Several years ago, I went on a family trip to the Normandy region of France.
In planning the trip, I focused more on the tours than where we planned to stay, figuring that the days would start very early and end late as we had a lot of ground to cover so our accommodations took a back seat to the quality of the tour guide.
This was really a trip for my Dad, a WWII history buff, and I knew that no museum exhibit, beach, cemetery, bomb crater, hedgerow, or little-known tidbit by our tour guide would be missed or cut short.
Château La Chenevière
All of that turned out to be true, but the biggest surprise ended up being the hotel that our travel agent recommended in a town called Port-en-Bassin, Château La Chenevière.
The hotel is actually a former estate and farm dating back to the 17th Century. The property remained in the same family’s hands (with a break during WWII when it was occupied by German officers and soldiers) for 133 years. La Chenevière was purchased from the family by a couple in 1988 who turned it into a hotel, and it has remained one ever since.
I think about this hotel often even all these years later. It was such a peaceful, calm, and charming place to spend the late afternoons and evenings after touring.
We had delicious French breakfast and coffee in the mornings before we ventured out and great conversations over wine and cheese on the patio when we returned.
Visiting Normandy is an emotional and moving experience – it was nice to come back each evening to reflect on what we saw during the day and what incredible sacrifices were made by those brave soldiers in northern France for their countries and for freedom.
Wishing you a Happy Fourth of July.
