Postcard from Normandy

It was a letter from a friend in Normandy that prompted the artist Claude Monet to move to Giverny. "This country is paradise," Monet read. "Nowhere else can you see such rich prairies and beautiful trees. The sea adds a delicious horizon to this expanse of green."

Even now, in the middle of winter, Normandy is an expanse of green, the trunks of the apple trees making exclamation points on the fields. In the sunshine, it all glows like an emerald, and you can almost see the cows smiling. Of course, they have good reason to smile. Eating this green green grass, they give some of the richest milk in the world to make the world's most famous cheese: camembert. That cheese was invented during the French Revolution just down the road from us on a farm in the tiny village of Camembert. Today that place is nearly a shrine for all gastronomes.

But, although it is one of the most famous spots, it is not the only "shrine" in Calvados, our "departement" of Normandy. There are also the Landing Beaches of the D-Day invasion, the cathedral where Henry II married Eleanor of Aquitaine, the Bayeux Tapestry and our very favorite spot of all--a tiny jewel of a chapel that is on no tourist itinerary. It is nearly lost in the countryside. It was built during the Hundred Years War and now sits alone and deserted as its frescos of the Crusader siege of Jerusalem slowly grumble away. To see these fading paintings, you have To first find the dairy and apple farm where the key for the chapel hangs on a gate.

Our house, the Manoir du Rouil, is NOT a shrine. In fact, it is not even a whole house. It seems that the successor to the orginal Comte dur Rouil who was given the place by Queen Catherine d'Medici, wanted to impress The family of his son's fiancee. So, he ripped down the old-fashioned Chateau that was here to make way for a new, modern stone chateau. Alas, he thought a bit too big, ran out of money and had to stop building half-way.

That was in 1727. Evidently the in-laws were not too impressed for Their daughter's dowry did not stretch to completing the house either. Thank goodness! It is more than enough house for us as it is.

All we can say is "Wish you were here!"

-- Don and Petie Kladstrup