Normandy routes by car. A story about an independent journey through Brittany: a report on a trip to Rennes. Route through eastern France

One fine day in May I was incredibly lucky: the management of our company sent me on a 5-day business trip to France. I was doubly lucky, because the business trip began on the first working day after the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the victory in the Second World War, which means I managed to add 4 days of May holidays to the trip. But the luck did not end there either: I found a fellow traveler, namely one of my colleagues, who was sent to France at the same time and who, like me, was not averse to taking an extra 4 days for a walk. And then it’s a matter of technology: I got the idea that it’s not worth sitting in Paris for 4 days, but it’s best to drive a rental car to the Atlantic to Normandy and Brittany. Did your colleague agree with the idea? and we started making plans and planning the transfers.

As a result of three days of preparations, 12 hours before departure, we had the following:

1.Reservation of a car at AVIS (http://www.avis.fr/) for 4 days for 160 euros. We had to take the car at Charles de Gaulle airport and hand it over in one of the towns of central France (the place of our business trip) ...

2.Book a B&B (http://www.hotel-bb.com/) in the suburb of Le Havre, Harfleur for 1 night (Normandy)

3. Reservation of a B&B in St Malo for 2 nights (Brittany)

4.Very poor idea of \u200b\u200bwhere and how to go, but there must be Mont-Saint - Michel (Le Mont St Michel), and Cancale (Cancale)

5. Printouts of directions to the proposed hotels, made using the special site http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/gbr/dyn/controller/Driving_directions. These printouts were not useful at all.

6. A detailed atlas of roads in France, borrowed from colleagues in the office. Turned out to be the most needed thing.

7. An inexhaustible supply of optimism and a great desire to do something like that - we ourselves do not know what.

On May 7, 2005, we took off from Sheremetyevo 2 in the direction of Paris. Before leaving, we decided not to break the good old Russian tradition and happily drank a bottle of Beilis in the departure area. The beginning of boarding was missed while drinking. We came to our senses 15 minutes before the planned departure and, worried about the fact that we were not put in prison, rushed to the boarding gate. As a result, they were the last to board, which has never happened to me, since I always run on the plane ahead of the rest. During the whole flight, a colleague strongly advised me to study maps, read guidebooks, decide on the route in more detail, and I lazily waved it off, deciding that we would not pass by Mont-Saint-Michel anyway, and everything else - as luck would have it. On the plane I managed to get some sleep and had a decent breakfast. The flight, as always, was a pleasure, especially during takeoff and landing, when it is interesting to look out the window at the escaping and approaching land. By the way, we flew on a plane named after Tchaikovsky, I was pleasantly surprised by this innovation to call the plane not just board 766, but the name of a good man. This is a trifle, but still an extra positive emotion on the trip.

Having arrived, we went to passport control, where a very unpleasant incident occurred. We stood to ourselves quietly, peacefully, when a group of aggressive-minded Arabs approached and began to brazenly line up in front of us. I don't like it when they skip the line, I still have this rejection of freeloaders from Soviet times, but I also don't like scandals and I was already determined to let the citizens pass, but their number began to increase rapidly. I had to restore the status quo and quickly run to the counter first. Then the Arabs began to scandal and push me back, but suddenly a French customs officer came to the rescue, who reminded the citizens of exactly how to stand in line and generally sent this group to another checkpoint. We successfully passed the control and went to look for the car, guided by the diagrams and pointers. And so it happened: our beautiful Opel Corso waited for its temporary owners - Hurray! The journey begins!

