Late in May, a group of Sawgrass Country Club residents traveled to France with our very capable travel director, Sara Gomez, and her husband, Roland. Sara planned our trip to arrive in Normandy just a few days before the 78th anniversary of D-Day plus time in Paris along with a seven-day river cruise on the Seine River and three days in the walled city of St. Malo on the Brittany Coast.
We first arrived in Paris a few days prior to our AMA Waterways River Cruise, so we could explore the wonderful city on our own. Some walked for hours, some went to the Galleries Lafayette and the Eiffel Tower for fantastic views, and some attended the Opera Garnier. Paris was very busy with a World Soccer Match, and the French Open Tennis Event.
My daughter Jaime and I were “lucky” to reserve seats at the bar on Friday evening at L’Atellier de Joel Robuchon. Chef Robuchon was named “Chef of the Century” by the Gault et Millau in 1989. His restaurants have tallied 32 Michelin Stars as of 2019, the most in the world. Chef Robuchon has taught and influenced many of our coveted chefs in the United States. His legacy is his mashed potatoes, and they are worth flying to France to savor. Upon Jaime’s return home and back to work as head bartender and beverage director at Hanger One Bistro at the St. Augustine Airport, their executive chef, Christina Conde, recreated some of Chef Robuchon’s iconic, classic dishes in their fall menu for all to enjoy. Chef Conde was formerly executive chef at Gather, a market and restaurant in downtown Atlanta.
Next, we transferred to our riverboat, The AMA Dante, and the staff did an amazing job. We traveled the Seine River through the locks to Mantes-la-Jolie and visited the renowned gardens of Monet’s home and the gardens in Giverny. We visited the cities of Vernon and the medieval city of Rouen where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. Then on to Le Havre on the coast.
The highlight of our trip was our time in Normandy, where we walked the beaches, each in solemn thought, writing names in the sand of loved ones who fought for freedom and trying to imagine how they could survive. Jaime wrote “BOCCARDO” in the sand, signifying two members of her husband Chris’s family, who were lost on that day during the invasion. Very, very moving. Suddenly there was a U.S. military flyover of three C-130 aircraft directly over our heads and heading down the beach to the south. Such a moment in time. Today, the tide was not as low as for our soldiers’ landing on D-Day and you could just imagine how difficult it must have been with German guns firing at them.
One of the travelers in our group, Ellen Walsh, brought a letter presented to her father from General Eisenhower just prior to his landing on D-Day plus 1. It’s recreated below:
Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!
You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of the Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.
Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.
But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1040-41. The United Nations inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The Tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together in Victory!
I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!
Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.
Signed by Dwight D. Eisenhower
Once we left Omaha Beach, we went to the American Cemetery — again, a very moving experience. We found the grave of Brigadier General Ted Roosevelt, Jr. He was assistant division commander of the 4th infantry. On D-Day, Roosevelt landed in one of the first waves at Utah Beach. For his bravery at the beach, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. The general died of a heart attack two weeks after the D-Day invasion. His brother, Quinton is buried alongside and was shot down in WWI.
This cruise and land adventure is sure to leave lasting, beautiful memories along with a special comradery among those traveling together for years to come.
