No, I don’t speak french… how about you?
Le Havre, France was our next port on our amazing Transatlantic Cruise.
This port was quite industrial.
A 2 mile walk into town got us out of the industrial area and into the town of Le Havre which was very nice. We also found our reserved rental car.
And we were off to see the sights.
First up… Crossing Pont de Normandie a cable-stayed road bridge that crosses the river Seine.
The bridge crossing brought us onto a beautiful countryside.
Fields of yellow are everywhere! I kept on saying… Mustard seed! Look at the fields and fields of mustard seed because the French are known for their mustard… dijon mustard!!
WRONG!!
I was quickly corrected by a local. The sea of yellow is rape seed used in vegetable oils.
Off we went to explore…
Quaint little villages…one right after another.
We now know we are getting close to Omaha Beach. The villages are quite old and have survived the war in some cases.
Even though we are close… we can’t seem to locate Omaha Beach.
I see some people in the parking lot enjoying the beautiful day! I quickly hop out of the car to ask for directions. The whole situation was quite funny as I speak English and they speak French. Plus they are quite happy and want to share their wine with me instead of giving me directions!
She gives me directions after we exchange where we are from in Ohio.
I posted about Omaha Beach on Memorial Day and D-Day here and here. If you have not seen the posts…please stop over and see the Memorials of this fabulous place! A place where our soldiers fought for our Freedom! A place that should never be forgotten!
After touring Omaha Beach we headed back through the country side.
But first we needed to experience the same festivities as our happy friends who gave us directions.
A stop at
For a french baguette and some French Bordeaux!
We sat for a bit and drank fine wine and partook from the baguette… and watched sheep grazing in the fields.
An afternoon went by so quick and so much needed to be seen before heading back to Le Havre.
Off we went…
Through the tiny streets.
Past beautiful flowers.
Past more gorgeous yellow fields…
And yet more amazing scenery has yet to be captured onto my camera!
Our great day came to an end…
But please do not forget what happened here 72 years ago…
Thank You To All and to the Axis Powers who fought for our freedom!
~And Thanks to All of You for Stopping By~
We Ohio people are everywhere! 😉 What a beautiful place you visited! That French Bakery looks amazing!
It was amazing… and quite romantic as well! 😉
Although the countryside looks lovely, that bridge is amazing – wow!
It reminded me of the one in Charleston, South Carolina!
C’est bon!
merci beaucoup
Amazing photos and memories. Beautiful countryside. And yes remember those soldiers who fought and lost their lives or came home to tell the story.
I am going to see you very sooooooon SISTER FRIEND!!
I took French all through my school years. Somewhere deep in the brain stem I can put a few words together. I recognized the rapeseed which in Canada we call canola. Isn’t it so beautiful in bloom? What a lot you saw in one day! Yes but not to forget what happened on those beautiful shores.
Yes… I have heard a Canola as well. Yes… We packed a lot in for one day!!
Gorgeous photos! I really enjoyed reading your description of your outing. ☺ Keep on having great adventurers!
We love adventures! Thank You for stopping by!
I speak enough french to get by. Lovely photos !
Merci!
Gorgeous photos as usual Nancy and those rolling seas of yellow flowers are referred to as canola here also. We saw oceans of them when we were driving through regional Victoria, although that feels like half a lifetime ago now.
Thanks for coming along on our day in France! What fun we had! I am so glad you enjoyed the captures of this pretty place.
Oh wow !!!! I’ve always wanted to go!! Maybe this year will be my year !
This year is your year!
Thank you for sharing your posts on these historic sites. Sobering, humbling and reflective in nature.
Perfect words said by you… Thank you!
Wow. Gorgeous images, Nancy. We spent a couple of days in that region and loved it. The rape seed is so pretty. Cheers.
Seas of golden yellow along each countryside was breathtaking!
Makes me want to get on a plane and go over there right now! What a wonderful day. And thank you for reminding everyone of what happened there 72 years ago.
We just can’t forget.
Oh… And the countryside of England is coming soon.
Thank you for stopping by… I sure hope you brought your pup with you. 😉
What a beautiful place. And how humbling it must have been to see Omaha beach. I love all the little villages. What a fun day.
Fun, fun and more fun! And romantic too!
Absolutely beautiful. One of those places I’ve always wanted to visit! And aren’t most of us from OHIO?! LOL!!
Isn’t that the truth!
As soon as I see someone with a Buckeyes shirt on I shout… O H!!
And did I know you were from Ohio???
What a perfect way to truly see the countryside! The bridge is spectacular…great design! I thought the fields were canola fields for canola oil. We saw them all over the Maritime Provinces. They are bright yellow. The telephone pole disguise reminds me of how many towns cover their cell towers with “pine branches.” What a small world it is…an Ohio native across the ocean:) Looks like your weather was as perfect as your photos:) Thanks for sharing, Nancy:)
One of these days I am going to take a picture of our feet while eating our lunch and say… This is for you Pam!!! That would have been perfect with the yellow fields in the background!!
And yes… Out here I have seen telephone poles disguised as palm trees and one time a very large saguaro!!
Thank you for stopping by after one of your fabulous hikes!!
Awesome photos! Those small villages and cliffs of Normandy are calling my name! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! The beauty is very easy to capture.
I speak perfect French as long as the word you need is “fromage.” After that, I get a bit lost. It’s lucky you met someone else from Ohio to give you directions. I’d love to visit France someday. It looks like a beautiful part of the world.
It is! And us Ohioans stick together!
That countryside was gorgeous. I never really pictured France looking like that.
Thank you! And thank you so much for commenting!
Thanks for bringing me along on your gorgeous trip! What beautiful scenes and such great narration!
Thank you, also, for calling attention to the precious soldiers (sons, brothers, husbands, friends, men with hopes, dreams and gifts beyond war) who fought valiantly to preserve what was right and end what was wrong. How blessed we are to reap the benefits at their expense.
Well said and so beautifully!
Great post….great pics…beautiful countryside and of course the history!! Awesome. Side note: rape seed…the only other time I had heard of rape seed was from an area in Alberta that used to raise rape seed….who knew…:)
We have never rented a car in Europe, bravo to you! I can imagine that to see Omaha Beach would bring me to lots of tears. Thank you for sharing, Nancy. We must not let future generation forget!
Amen!! France drives on “our side” of the road but road signs were in French!!
What an incredible experience and I am sure an emotional one as well! Your photos of the countryside are so peaceful and each one is prettier that the next. You should blow some of them up and frame them! Thank you for sharing at the April Take Me Away Party! Enjoy your week!
Shelley
Thank you! I have framed a few… we love them! Thank you for having this fun travel link up party!