And it begins with the question where to go? Which way is Rouen the first city on our route? The French-speaking colleague decided to ask the guards at the parking lot, but what they advised him I didn’t like at all, I would still go to the Parisian Perefirik, when, judging by the map, there are many shorter routes. I just need to find these ways, and that's my business, if I'm a navigator. And we went “over there, down that street and to the right,” and of course first went in the opposite direction. The number of roads and junctions in the area of \u200b\u200bCharles de Gaulle airport was terrifying, and although I previously "worked" as a navigator on the roads of Croatia and Portugal, this past experience is nothing before the developed road infrastructure of France. I was completely confused, we flew the necessary turns, due to the fact that we noticed the signs late, and when we were driving slowly, we slowed down the movement and caused the displeasure of the flow. And if it were not for the skill of the driver, who has time to rebuild in the right direction, we would still be driving around Charles de Gaulle airport. However, on the third lap at the same place, I noticed a small turn on Saint-Denis and although I was looking for a completely different road, I decided that it was also possible to go through Saint-Denis. An endless series of villages, turning circles, streets began, where you really want to, but you cannot turn. We overcame all these tests with honor and finally soon found ourselves on the route leading to Rouen. Now you could relax, turn on the radio with certainly French chanson and enjoy the road. Meanwhile, we drove through the beautiful French province, blossoming apple and cherry orchards replaced yellow and green fields, picturesque hills alternated with flat terrain, ancient abatoms peacefully coexisted with modern shopping complexes. I wanted to stop everywhere and take pictures of everything, I had to restrain myself from everything, because if you stop at every yellow speck of a field of flowering mustard and at every chateau, then you might not get to the right place by morning, and we are only 50 kilometers from Paris. and all the interesting things are ahead of us.

By three o'clock in the afternoon we arrived in the coveted Rouen, but first of all we were interested, alas, not in the beauty of this ancient city, but only in a good French restaurant. We parked on a narrow street with difficulty squeezing into the small space between the cars and went in search of food. But, since there was a lot of time, all the restaurants naturally turned out to be closed. For your information, restaurants in France usually open at 11-30 and work until 13-30, or 14 -00, offering a daily menu, and then close for a break until 19-00. This rule does not apply to Paris, where in many places the daily menu is offered until 7 pm. However, back to the chronology of our misadventures, in one of the places, after lengthy persuasion, they agreed to feed us. We sat down comfortably and only then did I notice the atmosphere of the restaurant: everything was designed in an easily recognizable oriental style. We were in too much of a hurry when we entered here and did not even see where we were, but it turns out that we were kindly accommodated in an Afghan cuisine restaurant, a place belonging to a family couple who came from this once friendly country. And although if I knew the direction of the restaurant, then being in France I would never have gone there, nevertheless I liked the food: perfectly marinated meat, which you will not find anywhere in Moscow and for dessert - a delicious carrot cake with whipped cream. The taste of food is completely unusual and original, who will be in Rouen - I recommend: the Arcadia restaurant on rue Victor Hugo.

After refreshing, we set off to see Rouen, a city known mainly for the fact that the most famous girl in France, Jeanne D'Arc, was burned here in the old square. However, the legends associated with the execution of the Orleans warrior are only a small fraction of what is interesting in Rouen. This is the beautiful Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame, and the tower clock “Gros-Horloge”, and the Palace of Justice, and the Church of San Maclou, and much, much more. But even if all of the above were not there, the old part of Rouen would still attract tourists from all over the world with a large number of houses, beautifully decorated in the old style, when the wooden floors of the building are an element of its decoration. Although it is possible that the medieval citizens of Rouen, who created this beauty, did not suspect that they were creating works of building art, but were only guided by practical considerations - to create a comfortable, safe and reliable home. Unlike many other cities in France, with buildings in a similar style, Rouen uses not only black and brown wood, but also painted in all the colors of the rainbow, including pink and blue. And if in other cities a black-white-brown collage turned out, then in Rouen each building has not only its own unique pattern of lines of wooden floors, but also its own original shade. It looks very beautiful, as if a talented surrealist painted several chaotic lines on a white canvas, added a cheerful color, and now each house has become a separate picture.

