France part seven - Saint Saturnin to Caen

 

This was the first time we had really gone into a city, having pretty much bypassed most of Le Mans the previous day. It meant we hit a bit of traffic but we hadn't had to travel far and we had consciously chosen the quieter roads as we drove which made for an enchanting journey through village after village each as picturesque as the last.

Our parking spot was a 12 euro spot to the north of side of the town but it was only a mile down into the middle of Caen where we had a terrific day in glorious sunshine, not quite as hot as it had been further south. One of the first places we headed to was the cathedral where William the Conqueror was buried, except the story is more complex than that after religious quarrels down the centuries and other violence meant his remains had been moved about a fair bit. However, it was nevertheless the site where his history comes together and, having been listening to the history podcasts dealing with the invasion and the slaughter accompanying it, he appears to have been another of history's complete villains, without mercy and paranoid to the point of allowing the most terrible acts to be carried out on and against anyone he perceived as having even slighted him. 

We also went around the castle which was free to enter and to explore and housed some really interesting sculptures and exhibitions. With so much destruction suffered during WW2 and the liberation of the country from occupation, the views of the city were incredible in the context of what had survived and what had been rebuilt in keeping with the past, alongside innovation and modern transport such as trams and so on. The cafe culture was alive and well and why not in such warmth and in a city which appeared cared for.

I'm off again but in comparison with home, it was relaxed, the shops were full catering for all kinds of interests, transport was excellent, it was clean and we didn't feel we were getting ripped off e.g. the castle being free to visit, the tomb of William being free to enter and then finding vegan food which was reasonably priced in a most welcoming cafe. At the risk of sounding ludicrous and as if I am seeing what I wanted to see, the people themselves appeared happier, more stylish and healthier. There was none of the tension that I associate with crowds of people or built up areas. I can sit in Bournemouth gardens and have a great time. There is so much to see and it's fascinating people watching but there can be underlying concerns around homelessness which is very visible, drunks on stag dos, large groups of young holiday makers intent on themselves first and foremost. Nothing outrageous but unaware of their impact on others which is why we have moved away from the pier when we go to the beach, further along to Durley Chine. Caen, like other places we visited in France, was an entirely positive experience including the provision of a fantastic aire reasonably priced and well located with facilities which made our visit possible.