Alan great pictures of Mont St. Michel and you and the missus are looking well.
When I went to Bayeux with Tauck we went to the Museum of the Tapestry, it's a shame that was not included in your tour of Bayeux.
Day 9 started off with the slightest drizzle which ended before we reached the beaches. We had a light overcast most of the day but no rain and despite a little wind at the beaches was not cold nor uncomfortable.
Moving right along- today was the tour’s “D-Day” (just missed the actual day of remembrance by a few days). We spent the entire day at the “D-Day Academy,” Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, and the American Cemetery (w/brief stop at the German cemetery). The vegetation and the few severely damaged bunkers we saw, gave little indication of the horrors that happened here. Ed, our local guide who works with most (all?) Tauck tours was fantastic. At times, it was a very moving experience. I almost lost it when they played Taps. Also, too many visitors failed to stop walking and talking at that moment. Ed said this was the first time in awhile visitors were allowed onto the fields. Tomorrow- Giverny then on to Paris.
The first stop was at the Pegasus Bridge. The site also contained one of the gliders used during D-Day.
The cemetery is hallowed ground. I couldn't stop choking up for what these young men accomplished. We were in Normandy for 5 days on a private tour, and it certainly wasn't enough time.
We had a little later start (9:30 am) this morning and arrived at Giverny around noon. It was raining lightly when we departed Deauville but stopped about 1 hour later. Giverny was very busy with lines to see the gardens/ponds and Monet’s house. The lines moved quickly around the ponds and gardens and only had a slight impact on photography (waiting for someone to get out of frame. The line moved steadily through his house since we could only visit about a half dozen rooms and there was little need to linger or read long info boards. After touring the house and gardens We had about an hour to walk to the village if we wanted to see his grave (we didn’t) or shop and get something to eat either takeaway or a sit-down meal. We departed around 2:30 and arrived in Paris about 3:30 and at the fabulous Le Maurice (note: the N, B, Paris, L.V. tour has the most changes of hotels between Classic, Small Group, and departure dates of any tour we’ve taken).
Tonight we have dinner on Tauck at the hotel. Tomorrow will be busy!
Hotel Le Normandy in Dauville.
Lots of photos of flowers. Will delete some dupes and rearrange when I get a chance, but right now it is Apple - 1 and Alan - 0!!! 😪
Today started with an orientation “drive-by” tour of key locations in Paris. It was difficult to take photos from the bus. We made two brief stops at the Luxembourg Gardens and the Eiffel Tower (where a couple in our group got engaged!). After that the bus made a stop at the hotel to let a few off, while the rest headed back on the bus to the left bank for a walking tour. We left the group, got a quick bite to eat and met our private guide for a tour of Sainte Chapelle, the Conciergerie, and the Louvre. Sainte Chapelle was fantastic, the windows were far better than those at Chartre. Even the lower chapel was interesting. We were disappointed in the Conciergerie- it was where Marie Antoinette was held before here execution but there was not much to see. The Louvre was fantastic but really crowded.. If seeing the Louvre is very important to you, find out from Tauck which departures have after hours tour (only a few do) and sign up for that one. The Louvre is not far from Le Maurice, our hotel, so we said farewell to our guide and walked back (through the Toulleries Garden.)
Sainte Chapelle is one of my very favorite places in Paris. The stained glass is truly amazing and takes your breath away when you enter the upper chapel. Wow, the Louvre was packed!
Is the hotel fabulous?
Day 12. We had a busy day. The morning was taken up by a guided visit to Musee d’Orsay which focused on French impressionists, mainly Claude Monet. I like a few of his works but am not a big fan of that genre. I suspect that was a focus, since Impressionism started in France- kinda like jazz and rock & roll in the US. D’Orsay, like the Louvre yesterday, was mobbed.
We left the group here and walked to Musee Rodin which was not busy at all. After Rodin we continued past Invalides to grab a late, quick, and light lunch. We had the farewell dinner that night, so looked for something light. We settled on Bagelsteins. The French are masters at baking bread, etc. however, they don’t have a clue when it comes to bagels!!! After lunch we headed for the Eiffel Tower with tickets to the summit I purchased last month. Very crowded and a bit confusing. While waiting in a security line, one of the sign boards flashed “summit closed.” I was crestfallen until an attendant assured me that was just for daily ticket purchasers. We rode elevators to the top and enjoyed fantastic views. We walked back along the River to Le Meurice. By this time we were hot and tired. We got back with just about an hour to shower, rest, and change. Dinner was a limited menu at Fouquttes (excellent veal and fish) but was a very good.