Unfortunately, our walk around Rouen was limited in time - we had to get to the hotel before nightfall, so we had to leave the city, having previously bought seafood for dinner in one of the supermarkets. We are on the road again, this time the classics from Rachmaninoff to Bach sound in the car, and we drive to the place of our first overnight stay - the B&B in Harfler. The B&B hotel chain was chosen by us back in Moscow due to the presence of many good reviews about it on the Internet and the optimal price-quality ratio - 30-35 euros for a single room. One drawback: we could only spend the night in those places where there were hotels of this chain and that is why we had to spend the night in the vicinity of Le Havre. And if B&B hadn't been at the stop sale in Deauville, we wouldn't have gone to Le Havre especially, because this is a large, modern port city that is not of great interest to me. After checking in and having dinner at the hotel reception, we still went to Le Havre, looked at the yachts and cruise ships, took a picture on the embankment, admired the sunset, and set off on our way. The first day of our trip was over.

The second day, as agreed the day before, started early at 7-00, having a quick breakfast, we went to Honfleur. A short way there lay across the bridge, which turned out to be the beginning of the toll road to Deaville and Caen. The entrance fee is 5 euros. I confess, we had a thought not to drive into Honfleur, but to drive straight along the highway, but luckily we abandoned this bad idea in time and, having passed one of the most famous bridges in Normandy, turned to Honfleur. We found ourselves in a medieval fairy tale. Honfleur turned out to be exactly the place that I always dreamed of getting, but did not know where it was. We parked near a charming garden with completely simple stone fountains, flower beds and flowering trees. After sitting on the benches and giving us fresh Atlantic air, we headed to the center. We examined the sea museum outside and a beautiful ascetic building of unknown purpose, really old and very memorable. Just think of once this quiet town, which is so comfortable and interesting, was the headquarters of counterfeiting gangs and a docking place for pirate ships. Honfleur's criminal elements caused a lot of damage to the French treasury, and the locals still make up legends about their nicely embellished adventures. However, back in our time, we continued to explore the city and turned to the area of \u200b\u200bthe Temple and Bell Tower of St. Catherine. These church buildings date from the 15th century, but are still active. Our walk coincided in time with the church service, and the sound of a bell echoed with the drumming that was heard from afar across the square, flooded with the spring sun (somewhere behind the houses, preparations for the parade were going on). Inside, the church turned out to be quite ascetic, though not devoid of originality and really old. Small narrow streets lead from the church in different directions, where two people can hardly squeeze past each other. Then we watched how boats float out of a picturesque little creek in the center of the city and how a worker, using smart automation, lifts a bridge to release these boats into the open sea. I also inquired about the prices of hotels in this lovely place, it seems that a two-star room costs about 60 euros per day, and at the same time I looked at the window of a real estate agency. As expected, a modest house with all the amenities can be purchased for around half a million euros. Luxurious cottages will cost even more.

From Honfleur, we went towards the resort town of Deauville, which is very popular among those who know a lot about good rest. Now the road ran along the hills along the sea, in places along a small serpentine. Queen sang a song about champions, they were replaced by Doors, and then Scorpions with a song about a wild river, not very popular with us. Beautiful landscapes followed one another, and we passed Troville, crossed the bridge and ended up in Deauville. I had to look for parking and, moreover, it would be free. In principle, there was no such in the areas adjacent to the center of Deauville. After the second round of the city, we parked in the first convenient place we came across and began to figure out where and how to pay. Not understanding, they asked. We learned that today is Sunday and all parking is free. We breathed a sigh of relief and went to see Deauville.

From my point of view, this is how an elite resort for rich and very wealthy Europeans should look like. Strict English style, without any touch of the usual French carelessness. Luxurious, elegant, modern villas, unlike one another, hotels - palaces buried in flowers, a magnificent wide sandy beach with private changing rooms, near which are attached plaques with the names of world cinema stars. The stars really have nothing to do with the locker rooms, according to the locals, these signs are symbols of the city and reminders of the film festivals taking place here. In the beach area, there are, of course, tennis courts and horse riding grounds; practicing these sports is still considered a hallmark of belonging to the elite. Here and there luxurious Ferraris, Jaguars and Lomborghinis flash by, but there are not many people - the season has not yet begun and it is still cold to swim. Prices in Deauville match the entourage - rent of a sunbed and an umbrella - for a day - 30 euros, and for the whole season - 500 euros (wholesale is cheaper here), the cost of the simplest lunch starts from 25 euros per person, etc. We wanted to play roulette in Deauville, the atmosphere was very favorable, we found the most expensive and famous casino and prepared to win at least a million euros and buy a villa in Honfleur, which we liked so much, and at the same time a ferrari to occasionally ride in Deauville in the mood, but dreams were not destined to come true, because the entrance to the casino was 12 euros. For some reason, paying for the entrance didn't seem stylish to us, and besides, there are a lot of free casinos around the world, and we left Deauville for the next point on the map - the city of Caen. In general, I liked Deauville, although there are many more picturesque places on the coast of the English Channel, from which one could make an elite resort. Why the rich chose Deauville will remain a mystery to me.

