INSPIRATIONAL NORMANDY

Text & Photos by David Bowden Translation by Emma Xu

INSPIRATIONAL NORMANDY

Text & Photos by David Bowden Translation by Emma Xu

It's possible to be sitting in a small fi shing village along the Atlantic Ocean on the Normandy coastline within just a few hours of touching down in Paris at Charles de Gaulle Airport. This coastline is one of France's most picturesque landscapes, and it's easy to see how the sun and the scenery inspired so many artists, musicians and composers as well as being a destination that attracts a variety of holidaymakers.

Discover the harbourside marina in Fécamp. 費康的港口風光。

諾曼底靈感海岸

諾曼底海岸線的風景冠絕法國，那兒的光影與美景激發了眾多藝術家、音樂家和作曲家的創作靈感。如今，無數游客紛至沓來，只為驚鴻一瞥。

Admire sculptures in the gardens of Les Jardins d'étretat.景觀花園中的人面雕塑極為醒目。

Alabaster Coast

Parts of coastal Normandy are known as the C?te d'Abatre (Alabaster Coast) because of the mineralrich white chalky cliffs that form the backdrop to sandy beaches lapping the Atlantic Ocean foreshore. These cliffs mirror the White Cliffs of Dover on the other side of the English Channel.

Painters such as Delacroix, Miro, Maupassant, Renoir, Picasso and Monet were attracted to these parts, and many produced some of their fi nest works here. Visitors to Eugène Boudin Museum in Honfl eur can see the works from many of these great French landscape artists.

As painters who embraced modernity and the unique use of light, the Impressionists revolutionised art in the 19th century. Today, they are considered very popular in the scope of the medium, and their works rank highly amongst the world's fi nest cultural relics.

The dramatic white cliffs of Aval along the famous Aiguille provided inspiration and also enlightened these painters. One of the best places artists would journey to was Les Jardins d'étretat, a landscaped garden located just above the small town of étretat not far from Le Havre near the mouth of the River Seine.

These picturesque gardens created by landscape architect Alexander Grivko, feature sculptures surrounded by meticulously manicured shrubs. Over-sized sculptures of young faces are in stark contrast to the natural surroundings.

Villa Roxelane, situated on the garden's highest vantage point is where Madame Thébault, a famous actress of the time and Auguste Lecanue, a landscape painter, fi rst planted scrubs in the chalky soil in 1905.

The area and the avant-garde gardens appealed and inspired famous Impressionist painters such as Claude Monet who worked extensively in Normandy.

étretat is famous for its white chalky cliffs.埃特爾塔鎮以白色峭壁聞名。

靈感之源

阿拉巴斯特海岸位于諾曼底沿海一帶，岸邊矗立著重重白堊峭壁，構成巍然奇景。英吉利海峽的多佛白崖與白堊峭壁遙遙相對。

米羅、畢加索、莫奈等大畫家均從這片美景中受到啟發，畫出了傳世之作。

造型奇巧的阿瓦勒白色懸崖為畫家們帶來了無限靈感，坐落在埃特爾塔小鎮的景觀花園也是一個絕妙的靈感之源。

美不勝收的景觀花園由亞歷山大·格里夫科設計，園內精雕細琢的特寫雕塑被精心修剪的灌木叢團團簇擁。

Left左The Palais Bénédictine.本篤宮。

Middle中Archways in Mont Saint-Michel.圣米歇爾山上的拱形長廊。

Right右Detailed architecture of Mont Saint-Michel.建筑細節。

Abbeys, Monasteries and Palaces

Normandy is home to many places of worship with the most famous being Mont Saint-Michel perched on a rocky outcrop just off the north western coastline near the Channel Islands.

The abbey is one of France's most photographed places because it is so unique in being situated on a rocky granite outcrop almost one kilometre across the tidal fl ats from the mainland. A new causeway, visitors' centre and parking area ensure that visitors can enjoy the sunshine by walking to the abbey via the causeway that crosses coastal fl ats which are either exposed or covered in seawater depending upon the height of the tide.

