Pinchon’s illustrated map of Normandy offers many paths of enrichment and exploration.
3. A couple of steps beyond cider, learn about how Calvados is made and see some views of Normandy, its countryside, and its food in this promotional video for a Calvados distiller.
5. Research what a caloge is. The best I can find is a description and multiple references in the Souvenirs of the valet de chambre of Guy de Maupassant (from Normandy).
8. Explore Rouen Cathedral through Monet’s series of paintings of the facade.
9. Learn about the 17th-century French playwright Pierre Corneille, of such literary and philosophical import that the Ayn Rand Institute has published this analysis of his play Le Cid.
Enjoy this radio production of his play, Polyeukte, about an Armenian martyr. Follow along with the text. Or the translation into English. Learn more about Corneille at the French Youtube channel, Eclair brut, which has several videos about Corneille. Or listen to this radio show on Corneille from Europe 1.
13. Read the poem “Le roi d’Yvetot” by Pierre-Jean de Beranger. Then listen to the song.
15. Explore the Chateau Gaillard at Les Andelys, here reconstructed.
16. Watch or listen to some or all of the operetta, Les cloches de Corneville by Planquette. Listen here with the score or watch this production.
17. Take your pick of recipes for Tripe a la mode de Caen.
18. Visit this Fromagerie that produces Livarot and Pont-L’Eveque.
19. Learn about the andouilles of Vire.
21. Look at a small slideshow of Alencon lace from The Museum of Fine Arts and of Lace in Alencon.
24. Explore Normandy’s most famous medieval site, the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel (more information here).
25. Learn the secrets of buerre d’Isigny.
Finally, although Lisieux is on the map, Saint Thérèse is not. Enjoy this drone tour of Lisieux.
Nihil sub sole novum 