On the way to Caen, a popular French singer said goodbye to his lover, and I tried to photograph landscapes, which was not possible due to the high speed of movement.

After the seaside towns, Kahn did not look, moreover, it was cloudy and dripping with rain. We walked around the city center with what is already perceived as just another Gothic cathedral, examined the fortress, walked along the fortress wall, took pictures of the city from above, and caught a glimpse of the abbey from the car window. Besides, it was lunch time on Caen and we had a bite to eat in an excellent French restaurant. When leaving Caen, difficulties suddenly arose, I could not figure out the exit to the local transport ring. The situation was saved by a colleague who asked passers-by where to go on time. The direction was found and we rushed to Mont - Saint - Michel - a monastery carved into a rock in the middle of the sea.

Mont - Saint - Michel is one of the most visited sights in France. This is a man-made monument to human labor. To carve such beauty out of a stone on a steep cliff is only possible for people, either obsessed with an idea, or who have found themselves in an emergency due to a constant struggle with the elements or foreign invaders. Whatever it was, but the power of this architectural structure is obvious even at a great distance - as soon as this mountain comes up over the horizon. The space is felt especially sharply, because the mountain on which the monastery is built is located on absolutely flat terrain. In fact, Mont - Saint - Michel is the only hill around which meadows with grazing lambs stretch for many kilometers. Idyllic picture. A stop for transport is provided 500 - 800 meters from the monastery. Here, traditionally, everyone gets out of cars to take pictures of Mont-Saint-Michel from afar and (or) themselves in front of it. Directly near the monastery, paid (4 euros) parking is organized, at the entrance to which there is a warning sign that zones 1, 2, 6 are flooded with high tide at 19-30. We arrived at low tide, when around the mountain it was possible to walk freely on the sand. It was impossible even to imagine that someday water will come to this sandy kingdom, which now can hardly be discerned. However, we are already accustomed to believing in France all the warning signs, inscriptions, and realized that we only have three hours to inspect. There was at least 10 excursion buses in the parking lot, later in Paris, I learned that there are one-day excursions to Mont - Saint - Michel from the glorious French capital, and such trips cost 90-100 euros.

We approach the mountain and find ourselves in a continuous stream of people. True, not everyone goes to the monastery itself: maybe because of the rather high entrance price of 8 euros, or maybe simply because they prefer to hang out in the fresh air in many gardens or walk on the sand around the island. We examined everything, climbed to the very top, walked through the austere stone halls, sat in the monastery courtyard, descended narrow winding staircases, studied a giant device for lifting weights. Everything was very beautiful and interesting, but the feeling that I was walking along a popular tourist attraction, and not in a lively place, did not leave me. Either I was just tired that day, or there were too many tourists, or we ran too fast, but something was missing in this walk through the monastery. However, now, after the passage of time, nothing is remembered as often as this particular place.

Having admired Mont - Saint - Michel at low tide, we decided to go for lunch, and then return and see how the waves play around the walls of the ancient monastery. I wanted to eat in a real village restaurant, which still had to be found. Turning around the track, we found what we wanted - a real tavern, where you can look at Mont Saint Michel from afar. While waiting for the order, we watched as a thousand sheep cross the track, returning from the meadows to their native stalls. The continuous stream of sheep that blocked the way for cars, if you are not driving in this car, is a very bewitching sight. For dinner, unsurprisingly, we were served a lamb dish made according to the culinary tradition of the region. After having a tasty snack, we returned to Mont - Saint - Michel and were amazed at the changes that had occurred to him, from afar it seemed that the mountain was growing straight out of the water, there were waves around the monastery, and the sea stretched out where our car was parked.

