Northwest France
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The Northwest of Paris France Bonjour, my name is Nolwenn! Follow me on a WITH ABOUT 350,000 square tour of northwestern France! miles, France is the largest coun- try in Western Europe, and roughly the size of Texas. In 2003, its population reached 62 million, of which about 12 million live in or around the capital, Paris. France also includes several overseas territories: Guadeloupe English Channel and Martinique in the Caribbean; (La Manche) Le Havre French Guiana just north of Trouville Brazil; Reunion Island in the Cherbourg Deauville Etretat Indian Ocean; French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Wallis and Normandy Rouen Futuna in the Pacific Ocean; and Beaches the Antarctic territories. Colleville- Since the European Union's sur-mer Giverny inception, some 50 years ago, Mont St. Michel Bayeux Haute- Normandie France has been at the forefront of Saint-Malo Caen Paris the construction of a strong and Brest Basse-Normandie integrated Europe. The European Chartres Union remains one of France's top Bretagne Rennes foreign policy priorities. As one of the five permanent members of Lorient Forêt de Paimpont Orléans the United Nations' Security Le Mans Council, and the fourth highest Carnac Pont-Aven Angers contributor to the U.N. budget, Chambord France is deeply involved in all sig- Loire Tours nificant international affairs. Guérand But France is also a country Peninsulala Nantes Bourges where people are strongly St-Nazaire Pays de attached to their regional roots. la Loire Centre This brochure will help you understand the deep ties the Atlantic Les Sables French continue to have with d’Olonne their native regions. Ocean This brochure belongs to a series of six: the Northeast, the Northwest, the Southeast, the Southwest, Ile-de-France, and the overseas territories. Brochures Bay of are available on request, by writ- Biscay ing to [email protected]. From William the Conqueror to D-Day FROM THE royal A divinely inspired national heroine and heartland of the Loire saint, Joan of Arc led the campaign to Valley to the independ- drive the English out of France during the ent Brittany of the Celts, Hundred Years War. At the age of 17, Joan the region’s traditions led her troops to a key victory in the Battle have been forged by a of Orléans. Captured by the English, she complex and turbulent The Megaliths of Carnac, dating back was burned at the stake in Rouen in 1431. to around 5,000 BC, are a testament to history. the timelessness of the Northwest. Little is known Thousands of ancient granite stones about the original The region of Normandy also prospered during the dot the southern coast of Brittany and Celtic inhabitants of Renaissance, through its trade with the rest of the world. With com- are thought to have had a religious or Brittany, first known as merce came the exchange of ideas, and many of the area's inhabi- astrological significance. Armorica (Armorique). tants espoused the Reformation. Indeed, Normandy was home to However, the Celtic more Protestants than any other region in France. Following the revo- legacy is still strong today—legends of drowned cities and cation of the Nantes Edict in 1685, which had allowed Protestants to enchanted forests swirl throughout the land, inexplicable archeo- practice their religion freely, many fled to Britain or the Netherlands. logical formations rise up in forests and fields, and the Breton lan- guage and traditions are still a part of daily life. Chambord is the largest As for the Roman empire, it left an indelible mark on the and most extravagant of Northwest by creating towns and agricultural estates, and by cat- the Loire châteaux. François alyzing the rise of Christianity. Rouen, which is today a prosper- I turned this hunting lodge ous and culturally dynamic city due to its industry and maritime into a castle in 1519 and it trade, was founded by the Romans. was completed by his The Middle Ages grandson Louis XIV in saw the creation of the 1685. Chambord's grand Chartres Cathedral interior includes 700 copies (withits magnificent of François' salamander stain-glass windows), emblem, 365 fireplaces the famous Abbey of (one for every day of the Mont-St-Michel, and year), and a double helix The Renaissance Castle of Chambord the Bayeux Tapestry, staircase that was suppos- which depicts William edly designedby Leonardo da Vinci and which ensures that people A section of the 230 foot-long Bayeux Tapestry, going up do not meet those going down. which is displayed in the Centre Guillaume le the Conqueror's inva- Conquérant Museum in Bayeux, Normandy sion of England. But (www.bayeux-tourism.com). the area was also rav- Modern times have seen the region shaped by economic aged by