This morning we left the hotel at 7:05, arrived a CDG at 7:35, and at the AF lounge by 8:19.
This “thinker” is thinking that he is not really a fan of Rodin! 😉
Parting shots- from the Eiffel Tower and the “stroll” back to Le Maurice.
As I mentioned in my previous post, after the visit to d’Orsay, a visit to the Musee Rodin, and a stop for a lousy bagel, we continued to the Eiffel Tower where we had timed tickets for the top. There were two couples who wanted to see it and had been trying to get tickets for a few days. Our TD said the concierge at Le Maurice could work miracles, but I don’t think he was successful. A new ticketing system is needed.
Does anyone recognize this car on the barge? To me it looks like one of those car boats from years ago.
I forget how long the walk was from the Eiffel Tower back to the hotel along the river, the entire route from d'Orsay was 4.1 mi., but it probably seemed longer than it actually was, with everything we did that day (we logged over 8 miles!!) and the heat. I have been joking about the weather, in this blog, but it has been fabulous for the entire tour. One of the photos I didn’t get- the Arc d’Triomphe- I couldn’t get a good shot of it from the bus the previous day and even though the driver and TD made a special photo stop on the way to Fouquet's for the Farewell Dinner, the sun angle was bad. ☹️
Another photo missed- the Eiffel Tower with nighttime illumination. ☹️ our room at Le Meurice faced an interior courtyard and sunsets were just too late (10:45 pm!!!) to head out to a location with good view.
We are home and tired. Our departure from CDG was delayed almost an hour because of problems with a baggage container- they had to move a number of bags to another one. Well you can guess what was running through my mind!! The flight went well, we arrived on time and so did our bags . The previous night I had horrendous leg cramps, again from all the walking we did the last day (8.17 mi.!)
and I probably didn't drink enough water. Luckily no cramps during the flight.
Yes, the car on the barge was an Amphicar 770 It was manufactured between 1961 an 1965 in Germany.
And here, in front of the Luxor Temple is the partner to the obelisk that is located at the center of the Place de la Concorde in Paris near our hotel! Now I've seen the set.
Alan, what were the tents at the base of the Eiffel Tower? I've enjoyed your photos very much. They brought back great memories of my trip in 2016. What's next on your agenda?
I’m not sure what the tents were for- they totally obscured the contents and probably are to hide repairs, new construction, or installation of equipment such as new spotlights, etc. for current and future events and ceremonies. There was construction everywhere along the Champ de Mars, I suspect most of it is for the Olympics. Major sections of it were fenced off. ☹️
Sam, me thinks all Egyptian obelisks look pretty much the same. The one in the Place de Concorde was a gift to France. They were offered two, but it was such a herculean effort to get the first one home and erected, France never got the second one (good!!). France played a big part in the early days of Egyptian archaeology- August Marriete discovered many ruins like the Avenue of Sphinxes, the Serrapeum in Saqqara, etc. , was the founder and first director of the Egyptian Department of Antiquities and responsible for the Cairo Museum. Champollion was the first to decipher the Rosetta Stone, Victor Loret and Gaston Maspero who discovered long hidden caches of the mummies of most of the 18th Dynasty pharaohs. And the list goes on.
Alan , hi!
Glad to hear your home safe... Yes, CDG it's a mess- my brother still waiting for his luggage!
Well, now you're home and it is time to rest and get ready for the next trip. Great report loved all the pictures.
Have a lovely day.
Thank you so much for this lovely review. We have been debating; you have convinced me that this tour would be a good fit for our 50th anniversary next year,
Comments
Alan great pictures of Mont St. Michel and you and the missus are looking well.
When I went to Bayeux with Tauck we went to the Museum of the Tapestry, it's a shame that was not included in your tour of Bayeux.
Day 9 started off with the slightest drizzle which ended before we reached the beaches. We had a light overcast most of the day but no rain and despite a little wind at the beaches was not cold nor uncomfortable.