I had to go further. The situation was complicated by the fact that at dinner we tasted not only lamb, but also wine. Here you want to sing an ode to the French laws that allow you to drive a car after drinking a little wonderful red wine. However, a slight intoxication made it difficult to orientate on the terrain, although in the end we found both Saint-Malo and our hotel. By the way, they were on time - before the administration was closed. Otherwise, it would be necessary to check in through a machine, and communication with a pile of iron, albeit smart, for a Russian tourist is a less pleasant procedure than a personal acquaintance with the girls settling guests. The received room was exactly the same as in the previous hotel. Probably the rooms in all B&B hotels are exactly the same. Before going to bed, I was drawn to good deeds, namely to feed the hungry cat who had come from nowhere with the remains of yesterday's dinner. My colleague did not share my impulse, and I had to watch the cat gobble up expensive seafood by both cheeks in splendid isolation. When the cat's meal came to an end, I went to my room to sleep. Day two was over.

The third day was the most relaxed, as there were no long journeys. The first place we went to was Dinard. From an architectural point of view, the city is cute, but without any frills. Dinar has a good coastal zone when you look at the seeming turquoise water from the observation deck - through the branches of fir trees and cypresses. Oddly enough, the closer you get to the water, the more its color changes, and on the embankment itself, the sea is no longer biurz, but dark blue. Such an interesting optical illusion. From Dinar, on the advice of one of the backpackers we met at the hotel, we headed to Cape Frehel. We chose a highly poetic road, bypassing the peninsula, along the sea, past the fishing villages of St Lunaire, ST Briac and others. Now imagine: the blue surface of the water, along which green islets are scattered, small coves with fine yellow sand, parking for small boats and motor boats, the absence of people, small houses and luxurious cottages, and all this is skillfully inscribed in the natural landscape. An ideal place to relax, but I hope no one will ever think to make a resort here, otherwise all the charm will disappear.

In the meantime, we entered the highway, found a turn to Cape Freel, and drove along a narrow country road. In one of the places I came across the sign "Calvados, Cider - 500 meters" and we decided to stick to this direction, we really wanted real Breton alcoholic beverages. And we got them in full: we took as many as 6 bottles of Cider, because in smaller quantities this drink was not sold. We honestly shared three bottles, and I began to think what to do with my part, not to drag it to Moscow. Later, when I drank a bottle with my colleagues, it turned out that this is an excellent cider that cannot be bought in a supermarket, which is made in very limited quantities and using a special method.

The farm where we bought the alcohol was very original: a small garden with trimmed grass, low trees, decorative gnomes and ducks standing on the ground, everything is very clean and smells of freshly cut grass, which is lined in small decorative haystacks. I liked the outbuilding in the form of a mill and a tiny toy well on a flower bed with daisies.

After tasting, sightseeing and shopping our journey continued and soon we arrived at Cape Freel. Once I was at Cape Roca in Portugal and he amazed me with its power and grandeur. Cape Freel is completely different in atmosphere and has nothing to do with Cape Roca. After all, Cape Roca is a recognized tourist place, with a parking lot for large buses, souvenir shops, etc., Cape Freel is somewhat wilder, although wild in the French sense, it is not in the Russian sense. There is also a small restaurant and toilets, and spaces separated by a rope so that tourists do not trample the grass, in general, all the benefits of civilization. Wild is more of a feeling than reality. Cape Freel is really beautiful, high cliffs covered with pink and white flowers, small stone islands, the place with a rock in the form of a high stone tower, where hundreds of seagulls found their refuge, was especially impressive. The weather was excellent, sunny, calm and it was a pleasure to sit on the rocks, watch the boats sail, listen to the murmur of seagulls.

