It seems hard to believe that our six week trip is almost over. We have seen and done so much and would hardly change a thing.
Our four day drive from Nice to Paris was wonderful. Following backroads we followed what is called Route Napoleon or Napoleon’s Road. Part of it is a fairly major highway not but most is a scenic through mountains and villages following the route Napoleon took in 1815 in his escape from Elbe to Grenoble and before his defeat in Waterloo a few months later.
We turned our car in at a major train station in Paris but not quite in the worst area the city traffic. It was bad enough on a Sunday afternoon, but we did it! A long-ish taxi ride in traffic got us to our hotel in Paris, the Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel, just a couple blocks from the Eiffel Tower. Rebels that we are, we did very few touristy things but the Big Bus Hop On Hop Off was really good. Our hotel made Eiffel Tower reservations for us and that sure is the way to go. We went right up to our entrance with no one in line before us and several hundred in a line to buy tickets. We went all the way to the top, then walked down from the second level….our legs paid the price for a few days after that. When we were leaving the area there was a short line of maybe 10 people for the reservations line and probably 600 or more in line for tickets.
I can say I got my hair done in Paris… ok. It was just a little trim but I needed it. We also had at great dinner at Fitzgeralds, a restaurant our hotel recommended. There are two bars and the one in the back had a mixologist who really knew his stuff.
After four days in Paris we were ready to get on our river cruise ship. We have been cruising now for four days on the AMA Lyra (AMA Waterways cruise line). Our route is Paris to Normandy and back. The highlight for most people who book this trip is a full day at the beaches of Normandy where D Day took place. It was amazing, emotional, and another couple days there would have been wonderful.
One of our highlights of the cruise so far was the day we opted not to take one of the planned excursions and explore the town of Le Havre ourselves. The ship got us a taxi to take us to a Saturday market, then we explored cathedrals, shops and the beach. We found out taxis are scarce in Le Havre, so after waiting 30 minutes for our taxi that was called for us we decided to walk back to the ship…. according to Google Maps it was only a 38 minute walk….EXCEPT the poor map didn’t know there was a huge sailing regatta in town and parts of our walking route were fenced and chained off. Somehow we managed to talk our way into the closed off area hoping to get back on our route….EXCEPT the other end was fenced and locked too. Some really nice municipal police got someone to let us out and offered a ride to our ship…..oh, no…. we will be fine. And we were but just a few minutes from our destination here came our police friends again and they insisted we get in, so with blue lights flashing, but no sirens (darn) we arrived back at the ship. Our cruise manager, Rachel, says she has never had that happen before and thought it was pretty funny.
I am writing this while in Rouen which is the capital of the ‘county’ of Normandy. We are docked just a few minutes from the main part of town. Rouen is known for the place that Joan of Arc was burned at the stake and of the Notre Dame Cathedral that Monet painted so many times.
Our view of the Eiffel Tower from our hotel room.
View from top of Eiffel Tower
Our hotel to left of soccer fields with blue square on the roof
Green tower one night
Fancy drink making at Fitzgeralds
Welcome on board the AMA Lyra
Saturday market seafood place
Nothing like pizza in 3 minutes from a vending machine
Beach view in Le Havre
Sailboat regatta
Our friendly ride home
Getting out thanks to police help
American Cemetery at Omaha Beach
Memorial at Omaha Beach
Cemetery
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Driving through village near Omaha Beach
75th anniversary of D Day was this past June
German bunker
Looking right into it
Part of artificial harbor at Gold Beach
Village by Gold Beach
Notre Dame cathedral in Rouen
View in Rouen
In Joan of Arc Memorial
Our ship
Monet’s favorite cathedral to paint
Mar and Gar's Adventures 