De captivants à banals, les articles et photographies de “The Baguette” sont une tentative de publier un journal de ma vie dans la Manche et de proposer un forum de discussion pour tout ce qui touche à la Normandie.
Here are some photos that I took while on Christmas vacation. I went to Gourdon again to spend the holidays with some friends. They live out in the country and so I had many opportunities to go walking through the woods or along quiet roads. On Saturday,...
The Barons of Castelnau de Bretenoux fortified this site, at the meeting place of several valleys, as early as the 13th century. Around the strong keep, there grew up during the Hundred Years’ War a huge fortress with a fortified curtain wall. The castle...
Louis XI built the Château de Langeais from 1465 to 1469 as a stronghold along the road from Nantes, the route most likely to be taken by an invading army from Brittany. This threat vanished after the marriage of Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany was...
By sea and by land, La Rochelle has many monuments related to its defense. The best known are the medieval towers of the Old Port which guard the entrance to the harbor and make it world famous. Of these, the Tour Saint-Nicolas, the Tour de la Chaîne...
I’ll always have pleasant memories of New Year’s 2012 in Strasbourg. Upon arrival, I was a bit overwhelmed with all there was to see—the historic city center lined with timber framed houses and shops decorated for the holidays, the colourful medieval...
Legend has it that Montrésor owes its name to a lizard—one coming out from a grotto in the hill covered in gold. Legend or not, this medieval town is one of the many pleasant treasures to be visited throughout the Touraine. The rocky peak was in the 10th...
Le Manoir du Parc à Saint-Lô-d'Ourville is a souvenir of rural life in the Cotentin during the 15th and 16th centuries. Its architecture presents a variety of elements which have come to symbolize the power of a lord in a feudal society complete with...
Wednesday, May 8, 2013 -- Redondela to Pontevedra The three guys in the top bunks snored all night long. It was just awful. To make matters worse, I had to keep getting up to use the bathroom. Too many drinks last night ? Although I could have slept a...
After lunch, our AVF group went across the street to the stud farm known as Le Haras National de Saint-Lô. Many of the buildings date between 1806 and 1884 although many of them were destroyed during the bombings of 1944. Today, the buildings gave been...
I’m back ! After several weeks without posting, I finally have something to write about. Last weekend was Easter and I spent it in the beautiful French city of Lyon. In the next few weeks I will try posting some of the photos that I took. Meanwhile, here...
Crowning a 30-meter high hill, half a mile from the village of the same name, the German military cemetery of Huisnes occupies a commanding position overlooking the curve of the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. Here lie 11,956 German war dead. Nearby, at Avranches,...
The seigniorial chapel was originally dependent on the Château de la Motte de Montbray. This building was granted to the parish (and the town) in the year 1697 by the baron at the time with support for them to maintain it. The parish and the town did...
Another great way to get around Le Mans is to use their ultra-modern light rail service, which takes you to stops on either end of the city. It’s not expensive and it is certainly worth trying if you are heading somewhere in the suburbs. I chose to visit...
The present château was rebuilt in 1695 by Sir André Fouquet de Glatigny who bought the fief of Réville from Madeleine Quetil. The first floor is raised one level and is accessed by a double flight of stairs. The small attic windows are surmounted by...
Colmar is one of the most beautiful towns in Alsace. It is lined with picturesque timber frame houses steeped in history. The town is also the birthplace of several artists including Martin Schongauer (1445-91) whose altarpieces and engravings were admired...
3 September 2012 – The ferry terminal in Cherbourg was comfortable and I did not have to wait long before catching my ferry to Poole in the UK. Aboard the ferry to take me from Cherbourg to Poole. The white cliffs of England as seen from the ferry as...
After visiting the beautiful church in Montfarville, my friend and I ate lunch at Restaurant t'cheu Suzanne. It is a warm and comfortable place with several large dining areas complete with fireplaces and authentic Normandy charm. The hosts, Marianne...
Hollowed out of the limestone mass of the Gramat Causse by a subterranean river, the great chasm of Padirac, famous throughout Europe, is thought of as one of the greatest interesting geological sights of France. Be sure to check out their website for...
Les cabanes form part of an actual farm that raises geese. The huts are constructed by using dry stone walling techniques--they are built by carefully piling up stones and wedging them with more stones. This work is done without any cement, mortar or...
Not much is known of the château’s origins before construction in the second half of the 15th century except that there was a castle keep and a set of double arches before entering the inner courtyard. The château itself was constructed in the early half...
After visiting Château du Lude, I thought we’d stop at Château de Champchevrier since it was on the way to Tours. Upon arrival, I found out that it wasn’t going to open for another two weeks. Oh well. At least I was able to get some photos of the exterior...
On September 10th I attended a typical French wedding here in the small town of Launaguet just outside of Toulouse. This was my first opportunity to see what a civil ceremony looks like for couples wishing to tie the knot in France. It’s actually quite...
This oratory to Notre Dame de Grâce in the forest of Brix has a very ancient origin. The dates engraved on the Romanesque turret coincide with its successive restorations: 1695, 1876 and 1906. Legend has it that the tower contains the trunk of a tree....
One of my favorite films is Ever After (À tout jamais in French) starring Drew Barrymore and Anjelica Huston. The settings, the music, the costumes, the acting and especially the modern retelling of the Cinderella story have stayed with me these many...
Pour commémorer la catastrophe du Titanic survenue le 14 avril 1912, d’importantes manifestations sont prévues dans les années à venir notamment chez nos amis britanniques. Cherbourg, seule escale continentale du voyage du Titanic, accompagnera cette...
