3.000 kilometer – that is the distance I walked between January 1st and August 15th 2020. The vast majority of this distance came from walks and hikes close to where I live. Despite the pandemic, this year has been a fantastic one for me. I really enjoyed lots of spare time and, looking back, I am thankful that I was somehow forced to explore what is right in front of my very own door. Recently I listened to a podcast with the famous German novelist Ilija Trojanow who stated that he does not really understand the word wanderlust (in sense of the need to discover foreign places). According to him, people can discover foreign places and things right where they live, they just need to leave their house and walk the streets which they do not usually walk. A line of thought I completely agree with today. It is not like I completely ignored nice places nearby before 2020, and yet I was still amazed by the beauty of south-west Germany. However, there comes a time where walking in the same forest becomes repetitive, where hearing the very same language and tasting the very same dishes become boring, where living the life of an armchair reader only increases the wanderlust instead of appeasing it. That time arrived in early summer 2020.
In general, one could say that I am interested in the whole world and all of its aspects and yet I somehow started to be specifically interested in European history a few years ago. So I was very happy when I got the chance to visit the Ypres Salient in 2019, a shocking experience despite previously learning and reading a lot about the Great War. It might sound a little bonkers but in the months since then I really wanted to visit Normandy’s landing beaches. Europe’s borders were open again and I immediately knew that the time to realize this plan had come. I was not completely sure what else is there to see, so I asked two French friends for their recommendations in “Northern France” and specifically in the Normandy. The friends immediately provided a list of places to visit. All I did do then? Looking up the places on a map and defining the cities in between in order to plan the nights. After just a few hours I had the following schedule planned & booked:
- Reims (1 night)
- Rouen (2 nights)
- Cherbourg (2 nights)
- Saint-Malo (5 nights)
- Amiens (2 nights)
There was not much more that I knew and I avoided to look-up all the places on the internet. I like travelling most when I keep getting surprised and putting a lot of preparation into a trip like this would eliminate quite a few of the surprises (of course this is different when I am planning something which could possibly be dangerous).
As I dislike long drives, I planned to have the first stop in Reims, which is not too far from Germany. Located in the heart of the Champagne region, I had to have champagne as a welcome drink. But what is there more to see than champagne cellars? Quite a lot! The Abbaye Saint-Remi and the Cathédrale Notre-Dame d’Amiens are equally impressive as rich in history. In Reims, many of the French kings were crowned. Both churches are immense and stunning pieces of architecture. Talking about architecture, Reims is also known for its many art deco buildings from the 1920s, as big parts of the city were unfortunately destroyed during the Great War. Especially the vivid area around Place Drouet d’Erlon is worth a visit. An unexpected highlight: during two weeks of summer, the cathedral’s front is illuminated in a spectacular lightshow after sunset.
After the short stay in Reims, it was time to drive towards the destined destination of the trip, the Normandy. I defined Rouen as the first stop as it was supposed to have a wonderful historic city center. Latest in Rouen, I realized that this trip would include a lot of impressive sacred architecture: Rouen has at least three major churches, among them the Eglise de Saint-Maclou surrounded by many half-timbered houses, and of course the massive Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen, in parts a curious construction with its three totally different towers. The latter church is also home to the grave of Rollo and to the heart of Richard I of England, also known as Richard Cœur de Lion or Richard the Lionheart. Both are equally important for the history of Normandy and Europe (more on that later). Also a famous character of that history: Jeanne d’Arc. Back in the day, the Normandy was under English rule and Jeanne fought to change this in favour of the French. As we know today, the long-term outcome was in her interest, but her fate was far less fortunate: She was captured by the English and executed in Rouen, making her quite possibly the most famous martyr of French history. An interesting, modern-style church, the Eglise Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc, is located on Rouen’s market square, where Jeanne was burned alive. Curious for artistic insights into Normandy’s history? Rouen offers a cathedral lightshow, too, even all summer long. At least this summer, the lightshow not only fantastically illuminated the cathedral’s front, it also illustrated the history of the region with Jeanne as its hero.
