Paris & Normandy

Cher Famille and Amis,

The past couple of weeks in France have been very refreshing. Wild red, yellow, and blue flowers have popped up everywhere and the weather has been mild. The kids have been on vacation for the past week, thereby reducing Julie’s driving and stress. Joe has been able to take a car to work and has been able to come home a little earlier. And of course, Julie’s parents arrived for a two-week visit and we’ve been able to spend some time introducing them to France.



After letting Mom and Dad Tams recover for a couple of days from their jet lag, we began our site-seeing by going to the Saturday market in Manoque where we fought off anti-nuclear activists and looked at Provencal fabrics and foods. Dad Tams bought a sample of local olives and quickly regretted eating too many green ones in one sitting.

We then drove to Sisteron so the kids could show off their castle, including the prison tower and never-ending staircase. Later, we traveled through the lavender fields of the Verdon valley to the hill-side town of Moustier St. Marie. While there, we toured the local ceramic shops, listened to bells chime, and observed the waterfall in the middle of town.



The next week while Joe was at work, everyone drove down to Cassis so that the kids could play on the beach.

We invited the entire Manosque Branch to our house for Sunday diner. We were surprised that our French guests finished off all the tacos despite the many other choices provided. Following diner, we all drove down to Aix-en-Provence for Elyse and Mervena's baptism. Despite some initial difficulties with the font, the service went well. Elyse will always remember the frigid water and the participation of her grandparents.

On Wednesday, we all woke up early to drive to Paris and Normandy. On the way, we stopped briefly in Gordes to show Mom and Dad Tams a typical Luberon hill-town, take pictures, and to buy some pastries at the city’s boulangerie.



After several hours of “when are we going to get there?”, at last we reached Paris and parked the car near the Eiffel tower. In spite of Mom Tam’s vertigo, we purchased tickets to go to the top of the Eiffel tower. The adventure included taking a two-story elevator to a second level before boarding a glass elevator to ride to the top. Once at the summit, we enjoyed a spectacular view of Paris and spent a half an hour picking out some of the most famous Parisian landmarks, including Notre Dame, the Louver, and the Sacre-Coeur.

The following day, we left our hotel to go to the Palace of Versailles. Although this was Julie and Joe’s third trip to the famous chateau, it was the first time they purchased tickets to see the interior. Of course, the many paintings, carvings, frescos, and intricate furnishings made the expense worthwhile. The highlights included the chambers of Marie Antoinette, the Hall of Mirrors where the Treaty of Versailles was signed (WWI), and the king’s bedroom.

After walking through the palace, we meandered through the grounds before sitting down for a rest and some glace (ice cream).

The drive from Versailles to our hotel near Juno beach was a welcome break from all of the walking we did during the day. Even a major mix-up with the GPS and traffic near Caen didn’t bother us too much. Before going to sleep, Joe and the kids walked down the beach at night at low tide. Nicolas was excited that he was able to walk on the floor of the ocean while Nathaniel was scared that a crab would jump out and attack him at any moment.

On Friday, we drove around Normandy. Our trip included stops at the American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, Pont du Hoc, St. Mere Eglise, and Utah Beach. Mom and Dad Tams were very impressed with the poignancy of the American Cemetery while the kids could not contain their excitement at running up and down the bomb craters and exploring the bunkers at Pont du Hoc. Joe also liked going St. Mere Eglise where the paratroopers were dropped behind German lines and seeing the church where one unfortunate soldier landed, was killed, and then left dangling in place for some time.

For diner, we drove into the nearby fishing village and ate sandwiches, and goffries (Belgian waffles with strawberry jam and whip cream). While in town, we found a store called “Joe’s Flowers,” and a street named after Elyse. After seeing a sign for “Le Marche de Julie” (Julie’s Store), Nathaniel finally cried “ohh, I’ll never own anything!”

On our way home, we made one final stop at Chateauneuf, a castle and town in the region of Bourgogne. As we made our way up to the castle, we drove through many fields filled with yellow flowers and crossed a quaint one-lane bridge spanning a canal. Once at the top of the hill, we were able to get a good view of the Dijon area of France and purchased some local mustard.

We will be sad to see Julie’s parents leave in a couple of days. Nevertheless, we are looking forward to a beautiful summer filled with more adventures and perhaps even a trip home to the States.

Bonne Semaine (Have a good week)!

Joe, Julie, Nicolas, Elyse, and Nathaniel