Moving right along- today was the tour’s “D-Day” (just missed the actual day of remembrance by a few days). We spent the entire day at the “D-Day Academy,” Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, and the American Cemetery (w/brief stop at the German cemetery). The vegetation and the few severely damaged bunkers we saw, gave little indication of the horrors that happened here. Ed, our local guide who works with most (all?) Tauck tours was fantastic. At times, it was a very moving experience. I almost lost it when they played Taps. Also, too many visitors failed to stop walking and talking at that moment. Ed said this was the first time in awhile visitors were allowed onto the fields. Tomorrow- Giverny then on to Paris.
The first stop was at the Pegasus Bridge. The site also contained one of the gliders used during D-Day.
The cemetery is hallowed ground. I couldn't stop choking up for what these young men accomplished. We were in Normandy for 5 days on a private tour, and it certainly wasn't enough time.
It's the most moving place I've visited, that and the beaches, it's hard not to cry, knowing how many gave their lives for what we enjoy today.
On a brighter and visually happier note . . .
Day 10. Giverny and on to Paris.
We had a little later start (9:30 am) this morning and arrived at Giverny around noon. It was raining lightly when we departed Deauville but stopped about 1 hour later. Giverny was very busy with lines to see the gardens/ponds and Monet’s house. The lines moved quickly around the ponds and gardens and only had a slight impact on photography (waiting for someone to get out of frame. The line moved steadily through his house since we could only visit about a half dozen rooms and there was little need to linger or read long info boards. After touring the house and gardens We had about an hour to walk to the village if we wanted to see his grave (we didn’t) or shop and get something to eat either takeaway or a sit-down meal. We departed around 2:30 and arrived in Paris about 3:30 and at the fabulous Le Maurice (note: the N, B, Paris, L.V. tour has the most changes of hotels between Classic, Small Group, and departure dates of any tour we’ve taken).
Tonight we have dinner on Tauck at the hotel. Tomorrow will be busy!
Hotel Le Normandy in Dauville.
Lots of photos of flowers. Will delete some dupes and rearrange when I get a chance, but right now it is Apple - 1 and Alan - 0!!! 😪
Just gorgeously Alan, my heart loves gardens!
I love Giverny and the gardens at Monet's house are beautiful, I took a great picture of my mom at the bridge. Great place.
Day 11. Paris
Today started with an orientation “drive-by” tour of key locations in Paris. It was difficult to take photos from the bus. We made two brief stops at the Luxembourg Gardens and the Eiffel Tower (where a couple in our group got engaged!). After that the bus made a stop at the hotel to let a few off, while the rest headed back on the bus to the left bank for a walking tour. We left the group, got a quick bite to eat and met our private guide for a tour of Sainte Chapelle, the Conciergerie, and the Louvre. Sainte Chapelle was fantastic, the windows were far better than those at Chartre. Even the lower chapel was interesting. We were disappointed in the Conciergerie- it was where Marie Antoinette was held before here execution but there was not much to see. The Louvre was fantastic but really crowded.. If seeing the Louvre is very important to you, find out from Tauck which departures have after hours tour (only a few do) and sign up for that one. The Louvre is not far from Le Maurice, our hotel, so we said farewell to our guide and walked back (through the Toulleries Garden.)
The view from our garret window:
lovely!
Sainte Chapelle is one of my very favorite places in Paris. The stained glass is truly amazing and takes your breath away when you enter the upper chapel. Wow, the Louvre was packed!
Is the hotel fabulous?
Alan - The photos are just amazing! Thank you for sharing.
I loved Giverny and Sainte Chapelle, I actually went there one night for a string concert, it was amazing. Great photos Alan.
We were hoping for a concert when we were there, we missed one doing the works of Pachelbel (especially his canon in D major.)
Day 12. We had a busy day. The morning was taken up by a guided visit to Musee d’Orsay which focused on French impressionists, mainly Claude Monet. I like a few of his works but am not a big fan of that genre. I suspect that was a focus, since Impressionism started in France- kinda like jazz and rock & roll in the US. D’Orsay, like the Louvre yesterday, was mobbed.
We left the group here and walked to Musee Rodin which was not busy at all. After Rodin we continued past Invalides to grab a late, quick, and light lunch. We had the farewell dinner that night, so looked for something light. We settled on Bagelsteins. The French are masters at baking bread, etc. however, they don’t have a clue when it comes to bagels!!! After lunch we headed for the Eiffel Tower with tickets to the summit I purchased last month. Very crowded and a bit confusing. While waiting in a security line, one of the sign boards flashed “summit closed.” I was crestfallen until an attendant assured me that was just for daily ticket purchasers. We rode elevators to the top and enjoyed fantastic views. We walked back along the River to Le Meurice. By this time we were hot and tired. We got back with just about an hour to shower, rest, and change. Dinner was a limited menu at Fouquttes (excellent veal and fish) but was a very good.