However, even in this heavenly place, not everything turned out to be as unclouded as we would like, when we returned from a walk and approached the car, we found a crying woman. As it turned out, money, documents, cards, a camera and something else were stolen from a car parked next to us, belonging to an elderly couple. I immediately rushed to check on the spot whether our passports and tickets hidden in the trunk. Fortunately, everything was safe and sound, but this episode quickly brought me out of the state of serenity that had arisen at Cape Freel. In human society, one cannot relax, and valuables must be kept in a safe, although this is not a guarantee either. And people were sincerely sorry, now they had to wait for the police, draw up protocols, the day would be hopelessly ruined.

It was time for lunch, and in the morning we decided not to eat somewhere, but in the oyster capital of Brittany - the city of Cancale. By one o'clock we arrived at the desired place, and went not to the center, but directly to the port - a sort of mecca for oyster lovers. By the way, we never visited the center of Cancale. A unique atmosphere of gluttony reigns in the port, which I have never met before; along the entire embankment there is an endless string of restaurants, where there are practically no empty seats. Even for parking, it turned out to be unrealistic to find places on the embankment and in adjacent back streets, despite the fact that all these parking lots are paid. We stopped far enough away, but of course we didn’t pay near the idle parking lot machine, we were in a hurry to join this world of eating oysters. By the way, to eat oysters it is not at all necessary to go to a restaurant, you can buy them for a penny in a small market and sit right on the parapet of the embankment. When buying, you will be opened an oyster, given a plate and half a lemon, and then eat to your health.

We decided to eat in a restaurant, this is for a start, and then catch up with oysters on the waterfront. My stomach feast started as soon as the waitress delivered a platter with 9 pieces of the fourth size. Oysters of the largest size are proudly numbered 0 and are not specially grown, they are all wild specimens. We made it to Cancale just in time, because another week and the breeding season for oysters will begin, and then their taste will change noticeably and not for the better. In the meantime, the oysters are great, flavored with lemon juice or vinegar, they burn your tongue pleasantly. Now in Moscow, I think that it would be better if I had never tasted them at all, because now I am simply irresistibly drawn back to Kankala to still eat oysters. I ate these nine things for a very long time, stretching the pleasure and of course washed it down with white wine. After the oysters there was delicious fish, with sauerkraut garnish and excellent pistachio ice cream, and then we satiated and happy wandered to the oyster bazaar. I no longer had the strength to eat anything else and, leaving my colleague to taste further, went to photograph the oyster fields.

The landscapes in the area of \u200b\u200bthe port of Cancale are simply unimaginable: boats are lying around on the sand, apparently in the morning, there was the sea here, but now it has left the coastal zone and is turning blue somewhere in the distance. If you walk to the end over the bridge, you can see a barely noticeable, but definitely recognizable mound in the distance - This is Mont Saint Michel. But back to oysters, I walked for a long time in the fields where they are grown. There are built small reservoirs filled with water and oysters live in them. Moreover, if oysters are not sold in one day on the market, then they are returned back to the tanks and lie there until the next day. In general, the oyster is stored for no more than 5-6 days, after which it goes bad and becomes dangerous for a potential eater.

After the oyster feast, we went to see the city where we had a hotel - Saint - Malo. There is a part of it surrounded by a wall. Like many cities, Saint - Malo was built according to the principles of a military fortress; it is clear that the pirates were actively malignant in this part of the coast. However, now the old city has turned into the most tourist place, with a huge number of boutiques, public gardens and restaurants. You can climb the fortress wall and you will be rewarded with a view of the sea, an excellent sandy beach, stones and a very nice old fort. We thought for a long time where we could dine: on the one hand, we irresistibly wanted to go to Cancale for oysters, but on the other hand, we also wanted to walk around Saint-Malo. This time culinary preferences won out over culinary preferences, we had a quick meal in one of the restaurants in the old part and also walked around the city and its embankment. At some point during our walk we came across a casino, reviving the dream of a million euros and a villa in Honfleur. We rushed to play, but the roulette wheel did not work, and there was no particular desire to throw money off one-armed bandits.

Since the next day promised to be the most difficult, we still had to overcome 500 kilometers, so we decided not to go to the previously planned Dinan, a cute medieval town nearby, but to go to bed. By the way, in the morning we also did not go to Dinan for various reasons, which now I am terribly sorry about.

