Paris 2017, Day 6a, San Malo

5am alarm.  Yes, she bounded out of bed again.  Good grief!  In/out of the shower and downstairs for COFFEE!  That's when Yannick explained that breakfast starts at 7:00, not 6 as I had thought.  He immediately added that we were lucky because he had prepared the buffet early today -- not his norm.  He smiled indulgently when he saw my face go from sad to happy -- please, Yannick, I NEED coffee!  The eggs were out, a crusty roll and some soft cheese -- PLEASE let me start my day with sustenance.  We were out the door by 7, dashed across the street to Picpus Metro and off to the Monparnesse Gare.

Once there we eventually found our way to the correct area and waited for our track to be announced.  On the platform, trying to find the correct coach we came across a nice couple who were as worried as we were, the coaches were counting down from nine; we were assigned to coach 11 (they were looking for 19).  After we got to Coach 1 came an engine which was (thankfully) hooked to another engine and the coaches began counting up from 10, whew!  Found our seat and settled in for a two hour ride to Saint Malo, a port town in Normandy (Omaha Beach is two hours north of our location; our tour guide, Michael, pointed out that "not all of Normandy is Omaha Bitch" -- his accent was heavy).

We exited the train toward the station and there was our guide, Michael and we came upon the other couple (who had been looking for coach 19).  We were a nice group of eight.

Off to visit San Malo, a walled city built by a port with one very old 3 masted ship.  I haven't found any information about when it was originally built, but the first seaward entrance gate was designed in 1647 and completed in 1709 which allowed the privateers easier entrance to the ramparts from which 32 magazines with arched quarters on top that were "bomb-proof" and featured 22 gun ports.  Traders who made their fortunes from importing silver from Peru, purchased sites in the extension and built impressive houses there.  In 1890, the second archway was added to the left of the previous one.  And, get this, the coats of arms of Brittany above it with the motto "Better dead than to be sullied"  Privateer or pirate?  You decide!

Up on the rampart -- which are amazingly wide.  No cannon visible, but you can sure see where they would be!  Read more about this fascinating town by Googling San Malo, Normandy, France.  When I do it switches to Google.fr and I can't figure out how to switch it to English.  Lori, yet another thing you need to teach me!

This beautiful church is at the center of town.  When we got to ground level, we had a terrible time finding it because the buildings were so tall that we couldn't see the spire (and we had lost the town map).  Yes, we were lost again and 15 minutes late getting back to the bus, we were much more careful at the next two stops.

This amazing roof top garden clearly provided all of the greens for the restaurant below.  Looks wonderful!

Check out this amazing backyard!

Town specialties are crepes and galettes.  They didn't offer savory crepes so Sharon had a sausage and egg galette.  The sausage was wonderful.  I ordered an egg, bacon and tomato one -- the tomato was like jam -- delicious!

I just loved this backyard with the ancient door.  Just down the way was a much more modern door, but the ancient one is so intriguing, imagine the stories it has to tell!

This was a wonderful start to celebrate Sharon's birthday.  Will we still need her?  Will we still feed her?  When she's sixty four?  Why yes, we do and yes, we will, and yes she is!