After checking out of our hotel we started our journey to Reims, with a stop at Les Jardins Suspendus right in Le Havre overlooking the harbor. This first photo below is the view from the gardens of a cruise ship, the container art, and the cathedral.
I took so many photos at the gardens, here’s one so you can get the idea. The greenhouses were full of every kind of plant you can think of from all over the world. And there was a really cool hedge-maze at the entrance which I didn’t get a photograph of.
The gardens are “suspended” because they are high above the city in a space that was previously a fort. They turned some of the closed up passageways into modern murals.
A break for tea and yogurt, this one sticks in my mind for some reason as well.
The rose garden area was my favorite part, they had so many different varieties.
“Jean Pierre Coffe” Roses at Les Jardins Suspendus, Le Havre, June 22, 2019 “Freddie Mercury” Roses at Les Jardins Suspendus, Le Havre, June 22, 2019 “Scentimental Roses” at Les Jardins Suspendus, Le Havre, June 22, 2019 The Rose Garden at Les Jardins Suspendus, Le Havre, June 22, 2019 Signs at Les Jardins Suspendus, Le Havre, June 22, 2019
After the garden experience we drove north up the coast from Le Havre with an eye out for some sort of beach turn off or scenic area. Lots of groups of families and friends having picnics, jet skiing, paddle boarding, etc in this rocky beach area at what I think was called, “Cap d’Antifer”.
Our goal was to see Les Jardins d’Etretat, the next city up the coast from Le Havre. In this photo below we are looking across at what I think is a golf course on the chalky cliffs. I’m pretty sure the cliff we were standing on was equally as dramatic from the other perspective. Etretat seemed like another resort town, the sort of place you go for weddings and vacation if you lived in Paris I imagine. It was beautiful.
We found a parking spot on the street down below the gardens and we walked up. Evidently there’s a tourist train ride that can bring you up the hill.
Les Jardins d’Etretat were as much a sculpture park as an arboretum. These few photos below show my favorite art pieces there.
Sculpture at Les Jardins d’Étretat, June 22, 2019 Sculpture at Les Jardins d’Étretat, June 22, 2019 Sculpture at Les Jardins d’Étretat, June 22, 2019 Sculpture at Les Jardins d’Étretat, June 22, 2019
Hey, look, there is a second walkway up from the city directly. We did this all on our own, and it appears we missed these proper channels of approach.
Back in the car for the long haul drive to Reims, which is a bit north east of Paris. Le Havre is west of Paris on the coast obviously, so it ended up being a slight marathon drive to get to our hotel in Reims that night. The drive was mostly farmland with the occasional village.
Man Cycling, France, June 22, 2019 France Village, June 22, 2019 Fields in France, June 22, 2019
Next was a full day touring Reims and the surrounding countryside, June 23. The next game day was the 24th.
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