Daily 'Gram
At the Hôtel d'Argouges in Bayeux, our group was split between the main building and a smaller outer building. When I heard we weren't in the main building, I must admit I was a little bummed...but then I turned the corner and saw this ivy-covered façade. Swoon! I will happily stay here, thank you very much.
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As we drove away from Mont Saint-Michel, we pulled over for one final photo op: the island with a gigantic field of yellow flowers in front of it. Truly a wow view!
#LeBocage: Referring to hedgerows, le bocage is the characteristic feature of the Normandy landscape. The hedgerows date back to Norman times and have long been used to stop rain and control irrigation in the fields. (Editors Note: no, the picture above is not of a hedgerow - I didn't have a good one, alas!)
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We began our day with a tour of Mont Saint-Michel's Abbey, led by the fantastic Jessica. Up, up, up we climbed until we found ourselves at the Abbey's doors.
One highlight of any Rick Steves tour is always the great local guides. Jessica was awesome - she was full of interesting facts, figures, and stories about the Abbey. I truly enjoyed listening to her!
Day 8: Today, I woke up with the sun in Mont Saint-Michel. We had lucked out at this stop on tour, getting one of the rooms with a gorgeous view over the island. I'm not a morning person by any means, but I had to make an exception this one time. Magical!
During our walk through the Abbey - and throughout the trip - we strapped on our trusty whisper systems to better hear our guides. I far prefer these to being shouted at by a guide - and luckily, they're pretty discreet and I didn't feel too silly with one around my neck.
After saying goodbye to Jessica, we gathered up our things and prepared to say goodbye to Mont Saint-Michel as well. But first...
a group photo!
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Make sure to visit Mont Saint-Michel and its Abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage sight!
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We really enjoyed our lunchtime visit to Normandy's Villedieu-les-Poêles.
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Bayeux is a great home base for visiting the Normandy region.
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When in Bayeux, don't forget to pay a visit to the historic and impressive Bayeux Tapestry.
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For dinner in Bayeux, we ate at La Taverne des Ducs.
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A beautiful place to stay in Bayeux is the wonderful Hotel d'Argouges.
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We made our way to the town of Villedieu-les-Poêles. While the town is known for its copper products (and indeed Virginie told us that "Villedieu-les-Poêles" basically means "town of God and pots and pans"), I will remember it as the home of the gigantic French hotdog. Though we were free to do whatever for lunch, everyone in our group followed Virginie to the food stand selling this tasty concoction. Mom and I ate our jumbo hot dogs and frites on the steps of a church in the center of town - a casual but incredibly satisfying meal.
After lunch, we explored a bit. Mom was determined to buy a bell (another product the town is famous for), and we found a store full of them. All in all, such a charming little place!
Before departing from Villedieu-les-Poêles, we all met by the river for a treat: Virginie had gathered up a ton of yummy pastries for our group to share. I tried a piece of Paris-Brest and a bit of Baba au Rhum. So delicious!
Wonderfully full from the gigantic hot dogs and pastries, we lumbered back onto the bus. Next stop, Bayeux!
Our home in Bayeux was Hôtel d'Argouges.
As you can see, it was pretty much the loveliest!
Virginie led us on a brief orientation walk through town. We passed through the stunning Bayeux Cathedral. It's so grand that it's nearly impossible to fit it all within the frame of a photograph! We ended our day at the Bayeux Tapestry, a 230-foot long embroidered tapestry that dates back to the 11th century and depicts the Battle of Hastings. Pretty impressive!
For dinner, we were on our own. Mom and I headed to La Taverne des Ducs. Though the service left a bit to be desired (my kingdom for a glass of water!), we enjoyed some tasty French dishes there, such as the escargot and boeuf bourguignon.
