First published 7 July 2018 ‘No ship ever brought so much misery to England’ said William of Malmesbury writing just a few short years after the tragic events of 25 November 1120. Centuries of historians agree with him. It was a rock in the seas around Barfleur that changed the course of
Legends & heroes
The space explorer who never left earth, from Donville-les-Bains
First published March 2018 Decades before the first spacewalk, a child looked out across the sea from the top of Donville-les-Bains’ cliffs, and imagined distant worlds far beyond our own. The cliffs here face the setting sun. Vast, lurid sunsets are soon followed by a web of constellations, brilliant against the velvet
The ghastly end of the cruellest corsair, in Barfleur – guest blogger!
Jean de Carrouges and the last French duel
This post was first published in August 2016. Château Carrouges match! Not long into a visit to Château de Carrouges in the Orne, Normandy, the more designy among you will be planning a complete home makeover. Curvy ankled, firmly padded Louis XV fauteuil (chairs, but you knew that) covered in petit point tapestry against
The legend and the loveliness of La Fosse Arthour
First published August 2018. Away from the bustling market towns, the countryside between Manche and Orne regions of Normandy is a land of legends. Here in thick forests and hidden meadows fairies entice, the devil leads astray, giants hurl megaliths and stories of the old kings and queens are told by firelight