Honfleur & Deauville, Normandy
I didn’t want to write the world’s longest blogpost, so I split my Normandy day trip into two different ones.
In case you missed my last post about it, click here!
Here’s a quick recap: my mom and I visited our family in France last October (and it was her first time ever in Europe!). My uncle, aunt, and one of my cousins took us up to Normandy for the day, and we started with Étretat.
Next, we were off to Honfleur!
When in a seaside town, you gotta have seafood. I was so into my salmon that I totally forgot to take a picture, so my mom’s mussels will have to suffice (she has been working out...)
Also those were the best fries I’d ever had.
After a lovely lunch, we decided to walked around Honfleur some more (which is one thing we didn’t do in Étretat, but there’s so many pretty towns to see in Normandy! Time was of the essence!!)
Anyway, the architecture was amazing. I’ve mentioned this on Instagram before, but I’m obsessed with English monarchs. In 1066, William Duke of Normandy, sailed to the British Isles to take the crown of England. His invasion became known as the Norman Conquest, and he became known as William the Conqueror. So, it was cool to see where he came from (and get a magnet of the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the Battle of Hastings).
Even though I didn’t go to exactly where William the Conqueror was born, or where he’s buried, being in places that have been around for centuries or millennia always makes me feel connected to the people that once lived there. Not just the monarchs, but the real people that ate, slept, and worked there. As historian Suzannah Lipscomb says “the veil between past and present has grown thin, and only time, not space, separates us.”
This too is why I love being in France: the space that separates me from my family is no longer there! Seeing Normandy brought me closer to my French Fam. And seeing my aunt and uncle walking arm in arm was the cutest thing ever.
So, we continued to walk through the streets of Honfleur, between walls of stone and houses of wood.
And after that, we were off to Deauville! I wish I’d gotten more pictures of, but I was so tired and just wanted to enjoy the rest of our late afternoon...
...which I did with an Aperol Spritz!
That was our day in Normandy! There’s more France/Paris adventures coming soon, so follow for more!
Do you have any France/Normandy suggestions for the next time I go to visit my family? They always have something to show me, but it’s always great to have something in mind too!