Laval and Normandy 24 - 28 March

20160324 200152 24 March - I drove across France and met up with Chrisinte at Laval Virtual 20160324 200157 just in time for the Awards Ceremony 20160324 200356 where Christine announced the award for Best Enterprise AR application 20160324 200515 given to people associated with Airbus
20160324 204427 Everybody on stage! 20160324 204456 Christine in the front row 20160324 204513 for all to see! 20160324 212708 Post-awards apèro dinatoire
20160325 082129 25 March breakfast set up at the Chateau de la Mazure 20160325 095330 The Chateau in question 20160325 095020 The refurbished carriage house where we stayed 20160325 154800 What luck! Blue sky over Mont Saint-Michel!
20160325 155146 Entrance to the village via dark hole 20160325 155253 Inside the village, the empire of la Mère Poulard! 20160325 155610 From the lower village looking back to the causeway/bridge 20160325 160201 people gamboling around on the mudflats at low tide
20160325 160206 Norman house, looking east across the mudflats 20160325 160252 Abbey in Chinese 20160325 160930 The Abbey consisted on many buildings and gaps between them 20160325 161038 Bridge to mainland
20160325 161113 Exit from church onto plaza 20160325 161210 Looking down to the water running out to the sea 20160325 161246 Vast tidal flats with the Channel in the distance 20160325 161255 Windows we will visit shortly
20160325 161517 Entrance to church 20160325 161746 inside looking out 20160325 161842 Naif sculpture 20160325 162124 Cloister with massive chimneyx
20160325 162137 Openings from cloister, now filled with plexiglass, onto view 20160325 162149 One of many tidal channels seen through the plexiglass 20160325 162250 Cloister 20160325 162305 double columns
20160325 162350 Christine getting to the next item on the audio guide 20160325 162357 Double columnade 20160325 162523 Main meeting hall 20160325 162528 Windows hidden then reveal themselves
20160325 162632 downstairs to the refectory 20160325 162910 wonderful vaults and huge fireplaces 20160325 163117 six thick columns holding up the church 20160325 163906 an external "dumb waiter" sliding on wooden rails
20160325 163911 and lifted by six people walking inside this giant wheel to haul up the rope 20160325 164036 the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end IMG 2694 more vaults IMG 2695 hardly any stained glass - why?
20160325 170655 outside, more tidal flats IMG 2696 exiting at the lower level of the church 20160325 170921 Christine and tidal flats 20160325 170959 Walkway down the back of the edifice
IMG 2701 which rises high above us. IMG 2702 back through the village IMG 2703 into the light, into the light! IMG 2705 The light has changed a bit
IMG 2707 Close up of tidal channel IMG 2709 We walk back to the hotel along the road IMG 2710 Electric reversible shuttle bus coming back IMG 2712 Approaching the mainland
20160326 084024 26 March - going for good coffee and a croissant 20160326 085756 Hotel Mercure across the way from the era when the French copied in their way the American motel 20160326 085826 Giant fiberglass cows dwarf the child 20160326 104828 Post Leclerc in Avranches, view across the bay to MSM from Gênets. Foregrounds - prés salés (salt marshes)
20160326 104853 Pré-side architecture in Gênets: seems almost Irish 20160326 104901 Tourism Office in the chapel 20160326 114149 l'Abbaye de Hambye: we linked together all the recommended sites... 20160326 120003 parts of the Abbae have been removed, yet it still stands
20160326 120847 Norman looks English to me 20160326 131427 Later, after the 2nd highest summit in Normandy (Mont Robin), we visited the Unique site. If you fall off, your bad. 20160326 131517 The view down to the Vire 20160326 131538 La Vire river
20160326 131619 rocky outcrop next to about-to-open Crêperie 20160326 131635 Wild cherries? 20160326 131708 Thick hedge to keep crêpe eaters from falling off the cliff 20160326 131746 Panorama: it is green
20160326 131858 So much to do and to not do. 20160326 173041 Finally, we arrive at Blay where we deploy the gigot d'agneau. 20160326 175516 Apéro with a fire, though it was not cold 20160326 175522 Bayesté hears out Christine
IMG 2717 Sharing some kind of joke 20160326 203203 Cheese plate: I'd forgotten this feature of France 20160327 111142 Jacques pilots the Mercedes the next morning (27 March) 20160327 111155 Christine in her brilliant beach strolling outfit
20160327 111223 Me looking my years IMG 2325 Omaha Beach IMG 2329 Above the breach IMG 2333 In the shrubs
20160327 132949 Back at the ranch, awaiting the big blow IMG 2720 Fish for dinner IMG 2723 Maybe the spices were already affecting Bayesté IMG 2727 Jacques and me, with champagne
IMG 2730 The lovely hearth IMG 2733 Ambiance of Blay