Being France's fi rst UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mont Saint-Michel not only has a special role to play in French life but it is also important to global culture. This fortifi ed village dating back over 1,200 years is dominated by the abbey on the highest parts while villagers live in the lower precincts.

The abbey is vast with over 20 chambers that exhibit many architectural styles added over the centuries. While open to the general public, specialist tours can be arranged to enable interested visitors to see and experience lesser seen parts of the religious site including views from the very top where massive Gothic spires reach skyward.

Another famous building that could well be mistaken for an abbey along the Normandy coastline is the Palais Bénédictine in Fécamp. This incredible Gothic and Renaissance-styled building is home to the renowned Bénédictine liqueur which is a popular beverage the world over.

While the ornately-decorated palace only dates back to the 19th century, the liqueur was fi rst produced in the 16th century when a Bénédictine monk named Dom Bernardo Vincelli created a secret elixir that was produced for decades but then lost during the French Revolution.

In 1863, Alexandre Le Grand, a local wine trader, rediscovered the recipe found in a book within his vast library. The complex herbal-based recipe was recreated, and the Palais Bénédictine built as a home to what is one of the best known liqueurs on the market today.

Not only is the palace where the liqueur is distilled using numerous secret herbal ingredients, but it is also a cellar for ageing the liqueur, a repository of art, a venue for grand hospitality events and, a boutique for sampling and buying the famous beverage. Visitors can join a guided tour to take in the impressive setting, the spectacular pieces of art and to enjoy guided samplings of the well-known liqueur.

Mont Saint-Michel.宗教圣地圣米歇爾山。

教堂宮殿

諾曼底有很多宗教朝圣地，最負盛名的當屬圣米歇爾山——法國第一個被聯合國教科文組織認定的世界文化遺產。

圣米歇爾山的山頂大教堂堪稱法國最美之地，其地理位置十分獨特，位于花崗巖露頭之上，四面皆是潮灘，僅有一條堤道可通行。

教堂占地很廣，有20多間內室，展示著歷代不同的建筑風格。

諾曼底海岸的另一座著名建筑是費康的本篤宮，融合了哥特風格與文藝復興風格。有名的本篤會甜酒就出產于本篤宮。甜酒由一名本篤會修士發明，后經當地酒商改良而成。

本篤宮，不僅是蒸餾甜酒的地方，也是保存甜酒的酒窖、收藏藝術品的寶庫。游客可來此欣賞優美的建筑、珍奇的藏品，當然也不能錯過唇齒留香的名酒。

Left左The fishing village of Honfleur.翁弗勒爾漁港。

Right右Dine on the freshest seafood.無比新鮮的海貨。

Ports and Bays

There are many ports, bays and marinas to enjoy the sun and coastal location with Honfl eur, Fécamp, Cherbourg, Caen, Cabourg and Deauville standing out.

Cherbourg has one of the most famous harbours along the coast. It is located at the entrance to the English Channel and is a major port for ferries heading to and from Britain.

In addition to its docks and marinas, one of the big attractions here is La Cité de la Mer Cherbourg. This museum is located in the former transatlantic liner terminal which dates back to the 1930s when huge ocean-going cruise boats pulled in here on their way from England to the east coast of the United States.

There are many attractions in the museum including a re-creation of the Art Deco baggage hall for the ill-fated Titanic. While the Titanic did not actually embark from Cherbourg, tender vessels transported 274 passengers from the coastal port out to the Titanic which was moored offshore in the English Channel.

Another highlight was a visit to La Cité de la Mer, to explore Le Redoutable, a French Navy submarine. This is the largest submarine open to the public in the world and an eye-opening experience for all.

If you want another picturesque harbour, head over to Fécamp where there is another marina that is very popular with tourists. Visitors can stroll along the promenade here, dine in restaurants and enjoy local beverages in the town's atmospheric bars.

