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.
The construction of the cathedral dates back to around the year 1100. Throughout the centuries it has suffered little damage except during the Wars of Religion. Among those who have built, developed and preserved the cathedral are Saint-Bertrand-de-l’Isle,...
Paris is so much nicer when you visit with a family member ! Last week, my brother visited me from the United States and I took him to see some of my favorite places in and around Île de la Cité. Of course, a three-day vacation in Paris is difficult to...
Loyal readers, I will be in Paris tomorrow until Wednesday. I am very excited because my brother from the United States will be visiting me. We will go to the Moulin Rouge on Sunday and Versailles on Tuesday. The rest of the time we plan on walking the...
Throughout the year, the Maison de l’Eau presents to the public large aquariums with fish from the local Huisne and Sarthe rivers. The ecosystem includes trout, bream and barbel. This old water mill built in 1906, also allows visitors to browse the history...
Finally finished decorating for the holidays. Normally, I go to a friend's house in the southwest of France but this year I am staying in Querqueville. I guess that will give me more time to enjoy my tree and the rest of my decorations. The house is not...
The château stands with its back to a cliff on the edge of Chinon Forest, its terraced gardens overlooking the Indre. Its impressive bulk and fortified towers contrast sharply with the white stone, myriad roofs, turrets, dormers and chimneys rising against...
This year's Christmas Market in Querqueville was perhaps the best one yet. The weather was great during Saturday and Sunday which brought many visitors. There were plenty of stalls with vendors selling decorations for the holidays as well as food and...
Many of you already know that I was in the United States for ten days in November for a family reunion. I flew from Paris into Houston and then stayed with my brother, Steve for a few days before our cruise with the entire family started. I was so glad...
Laid out in the 18th century by the Marquis de la Calprenède, the gardens of Eyrignac were remodelled many times during the 19th century and finally given their present aspect in the 1960s by Gilles Sermadiras de Pouzols de Lile, current owner of the...
Their website says : “Built in 1751, Château le Mont Epinguet is steeped in history and tradition.” I can’t find any information online as to what history or tradition it is steeped in but that’s probably because it’s all written in books that haven’t...
The town of Tonneville is famous for the local legend of Blanche de Percy, la demoiselle de Tonneville, a 13th century noblewoman. Upon the death of her parents, she became the sole heir to the Percy lands. She refuted all offers of marriage, lived alone...
One of the best ways of discovering the countryside of La Hague is to walk along one of the many coastal footpaths called le sentier des douaniers. In English, the name means “the customs’ paths” since it was once a notorious place for tobacco smugglers...
My brother and I arrived by train at the Gare de Cherbourg in the evening. After breakfast the next day, I thought we would be able to see many sights but I underestimated the amount of time it would take driving from place to place. Still, I think he...
Yesterday marked the consecration of the new altar of the parish church in Urville-Nacqueville. Other liturgical pieces were also blessed. More information about the renovation project and photos can be found at the parish website. The new liturgical...
The Saint-Nicolas quarter is actually the city center of Le Mans. It is devoted to pedestrian shops and as of 2008, no vehicles are allowed on the streets. La Place de la Republique is the center of the neighborhood and the main rallying point for the...
The small town of Saint-Pierre-d’Arthéglise was ascribed from the juxtaposition of two names—Saint Pierre, the name of the patron saint of the local church and another name, Arnketill, from Anglo-Scandinavian origin meaning “church of Arnketill”. One...
Henry II Plantagenet and his Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine with their court of troubadours and poets often visited Domfront in the 12th century. It was here in August 1170 that the papal legates attempted to achieve a reconciliation between Henry II and...
The Horticultural Society of Cherbourg opened this garden in 1872 exclusively for its members but today it is open to the public. Enter through the small iron gates and past the small brick chalet with its visible wooden beams. The 19th century style...
On Friday, the weather in Cherbourg was quite pleasant and I decided to make my annual visit to the Château des Ravalet in Tourlaville to see the daffodils in bloom. In previous years I arrived too late only to find a handful of yellow patches around...
During the final days of my vacation, I spent some time in the countryside near Montbray. From there, I took a morning trip to Mont-Saint-Michel. It is truly one of the most amazing places in France if not the world. I’ve been there before and did not...
This ancient market town owes its name to a Roman town called Lacciacium or Laaceio because it used to be surrounded by lakes. A few remarkable buildings have been restored, revealing some of the splendid red granite facades (especially along rue Dorée)....
On Saturday, I went with a group of 24 people from AVF on a tour of the Chocolaterie du Drakkar in Bayeux . The chocolaterie not only has its own boutique for selling goods but a large, informative museum upstairs concerning the history of chocolate and...
Loches was first mentioned in the 6th century by the historian Gregory of Tours, who described the founding of a priory by Ursus the Hermit (Saint-Ours). It was not until circa 900 A.D., however, that the town really became established, under the ownership...
I spent last weekend decorating my home for Christmas. For the first time ever, I decided to go for an artificial tree instead of a real one. It seems the price of a real tree is almost equal to that of an artificial tree at Jardi ! This one is 240cm...
Three wood cabins that used to supply refreshments to the beach-going population at Querqueville plage have finally given way to a more modern construction, Le Petit Piaf. Although it’s not as attractive as it could be, it does have some advantages. It’s...
