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Post by tillystar on Jul 19, 2009 10:42:04 GMT
I work with guy from NZ who has been in the UK for a year and now realising he is going home in a few months is in a mad frenzy seeing as much of Europe as he can.
Next weekend and and his girlfriend are getting a ferry to Calais early on Saturday morning and then coming home on Sunday evening.
He has asked for some suggestions of places to see. I know thy love natural beauty, walks etc but also interested in history and happy pottering around cities. They have already vsited Paris, driven a lot of South-West France and the Alpes.
They enjoy driving and so reasonable distances aren't a problem and even if anyone has ideas of a nice drive itself. Thy also like cramming it all in and seeing as much as possible!
I was going to suggest visiting Lille as I love it there, also Dunkerque as I think they would find it interesting. Does anyone have some other suggestions of places to visit or things to do??
He loves food so obviously they must have mussels and chips!
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Post by bazfaz on Jul 19, 2009 14:35:44 GMT
They have a car, I uess. I enjoy the stretch of coast between Calais and Boulogne. They can park at Wimereux and walk along a clifftop path past the ruins of German gun emplacements. Food can be pretty good there. The Atlantic is expensive but there are other options. I have had a lovely plateau of seafood at a more modest place with a good bottle of Muscadet.
I'm sure when Kerouac has returned home later today he can give you suggestions.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2009 15:02:56 GMT
Baz is right -- it is very nice to follow the coast road and see Cap Gris Nez and Cap Blanc Nez with all of the German fortifications but also some very fine scenery. Le Touquet is nice to see as well, but you wouldn't want to spend the night there.
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Post by clichy on Jul 19, 2009 19:57:15 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2009 20:23:03 GMT
I agree that Amiens is a lovely possibilty. For those in town after dark, Amiens has created a visual reproduction (with projectors and slides) of how the cathedral used to look -- because all of those statues on the front used to be painted! It is out of the question to paint them now (  ) but at least you can see how they looked 500 or 700 years ago.  (The cathedral of Chartres is also doing that this year apparently.) |
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 20, 2009 0:50:15 GMT
They were painted?! Dang. The photo above looks like a giant, three-dimensional stained glass window.
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Post by bazfaz on Jul 20, 2009 7:02:36 GMT
Do people truly use this word? |
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 20, 2009 7:08:17 GMT
I just did, didn't I?
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Post by hwinpp on Jul 20, 2009 10:02:11 GMT
There's a famous cathedral at Rouen. And I like the coast near Deauville, Trouville and Honfleur.
I also like Mont St. Michel. And La Rochelle and a little walled city near it, I've forgotten the name.
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Post by tillystar on Jul 20, 2009 11:00:14 GMT
Thanks for all the lovely ideas - I have passed them on. I was thinking of Amiens (I remember it vaguely from about 25 years ago) and looking at that link Clichy and K's picture of the lit up cathedral it looks lovely - the Hortillages look really interesting! Also Baz, Wimereaux for a cliff-top walk looks just like their kind of thing! hwipp, I remember this church from Rouen and now I have looke dit up and I discover it is supposed to represnt the flames as Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake. I always believed as a kid it was an upside down boat  Poor misguided thing.  |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2009 11:41:37 GMT
They were painted?! Dang. The photo above looks like a giant, three-dimensional stained glass window. Yes, people used to paint all of the statuary in the old days. It is with the economic crisis of modern times and the laziness of the work force that we have decided to make believe that the cathedrals look better "natural stone color."  |
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Post by bjd on Jul 20, 2009 12:30:03 GMT
Not only statuary, the walls inside cathedrals were painted too. The only one I have seen that still has its painted walls is the cathedral in Albi, in southern France. it is spectacular.
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Post by auntieannie on Jul 21, 2009 19:40:54 GMT
hw, were you thinking of Saint Malo?
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Post by tillystar on Jul 27, 2009 8:24:18 GMT
Well they went this weekend and I have been listening at my desk about the trip with my morning coffee. They really don't mind driving and covered so much!
Thanks for your great suggestions as they were well used - they visited Mont St Michel, Honfleur, Bayeaux, Rouen and stopped at Etaple cemetary and then Wimereaux for a walk and dinner before catching the ferry last night.
Oh and Baz - they loved The Atlantic so thanks for that tip!
It sounds like they had fun, but my colleague really looks tired today!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2009 19:14:53 GMT
Well, France isn't far. They can come again in case they missed something.
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Post by lagatta on Jul 28, 2009 22:19:46 GMT
When you look at late Middle Age/Early Renaissance painting in Italy, you can see not only churches but entire towns painted in rich sumptuous colours. Imagine the work back then when pigments were all natural and had to be ground by hand.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2009 22:14:39 GMT
Some of them were easy (beet juice!).
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Post by gertie on Mar 8, 2010 2:22:40 GMT
I read somewhere there were traces of paint on the original heads from Notre Dame du Paris as well, that must surely have been something to see if it was painted as well. It is a great shame they can't paint them now I think, such beautiful colors!
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) but at least you can see how they looked 500 or 700 years ago.
Poor misguided thing.
