INSIDE THE MYTHS OF LA FÉE VERTE Absinthe was one of the most popular drinks in 19th-century
France; this anise-flavored green liquor, known affectionately as the Green Fairy, was believed to inspire creativity. It was a favorite of poets and painters, possibly inspiring Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” It was also rumored to cause madness. Learn all about this legendary drink at the Absinthe Museum in Auvers-sur-Oise, where the collection of antiquities includes Toulouse-Lautrec’s absinthe spoon... and you’ll even get a tasting.
PRESENTATION BY
CELIA SANDYS Gain insights into one of the most influential figures in British history, Sir Winston Churchill, at a presentation by his granddaughter, internationally recognized author, speaker and television presenter Celia Sandys.
Pause for remembrance at the American Cemetery in Normandy
9. ÉTRETAT / CHÈVRERIE / HONFLEUR This morning, visit Étretat on Normandy’s Alabaster Coast, where sheer white cliffs plunge to the blue sea, and the elements have carved astonishing giant arches from the cliffside rock; an orientation tour of the town, once a magnet for artists like Boudin and Monet, is followed by a visit to a chèvrerie, a farm that produces goat cheese and exquisite chocolate. Continue on to Honfleur, an old picturesque trading port where 17th-century houses line the harbor and cobblestone backstreets beckon… a favorite haunt of Impressionist painters. (In fact, the painters drawn to the town, like Boudin, Courbet, Monet and Jongkind, were the center of the école de Honfleur, which gave rise to the Impressionist movement.) Following lunch and free time on your own, return to the riverboat. This afternoon, a lecture on the D-Day invasion offers insights into the historic locations you’ll visit tomorrow. Meals BLD
10. NORMANDY BEACHES Leave the ship in Le Havre for a tour of the beaches where the D-Day landings occurred on June 6, 1944. See Omaha Beach and Pointe-du-Hoc, where American troops scaled sheer cliffs with ropes and fire ladders to reach enemy artillery batteries, and visit the American Cemetery and Memorial at Colleville-sur-Mer, on a bluff overlooking the beach; the tranquil setting and its history will not fail to move you. Lunch at the Omaha Beach Club; visit the museum at Arromanches, where the remains of an artificial harbor used in the invasion still lie offshore, or spend free time on your own. Then depart for the town of Caudebec-en Caux, where your riverboat awaits you. Meals BLD
A RIVER OF GOURMAND DELIGHTS The chèvrerie at Étretat may surprise you with what can
be made from humble goat’s milk, from gourmet chèvre to exquisite chocolate. But you’ve only begun to discover the native epicurean wonders that await, like miraculous apple ciders and brandy... fresh seafood and sausage...
50
11. THE FORTRESS OF COEUR DE LION Arrive in Les Andelys, two fishing villages at a scenic bend in the river where the imposing ruins of Château Gaillard rise on a cliff. The castle was built in 1198 by Richard the Lionhearted, Duke of Normandy, to defend against an invasion from the King of France; it fell after a siege in 1204. The ruins in their picturesque setting overlooking the Seine are still there to inspire – as they have generations of painters like Nicolas Poussin – as you’ll view from below. Ramble in the classic French village, with its medieval lanes, colorful houses and gardens; visit a ciderhouse (another Tauck Exclusive) to learn how the many variations of
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120