Next to its wonderful historic city center, Rouen is a perfect base for excursions into Normandy. One place I was looking very much forward to? Étretat. The small fishermen village at the coast is known for its breathtaking, massive steep coast. Erosion formed several immense arches and needles out of the white alabaster stone – definitely a must-see and a perfect place for coastal hikes. Unfortunately, Étretat can become extremely busy with tourists, hence I highly recommend to visit it in the morning. Anywhere in northern France, the number of tourists peaks from around 11 a.m. onwards. Shortly after that time, I was already on my way to the nearby Le Havre. As Le Havre was founded as a harbour it has been important as such since its very first days. Le Havre was heavily devastated during World War II and rebuilt under the lead of the famous architect Auguste Perret. Perret was one of the first architects using ferro-concrete as the major structural and architectural element and therefore served as a master and role model for many famous architects since then, e.g. Le Corbusier. While some might argue that Le Havre’s center is a desert of ferro-concrete, the massive, uniform buildings definitely have their unique charm and were rightfully recognized as world heritage by UNESCO. On the way back to Rouen, we avoided the highway and drove alongside the Seine. The Seine valley itself is quite beautiful and after a while you will be nearby the Abbaye de Jumièges, a ruined monastery. Some say that is one of France’s most beautiful ruins. I cannot judge about that, but it is surely worth a visit.
From Rouen we drove towards Cherbourg, a city located in the very north of the Normandy on a peninsula called Cotentin. Driving there without stops would be a shame as there are almost uncountable interesting places on the way. One of them, the town of Bayeux, delights with its historic city center. Unlike many other towns, Bayeux was not destroyed to a big degree, giving it a classic and unique look compared to other towns in the region. Bayeux, or more specifically the Tapisserie de Bayeux, is home to an extremely special treasure: a huge, embroidered cloth from the 11th century, showing the conquest of England by William the Conqueror. As there were too many people within the museum, I was not able to access, but I still wanted to mention this treasure to enable you to see it yourself. Instead, I was bound to dive into more recent chapters of history.
Today, Bayeux understands itself as city of peace. Respect and free speech are integral parts of peace, hence I was pleased to find a memorial site from Reporters Without Borders. This memorial site remembers in a very modest and dignified way the names of journalists who have gone missing and is, by doing that, a powerful monument. Walking through the years you realize that journalists who publish information and opinions still face great oppression – often in a life-threatening way. Visiting the memorial, I wondered if there really is something like European values. If so, we surely had to obtain them in a bloody and cruel history as e.g. Normandy’s landing beaches show.
On June 6th 1944, allied troops landed in five sectors alongside Normandy’s coast, called Utah, Omaha, Juno, Sword and Gold, giving World War II the final turning point in favour of the Allied. The German Nazi regime and its allies were already on retreat in Italy and Eastern Europe, and with the landing of allied troops in Normandy, the fate of the regime was sealed. Not all worked as planned, and yet, the Allied successfully surprised the Nazi regime, which was expecting a landing closer to Calais, where the English Channel is much more narrow, with the largest seaborne invasion in history. Months of discussions and preparations had been necessary before “the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old” as Winston Churchill once said. Even though the Allied expected more casualties in their ranks, thousands were heavily wounded or died, especially at Omaha beach where the precedent aerial attacks completely missed the German positions. Even after the successful landing, it took almost two months until the Allied captured major strategic points and cities like Caen. The fact that the war was raging until summer 1944 is a sorrowful drama by itself, and yet, things got even worse in the last months until May 1945. A circle of people in power around officer Stauffenberg, many of them with an arguably very late remorse, failed with a coup d’état in July 1944 and the Nazi regime continued to fight instead of surrendering in an already lost war. This not only meant the death of many more young soldiers on both sides, it also meant an ongoing annihilation of people in the captivity of the Nazi regime and the complete destruction of whole cities with an incredible amount of civil casualties. Today, uncountable museums, strategic points like Pointe du Hoc and large cemeteries of all involved parties (e.g. the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial) remind us of the liberation of Europe. The death toll of men who died on foreign soil to end a time of never before seen terror shall be remembered forever.
