Chateau Guillaume-le-Conquerant, Falaise

 Monday 13th April

 Our pretty little River Ante 

Today we did lots of ups and downs.  First up the steep hill past the mairie to the castle.

Into the huge area of the castle grounds and a view of the tower we were later to climb ...  

Once in the castle it was self guided with a very clever tablet.  You held it over a symbol on a post in each area and then you could hold it up around the room to see how it would have been back in its day.

In the chapel.

Sometimes there was a video showing of one of the characters from history telling their story. 

 

 Views from the top of the tower 

A school party arriving - no way were they going to catch us up!

We learnt so much history on this tour.  (This bit from the Green Guide)  Falaise is the birthplace of William, Duke of Normandy (the Conqueror) in 1027.  Earlier that year, Robert the younger son of King Richard !!, Duke of Normandy was returning home from the hunt and was struck by the beauty of a local girl, her skirts drawn high as she worked washing clothes at the stream.  A lad of 17, he watched for her daily and desired her.  Arlette's father, a rich tanner, let her decide for herself and she, refusing all secrecy, entered the castle over the drawbridge on horseback, finely dressed.  Then, as the chroniclers of the time wrote, "When Nature had reached her term,Arlette bore a son who was named William".

We heard about so many battles going on at that time, usually between the French and the English because our Kings wanted France as well, but they put up a good fight and eventually William brought all his men, horses and weapons to fight for our land - The Battle of Hastings - and the rest is history.

There were lots of information boards to read too and we thought this one was interesting: Doh, Re, Me was invented by an 11C monk, based on the first syllables of a hymn to St.John the Baptist.

 

After all this learning and climbing up and down countless spiral staircases, we were after sustainance.  The Lantern in the town came up with just what we needed! (No veg but John did get a little bit of lettuce!)

 A bit more walking around town took us to a memorial to 5 Canadian soldiers, shot by Nazis in 1944.  The Canadians went on to liberate the town. 

The wisteria is on many of the walls around here.  The scent is beautiful.

Remember the 'elderly couple' we met yesterday?  Well these are the flats where they live!

Looking down on the park lake that is being remodelled (very slowly).

An evening stroll found this strange object in a French town!  It is being used as a book exchange.