Marco's holiday pics August 2012 in Normandy

Old Church in Argentan:


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Old door on same church:


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Bagnoles de L'orne:


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At night:


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Small family-run restaurant in Fleure where we had a superb Sunday lunch:


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Old Church in L'Lonlay L'Abbaye:


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Domfront:


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Mum and dad in Domfront:


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Restaurant in Domfront where we took my parents to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary and my 47th birthday:


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Canapés with cocktails, before dinner:


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Inside the restaurant:


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Some of the food we enjoyed (all are starters):

Sliced local pork with apples in a mixed mustard sabayon and light Calvados jus:


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Fresh langoustines in a pea broth with Jambon de Pays:


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The rather awesome dessert trolley....


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Massive market in L'Aigle (one of the biggest in Normandy):


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Huge cockerel we noticed in the livestock section:


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Superb (and very cheap!) lorry driver's cafe we found just outside the town (L'Aigle), where we ate:


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12 Euros per person (roughly £10, for a starter, main course, dessert or cheese), INCLUDING a quarter carafe of wine or cider!! :eek:


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The dessert choice(!) with my dad's wee nut underneath :D):


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Old church in Belliou-en-Homme:


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Just a nice building we saw at the side of the road:


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Another nice little restaurant we ate in:


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Old church in La Ferté-Macé:


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At night:


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The little cafe in La Ferté-Macé where we had breakfast every morning (amazing selection of home-made jams, croissants and bread):


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More of La Ferté-Macé:


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Auberge de la Mine, where we ate one night (http://www.aubergedelamine.com/page8a.html):


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Marco.

Just to break things up a bit, here are some more in a separate post:

A little hotel we ate in, in the quaint little village of Briouze (more details here: http://www.hotelsophienormandie.com/)...


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A little pizza restaurant we sometimes had a snack in at night (in Briouze):


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An old relic in Alencon:


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L'Onlay L'Abbaye:


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A little bar near St Omer we had a drink at before our last meal in France, before returning home:


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Our favourite place to eat when arriving in (or leaving) France, 25 mins from Calais in a remote little village, called Wismes:


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Marco.

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.............always knew you'd eventually abandon that ropey old Technics thing & go for one o' them high mass turntables, Marco!
That's a mighty idler wheel if ever I saw one.

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You appear to have a pink, flowery growth on your nose in this one Marco :D

Lovely photos dude and what's more the weather looks as if it held up for you. Congrats to you for your birthday and for your folks for their wedding anniversary ;)

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Little Chef could learn a thing or two and those prices are phenomenal :eek:

Very nice set of images ,

the places look like they have lots of history ,

and the food looks very nice

Thanks for showing us

And a belated Happy birthday :D

Looks absolutely idyllic, Marco. I love small-town France and their slower way of life. I've done a fair few trips there with biker friends and we always feel recharged after a few days.

Looks like you had a great time, some lovely places and food by the looks of it. Congrats to your folks on their Golden Wedding Anniversary!

Cheers, guys. We all had a fantastic time, especially my parents, which was what it was all about :)

Rural France is just fantastic, but you must have a car, otherwise you can be rather isolated (we always like to have a car with us on holiday, as it gives you much more freedom to get around). Not only is it dirt cheap there to eat supremely well, but also so are the prices of the rooms in the local family-run hotels. We were paying 42 Euros per ROOM (for two people) per night!

Nothing fancy, just spotlessly clean and functional rooms and somewhere to put your head down at night, which is all you need, as you're out most of the time. The money you save can then be spent on goodies, such as wine, beer, cider, etc, and food... The car was absolutely heaving on the way back!! :eyebrows:

Let's just say that Christmas is pretty much sorted! :D :cool:

Marco.

Looks really beautiful Marco. Glad you had a great time on your double celebration.

Not many people around either? which would please me greatly...:)

You obviously all had a great time :cool: and nice photos to remind of that time. Normandy looks very beautiful.

Wonderful shots Marco, I have not been to France for many years, but these pictures are making me think its time to go back ;)
Shame you didn't post more food shots :drool:

Thanks for sharing, looks like you and the folks had a great time.

Lol - cheers... We kept meaning to take more shots, but once the effects of the vino kicked in and we got chatting, we usually forgot all about it! :drunk: :eyebrows:

Incidentally, we cracked open a bottle of wine we bought for 1E 60, in a small supermarket in a remote little village (truly excellent places for picking up bargains), produced in a nearby vineyard, and it was utterly STUNNING - as good as anything you could buy here for about £15!