Our last day before work was spent on the road. Driving in France is easy and pleasant, the road surfaces are good. The only thing I didn't like was the clock traffic jam near Rennes. At first, we stood peacefully in it, like all law-abiding French citizens, but at some point, "Russian energy without a vector" made itself felt, and we drove around the traffic jam along the most extreme lane intended for the police and ambulance. The French watched our maneuvers from the windows in surprise, while we, ashamed and telling ourselves that this was the first and last violation, drove forward. Fortunately, our turn quickly appeared, and we moved off this road clogged with cars. This time we didn’t stop anywhere to inspect the sights, but only ate at a roadside cafe for truckers. The food in this cafe turned out to be quite tasty, like almost everywhere else in France, and the staff are friendly. True, in this place, I was the only girl and everyone looked at me with undisguised surprise.

We drove the last kilometers to the place of our business trip with the fear that gasoline might run out right on the road. We did not get a gas station on time and we pulled with all our strength, hoping for "maybe". Perhaps it did not disappoint, and this time, we arrived, filled the car with gasoline and prepared to hand it back to AVIS. As a result, in 4 days we drove 1184 kilometers and refueled for exactly 100 euros. Upon arrival, we said goodbye and each dispersed to our own business and meetings. Paris was waiting for me on Saturday, but this city is known to be "worth the Mass" and a separate story. In general, traveling in France is easy, pleasant, interesting, and there are practically no problems with orientation and safety, and if I still get a chance in my life to repeat such a trip, I will not miss it.

So, in October Max Wernik and I went fishing in Normandy. A trip of discovery. First, it was my first time in Normandy. Second, for the first time we drank brandy all the way. Brandy is like cognac, only from a neighboring village. And thirdly, for the first time in my life I went somewhere to go fishing.

01. Before fishing we walked around Paris a little. There was not much time, so we quickly joined the beauty. Glass pyramid of the Louvre.

02. Sculptures in the Tuileries Garden behind the cop's fence

03. From the park you can go to the Seine embankment. It is now pedestrianized in many places. And there used to be a road here.

04. Max Wernick decided to go to a flea market, buy goods in a shop. But as it turned out, prices in Paris are higher than in Moscow ...

05. The Parisian Junk Man

Now, get in the car and drive north! There, where the fish and the house on the lake.

06. On the way, we pass simple French villages.

07. Beautiful

08. French cows

09. Horses

10. Sheep

11. In the French countryside, time has stood still. Most houses have not changed for centuries. Only satellite dishes and cars give out that it's the 21st century.

12. Everything is very neat and clean.

13. We arrived in Fekan - a town in Upper Normandy. It is built around a small cove that serves as a commercial and fishing port. This is what the entrance to this bay looks like. It is about 50 meters wide.

14. That part of the city, which is located to the south of the bay, is flat, and the northern part of the city is built on a rocky hill.

15. Fekan is a city of fishermen. It became famous in the 10th century due to the fact that delicious salted and smoked herring was prepared here. And in the 16th century, they began to catch cod here. Now fishing has been limited - it is allowed to be conducted only in coastal waters.

16. But there is also the Vermont River, and if you go upstream, you will reach a series of ponds where you can also fish. This is where we went.

17. Here's a house rented. It stands right on the water and you can fish from the bedroom) Well, or from the terrace. Luxurious place.

18. The Normans themselves do not hesitate to call their land a fishing paradise. Here you can be offered sea, freshwater and hiking fishing (this is when people walk along the shore and collect crabs and shellfish). There are many rivers, canals, ponds and marshes in Normandy for the freshwater fishing we stopped at.

19. In the ponds you can catch carp, pike or trout. Wernick said that he would eat live fish ... But he was dissuaded in the end.

20. For dinner we got a trout.

21. While dinner is being prepared, it's a good idea to have a glass or two.

22. The rest of the evening was spent with dinner, heart-to-heart talk and brandy. And the next morning it was like this.

