Caen- a Visit to Remember

When a visit to France is planned Paris is the considered to be the place to visit or for the jet set or the cognizant, the south of France- The Riviera. So when a trip materialised for me to visit France- to a place called Caen, I had to look up the atlas to know its whereabouts. What I came to know thrilled me to no end because I realized that I was being given the opportunity to visit important pages of history of the world, both of medieval and modern period.
D Day is the event in the annals of second world war which was the starting point of liberation of France and rest of Europe from the German forces. The place where it all started was, the Normandy region and its beaches, located in northern France. On sixth of June 1944 or the D Day and almost a couple of months after, city in center of this vast battleground was Caen, Pronounced as Kaa(n) n just signifying a nasal twang.
When in Europe it is best to travel by train. They are fast, clean, punctual and reasonably cheap (off course feign amnesia to the Rupee Euro currency conversion rate). The rail route from Paris to Caen passes through some of the most beautiful rural scenes. Densely planted fields of deep green fodder grasses and bright yellow rape seed were a sight to bless the eyes. Although the colours were much sharper and the villages were very prosperous and squeaky clean but it did remind me of Punjab countryside around Basant and Holi.
History of Caen goes much further back than sixty year old second world war. Almost thousand year old castle of "William the Conqueror", the Norman king who defeated and reigned over England still surveys the town. It is situated on a high mound in almost the center of the town. The ramparts of the fort give a panoramic view of the shopping streets and the tram tracks of the town on one side and the University of Caen buildings on the other. The castle houses beautiful green lawns, trees, flower beds and a museum of art with reasonably impressive collection, dominated by the 17th century classical and Baroque period with works of French, Italian, Flemish and Danish painters.
Not very far from "The Chateau" as the castle is described on the road signs in Caen, are the magnificent buildings of Abbey for Men and Women. These were also constructed by William the conqueror and as is the usual behind most of the unusual things, there is a love story lurking in the background. A chirpy young girl, who was our guide, was very enthusiastic to share it with us. William loved his cousin Mathilda of Flanders and wanted to marry her but The Pope in Rome forbade this consanguineous connection. So emissaries were sent, negotiations done and a deal was struck that in return of a permission to marry his cousin, King William will build Abbeys to house the men and women of catholic church at his seat Caen.
These beautiful buildings made up of typical stone called the 'Caen Stone' are very functional, austere, with imposing façade and huge inner chambers. The rooms are adorned with painting collection of 17th, 18th and 19th century, have original oak paneled walls with beautifully carved baskets and bunches of fruits and flowers in wood on the inside and in stone on the outside. The main staircase of Abbey of men is amazing as it seems to 'hang in mid air'. No cement was used to build it. The staircase remains standing intact simply because of the way in which the stones forming it are carved and due to the pressure, which each stone places on the other.
Not only the consequences of D-Day and the battle of Normandy enormous but so too was the sheer size and complexity of military operations and preparations. The first hour of invasion alone saw 350,000 men and 20,000 vehicle come ashore and even today, the Norman soil is final resting place for almost 20,000 young foreign soldiers, who never could return home. Initially when attempts to liberate France started the ports were attacked but the allied forces were beaten back, so the scheme to attack the beaches was thought. To launch the invasion on beaches an artificial harbour was prefabricated piecemeal in the factories of England. These were towed through the English channel by ships and tugs, which were fitted to each other like pieces of jigsaw puzzle floating on the sea. It is difficult to believe that this feat of designing and civil engineering could be achieved in the pre computer era.
A beautiful meandering road runs adjacent to the second world war beaches lined frequently with small restaurants serving freshly prepared crepe (A sort of thin pancake), tasty omelets and not to forget the crisp French fries besides other light weight snacks favoured by tourists. Linked by these roads are various museums, small and large, impeccably maintained, housing the memorabilia of the war. But the best and largest is the Caen memorial, which not only tells the complete story of second world war but puts the battle of Normandy into a reflective perspective of 20th century history, both before and since the second world war. As an Indian most touching for me was to see the picture of a laughing Mahatma Gandhi on the cover of Caen memorial museum's brochure. It puffed up my heart with pride.
One always associates France with its wines and I thought the same. But not in Calvados-the cider country, yes this is another name by which this area is known. And Calvados region does not grow grapes but is full of apple orchards hence produces finest of apple brandy called Calvados. Coffee and Calvados also make a lovely combination.
I would be doing unpardonable sin if I talk about France and do not mention the food again - the Normandy cuisine. Rolling acres of farmland, dairy cows munching lush grass in apple orchards, the sea and plethora of rivers. Result? Creamy sauces often laced with cider or Calvados, the freshest fish and shellfish prepared with skill and imagination, superb cheese and delectable apple desserts. Ooh.....heavenly. I confess that these lovely delicacies made me increase my already considerable girth some more
Those seven days I spent in Caen gave me a new insight in the life and culture of France. The warmth of people in spite of the barrier of language was immense and washed out the fear of visiting an unexplored area of France and bathed me in congeniality. Ignorance of French language does create problem sometimes. It is our tendency to read and pronounce everything as it is done in English, whereas French language has its own unique grammar and enunciation so what was 'Paris' to me since last four decades turned out to be 'Paaree' in French speak. But that is the fun of travelling, one always learns something new.
And yes not to forget the end of the William and Mathilda love story.....Well, William and his queen had a long, happy and fulfilling married life. They produced a healthy sturdy brood. or in other more familiar words "lived happily ever after".