We're just sorry now that we never bought a case....!! :doh:

Marco.

Love picturesque places like this Marco , particularly old churches , which I find fascinating . We were down in York a couple of weeks ago and had a great time . Got any suggestions for similar places in the UK which are worth a visit ?

Great picks, some lovely places there, almost makes me wish i was French!
Realy glad both you and Del, and your Mam and Dad had a great time.:)
Anthony,TD...

ALL Looks quality Marco - Nice one ! :)

What, no wine on the table? Heresy!

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Originally Posted by StanleyB

What, no wine on the table? Heresy!

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I think Marco's teetotal Stan :lol:

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Originally Posted by Tim

I think Marco's teetotal Stan :lol:

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Aye,
For one day a week, but he never tell's us which!:lol::lol::lol:
A...

Hehehehe... It's usually on the 31st February! ;)

Marco.

Hi Brian,

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Love picturesque places like this Marco , particularly old churches , which I find fascinating . We were down in York a couple of weeks ago and had a great time . Got any suggestions for similar places in the UK which are worth a visit ?

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Not sure about places in the UK (although no doubt others here would be able to make suitable recommendations), but we also love old churches and buildings in general - anything with character! :)

So, for you, a few more images of the old churches we visited:


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Marco.

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Originally Posted by Thing Fish

Not many people around either? which would please me greatly...

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And us. We cannot abide busy, crowded places. Where there are crowds of the unwashed general public (and queues everywhere), we'll be at opposite end of the world, as far away as possible!! :wave: :wave: :hotrod: ;)

Marco.

Hi MArco

Enjoyed your photo's.
The shots of the food had made me want to eat, a Custard Cream will have to do.

Andy - SDDW

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Originally Posted by Marco

Some of the food we enjoyed (all are starters):

Sliced local pork with apples in a mixed mustard sabayon and light Calvados jus:


http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/2092/img1715zm.jpg

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Blimey i have bigger meals on mi diet :eyebrows: Honestly mate i bet you stomach felt like your throughts been cut :rfl:

Joking aside though..Nice place ..great pics.

Lol... Remember, dude, that it was only a starter (my mum's) ;)

After that she had a big hunk of veal T-bone which would've choked an elephant (followed by a huge cheeseboard and the desserts shown on that rather large trolley)!! :eyebrows:

Marco.

Amazing that would be probably my absolute Calorie intake but overshadows the Fat intake allowed but yet thats not the main meal! :mental: The wine would then not be allowed.

Now I know where to send American contractors for work, the whole country needs a massive modernization. A nice white coat of stucco and paint over those old brick and stone buildings would brighten things up. And the food looked good but not much of it, did you make a trip to Mc Donalds an hour later?
All those cobble stones, don't they have access to black top and concrete. Very old buildings and little food, France is the third world.

Just kidding a little American humor...

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Originally Posted by goraman

Just kidding a little American humor...

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Hilarious Jeff! :lol:

Lol, Jeff... You're right, but somehow we managed to brave the deprivation and enjoy ourselves :eyebrows:

P.S When we visit the US (which we plan to do in the next few years), we'd like to go to a similarly remote and rural area, full of little 'one-horse towns', surrounded by amazing scenery. The plan is a 'fly-drive' type holiday, for say, a month, and to tour around a designated area, experiencing American 'village life'.

Any recommendations? :)

Marco.

Marco:
Alabama is nice

Yup, I was also thinking of Montana, Virginia and New England - gotta be somewhere well off of the beaten path, MILES from tourists and any form of mass commercialisation/consumerism, laidback slow-paced lifestyle, no hustle and bustle, somewhere 'unspoiled', which reflects the way that people used to live, say 30-odd years ago.

Oh, and there must be plenty of quality very typical American-style 'diners'/truck stops - the kind you find just off the highway (with a neon sign above), in the middle of nowhere, that do amazing hot-dogs, steaks, ribs and burgers!

Marco.

Montana/Wyoming & Idaho, Marco - one of the most fantastic holidays we ever had.
We flew to Calgary, drove east in Saskatchewan, then south into Montana near the Missouri Breaks. From there, we spent 4 or 5 days making our way south through the State, driving into Yellowstone via the Beartooth Highway, an astonishingly & breathtakingly beautiful mountain pass. Then after a few days in Cooke City, a little town on the edge of Yellowstone, we drove down into the Grand Teton mountains in Wyoming, north west into Idaho, up the Snake River (the river of no return - wolf country) & back into Montana, Glacier National Park and back to Calgary.

