Looking out at Falaise from William The Conqueror’s medieval castle, Chateau Guillaume-le-Conquerant, Normandy, France.
Jim Clash
Most of my adventure reporting airs on the extreme side – flying supersonic in fighter jets, driving race cars in excess of 200 mph, climbing famous peaks like The Matterhorn and Mt. Kilimanjaro. My recent visit to Normandy, France, was of a different ilk, mostly revisiting the history of WWII, chronicled in my first two stories (links below).
In this third part in the series, we’ll explore the lighter side of Normandy. “There’s a lot more than just battlefields and cemeteries,” says European Experiences owner Kathy Coleman Wood, who has been running tours in France for the past two decades.
A bottle of Calvados, an alcoholic beverage Normandy is known for, produced at a family farm, France.
Jim Clash
First, let’s start with the town of Bayeaux, centrally located in Normandy and surprisingly untouched by the carnage of WWII. Acting as base camp for Woods’ tours, it makes possible staying in one hotel for the entire trip while taking day trips to the various tour sites.
The hotel where we stayed, Le Lion d’Or, is cozy and has its own storied heritage. Famous guests have included Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg when they were making “Saving Private Ryan,” the 1998 multiple Academy Award-winning film which graphically chronicles the Allied Normandy invasion. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and writer Ernest Hemingway have also stayed in the hotel.
Bed the actress Elizabeth Taylor slept in during stays at Chateau de Balleroy, Normandy, France.
Jim Clash
Then there are medieval castles. One is in Falaise, birthplace of William The Conquerer. Visitors can climb to the top of the tower there, 105-feet high. The view of the town below, 80% destroyed by the war and now mostly rebuilt, is impressive.
There are also apple farms in Normandy. We visited a family-owned one, which produces the famous beverages of the region – apple juice, cidre, pommeau and calvados.
The manicured gardens of Chateau de Brecy, Normandy, France.
Jim Clash
Then there are dairy farms, the milk from which is used to produce cheeses Normandy is known for – Neufchâtel, Pont-L ‘Eveque, Camembert and Livarot. Surprising to see also are the robotic milking machines the farm has invested in that help streamline milk production.
Forbes readers will know of the Chateau de Balleroy, bought in the early 1970s by Malcolm Forbes and then subsequently restored. Forbes sold it a few years back to a Forbes family friend, philanthropist Roy T. Eddleman.
There is plenty of balloon decor throughout, of course, as Malcolm was a hot-air balloon enthusiast. There is also a quaint bedroom complete with the bed actress Elizabeth Taylor slept in when visiting the chateau.
Cows graze on a family-owned dairy farm in Normandy, France. The milk produced there goes into Normandy’s famous cheeses.
Jim Clash
Another place of interest visited was Chateau de Brécy, peppered with a well manicured 17th century garden of trees and other vegetation. And, of course, there is the great French food of Normandy, including Canard a la presse (duck) and the aforementioned cheeses.
Overall, one comes away from this tour with not only with a strong immersion in WWII history, but in the cultural charms of Normandy, too. It’s worth a visit.