Frankrijk - France

Église Saint-Léonard (Saint-Léonard Church), first mentioned in a document dating from 1186, was destroyed by the English during the Hundred Years' War in 1357. In 1419, the church was rebuilt and is still in use as a parish church. The Saint-Léonard Church was built in honour of Leonardo, a young nobleman from the royal court of Clovis. He is considered being the patron saint of prisoners. The façade, dating from the late 15th/early 16th century, is in the original Gothic architecture of that period, but the major part of the building was rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries. The octagonal bell tower, dating from 1760, has a dome-like shape. The interior - a long nave with side aisles - is decorated with paintings on both the walls and the wooden vaulted ceiling. The building was listed as a historical monument in 1980.

Église Sainte Catherine (Sainte Catherine Church) is one of Honfleur's most important monuments. The church was built in the 15th century to replace a stone church that was destroyed by the English during the Hundred Years' War. The church was built by the town's inhabitants after the war. As few resources were available, carpenters and ship wrights used wood from a nearby forest and their knowledge of shipbuilding. The first nave, the oldest part of the building, dates from the second half of the 15th century. It is built on the model of a market hall with an impressive ceiling resembling the inverted hull of a ship. The Sainte Catherine Church is the largest wooden church in France. The bell tower was built separate from the nave, a choice made to reduce the risk of fire. It has a square frame on a stone base, is coated with shingles and topped by an octagonal pyramid. In 1718, 'crutches' were put in place to support the bell tower. The building was listed as a historical monument in 1870.

Beaumont-en-Auge is dating back to the foundation of a Benedictine priory in 1060, giving the village a regional stature. It has played an important role in French history, reaching its peak at the end of the 18th century. The village is located on a 90 meters high outcrop, offering vast panoramic views of the Touques valley. Before the Christian era, the Celts who populated Normandy must have occupied this easily defensible peak. Nowadays the village with around 500 inhabitants - is well-known for its colourful half-timbered houses. Beaumont-en-Auge is listed as one of the prettiest villages in France. To be honest, we were a little disappointed about Beaumont. The number of half-timbered houses was quite limited, while the large number of parked cars detracted from the atmosphere and charm of the village.

In the 9th century a watchtower was built, which was converted into a place of worship and part of a monastery. This sturdy church - Église Saint-Saveur - was constructed in the 11th century by the lord of Beaumont and has become a place of worship and pilgrimage. The church was extended with two apses, tall flamboyant crossings, a rose window, a primitive tower, a bell tower, scarlet half-timbering and a wooden spire. This former priory church is characterized by a mixture of architectural styles. Wars, the Revolution, abandonment and multiple acts of destruction have left a deep mark on its history. The various phases of reconstruction have gradually transformed the original layout. Apart from the tower, which has retained its Romanesque style, the nave and choir, which were partially destroyed in 1612, have been remodeled. An extension of the monks' building, the parish church, destroyed in 1804, was enlarged with a ‘neo-Gothic’ porch in 1861. Major renovations have been undertaken in recent decades: stained glass windows damaged during World War II in 1952 and a restoration of the bell tower in 2007.

The origins of Beuvron-en-Auge probably date back to Gallo-Roman times. The name ‘Beuvron’ appears in other forms in documents as early as the 11th century. It refers to a small river that flows through the village: Beuvron = beaver river. In the 12th century, a small rural community emerged. For centuries, until the end of the 18th century, the lands of Beuvron belonged to the powerful d'Harcourt family, who made a major contribution to the economic development of the village. The development of the village accelerated in the 15th century and reached its peak in the 17th and 18th centuries, when tanning and weaving ensured the prosperity of the village. In the 19th century, Beuvron was in danger of becoming a ghost village. In the 1970s, the remaining inhabitants decided to breathe new life into the village. The half-timbered houses were restored and the market hall, which had been demolished in 1958, was rebuilt. Slowly, Beuvron regained its former charm. Beuvron-en-Auge nowadays has about 40 half-timbered houses, mainly located around the market hall on Place Michel Vermughen. The village is officially recognised as one of “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France” (The Most Beautiful Villages of France) because of its well-preserved Norman architecture.

The Église Saint-Martin (Saint-Martin church) was built between 1640 and 1643. The original church stood within the walls of Harcourt Castle, but was moved to a site north of the village that belonged to Bec-Hellouin Abbey. Around 1920, the original bell tower, which was in poor condition, was replaced by a brick tower in neo-Gothic style. The church therefore stands out for its red brick tower and white exterior. The furnishings and interior were thoroughly renovated at the end of the 19th century and in the 20th century. The stained-glass windows and organ were installed in 1924. However, several old elements have been preserved. The most striking is the 18th-century high altar.

de Conteville. The abbey was officially closed in 1757. The church buildings were demolished around 1766 and the rest of the abbey was destroyed in 1790. At the end of the 12th century, the abbey owned seven country houses, twelve churches, a priory, three estates and several parishes, which together formed a domain of 5,830 hectares. The abbey complex is located in a wooded park - surrounded by a boundary wall, parts of which date back to the Middle Ages - through which the Saint-Benoît spring with healing water flows. Today, only a few of the original buildings remain: a perfectly intact 12th-century vaulted refectory and a pillar from the abbey church with a commemorative plaque (added in 1928). From the 18th century the complex still has a beautiful stone barn, a little chapel and a manor. Since 1960, the current owners have been committed to restoring this place. Nowadays the abbey is open for visitors and is offering a rich cultural programme of guided tours, conferences, concerts, theatre and exhibitions.

Honfleur has a rich history dating back to the 11th century. Its location close to the sea was strategic, and this is still reflect in its beautiful old buildings. Many restaurants are now located around the Vieux-Bassin (the old harbour) with its 17th and 18th-century buildingswith slate-covered frontages. The Lieutenance, a former city gate dating from the 14th century, is the oldest building in the city. The town has two striking churches. The Sainte-Catharine church, dating from the second half of the 15th century, is the largest wooden church in France, and the Saint-Léonard church, the first traces of which date back to the end of the 12th century. Next to this church are two 15th-century wash basins surrounded by flower beds. The Tripot garden is a green oasis in the middle of Honfleur's sea of houses. The Claire river runs right through the garden. The picturesque centre of Honfleur has narrow streets with beautiful old half-timbered houses and countless charming shops and, above all, many art galleries. Here you will also find the salt storage facilities that were used in the cod fishing industry.

Sword Beach and Juno Beach are two of the five D-Day beaches where Allied troops landed in the early morning of 6 June 1944 during the invasion of Normandy. Sword Beach was the British-French beach, where the landing went smoothly. Juno Beach was the beach where Canadian soldiers landed and where the fighting was heavy. On 6 June, in the afternoon, Hitler gave the order to advance a large number of divisions towards Normandy. But it was already too late; the battle had been decided. By midnight, more than 150,000 Allied soldiers, 23,000 paratroopers and 20,000 vehicles were in Normandy. 12,000 men were killed, wounded or taken prisoner. Main image: Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, monument to 48th Royal Marine Commando’s During our holiday in Normandy, a visit to the D-Day beaches was a must. From our accommodation in Ouistreham, we took a bike ride along the coast to Courseulles-sur-Mer (Centre Juno Beach), passing Sword Beach and Juno Beach. We were impressed by the large number of monuments, memorials and military vehicles along the road. We live in Apeldoorn (the Netherlands), a town that was liberated by Canadian soldiers. No wonder we were particularly interested in Juno Beach with the Canada House - the first house liberated by Canadian troops on 6 June 1944, during Operation Overlord - and Juno Beach Centre, a Canadian museum dedicated to the landing beaches.