Sounds ace, Chris. How long were you there for and what type of car did you hire, suitable for the job, as it were?

I'm thinking something big & comfy (especially for the undoubted heat) that takes long distances in its stride, but that doesn't eat fuel too much. Also, best time of the year to go?

Marco.

We took a couple of weeks, but drove ~2,500 miles.
You're pretty reliant on using the passes through the mountains to get to the most stunning areas, so winter is probably not best as the high passes are closed to normal traffic - we were there in the summer, but even so, there was a snow 'event' when we were travelling on the 'Going to the Sun' Highway:

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I took this photo the previous day:

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I can't remember the car we used - but we could have done with something different when I decided to go off-piste in the sandy tracks through the Missouri Breaks!

Just remembered, I did a thread about this trip yonks ago.

Arizona is good too - and November is a good time for that. We've been a couple of times, first to do the Grand Canyon type touristy stuff, then to concentrate a bit more on the back-roads and little places.

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Originally Posted by Marco

Yup, I was also thinking of Montana, Virginia and New England - gotta be somewhere well off of the beaten path, MILES from tourists and any form of mass commercialisation/consumerism, laidback slow-paced lifestyle, no hustle and bustle, somewhere 'unspoiled', which reflects the way that people used to live, say 30-odd years ago.

Oh, and there must be plenty of quality very typical American-style 'diners'/truck stops - the kind you find just off the highway (with a neon sign above), in the middle of nowhere, that do amazing hot-dogs, steaks, ribs and burgers!

Marco.

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There a programme on TV called 'Heart Of Dixie' thats Alabama, you of course have Georgia, tennesse, carolina all down south of it which is all nice & i'd have though the type of thing your looking for..

However i would have though that New England: Boston, Massachusetts etc although nice would be too much like home..

Cheers, dude.

Have you seen the film 'Duel', where that mad truck driver hounds that guy in the car all over the American countryside (dunno what area it was in), and at one point he drives into a remote diner, just off of the dusty road, to escape?

It's *exactly* on roads and in areas like that I'd to go! For those who watched The Sopranos, I also liked the look of the area where Vito escaped to for a while, after being found out to be gay, and where he made friends with another gay guy, who made the 'Johnny cakes', in a diner (that diner also looked superb!) :)

Chris, cheers for the info - noted! :cool:

Marco.

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Originally Posted by Marco

Lol, Jeff... You're right, but somehow we managed to brave the deprivation and enjoy ourselves :eyebrows:

P.S When we visit the US (which we plan to do in the next few years), we'd like to go to a similarly remote and rural area, full of little 'one-horse towns', surrounded by amazing scenery. The plan is a 'fly-drive' type holiday, for say, a month, and to tour around a designated area, experiencing American 'village life'.

Any recommendations? :)

Marco.

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I would be happy to help out in any way Marco.
But it would be a mistake not to see some of the west coast and some really crazy shit to remember!
More important where to stay clear of, BTW I'd love to make you a proper hamburger!
If you want to really go back in time that trip would have to include some southern states (timeless beauty)
Just don't order spotted dick in a small southern diner that could cause a small riot!
And don't travel with Jeremy Clarkson he will get you in trouble.

Some stunning pictures Marco, cheers for sharing :) I can't say I'm surprised that you all enjoyed yourselves :eyebrows:

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Originally Posted by Marco

Have you seen the film 'Duel', where that mad truck driver hounds that guy in the car all over the American countryside (dunno what area it was in), and at one point he drives into a remote diner, just off of the dusty road, to escape?

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One of Spielberg's better films - based on his final year project at college! :)

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Originally Posted by Marco

Cheers, dude.

Have you seen the film 'Duel', where that mad truck driver hounds that guy in the car all over the American countryside (dunno what area it was in), and at one point he drives into a remote diner, just off of the dusty road, to escape?

It's *exactly* on roads and in areas like that I'd to go! For those who watched The Sopranos, I also liked the look of the area where Vito escaped to for a while, after being found out to be gay, and where he made friends with another gay guy, who made the 'Johnny cakes', in a diner (that diner also looked superb!) :)
2000 miles of heavenly peace in a place time has left behind for the most part. Take a whole 7 day week and rent a convertible mustang in late spring of early summer.