We arrived in Cherbourg after a long day which was highly interesting and yet hard to digest. Cherbourg’s vivid harbor district with its many restaurant and pubs quickly brightened up the gloomy mood. Today, Cherbourg’s harbor is still quite important and also home to a part of the French fleet. We mainly used the city as a base for explorations on the Cotentin. A must-see is the La Hague region with its wild, rocky coast and its beautiful little villages full of houses out of stone. Undoubtedly, La Hague must be a great place for coastal hikes. The opposite coast in the east of the Cotentin is quite different: a mostly flat coast, beaches and vivid villages like Barfleur invite visitors to relax. Climb up the Phare de Gatteville to get a better picture of the nearby area. Looking back, I would have liked to stay longer on the Cotentin, enjoying more of its varied and stunning coast. Instead, we were bound to stay in a city I was very much looking forward to: Saint-Malo. On the way, we stopped in Granville, located in the south-west of the Cotentin. The coast of Granville is quite steep, giving the city a very special atmosphere and many nice views. Next to that, visitors can go gambling (some say that Granville is the Monte Carlo of the North) or enjoy one of the large beaches. With its marvelous location, Granville was unfortunately also a part of Nazi Germany’s Atlantic Wall, a chain of fortifications from Biarritz to Northern Norway. Attentive visitors will find bunker leftovers alongside all parts of the coast showcasing the madness of Nazi Germany’s leadership. All the concrete and effort became dispensable special waste after the Allied gained aerial superiority and successfully established a beachhead just a few dozen kilometers to the East.
We were driving the last couple of kilometers towards Saint-Malo after the short visit of Granville. Very soon, a true icon came into sight: Mont Saint-Michel. The holy mountain is even from quite some distance very impressive. However, the time of a visit had not yet come and soon after we arrived in the suburbs of Saint-Malo. Saint Malo’s old city is located on an island (actually more of a rock) which is today connected to the mainland by various bridges. When we approached this old part of Saint-Malo for the very first time I was quite astonished: the whole city is surrounded by a massive wall, making other expressions such as intra-muros, la ville close or the walled city more than accurate. I was quite happy that I was about to live inside those walls for a couple of nights. Back in the day, Saint-Malo was the home of French Corsairs, in other words pirates with a French license to raid ships from other nations. Obviously the other nations, especially the United Kingdom, were not amused by those activities, increasing the need to turn the Corsairs’ home harbor into a stronghold. Not only the city itself is one hell of a fortress, also offshore islands/rocks were turned into little fortresses. Today, the massive walls still protect the city – not from foreign attacks, but from the waves of the sea.
The area around Saint-Malo has the greatest tidal range in all of Europe. As chance would have it, I arrived during a phase of immense differences between low and high tide. And believe me, it is absolutely fascinating to see the waves almost overcoming the city’s wall in the morning and then to walk to one of the offshore islands/rocks in the late afternoon. Or to enjoy the sunset sitting at the beach, suddenly realizing that the flood is coming back really quick, making a little location change necessary. Or to try to go to the beach in the afternoon, realizing that all water is gone (fortunately, there is a large open-air pool filled with sea water by the previous flood). That alone, made my visit of Saint-Malo truly worth it. Other than that, it is wonderful to enjoy the city wall’s views, the architecture and atmosphere of the city’s buildings and, last but not least, to learn more about Saint-Malo’s famous sons Jacques Cartier (explorer of Canada) and Robert Surcouf (a very successful Corsair). Unfortunately, Saint-Malo’s unique beauty is not very much of a secret anymore, turning the old town during the late morning and whole afternoon into a busy tourist hotspot. Fortunately, there is an escape: Taking a water taxi towards Dinard, a relaxed town full of luxury hotels and great beaches. Dinard’s look and feel is not better or worse, but simply different, making the short boat ride quite interesting. In the evening, you will quickly realize that most tourists visit Saint-Malo only during the day, enabling a spectacular experience during the night: Strolling on the city walls during the night almost feels like a journey through time to an adventurous past.
