Coming Up: A Much Anticipated Visit to La Belle France.

My trip to Europe gets underway in one month. I worked out the itinerary months ago, but since then, little by little, I’ve been gathering information and filling in some of the details.
A good friend of mine has provided a wealth of information. He’s made more than 40 trips to France, mostly to Paris, and has given me the name of his favorite little hotel there along with a list of six or eight restaurants, complete with a description of the culinary specialité of each establishment. He describes himself not as a “Francophile” but as a “Parisophile”.

 I’m starting off with two days in London, then taking the Eurostar high-speed train through the “chunnel” to Paris, where I’ll connect with another train back to Caen. There’s a museum there, Le Mémorial de Caen, which I’ve been told is a must-see. It features displays of the D-Day invasion as well as other related events leading up to World War II.  Omaha Beach is nearby and I’ll be touring that whole area.

 Then it will be on to Chartres, justly famous for a magnificent gothic cathedralwhich dates back to the 12th century.  There are some things that are awe inspiring no matter how many times you see them. The Grand Canyon is one. This cathedral is another.

My third stop in France will be near Beaune, the heart of the area known as the CÔte d’Or, meaning the Gold Coast, and the home of Burgundy wines. The photo above is the lovely town of Pommard, just a few miles from Beaune and famous for its white wines. Once again, I’ve arranged to be taken around the area by my host at the very nice B&B where I’ll be staying. The tour includes a lunch at one of the many fine local restaurants. The tour is pricey and the meal, for me and for my guide, Jean Louis, is extra.  That’s OK. I can’t wait!