23. Neighbor's House

24.

25.

26.

27. Met the Norman dawn, looked at Fekan for the last time and set off on our way!

28. Next stop is another town on the coast of the English Channel, called Etretat.

29. It is mainly known for the rocks that form beautiful natural arches. Thanks to them, Etretat has become one of the main tourist centers in Normandy. The city is home to only one and a half thousand people, but in the summer a large number of travelers come here. If people come to Fécans to fish, then to Etretat they go to enjoy the Norman nature.

30. City embankment. Looking north, you will see an arch called the "Upper Gate".

31. At one time, many famous artists lived in Etretat, for example, Claude Monet. He has several paintings in which he captured the views that open from here. Here is one of them with the same look.

32. And if you turn to the south, you will see the "Lower Gate". Next to it is a pointed rock called "Needle". French writer Maurice LeBlanc wrote a book about her called Hollow Needle. According to the plot, royal treasures were hidden in it.

33. Also a picture of Claude Monet with "The Lower Gate".

34. In some places the cliffs reach a height of 100 meters. A school of fish is visible in the water!

35.

36. Lighthouse "Antifer". It was built in 1894, but was completely destroyed during the Second World War. Previously, it was closer to the cliff, but during the restoration it was decided to move it away from the crumbling edge of the cliff.

37. Old bunker

38. Most of all I was amazed that for 70 years since the end of the war no one has ruined the bunker or even left a single inscription on the walls! The concrete is crumbling, the rebar is rusted, but the walls are clean! How is this possible? It's amazing. We have such objects are usually covered with numerous inscriptions and marks, who, where and when.

39. In the end, I can say that there are two reasons for Normandy: the first is the beautiful seaside with rocks, and the second is the amazing conditions for all kinds of fishing. This part of France is perfect for a men's holiday with friends and a good French brandy. In general, come and try it yourself. Have a nice fishing!

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Day 6 -,
Day 7 -
Day 8 - Mont Saint Michel
Day 9 -

We flew to Paris, rented a car at the airport. We drove north and stopped in the small town of Les Andelys, where we saw the Château-Gaillard castle.

In the morning we went to Deauville and Trouville, walked for 4 hours.

After lunch we returned to Honfleur, had lunch and rested. Towards evening we went to Etretat, on the way we crossed the Normandy bridge. Right behind it there is a payment point, where you can stop and go up to the observation deck.

We walked in Etretat until sunset

Overnight in Otfleur.

Day 3 - ,

In the morning we drove towards Saint-Malo, several stops were planned along the way. First we took a walk on Omaha Beach and visited the American cemetery.

And then we stopped at one little-known place - a cape overlooking Mont Saint Michel.

We spent two nights in Saint-Malo.

In the morning we went to Dinan

On the way back we stopped at the city park

During the day we walked around the city, relaxed on the beach and filmed tide time lapses.

Towards evening we went to Mont Saint Michel, where we walked outside the abbey.

Day 5 - ,

In the morning we watched the sunrise from the pier in Saint Malo.

We went in the direction of Saint Guirec, on the way we stopped at Fort la Latte and Cape Freel.

We arrived at Saint Guirec beach, where we had a hotel booked for one night. Walked a bit around the hotel.

Day 6 - ,

It was foggy in the morning. We saw the main attraction of the region - red boulders on Plumanac beach.

Then we drove in the direction of Nantes. Nantes is located in the Loire region, but we wanted to visit one of the major cities in northern France and chose it. As it turned out, it was right. On the way we stopped at Vannes.

They settled in Nantes and walked around the city.

We spent two nights in Nantes.

Day 7 -

In the morning we watched the sunrise on the embankment near the hotel.

And then we walked around the city all day.

Day 8 -, Mont Saint Michel

In the morning we saw a mechanical elephant and rode a carousel.

In Mont Saint Michel, we had a hotel booked on the grounds of the abbey. So we settled in and went for a walk around the walls until the tide started.

And in the evening we looked at our main goal in northern France - the high tide in Mont Saint Michel.

When it got dark we went to the observation deck on the dam.

Day 9 -