We are now (Thursday, May 20) docked in Caudebec, a nice little town which has been rebuilt since World War II. The buildings are very 1950ish and there is virtually nothing that survived from before the war. This is a bit closer to the coast and a very pretty bus ride to Honfleur, a picturesque artsy/touristy harbor town. We took a beautiful route through the Normandy countryside for the hour trip to Honfleur on a road that our guide called the “way of the thatched roofs.” We went through several little settlements that were almost entirely the little homes with thatched roofs and lots of fields of cows and sheep and poultry… definitely seemed to be a trip back in time to a very idyllic pastoral time. Flowers overflowed from window boxes and every town had the requisite butcher shop, pastry shop, and small grocery. Very, very quaint… but I guess I didn’t take any pictures out the bus window.
Honfleur has a harbor basin which reflects the cafes that border it and the masted vessels that are docked there. Since it is so picturesque, it is a common subject for artists, both in the past and presently, and apparently also for photographers!

Our tour included an unusual wooden church with twin sanctuaries and a plaque and monument noting the fact that it was the site where Samuel de Champlain left for his voyage of discovery to present Quebec.

We could have stayed to have lunch at one of those harbor

side cafes, but opted instead to return to Caudebec to do a little exploring. We needed to be back at the boat later in the afternoon, as we were starting our rather long journey back toward Paris. It was pleasant to sit on the sun deck and watch the scenery go by.