Monthly Archives: May 2009

Cycle Paris – London via Basse Copette …

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Old railway Guard's house

Old railway Guard's house

…well almost. Basse Copette is not far from the proposed 218 km cycle ‘path’ that will run between St Paul’s Cathedral in London and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and due to be complete in 2012 in time for the Olympics. That part that passes through Seine Maritime (the Department in which Basse Copette is to be found) runs from a town called Forges-les-Eaux to the coastal port of Dieppe. The cycle path is known locally as la route verte, or the green road, and has been open since 2007. The cycle path was once the route of a railway line that went from Paris to Dieppe, and passes through the wonderful town of Neufchâtel-en-Bray, from where the delicious, heart-shaped Neufchâtel cheese originates, and passes by some wonderful châteaux that make great picnic stops. A great day out for guests at Basse Copette. Continue reading →

Thiepval Monument to the Missing of the Somme

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Thiepval Monument

Thiepval Monument

One of the most moving monuments for the First World War is, I believe, that monument at Thiepval dedicated to the ‘missing of the Somme. The Franco-British Memorial at Thiepval is an impressive memorial some 45 metres high and visble for miles around. It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and commemorates the 73 367 men, known as the Missing of the Somme, who have no known grave today. The names of these soldiers are inscribed on the 16 pillars that form the base of the structure. And so this monument provides a focus for the many families who have no grave to visit. Buried adjacent to the monument are a number of British and French soldiers in unmarked graves, just a tiny fraction of the missing of the Somme who fell between July 1915 and March 1918 who have no known grave. Continue reading →

A new Museum in Giverny

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Musée des Impressionnismes

Musée des Impressionnismes

Following the closure of the American Art Museum in Giverny in 2008 a new museum was quick to take its place. On 1 May 2009, the Musée des Impressionnismes was opened. The museum is principally interested in the history of Impressionism, its followers, the role of Giverny and the Seine Valley in this great artistic tradition. It promises to be an influential museum of Impressionist Art, and its opening exhibition (1 May – 15 August 2009) will include some celebrated paintings of Monet’s from le Musée d’Orsay and le Musée Marmottan Monet. Basse Copette is about an hour and a half from Giverny, and a well-placed base from which to visit many of the other landmarks in Upper Normandy that are closely associated with the Impressionist movement, including Rouen, Le Havre and the well-known white, chalky cliffs of the Upper Normandy coastline. Continue reading →

Parc Asterix

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Golden Asterix

Golden Asterix

There are a number of theme parks within easy reach of Basse Copette that make for a great family day out. The two most well-known are EuroDisney, on the outskirts of Paris, and Parc Asterix. Parc Asterix, the closer of the two at about and hour and a half away, is based on the comic character of Asterix and friends. A few of Basse Copette’s B&B and Gite guests have been to both attractions, and all say Parc Asterix is better than EuroDisney in a number of respects – not least the entrance costs, the costs of food and drink, and the crowds and length of queues for the various rides and attractions. But I have never heard any of the younger children complaining about their day out at EuroDisney! A popular option is to visit Parc Asterix after leaving Basse Copette, and then after a day on the rides heading up the A1 to Calais and crossing over to the UK.
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Voyages Pittoresques: Normandie 1820-2009

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Detail of Bosboom

Detail of Bosboom

Three of Normandy’s leading art galleries will be hosting simultaneously three different exhibitions from 16 May – 16 August 2009, with the collective theme of Voyages Pittoresques: Normandie 1820-2009. The three art galleries are le musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen, le musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen, and le musée Malraux du Havre. The three exhibitions will each focus on a different genre of imagery that depicts Normandy of the 19th Century. The three exhibitions are: La Normandie romantique (Rouen), La Normandie monumentale (Le Havre) and La Normandie contemporaine (Caen). Rouen and Le Havre are both within easy reach of Basse Copette, but Caen is a bit further afield and still a possible and enjoyable day trip. There is an entrance fee, but having visited one there is a reduced rate for the second, and then entrance to the third is free. Continue reading →