As already mentioned, I used Saint-Malo as a home base for further explorations of the Brittany region. There are quite a few interesting and beautiful places in close distance. One of them is the city of Dinan. Next to its many Brittany-style stone houses and picturesque churches, Dinan will possibly surprise you with its massive fortifications. Unlike e.g. in Saint-Malo, those fortifications were not built against intruders from the United Kingdom – they very built against intruders from France! Until the early 16th century, Brittany used to be a completely independent state, mainly inhabited by Celts. Back then, France, much smaller than it is today, was inhabited by a Gallo-Roman population. Compared to vast parts of other Northern European countries, France was for a long time under Roman rule, leading to a mixed population. While the hostile feelings between French and Bretons are long gone, it still becomes obvious at every other corner that the Bretons are proud of their independent history, culture and traditions. One example for that: In some regions of Brittany, official signposts are in two languages: French and a Celtic language (similar things can be found e.g. in Ireland). Many towns still have Celtic names. Anyway, back to Dinan itself: When you visit the city, make sure to not only visit the upper town, as the small area alongside the river is quite scenic, too.
Originally, I considered visiting Jersey, an English island not far from the French coast. This turned out to be impossible due to Covid-19 related travel restrictions. Instead, I had more time for Brittany’s coast. There, Cap Fréhel and especially the nearby Fort La Latte are very much worth a visit. The fort is not only rich in history, it also offers great views of the coastal area close to Saint-Malo. Some might recognize it from movies as it has been a shooting location for various films. Quite a bit further to the West: the breathtaking Côte de Granit Rose. A part of the coast close to the town of Ploumanac’h invites for stunning strolls through enormous pink rocks. Their size and color are so unusual that you might wonder if you left earth itself. Even better, many of them are bathed by the ocean, adding a lot to the beautiful vibe of this area.
I am not a friend of rankings as they suggest that something or same place is better or worse than another one. How you experience something is depending on many factors, from your very own interests, the sleep quality in nights before and, last but not least, the weather on the day your visit or activity. Yet, this world definitely offers a few places which are very likely to blow your mind. I had such an experience in front of the Taj Mahal: Despite knowing it from a million pictures, it still was able to surprise me with its breathtaking beauty which can only be truly recognized with one’s very own eyes. Mont Saint-Michel is exactly the same: even from a few kilometers away, the holy mountain is equally majestic as beautiful. Walking on to bridge towards the island/rock, you will recognize many details the closer you get. The vivid history of Mont Saint-Michel started more than 1,300 years ago and over the centuries the little island turned into a mixture of stronghold, village and abbey. The fact that Mont Saint-Michel’s surroundings are highly influenced by the tides makes a long visit even more spectacular (do not enter the tideland without a guide, it is very dangerous). If you go there, make sure to get tickets for the abbey. It is not only interesting from an architectural point of view, it offers the best views as it is located on the very top of the island. Obviously, the narrow main streets are full of tourists, hence I highly recommend to look for more hidden alleys as well. After a truly amazing day on Mont Saint-Michel, I enjoyed last magnificent views from the Barrage du Mont Saint Michel, watching the majestic sight slowly vanishing into the dark.
Eventually, it was time to head back home. Being in Saint-Malo, Germany is quite a long drive away. From my point of view, the drive is too long. Hence I planned to stay two more nights in Amiens, which is located somewhere in the middle of the route. On the way to Amiens, we stopped in Caen, so we were back in the Normandy. Caen itself was heavily destroyed during the World War II and yet shines with a few stunning restored streets. Caen is definitely another great place to learn about the horror of the late war, but there is even greater heritage which was fortunately not destroyed during the battles: the grave of Guillaume le Conquérant, in English known as William the Conqueror. Standing in front of the grave, which is located in one more outstanding romanesque-gothic cathedral, all the single history dots in my brain suddenly connected. Previously in this post, I mentioned Rollo, the first ruler Normandy. He and his folks are the main reason why Normandy is called Normandy: they were Normans, or in other words vikings from Scandinavia. Eventually, they conquered the region which we today call Normandy and settled down. He and his descendants were only dukes of Normandy and in consequence hierarchical below the French king, and yet their thirst for power was far from nursed. Guillaume started to conquer England in the 11th century. Back then, England was a chaotic patchwork rug with many kings and dukes, and by that a perfect target for the future Norman rule. That family tree gave the world many famous sons and daughters, later in time e.g. Richard the Lionheart. In fact, even today’s English royal dynasty dates back to Rollo in one way or another. Long story short: Yes, for a long time, the Normandy belonged to the king of England, but the story of the king of England did not start in England, it started in the Normandy itself.
