Today roads across Cotentin’s marshes are finely mapped and sturdy, when William Duke of Normandy (future Conqueror of England) was 19, it was a very different story. If he had not known the marshes so well, how different all our histories would be. The child Duke, protected at all costs It is surprising
Legends & heroes
A Grimoire, geese and Château de Pirou – the legend
Hugues’ big surprise in the Andaines forest; an Orne legend
There are many legends of Bonvouloir, here is one we think has a ring of truth. First published October 2015 A medieval knight, not old but exhausted by years of 12th century combat, rode through the forest of Andaines towards home. Hugues, Seigneur de Tessé was tired. Tired of losing good friends in
Finding Eden, in the forest of Saint-Sever Calvados
The Gacé girl who became a Paris queen; La Dame aux Camélias
First published 2016/07/02 Within this imposing fortress at Gacé, is a small unexpected homage. A museum dedicated to a local girl whose short life was filled with passion, fame, tragedy and horror. In Gacé, Rose-Alphonsine Plessis worked in an umbrella factory. As Marie Duplessis, she was the courtesan queen of Paris, for a