Le Tour Eiffel

We walked out of the metro station and around the corner and there it was! The Eiffel Tower!

A Wee Bit of Footie in France

Just about everywhere we stopped Tom would get out the soccer ball and kick it around with us while we waited.

We even played soccer next to the Eiffel Tower!

Deux Voitures Francaises

Eating lunch in the trunk of "Chou-chou"

Dad the master navigator of the GPS (who was named Rachelle) using that and help from Jan we managed to drive all over France!

On the left is "Pierre Glouant" (the legend) and on the right is "Chou-Chou"(which means "little cabbage") the car we followed everywhere.

Chateau's

Here are a few pics we took at the Chateau Chenonceau near Tours. The castle dates from the mid 1400's and was one that was confiscated by the king from one of his nobles. Hard to see from these pictures, but it actually spans the river and is quite impressive.

Le Mont Saint Michel

This is such a beautiful place, at high tide the parking lot is covered and the fortress becomes an island.

Wow, this picture is so lovely and it has the top and the reflection in the water so perfectly centered it could be a postcard, Oh wait, it is!

This room reminded me of the Lord of the Rings. Something the Elves would have constructed. Jan was our lovely tour guide.

Normandy, France

This is one of the 155 mm German guns placed to oppose the Allied landing at Longue Sur Mer on the Normandy coast. They covered both Omaha and Gold beaches and could fire up to 12 miles out to sea. They were so well fortified that the only way to put them out of action was with a direct frontal hit in the aperture. Fortunately, the guns were placed in a French farmer's field where his blind son was allowed to wander where he might, being as the German's supposed no threat. However, through his efforts, exact positions were measured and passed on to the Allies through the French Resistance. As a result, on D-Day the Allied destroyer USS Ajax put 3 out of 4 guns out of action on the day. Amazing to see that the guns were still in place!

Our friends who were with us on the visit had a father who went through Utah beach on D-Day +4. Things were still hot after only 4 days, but knowing that made our visit more personal and helped us to appreciate all the more, that which was done in the name of freedom.

This picture is from the American Cemetary at Coleville Sur Mer. They have a very nice new visitor's center which also allows you to look up soldier's names and see where they are buried. We don't know for sure about any personal connections, but we found a William Potter from Virginia there (pictured) which is where Mabel's Potters came from of course.








The last picture is one of us overlooking the Omaha beach from the cemetary.

Gwen is 5!

Wow, what a delightful 5 years it has been since Gwenny has joined the family.


















Our dear friends came all the way from California and we were so lucky to have them here for the birthday festivities.











We played Scum, hats are now required and no longer optional.
















We almost forgot to butter her nose, but Jay remembered just in time!