Formerly a French province, Normandy [Normandie], with its old capital at Rouen, is now divided into two regions bordering on the English Channel: Upper Normandy [Haute-Normandie] and Lower Normandy [Basse-Normandie].  During the Roman period, the region formed part of Gallia Lugdunensis (Celtic Gaul).  With the Frankish invasions it was made a constituent part of the kingdom of Neustria.

Ten centuries have passed since the Vikings invaded the province of Normandy.  The early Scandinavians might have come to ravish the land, but they stayed to cultivate it.  It came to be known as Normandy about 911, when Charles III, king of France, turned it over to Rollo, the leader of a menacing band of Viking raiders.

The Normans produced great soldiers, none more famous than William the Conqueror, who defeated the forces of King Harold at Battle Abbey in 1066.  In 1066,William II, duke of Normandy [a descendant of Rollo], led an invasion of England and established himself there as William I, king of England. Thereafter, Normandy remained an English possession until conquered in 1204 by Philip II Augustus, king of France.  During the Hundred Years’ War, the region was held at various times by both French and English forces; it was finally recovered by the French in 1450.  The Channel Islands, which were once a part of Normandy, remained in the possession of England.  The English and the French continued to do battle, on and off, for 700 years, from 1066 to the decisive Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

From Wellington’s defeat of Napoleon, Normandy remained at peace until June 6, 1944 when it was ravaged in the 1944 invasion that began early in the morning when airborne troops parachuted down into Ste-Mère-Eglise and Bénouville-sur-Orne.  The largest armada ever assembled was responsible for the beginning of the reconquest of continental Europe from the Nazis.  Today many come to Normandy just to see the D-Day beachheads.

Much of this province is reminiscent of a great landscape painting, with cattle grazing sleepily in verdant fields.  But the rustic wood-framed houses are contrasted alongside the nearby modern buildings.  Not far from the Seine, a mere hour drive from Paris, is Giverny where Monet painted his water lilies.  Here and there you can still find stained-glass windows and Gothic architecture miraculously spared the bombardments; however, many great buildings were leveled.  And Normandy’s wide beaches may attract families, but in August the Deauville sands draw the choicest of the chic from Europe and North America.

Normandy is the land of Calvados brandy and apple cider [bon bere].  It is well known for its rich butter, cream and other dairy products.  The region is world renowned for its culinary tour de force: sauce Normande, tripe a la mode de Caen, sole Dieppe, canard a la Rouen, and soufflé like omelets from le Mont-St-Michel. Poule d’Auge, poule de Bresse, andouillet (tripe sausage) de Vire, moules d’ Isigny, hueters de Courseulles, fuite de mer d’Honfleur, and the highly prized lamb (pré salé) that is raised on the salt meadows of Normandy.

Supple Camembert, which is made from cow’s milk, has been sold in a wooden box since 1880 and is well known.  Lesser known cheeses of the area, are equally tasty.  These include Pont-L’Evêque and Brillat-Savanin.  The latter with a high fat content of 75%, was invented in the 1930s by the cheese merchant Henri Androuët.  His family established the once famous restaurant Androuët, on rue d’Amsterdam, in Paris, which specialized in sauces made from cheese.

Normans consume cider at nearly every meal.  Bon bère is the term for true cider, and sometimes it’s so strong that it must be diluted with water.  It takes 12 to 15 years to bring Calvados to taste perfection (in America Calvados may be called apple jack).

Many a Norman finishes a meal with black coffee and a glass of this strong drink, which is also used to flavor main courses.

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