fresh raw oysters.  

I did try the raw oyster.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  The French use either mayonaise of tabasco sauce on their shrimp.




After all the extra food we had, when Bill said the soup would be fine for his dinner and he didn't want an entree, the waiter brought him something else anyway.  They aim to please you.

It was late and I didn't stay for the entertainment.  Tomorrow we leave for the D-Day Beaches at 8 am and will be gone all day.  

Turtle Safely.........