This morning we left the hotel at 7:05, arrived a CDG at 7:35, and at the AF lounge by 8:19.
This “thinker” is thinking that he is not really a fan of Rodin! 😉
We have a Rodin museum in Philly, same statue too!
Alan - If you’re going to do the pose, really go for it, wardrobe and all!!! 😂
LOL!!!!
Great pose Alan, love the pictures.
British said:
There's also one at the Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. The Thinker is #1 on the Rodin hit parade.
The lower statue has far more realism than the upper one!!
Alan - Glad you posed in front of The Thinker instead of the statue of David.
😂😂😂😂
Parting shots- from the Eiffel Tower and the “stroll” back to Le Maurice.
As I mentioned in my previous post, after the visit to d’Orsay, a visit to the Musee Rodin, and a stop for a lousy bagel, we continued to the Eiffel Tower where we had timed tickets for the top. There were two couples who wanted to see it and had been trying to get tickets for a few days. Our TD said the concierge at Le Maurice could work miracles, but I don’t think he was successful. A new ticketing system is needed.
Does anyone recognize this car on the barge? To me it looks like one of those car boats from years ago.
I forget how long the walk was from the Eiffel Tower back to the hotel along the river, the entire route from d'Orsay was 4.1 mi., but it probably seemed longer than it actually was, with everything we did that day (we logged over 8 miles!!) and the heat. I have been joking about the weather, in this blog, but it has been fabulous for the entire tour. One of the photos I didn’t get- the Arc d’Triomphe- I couldn’t get a good shot of it from the bus the previous day and even though the driver and TD made a special photo stop on the way to Fouquet's for the Farewell Dinner, the sun angle was bad. ☹️
Another photo missed- the Eiffel Tower with nighttime illumination. ☹️ our room at Le Meurice faced an interior courtyard and sunsets were just too late (10:45 pm!!!) to head out to a location with good view.
Great photos of the Tower Alan. I guess you are home safe now. It’s been fun following your journey.
You missed the smoke here at home!
We are home and tired. Our departure from CDG was delayed almost an hour because of problems with a baggage container- they had to move a number of bags to another one. Well you can guess what was running through my mind!!
The flight went well, we arrived on time and so did our bags 
. The previous night I had horrendous leg cramps, again from all the walking we did the last day (8.17 mi.!)
and I probably didn't drink enough water. Luckily no cramps during the flight.
Yes, the car on the barge was an Amphicar 770
It was manufactured between 1961 an 1965 in Germany.
And here, in front of the Luxor Temple is the partner to the obelisk that is located at the center of the Place de la Concorde in Paris near our hotel! Now I've seen the set.
The obelisk at Karnak looks a lot like the two you’ve shown.
Alan, what were the tents at the base of the Eiffel Tower? I've enjoyed your photos very much. They brought back great memories of my trip in 2016. What's next on your agenda?
I’m not sure what the tents were for- they totally obscured the contents and probably are to hide repairs, new construction, or installation of equipment such as new spotlights, etc. for current and future events and ceremonies. There was construction everywhere along the Champ de Mars, I suspect most of it is for the Olympics. Major sections of it were fenced off. ☹️
Sam, me thinks all Egyptian obelisks look pretty much the same. The one in the Place de Concorde was a gift to France. They were offered two, but it was such a herculean effort to get the first one home and erected, France never got the second one (good!!). France played a big part in the early days of Egyptian archaeology- August Marriete discovered many ruins like the Avenue of Sphinxes, the Serrapeum in Saqqara, etc. , was the founder and first director of the Egyptian Department of Antiquities and responsible for the Cairo Museum. Champollion was the first to decipher the Rosetta Stone, Victor Loret and Gaston Maspero who discovered long hidden caches of the mummies of most of the 18th Dynasty pharaohs. And the list goes on.
Alan , hi!
Glad to hear your home safe... Yes, CDG it's a mess- my brother still waiting for his luggage!
Well, now you're home and it is time to rest and get ready for the next trip. Great report loved all the pictures.
Have a lovely day.
Thank you so much for this lovely review. We have been debating; you have convinced me that this tour would be a good fit for our 50th anniversary next year,