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June 22 – The Drive from Le Havre to Reims : 2019 France Trip Memories

Falaise d'Aval, Étretat, France, June 22, 2019

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.

Cruise Ship and the Cathedral in Le Havre, June 22, 2019
Cruise Ship and the Cathedral in Le Havre, June 22, 2019

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.

Plants at Les Jardins Suspendus, Le Havre, June 22, 2019
Plants at Les Jardins Suspendus, Le Havre, June 22, 2019

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.

Tea and Yogurt Break at Les Jardins Suspendus, Le Havre, June 22, 2019
Tea and Yogurt Break at Les Jardins Suspendus, Le Havre, June 22, 2019

The rose garden area was my favorite part, they had so many different varieties.

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”.

Beach Area Near Cap d'Antifer, France, June 22, 2019
Beach Area Near Cap d’Antifer, France, June 22, 2019

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.

Étretat, France, June 22, 2019
Étretat, France, June 22, 2019

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.

Tourist Mini-Train, Étretat, France, June 22, 2019
Tourist Mini-Train, Étretat, France, June 22, 2019

Les Jardins d’Etretat were as much a sculpture park as an arboretum. These few photos below show my favorite art pieces there.

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.

The Walk up from Town, Étretat, France, June 22, 2019
The Walk up from Town, Étretat, France, June 22, 2019

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.

Next was a full day touring Reims and the surrounding countryside, June 23. The next game day was the 24th.

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