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Normandy: camembert and calvados
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The French call it “le debarquement,” and we call it the D-Day landing on the beaches of Normandy in June, 1944. The wide, sandy beaches of Normandy were famous long before the Allies landed there. Impressionist painters created a world of sand, sea, ladies and gentlemen seated beneath parasols.
But there is considerably more to Normandy than its beaches. The area is equally famous for its calvados, made from the little red apples ubiquitous in the countryside, and its cheeses, primarily camembert.
Camembert is said to have originated in 1791 by Marie Harel who made the cheese with the help of a priest who came from Brie. Marie gave the cheese the name of her village – not the other way around as tourists sometimes believe. It was made popular by the Emperor Napoleon III.
In 1890, an engineer invented the wooden box in which the cheese continues to be sold and transported. The cheese was issued to French troops during World War II, and has become part of French culture and history.
Today, it is one of France’s best-known cheeses, enjoyed around the world.
The little village of Camembert is located in what is called the Pays d’Auge, a beautiful area of green pastures, half-timbered farm houses and barns, quaint villages, gently rolling hills and, of course, lots of apple trees.
To get to the beaches of Normandy and the Pays d’Auge, trains from Paris are convenient and fast. It takes about two hours to get from Paris to Trouville/Deauville on the coast. For travelers from the U.S. who are eager to see more of France than its capital, French rail passes and single tickets are available from RailEurope.com (800/622-8600)
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