D- Day

Today is the 70th anniversary of D-Day, the landing of the Allies in Normandy.  The first time I visited this area, I was traveling with 12 highschool musicians.  We took a tour of the battle fields and the American cemetery near Bayeau.  Our guide expressed how the people in France still remember and give thanks for the Allies.

St. James American Cemetery in France

I have visited several of the American cemeteries;  each as moving as the first.  All those rows of crosses and stars.  Each a young man who left behind family and friends to die fighting for freedom in a foreign country.  Each time, I say a "Thank You" to them.

The Dogs of France

The French love their dogs.  They range in size from little bitty to humongous, but they are all well behaved and well groomed.  We have enjoyed watching the dogs on our many visits.  The owners attempt to be unaware of us admiring their dogs, but we often get a smile after taking their dog's picture.  We have also found that the dogs know we are "dog people", even if we don't speak French very well. 



Tres chic in a red sweater.

Beautifully groomed and recently brushed;  how else do you keep a dog so white?

This lovely lady was at the local brochante.

Even the dogs love Le Tour de France!

Greyhounds seem to be everywhere. Correction!  Bill tells me this isn't a Greyhound, but a Pharoah Hound.  Well, that explains why he didn't look exactly right for a Greyhound. 

Big, hairy dog who loved to be rubbed.

These two were playing together, even though they were with different people.

Boxers are a very popular dog in France.  Who doesn't love boxers?

Fox Terriers are one of our favorites.

Beatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild's Garden

When you have a beautiful house, you should have beautiful gardens surrounding it.  Beatrice loved her gardens, although she hired gardeners to do the work, she was instrumental in the planning.  The gardens are divided into several different themes, so as you walk though, each has a distinct feel.

The view from Beatrice's bedroom terrace.

In the distance, the sea beckons.

Pools at every turn.

The water has been synchronised with music.

It moves up and down and swishes!

A temple at the top of the garden,

Below the temple, and at the far side of the garden, another view.

Mediterreanian plantings.

Beneath a staircase a hidden statue can not be seen from the top garden.  You must come down.

A grotto with running water, fish and statues.

A fountain inside the grotto.

At one time, you could get a cooling drink from this faucet.

Tucked in the middle of the garden, amid the Greek and Roman statues, temples and beautiful mediterranian plantings, is a tiny Japanese Zen garden.  Beatrice was enchanted by Japan and sent an envoy to come back with the pieces for her garden.

A tranquil garden.

The planting here have a lush feeling to them.

Koi waiting to be fed.

This is a garden I wish we could visit during each of the seasons.  I'm sure it changes beautifully.

Tres Belle Maison a La Romieu

Our latest house sit.  Lucky us!

The Lord of the Manor, M Laurel, sitting on my map book.

Stretched out on the back terrace.  Laurel is a very talkative cat, when he isn't sleeping.

Sometimes we drive up to a new housesit and have to catch our breath.  Is this really where we get to stay now?  The house at La Romieu is typical French, and we love it.  The homeowner, Sarah, has lived here only 9 months, so there are still things she is working on to make it 'perfect'.  We have changes we would make if it were ours, but it's not so we get to just enjoy!



The main reason we are here, other than to keep the garden and potted plants watered, is Laurel, a neutered male cat.  Laurel loves to talk and sleep and get rubbed and have his hair combed with a fine toothed comb. A total Mr. Personality!  Last night when I went upstairs to get ready for bed, he was sitting in the opened window of the bathroom keeping an eye on what was going on.  This morning he was across the lane sitting on the neighbor's window sill.  Most afternoons, he sleeps on the back terrace, either on a table with a cloth on it, or in a long wooden trough.  Sarah bought it for another use, but Laurel has claimed it. 

Cat in a window of the village square.

Pretty kitty!

La Romieu is a very old town.  Walking around it feels like there is very little which is new.  The Colliegial Church was built in the 1300's.  The square has cat sculptures in memory of cats who saved the village from starving because the rats were eating everything, again in the 1300's.  I love this place!

A small alley by the old city walls.

A Walk Around Paris

Panarama of the Seine.

We decided to go to Bertillion's Ice Cream on Ile de Cite.  Bertillion's is famous!  It's the best ice cream in Paris!  It closed for annual vacation until 17 September!  Business must be very good the rest of the year.

In the parvis in front of Notre Dame is Pont Zero, from which all the roads in France are measured.  It's the heart of France.

We meander around Paris.  Walking along the Left Bank of the Seine, there is a lot of construction going on near the river.  We are not sure exactly what it is though, it is very big.  There are several buildings with renovations in progress. The river is busy with tour boats.

Some of the boats are covered.

Others are opened topped. 

As in all of our meanders, at some point we end up at Eiffel Tower.  I am always amazed at it's engineering.  To think it was built as a gimmick to draw crowds to the World Exposition and 100+ years later, it is an unforgettable symbol of Paris.

The park at the tower is always full, and not just with tourists.  This day there were many Parisiens enjoying the park as well.

One of the locals playing in the park.

These two were with the one above.  They were all three very well mannered and trained.

Posing for the camera, but not with the tower in the picture,  so we wondered if they weren't locals as well.

Notre Dame

Notre Dame with its beautiful flying buttresses.

No visit to Paris would be complete with stopping into la Notre Dame.  While it isn't the biggest or most beautiful cathedral, it is the best known.  We arrived early enough to walk right in.  By the time we left, there was a long line slowly moving to get inside.

The crowd waiting in line to enter the Cathedral.

Carvings over the original entrance doors.



The doors are huge!

 The outside has been cleaned in recent years and the inside seemed brighter than on our last visit in 2008.  They are gearing up for the 850th anniversary in 1213.   That's right, 850 years!  We may have to come back for the celebration.

Only priests are allowed in this area (I don't remember what it is called), so Bill knelt by the rope which cordoned it off to take the picture.  I think some people thought he was praying.

The Rose Window.

The center of the Cathedral's ceiling.

We walked around and into the gardens.  There were two couples, close in age to us, who were looking at the people walking around on top of the towers.  One of the women was saying how there was no way they could make that climb.  I told them we had done it.  While it was tiring, it wasn't particularly hard, just a steady circular climb, with nice sturdy hand rails.  They decided maybe another day, as they had started their 4 day museum pass and only wanted to do things that were covered by it.  Museum passes are wonderful, and quite the bargain if you use them to see not only the big things, but also those others you might not consider if you had to pay individually for them.

Flowers in the garden behind the cathedral.

The garden is a very peaceful place, especially after the crowds in front of the Cathedral,

Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc led the French to victory over the English.  Then she was burned at the stake as a heretic.  Finally, she was rehabilitated, which started in Notre Dame,  and made into a saint.  I've always admired her fortitude.  We have become Joan of Arc searchers.  Werever we are, we look for Joan.  It is amazing the places we have found her, and not just in France, either.  So here is Joan from her position of honor in Notre Dame.