wars, in particular the Hundred Years War (1337-1453). development as well as by war. One of the defining moments in It ended with the unification of Normandy and France, and Western history took place on the Normandy beaches as the Brittany became a part of France a century later, in 1532. Allied troops of Operation Overlord staged the largest amphibious assault in military history (see boxed text). The French will never Perched atop a rocky island, the forget the sacrifice and courage shown by the American, British Abbey of Mont-St-Michel is and Canadian soldiers who fought to liberate France from Nazi visited by one million people oppression. each year. It grew from a hum- ble oratory to an influential On D-Day, June 6, 1944, 135,000 monastery and pilgrimage des- Allied soldiers stormed the tination. Many of its rooms are Normandy beaches and achieved regarded as masterpieces of a key victory over the Nazi occu- medieval architecture and it is piers, thus beginning the libera- home to some of the strongest tion of Europe. Remnants of that The Abbey atop Mont-Saint-Michel tides in the world. battle can still be seen on the During the Renaissance, the Kings of France chose the Loire beaches today, and the American Military Cemetery in Colleville- Valley as the location for their grand châteaux, and Tours served as sur-Mer whose 9,385 perfectly aligned crosses overlook Omaha the country’s de facto capital during this time. Today, Tours is a bustling Beach, is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices that were made. D- city of almost 300,000 people and a popular jumping-off point for Day War Museums in Caen, Bayeux, and other cities commemorate those who wish to visit the area's lovely châteaux. the events of that day, which the French have sworn never to forget. Bocages, Troglodytes and Magic Forests THE CLIMATE of north- The Loire valley is known western France is character- for its troglodyte ized by its northern latitude dwellings, found along and its proximity to the the Loire river and in the Atlantic Ocean and English region of Saumur and Channel. These large bodies Vouvray. These houses, of water produce changeable, restaurants, and hotels British-like weather patterns are caves carved out of in areas such as Haute- soft limestone, or tufa, Normandie, where the climate and have been secure is wet. But they also provide a accommodations for temperate climate of warm A troglodyte dwelling centuries. Now people, summers and mild winters. known as troglodytes (cave-dwellers) use them as summer homes, These effects are even felt fur- wine cellars, and for growing famous Loire mushrooms. ther inland, with the Loire Valley known as La Douce Northwestern France's principal rivers, the Loire and the Seine, France (gentle France), where are also the two longest rivers in France. The Loire, flowing 634 miles summers are rarely oppressive through Orléans, Tours, A village in Brittany and winters are sunny. and finally the dynamic The almost 1,300 miles of coastline abutting the English Channel Atlantic port city of Nantes, and the Bay of Biscay yield bountiful seafood, and attract beach-lovers is called the "last wild river in the warm summer in Western Europe." The months. The jagged Seine, France's chief water- coastline is made up way, originates in the of granite cliffs, Burgundy region (south- sweeping bays, and east of Paris). It is 485 miles deep estuaries that long and flows through contain a wealth of A view of the 634-mile-long Loire River Paris and Normandy, finally wildlife habitats. In forming an estuary at the some places, such as Atlantic port of Le Havre. UNESCO has recognized both rivers as the Bay of Mont St.- World Heritage Sites because of their important historical significance. Michel, the distance The rolling farmland between the high- of northwest France is tide mark and the lush, emerald green, dot- The breathtaking Etretat Cliffs low-tide mark can be ted with grazing cattle, as much as 12 miles, making it one of the greatest tides in the world. yellow fields of rapeseed, Salt marshes are abundant along the and tiny villages. The coasts of northwestern France. Norman lambs region's soil is rich and fer- graze on these marshes, giving their meat a dis- tile, optimal for growing tinctive, salty flavor. Similarly, cheese made fresh fruits and vegetables. from the milk of Norman cows often has a dis- In fact, the Loire Valley is tinctive salty taste. Breton farmers on the known as the "Garden of marshes of the Guérand Peninsula harvest France.” The Loire Valley is dotted with beau- natural salt crystals for a table salt known for its The Valley is also tiful, game-rich forests where A salt harvester minerals and sea-like smell. home to some fine vine- Renaissance kings loved to hunt.