France – Lower Normandy (Caen, Cherbourg) Sept 20, 2021
Moulin de Moidrey, Pontorson. Alone out in the country, this is the first time I can remember a mill with the vanes turning. It was built in 1830 and totally refurbished with a new roof and operating system in the early 1990s. Each vane has an interesting set of slats when adjusted increase the speed (invented 130 years ago. He sells all kinds of flour and juice. 4 for a tour.
Mont St Michel is easily visible on the coast.
Haras de la Huderie, Glanville is a Bauhaus residence, situated in Glanville, Calvados at 9 kilometres from Deauville, France. The principal residence, known as Villa Sayer is unusual for this region and is the work of Bauhaus architect, Marcel Breuer, hisonly private residence in France. Constructed from 1972 to 1974 by its owners, it illustrates a harmony between architecture and the environment. It is a transparent house.
For the roof, the shape of a double hyperbolic parabolic, the architect employs prestressed concrete, Cables are linked to exterior pillars of bush-hammered concrete. The exterior uses white concrete, either bush-hammered, in the form of boards, or alternatively vertical and horizontal. In 1992 it was registered at the supplementary inventory of historical monuments and has been classed as a historical monument since 2005.
In the NM Architectural Delights series, I eventually came to a gate, rang the buzzers but had no response, so crawled through the fence. Walking past nice horses, the house is a wonderful creation – a big open space with a three-winged roofline.
The gate had a sign for Consulat Cote d’Ivoire Calvadas on one side and Monument Historique on the other side. The large property has manicured lawns and is all surrounded by impenetrable hedges.
L’Abbaye-aux-Hommes (Abbey of Saint-Étienne), Caen is a former Benedictine monastery in Caen, Normandy, dedicated to Saint Stephen. It was founded in 1063 by William the Conqueror and is one of the most important Romanesque buildings in Normandy.
After his own death in 1087 in Rouen, the body of King William was sent to Caen to be buried in Saint-Étienne. An important feature added to both churches in about 1120 was the ribbed vault, used for the first time in France. The two abbey churches are considered forerunners of the Gothic. Nine towers and spires were added in the 13th century. The interior vaulting shows a similar progression, beginning with early sexpartite vaulting (using circular ribs) in the nave and progressing to quadripartite vaults (using pointed ribs) in the sanctuary.
I slept in Caen, at my usual spot, a McDonalds, mooching internet. The wifi signal at French McDonalds is very good but shuts off when they close.
DEAUVILLE. This is a very prosperous town – several marinas full of yahts, expensive beach villas.
Deauville Beach. A very deep beach with well over a 100m of sand, lined with a wide boardwalk with many beach pavilions named after famous people. On a cool, windy day, there were no sunbathers.
Cathedral of Sainte Catherine, Honfleur. Dating from the second half of the 15th century, it replaced an older stone church that was destroyed during the Hundred Years’ War. It was built by the town’s inhabitants after the English occupants left. With the limited resources available at the time, they used wood from the nearby Touques forest as the principal raw material and they applied their naval construction skills.
Listed as a historic monument in 1879, it is the largest church in France to be entirely made of wood and with a separate belfry.
Don’t miss this wonderful wood church. There are 2 equal central naves separated by a row of wood columns and a small low nave on each side. Wonderful stained glass, faux bronze statues, polychromes, wood ships, great wood vaulted ceilings. The outside is wood shingled. I was standing outside and still asked for directions.