Further on the road to Amiens, we crossed the Pont de Normandie, one of Europe’s largest bridges, crossing the Seine estuary and connecting Honfleur and Le Havre. Amiens itself is not the most beautiful city, as it is one more city which was heavily destroyed during the World War II. And yet, it is still absolutely worth a visit. The first reason is the Maison de Jules Verne. The long-time home of the famous novelist gives insights into his work. Jules Verne’s lifetime (1828-1905) was shaped by technical milestones like the East-West railway in the United States of America and the Suez Canal, inspiring him for many novels such as Le Tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours and Voyage au centre de la Terre. Maybe up until today, no novelist has been combining science, science-fiction and visionary ideas as well as Jules Verne. Not far from there, France’s biggest cathedral can be found, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame d’Amiens. The cathedral is not only a perfect example of high gothic architecture, it also features something which can be rarely seen today: small parts of the cathedral’s interior are colored. When thinking of churches, we tend to see buildings out of white and grey stone. In fact, churches used to be colored in the Middle Ages! The cathedral of Amiens has a few outstanding examples of this. Next to that, the cathedral’s front is illuminated in a lightshow all summer long, showcasing the former, colorful look of the church. From my personal point of view, a colored church is even more impressive than a white one – back in the day, folks truly had to think that this is an almost supernatural building. Inside the cathedral, many small monuments remember the nearby bloody battles of the Great War. Last but not least, a visit of Amiens should include a stroll through the charming quarters next to the many small channels of the river Somme. The Hortillonnages d’Amiens, floating gardens, are an equally unique as beautiful crop area for fruits and vegetables.
Before I come to the end of this blog post, I would like to comment on the topic of travelling in times of a pandemic. Before the start of my trip, the Covid-19 situation was quite decent in Germany as well as in Northern France. Nevertheless, I reduced social contacts before the trip in order avoid bringing an unpleasant virus to France. On the day of my return, I took a voluntary Covid-19 test which was fortunately negative. In France itself, all indoor activities and also most outdoor activities came with mandatory mask-wearing. Yes, there are more beautiful things than wearing a mask all day long, but I got used to it very quickly and it really was no issue at all. If it takes that to save lives and be able to travel, I will happily wear a mask. I was very positively surprised by the discipline of fellow travelers and locals as I could almost never observe violations of the Covid-19 rules. Yet, the situation gained a much more negative dynamic after my return to Germany. I think that’s a shame as I was served by many very welcoming employees in the tourist industry who are now again back in great struggle. Hence my plea to everyone: Please respect the Covid-19 rules and behave responsibly.
On the way back to Germany we decided to stop in Verdun, one of the areas with the most dramatic battles of the Great War. Just like in the Normandy, uncountable monuments remind visitors of the local history. Upon a recommendation, we decided to visit the Ossuaire de Douaumont. Built upon the initiative of the former Bishop of Verdun, Charles Ginisty, its architecture reminds of a sword, stuck into the ground, symbolizing laid down arms. The Great War is especially known for its hardened fronts and the utilization of industrialized weapons. Thousands of grenades ripped soldiers of both sides apart, leaving only unidentifiable bones. The bones of more than 130,000 unidentified soldiers of both sides are interred within the memorial. Until today, the landscape is shaped by the craters of grenade explosions. Until today, bones as well as grenades are found. Visiting the memorial, it is hard to maintain one’s composure. The construction was finished in 1932 and only seven years later the next war, in many aspects even more cruel, started. A large French military cemetery can be found next to the memorial. There, the following signpost can be found:
On September 22nd 1984, the French president and the German chancellor met for the first time in the history of their nations on this French military cemetery. In memory of the dead of both World Wars, they laid down wreaths and stated: we reconciled, we advised, we became friends.
Francois Mitterrand Helmut Kohl
We shall remember their words and defend their achievements.
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