In the summer of 2004, I visited Normandy and Brittany, the most distinctive among France's historic provinces, for the first time. Our cruise ship called at Le Havre, France's second largest port. From there we were able to experience a moving visit to the World War II D-Day Invasion beaches along the Normandy Coast. We sailed on to St. Malo, the City of Corsairs, and birthplace of explorer Jacques Cartier. From there, I visited Mont St. Michel, an ancient fortified abbey rising 500 feet out of the sea. Over a thousand years ... (more)