Campsites,France # 7of16

From Fontainebleau we went on to the town of Moret, just a few miles away. It’s on the Loring River and is one of those little towns with a Cathedral, walls, gates, bridges, the river, and all that can be found in these fascinating cities. We would have liked to see Moret all lit up after dark, but they don’t turn on the lights until 10:00 PM, and that’s too late for us. The second time, Moret was as nice as we remembered, and the many swans in the river loved Emmy’s stale bread. The fruit and vegetable market filled the streets, and we bought our share.

In Bayeux they have Queen Matilda’s Tapestry, exquisitely embroidered in various subdued colors of worsted yarn on linen cloth. It tells the story of Harold, William, Edward, the invasion of England, and the Battle of Hastings in 1066. By the time of our later visits, the 230 feet by 18 inch high tapestry had been moved from the Cultural Center, near the Cathedral, to its own museum building, nearby. One Sunday we were parked right beside the Bayeux's Notre Dame Cathedral when the bells announced their presence with grand acclaim, and a visit inside this beautiful edifice at the start of the morning service, provided an opportunity to hear the myriad voices of the cathedral organ.

Arras’ beauty can be seen in two very large squares, The Grand–Place, and The Place of Heros. Most buildings are constructed with stones, some decorated with brick, some are one window wide, some two and others three. We found the campsite, just a few blocks from downtown, in a residential area. The next visit I was sure where the camping place was, but missed by one street the first try, then drove right to it.

Emmy’s Sister Hannah and Cousin Toni were with us one year when we stopped in Horbourg. We stayed in the very nice campsite, and found a delightful small hotel, with bath and breakfast, for Toni and Hannah. When we picked them up at the hotel the next morning, we found Hannah had missed one of two steps and made a grand entrance into the dining room, flat on her face. Neither Hannah nor the floor was broken.

Oradour-sur-Glane was attacked by the German Army on June 10, 1944, and everyone, except for six people, were killed. The old town ruin, called the “Martyred City,” has been preserved, with stark building walls, streetcar tracks still in the street, rusted sewing machines, with rusted skeletons of automobiles. A horrible sight. The new town has been built next door. The campsite was open for use, but one year the office was not open to collect money, another year it was.