Sunday, March 14: Steps and More Steps

Oh, no!  the alarm rings at 6:45.  We have a long day ahead and we have to get going early.  We dress and go downstairs to breakfast with bags in tow.  Same choices for breakfast, so I chow down on croissants, butter, and applebutter spread.  I think I do drink some o.j.  Do I get credit for being healthy? 

We throw our bags or I should say push our bags with a groan toward the bus driver to load.  He probably thinks we have brought half of our homes with us.  His name is Mio (more about him later, also).  We pull out at 8:45 heading for Bayeaux, home of the Bayeux Tapestry that tells the story of William, Duke of Normandy (he's not a conqueror yet) defeating Harold, the self-proclaimed King of England after the death of his father, King Edward the Confessor at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

The town is quiet when we arrive at a fairly early hour for a Sunday morning.  The town is small and quaint, and  the weather is still cold and overcast.  We are a bit early for our 10:00 a.m. appointment to see the Tapestry so we have the opportunity to walk around and see what we can.  Debbie, Andy, Natalie, and I go up a hill to see the Bayeux Cathedral. 

Bayeux Cathedral

We quickly back track to meet our group and go into the building that houses the Tapestry.  We get an audio set to listen to while we view the story told with stitches.  FYI:  The Tapestry is not really a tapestry in the truest sense of the word because it it not woven.  It is made up of  8 linen pannels of various lengths equaling 70 meters long and 50 centimenters wide (229.55293086 feet by 1.6404199475 according to my trusty iPhone Units app). Later in the 18th century, the tapestry was sewn to a course backing with numbered scenes. The story is told in only eight colors that have lasted 9 centuries.  The last few episodes are a forgery in an attempt to restore the end of the tapestry, so what the final scene of the original tapestry looks like is unknown.  The tapestry is thought to have been sewn between the years 1077 to 1080 and was commissioned by Odo of Conteville, half brother of William.  It was saved during the French revolution by a local person and later given to the town of Bayeux by Napoleon and has been housed in its current home since 1983.  Class dismissed!

The work is amazing and the attention to detail, such as smiles, tears, mustaches, and the smaller details of the swords and horses' manes, is unbelievable .  It takes about 30 minutes to view the tapestry.  Afterward, we visit the gift shop and pick out those special memories of the visit.  Mine was a tapesty pillow cover and a statue of William the Conqueror for #1 grandson named William.

 Home of the Tapestry, formerly the Grand Seminary of the Diocese

We have a busy day, so we gather at the bus to head for Mont Saint Michel.  We ride for about an hour and a half.  No picture can prepare us for what we see as we begin to approach the Mont Saint Michel some 15 miles ahead of us.  The approach is composed of flat land hemmed  by the sea.  It is as if the town and catherdral rise out of nowhere.

Mio parks our bus and we prepare to climb to the abby at the very top.  First, we have to make our way through the narrow street that leads upward to the base of the abby.  Once we make it to the base, there are many,. many, many (did I say many?), steps to master before we get to see the beautiful view from the top.  

FYI:  Legend says that the sea covered over the area known as Scissy (not really known if there was such a place) and left 3 rocks sticking out.  It is upon these rocks that Mont Saint Michel was built.  There are 3 different routes up to the Abby, and needless to say we took the one that the guide book says is for "the entergetic or those in a hurry and who do not have a heart condition."  (We left Mary Ruth and Dianne at the bottom.  Just stating a fact.  No judgement at all.)  The sea that surrounds the island is full of quick sand that can fool even the most knowledgble of the tides and the comings and goings of the water.  The causeway that has been built out to the island is scheduled to be destroyed since it is causing the area around the island to silt up.  The tides will be allowed to come in again in their natuaral way, restoring the island nature of the area.

The island fortress reflects the medievil society:  at the bottom were the laborers, in the middle were those who fought, governed and reigned, and at the top were those who prayed, the monks who were first known as canons.They were later ousted for bad behavior and replaced with an order of Benedict monks. Several different churches in different archtectural styles are built on top of one another which make for a majestic building that allows a visitor to have a wonderful view from the top of the island.  Class dismissed!

We tour the various levels of the Abby and then begin our descent.  It is a lot easier going down than going up.  We visit some of the shops as we make our way down and again make those special purchases.  A watercolor here, some linen pieces there, and some china at that other shop.

Saint Mont Michel from several miles out

Karen, Debbie, and me under the sign of Mere Poulard's, a well-known restaurant that has been on the island since the mid 1800s.  They also make a wonderful butter cook that can be bought in stores.  Great with a cup of coffee!

We begin our way up the crowded street

Half way there.  Beautiful view!

At the base of the abby

Finally, at the top

View of the ocean

Our bus is the one at the top on the right.

The cloister of the Abby

We get something to eat and make a bathroom stop before we are to get on the bus for a four  hour ride to Paris.  Here is where we have a bit of a scare.  Brenton and Sara are not at the bus when we are ready to depart.  We are not sure how, but all of us make it back to the bus except them.  No one can quite remember where they were last seen.  Megan Kay panics a bit and goes back to look for them.  Rolando, Elyette and Debbie jump to the rescue and head back up the steep streets to look for them.  After a bit of looking, one of the rescuers recogonizes Brenton's Blues Brother hat, and they are all safe and sound.  We all load the bus and are on our way.

We ride for two hours and take a break.  We get a snack and are on our way again.  We ride for two more hours and enter Paris around 8:00 pm.  The town is lighted in all its glory and is impressive to this country girl.  The Eiffel Tower is lighted, and the miniture version of the statue of liberty holds her tourch high.  We drive through the tunnel where princess Dianna was killed in a fatal car crash.  We also get a view of the Arch de Triumph and the Champs E'lysses.  Just a taste to get us ready for the next day!

We check into our hotel, Hotel du Harve on  Rue Amsterdam at the Saint Laurent subway stop.  We throw our luggage into our rooms and gather to go eat.  Tonight we eat caprese salad, steak with gravy, french fries, and cream brule (yum!).  We stroll back to the hotel and fall into bed.  We are some tired little puppies!