In days gone by, fi shermen from Fécamp headed out into the Atlantic Ocean in search of codfi sh which were mostly caught in the waters off the Canadian maritime province of Newfoundland. A new museum in Fécamp called Musée des Terre-Neuvas et de la Péche has just opened to celebrate these brave fi shermen and how they contributed to the wealth of the small fi shing port.

Food for the Senses

Seafood is another great reason to visit Normandy where oysters, mussels and scallops thrive in the coastal waters and are served in restaurants all over the region.

Many restaurants and cafés specialise in seafood with some worth seeking out including l'Equipage (beside the harbour in Cherbourg), La M?me du Vaugueux (Caen) and L'Ostréa (Honfl eur).

While Honfl eur is quite touristy, it's well worth visiting at the weekend for the open-air markets that sprawl around the small harbour and to visit the exciting new Normandy Outlet shopping complex that has just opened nearby. Half-timbered houses typical of Normandy line the dock front here creating a magical setting for visitors.

Other local specialty foods and beverage items include Camembert cheese, apple cider, Calvados (apple brandy) and tarte aux pommes (apple tarts).

Left 左Admire the check-in counter for the Titanic.泰坦尼克號展覽。

Middle中Visit a submarine in Cherbourg.瑟堡的潛水艇。

Right右Sea gull海鷗。

海港風情

瑟堡位于英吉利海峽的入口，是渡輪來往英國時?？康拇笮透劭凇?/p>

海洋城市博物館是瑟堡的一大景點，館內有很多吸引眼球的亮點，譬如泰坦尼克號的展覽。另一亮點是可畏級核潛艇，目前世界上對公眾開放的最大潛水艇，絕對令人大開眼界。

費康的海港風景優美，頗受游客歡迎。游客可在碼頭漫步，在富有小鎮風情的酒吧里品嘗特色飲品。

感官盛宴

誘人的海鮮是又一個不得不去諾曼底的理由，那里的沿海水域盛產牡蠣、青口和扇貝，在當地所有餐館都有供應。

翁弗勒爾非常值得一游，特別是海港周圍的露天市場，還有附近的諾曼底購物中心，都是不錯的逛街選擇。那兒半木結構的房屋是典型的諾曼底建筑風格，它們錯落有致地列在碼頭后面，平添一道怡人風景。

Peaceful coastline.迷人海岸線。

ITINERARY旅行路線

Day 1

飛往巴黎（戴高樂機場）；抵達蓬托爾松——離圣米歇爾山教堂最近的小鎮，入住酒店。下午游覽圣米歇爾山教堂。當晚在蓬托爾松留宿。

Day 2

前往瑟堡，白天參觀海洋城市博物館，享用海鮮，逛碼頭周邊。當晚在瑟堡留宿。

Day 3

前往卡昂、卡布爾、多維爾及翁弗勒爾，欣賞美麗的沿海風景。當晚留宿翁弗勒爾，可在碼頭附近散步，看漁船、老屋，在海鮮餐廳用餐。

Day 4

早上去諾曼底購物中心購物，之后穿過塞納河，往北經由勒阿弗爾，到埃特爾塔參觀景觀花園。下午去費康參觀著名的本篤宮，品嘗該處釀造的甜酒。當晚留宿費康，在碼頭旁的餐廳用餐，夜晚可去泡吧。

Day 5

回到諾曼底大區的首府魯昂，到市中心參觀著名的半木結構房屋，之后返回巴黎。

Tips旅游貼士

?對想欣賞印象派畫家注重的光影效果的游客來說，游覽諾曼底海岸的最佳時間是夏季陽光燦爛時，抑或八九月份夏季假期結束時。

?諾曼底的一些地區有火車可乘坐；參觀小村鎮，租車是最佳選擇。

?手機翻譯軟件可以協助識別法語標志、菜單，還能幫忙砍價。