July 30 and 31, 2025
It was a long day driving from Bayeux to Rouen, but it was filled with gorgeous things along the way.
Medieval construction in the town of Tourgeville
When Americans think of Normandy, they think of WWII and the beaches. It is, of course, so much more. Normandy is divided into five official départements—Eure and Seine-Maritime in Upper Normandy; and Calvados, Orne, and Manche sharing Lower Normandy and the thin crescent of territory that includes Caen and Alençon, known as the Pays d’Auge.
Many homes in the area are Longères, which means a “long wall” or “gutter wall”. Traditionally built in a rectangular shape, the longère is oriented with the back of the house facing the dominant wind direction. The properties are often only one story high, with thatched or slated roofs.
I could not stop oohing and aahing and finally stopped in this small town for a photo.
The Pont de Normandie/Normandy Bridge
The Pont de Normandie/Normandy Bridge is a cable-stayed road bridge designed by Michel Virlogeux, spanning the River Seine. It is 7,032 ft long in total, with a 2,808-foot span between the two piers. It is also the last bridge to cross the Seine before it empties into the ocean.
Etretat
Chalk Cliffs of Etretat
A stop in Etretat for the stunning Chalk cliffs was slightly marred by dark clouds. But it is a stop worth the time.
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If you look closely, you can see that there are a number of bunkers in Etretat. The one above is a special construction anti-tank gun bunker and an observation position. It is linked by an underground tunnel cut into the chalk cliff to other bunkers.
If you are familiar with the stories of the gentleman thief and master of disguise, Arsène Lupin, you will likely be familiar with Etretat. Etretat was the home of the creator of the series, Maurice Leblanc, who wrote the adventures of Lupin beginning in 1905.
There are 35 replicas of the Statue of Liberty throughout France. The one above is in the town of Berentin. It was originally made for the 1969 film The Brain ( Le Cerveau), a French comedy directed by Gérard Oury. We spotted her standing on a small mound of dirt and grass at the centre of a roundabout, “Carrefour de la liberté.” She is about 12 feet tall and weighs approximately 3.5 tons.
Rouen