Friday, July 1, 2016

Angers, France & D-Day Beaches {June 23-26}

My parents were in Angers, France for a few weeks for my dad’s work, so we took advantage and went and visited them for the long weekend of the Duke’s Birthday (Luxembourg’s national holiday). After a long day of driving most of the way across France, we arrived at their little airbnb apartment. My parents took the kids to a little playground right around the corner before dinner.

On Friday, my dad stayed in Angers to work and mom came with us to go up to the D-Day beaches in Normandy. We first went to the WWII museum in Caen. The kids lasted a little while, and there was enough information that we could have stayed forever, but wanted to make sure we had time to make it to the beaches. 

2016-06-24_054759169_330D0_iOS (1)  IMG_0688

 2016-06-24_123425443_D0E37_iOS   2016-06-24_104850893_03A24_iOSIMG_0698 IMG_3704

Omaha Beach 

2016-06-24_132500498_4AE25_iOS 2016-06-24_153218176_8B9A8_iOS 2016-06-24_133012333_94289_iOS (1)2016-06-24_153633889_1C706_iOS 2016-06-24_154530833_991F8_iOSIMG_0715 IMG_0704IMG_0706 IMG_0707

Pointe Du Hoc

Huge cliffs, German bunkers, and giant craters. Pointe du Hoc was beautiful, but sobering at the same time.

IMG_0709 IMG_0717IMG_0712 2016-06-24_141247899_41A5C_iOS (1) 2016-06-24_141830291_71C92_iOS (1) IMG_3707 IMG_3714IMG_3715 IMG_3719

below: the kids looking out over the point, Eliza showing grandma her muscles, and Bennett and Ryan playing soccer in the parking lot before we headed back to Angers.

2016-06-24_143658040_1A8AE_iOS 2016-06-24_145532250_8A24B_iOS (1) 2016-06-24_165028948_BB1A5_iOS (1)

Saturday in Angers

We spent Saturday in Angers eating croissants for breakfast, perusing the Saturday market, playing at the playground, seeing the preparations for the tour de France that was coming through a couple days later, playing games at the apartment, and going to dinner at the crèperie. After the kids went to bed, Nate and I went for a walk along the river at sunset.

IMG_3723  IMG_3686 (2) IMG_3687 IMG_3689 (2) IMG_37452016-06-25_102327018_3EA10_iOS

IMG_3696  IMG_3694  IMG_3692IMG_0731  IMG_3694 (2)  IMG_0736

IMG_3736  IMG_3698 (2)  IMG_3735  IMG_0739  IMG_3737

2016-06-25_201133992_4D406_iOS  2016-06-25_201159009_933C0_iOS

Sunday 

We walked to church in the Angers ward, then had lunch and started our drive back home. It’s always sad to say good-bye, but we were so glad we got to go see them for the weekend!

IMG_3740  IMG_3704  

 2016-06-26_081303514_D3C8C_iOS  2016-06-26_082125977_C972E_iOS

IMG_0743  IMG_0747

IMG_3715 IMG_3720 IMG_3712

We drove through Paris on our way home, so we decided to stop and see the Paris Temple on our way. It was beautiful! It was so fun to see it (after driving right in front of Versailles), and we are excited for it to be done!


IMG_0759  IMG_0771IMG_0775  2016-06-26_135502179_40B83_iOS  2016-06-26_140029902_94A0A_iOS

All of us in front of the temple, and catching a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower out the window as we drove through Paris.

IMG_0761  2016-06-26_144643448_7434E_iOS

No comments: