Normandy

Going around the ramparts of the Upper Town of Granville is one of the things to do if you want to discover this city. From here you'll find a view of the different facets that make up the port city: from its oldest past, dating back to the Middle Ages, to today. PETITE PROMENADE DANS LA GRANDE HISTOIRE. Faire le tour à pied des remparts de la Haute-Ville de Granville est une des choses à faire si on veut découvrir cette cité. D'ici, on a une vue sur les différentes facettes qui composent la cité portuaire : de son passé le plus ancien, remontant au Moyen-Âge, à aujourd'hui. KLEINER SPAZIERGANG IN GROSSER GESCHICHTE. Die Stadtmauern der Oberstadt von Granville zu umgehen, ist etwas, das man machen sollte, wenn man diese Stadt entdecken will. Von hier aus hat man einen Blick auf die unter- schiedlichen Facetten, die die Hafenstadt ausmachen : von der ältesten Vergangenheit über das Mittelalter bis heute.

I had to zoom a lot to have this view, it can be seen from the beautiful botanical garden in Avranches, overlooking the bay (see PiP's for better comprehension).

Ce jour-là, pas de "moules/frites" encore, mais un peu de patience et cela reviendra! STILL CLOSED, BUT NOT FOR LONG That day, no "mussels / fries" yet, but still a little patience and it will come back! IMMER NOCH GESCHLOSSEN, ABER NICHT MEHR LANGE An jenem Tag gab's noch keine "Muscheln/Pommes", doch noch ein wenig Geduld, bald gibt es sie wieder!

The Avranches fortress itself was built in the 10th C., the dungeon in the 11th C. Most of the walls are still intact, but parts were destroyed in the 19th century. Then the job was finished in WW 2 with massive bombings. They have been reconstructing the fortress over the last few years and today it can be visited for free. PiP > sculpture: huge bookends in the inner court

L'abbaye du XIIe siècle fut pillée et en partie incendiée par les calvinistes au milieu du XVIe siècle. Elle a continué à exister, jusqu'à ce que la Révolution française la réduise à un tas de ruines et dissémine les membres existants. Après sa vente en tant que bien national, elle est devenue une carrière de pierre, la population des alentours se livre au pillage des bâtiments, et le logis abbatial est incendié. Il ne serait probablement plus rien resté aujourd'hui de cette très importante abbaye cistercienne si au milieu du XIXe siècle Arcisse de Caumont (historien et archéologue) n'était pas intervenu en achetant les ruines dont cette "Porte Saint Louis" (porte romane du réfectoire) est classée Monument Historique en 1924. Une maquette présentée sur le site permet de se rendre compte de la grandeur de l’ensemble abbatial (voir 1° PiP en haut à droite). ********** GRADIOSE RUINS. The 12th-century abbey was looted and partly burned down by Calvinists in the mid-16th century. It continued to exist, until the French Revolution reduced it to a heap of ruins and scattered the existing members. After its sale as a national asset, it became a stone quarry, the surrounding population looted buildings and the abbey house was set on fire. Nothing would probably have remained today of this very important Cistercian abbey if in the middle of the 19th century Arcisse de Caumont (historian and archaeologist) had not intervened by buying the ruins of which the "Porte Saint Louis" (Romanesque door of the refectory) is classified as a Monument History in 1924. A model presented on the site gives an idea of the size of the abbey complex (see 1st PiP top right).

In the mid-16th century the Abbey was pillaged and partly burned by Calvinists, and records of the following year mention 24 monks remaining. It continued to exist, until the French Revolution reduced it to a heap of ruins, and scattered then existing members. After its sale to the Revolution as national property, the abbey became a stone quarry, dismantlers working to tear, including dynamite, construction material and especially the size of stones which constituted siding walls, often leaving only a few stumps of the large internal masonry rubble with lime mortar. Probably nothing would have remained today of this very important Cistercian abbey if in the mid-19th century Arcisse de Caumont would not had intervened by buying the most famous relic called "la Porte Saint-Louis" which gave access the cloister and large refectory.

The PIP shows the small size of the model compared to the surroundings.

Domfront, the city with many half-timbered houses in the Norman style.

The castle had an arduous history: it begins in 1049 when it was besieged by William the Conqueror, and endend in 1608 when the Duc of Sully ordered its demolition.

...ces maisons à colombages, que Simone de Beauvoir cite ainsi "de-ci de-là on aperçoit encore d'anciennes maisons à colombages, aux fenêtres décorées de bois sculpté". A WORLD OF WOOD AND COLOURS of half-timbered houses, which Simone de Beauvoir mentions as follows: "here and there you can still see old half-timbered houses, with windows decorated with wood carvings". EINE WELT AUS HOLZ UND FARBEN von Fachwerkhäusern, die Simone de Beauvoir wie folgt erwähnt : "hier und da sieht man noch alte Fachwerkhäuser, mit Fenstern, die mit Holzschnitzereien verziert sind".

The door that is no longer an entry... Die Tür, die kein Eingang mehr ist... Für Edna : noch eine französische Tür in Frankreich ;-)

Avec sa façade sobre de brique et de granit, on peut admirer le reflet du château de Couterne (XVI-XVII° s.) dans les eaux calmes de son étang. Two castles for the price of one... With its sober brick and granite facade, you can admire the reflection of Couterne castle (16th-17th century) in the calm waters of its pond.

Je vous joins ma photo de drone où l'on voit bien l'étendue du lac avec le casino à droite. IN THE GARDEN OF THE CASINO...I enclose you my drone photo where you can see the expanse of the lake with the casino on the right. IM KASINOGARTEN...Anbei mein Drohnenfoto, auf dem man das Ausmass des Sees mit dem Casino rechts gut sehen kann.

When night falls on the city... Wenn die Nacht über die Stadt hereinbricht...

Ce n'est pas la fontaine de Trevi, mais ce n'est pas mal non plus... Es ist nicht der Trevi-Brunnen, aber ist auch nicht schlecht...

In the castle park of Bagnoles-de-Orne.