Chris, cheers for the info - noted! :cool:

Marco.

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Night Hawlks at the Dinner Huh Marco
You may just meet some one like in the movie Kalifornia with Brad Pit and Juliette Lewis, or if you happen across a small southern town and hear dueling banjos being played run! Deliverance with Burt Reynolds.

This should be on your short list.
You'll go to all the old historic dinners seen in movies ( the real deal) the old Motels off the beaten path since the interstate went in.
Rout 66 is no longer travailed much but there are historic motels with pictures of old movie stars no one even remembers anymore.
It's as cool a road trip as you will ever make and the old timers are full of storys that can be heard over a hot cup of coffee.
If you want to meet real people in small towns this is made to order it starts in the big city of Chicago goes right through the heart of America and ends in L.A. on the west coast of California. I hope to take my own family on this trip when Conner gets older.
Living on an Island coast lines are most likley not a big deal for you but California dose have a fantastic one and that is where the journey ends.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J0Jz...eature=related
http://www.historic66.com/

2000 miles of heavenly peace in a place time mostly forgot.
Rent a Mustang Convertible GT or Corvette convertible Z06 from Herz rental cars in Chicago and go in late spring or early summer.
You'll have a few long stretches where you can open up a fast car with no one around you.
Take a full 7 days and enjoy!
This road is not much traveled anymore there are major interstate freeways that get you across the country much faster.
So the only business they get is old car clubs some bike clubs and now and then a Hollywood film crew
Some celebratory s make the trip in classic cars or new Ferrari's just to escape and get there heads straight.
I have been on stretches in Ca. and Nevada but never the whole thing.

Sounds ace, Geoff, as this is exactly what I'm looking for:

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You'll go to all the old historic dinners seen in movies ( the real deal) the old Motels off the beaten path since the interstate went in.
Rout 66 is no longer travailed much but there are historic motels with pictures of old movie stars no one even remembers anymore.

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:yay:

Marco.

I've done a few road-trips in the States - it is very easy and satisfying to get off the freeway and enjoy "proper" America. I've done part of Route 66, and it is still one of my ambitions to do the whole thing one day. Billy Connolly's recent series is awesome to give you a flavour. :) Billy Connolly's Route 66

I've travelled down Highway One on the West coast in a convertible from L.A to San Diego. Took seven hours, got sunburnt, but a fantastic experience. For me, having grown up on a diet of American TV and films going to the States is like being in your own movie.

I liek the food too, although not sure what you would make of that, Marco. Very different from continental Europe.

Were off to Skegvegas in September, i'll show you the luxuries of Holiday making :eyebrows:

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Originally Posted by Rare Bird

Were off to Skegvegas in September, i'll show you the luxuries of Holiday making :eyebrows:

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One of my brothers got married in Skeggy back in '99. I got the impresion that nothing much had changed there since the War so I can see the attraction for you there, Andre ;)

:lol:

Highway 1 is great - the section north of San Francisco is my favourite - cross the bridge & into Marin County. You'll drive round curves and see sections of road that have been in countless films, but the ocean is incredible from there all the way up to Seattle & beyond.
As suggested by others (and in my previously linked to post about Montana) keep off the big roads, stay in family owned, non corpo-chain motels & eat in local diners - choose the one with the most calendars!

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Originally Posted by The Grand Wazoo

Highway 1 is great - the section north of San Francisco is my favourite - cross the bridge & into Marin County. You'll drive round curves and see sections of road that have been in countless films, but the ocean is incredible from there all the way up to Seattle & beyond.
As suggested by others (and in my previously linked to post about Montana) keep off the big roads, stay in family owned, non corpo-chain motels & eat in local diners - choose the one with the most calendars!

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1 is alot more crowded these days but a good drive, the western coastal route along the coast of California,Oregon and Washington state is awesome lots of seal caves,populated tide pools full of sea life and fresh sea food.

Yes, we went south from Vancouver in 2001, taking in Crater Lake, Mt. St Helens, Mt. Rainier & as far as Redwood Nat. Park, before we turned back up the coast, finishing off with some time hiking in the Olympic peninsular. Fantastic!

Just up the road from us, Marco...sort of. Four hours away, but I used to drive up and around Domfront and beyond regularly for meetings - a bit of a hop and a skip in the great scheme of things. We're 2 hours W of Rennes.