August Travels

Our August travels included time in Honfleur and Paris. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in each location, and getting away from our home in the country to enjoy some time in the city. Here are the highlights.

We went to Honfleur as a birthday get away for theTravelsketcher. Honfleur, is a lovely town located at the mouth of the river Seine. Founded in the 11th century, Honfleur had a bit of an identity crisis back then since it changed hands multiple times between the French and English. But it has been firmly French since the mid 15th century.

Strolling around the Vieux Bassin, the old port area that dates back to the 17th century, is a treat. Here you’ll find many restaurants, shops, buskers, and lots of entertaining activity. The area is surrounded with the famous, tall, narrow, colorful timber-framed buildings that are quintessential to the area. There are many expensive yachts moored in the harbor and you can watch them come and go as you enjoy a meal in an outdoor cafe.

Eglise Ste. Catherine is the oldest wooden church in Europe, and is located not far from the harbor. The ceiling inside looks like the hull of a ship, thanks to the creative boat builders who constructed the church in the 15th century. The bell tower is located a few steps away from the church in a separate building. In case of fire, the builders didn’t want the heavy bell to come crashing down on worshipers.

Satie Houses is the home of the eccentric, avant-guard composer, Eric Satie (1866 – 1925). He was born here and spent the bulk of his life at his home here with some time Paris, where he studied music at the Paris Conservatory. Much of the information I reviewed about Satie explained that he was quirky and unconventional; and this is exactly what you’ll find in the museum. We found ourselves scratching our heads at many of the displays.

He never admitted anyone into his private living area, and after his death it was found in complete shambles. He even had two stacked grand pianos; the top one was used for storage and had over 100 umbrellas as well as other items in the inner frame. That said, the museum was an entertaining experience for us.

Le Jardin du Tripot is a delightful hidden gem in the old town area located on the site of an old mill. This relatively young garden established in 2013 is a lovely place to wander.

On Wednesday and Saturday mornings there is a street market set up near Eglise Ste. Catherine.

Just strolling through the town you’ll find many interesting photo opportunities.

Of course, you’ll be hungry after all that wandering, and if you love seafood, you’re in culinary heaven here. L’Homme de Bois was one of our favorites.

Côté Resto near Eglise Ste. Catherine, was another terrific restaurant that we will visit again when we return to Honfleur.

We stayed at L’Ecole des Demoisselles, a boutique hotel located in the heart of old town, within walking distance to all the activity. This lovely hotel has a welcoming staff and delicious breakfast.

The following week we spent five days in Paris with my sister, brother-in-law, and their kids. As I mentioned in a blog last month, they spent two months in Europe this summer. We met up with them for a family road trip in July; you can read about our time together here. They ended their European adventure in Paris. We again had a great time together with lots of fun, laughter, delicious meals, amazing experiences, and making some great memories. With their approval, here are some family photos.

We so enjoyed our travels in August and are ready to take off again next week for more adventures in the south of France, with even more time with friends and family. There’s much more to share in the coming months, so stay tuned!

Wishing you grand adventures,

Tricia