William the Conqueror

We had a look through William the Conk's birthplace today. It's rather a fine castle in Falaise, and the museum used innovative pseudo-3D displays on tablets to show how the various spaces looked in the 13th C. Rather well done. Not real 3D which would be the next step but pretty good even so. WE also looke through the neighbouring museum that looked at civilian life in and around Falaise during the war. Also interesting. The last display was shown in a room with a glass floor that showed the remains of the house that had stood there until destroyed by bombs in 1944, including what what was quite clearly the impact point of one of them.

A gate in the old city walls

The very strong Norman keep - it withheld many sieges over time. And it hosted a flak gun on top of the tower during the war.

Norman knights just aren't the same...

We then drove across the Falaise gap to stop in Gace, with the intention of visiting another museum tomorrow focussed on the events of mid-August '44.

From the plateau you can see miles and miles down the Dives valley - probably half-way to the sea.

This is a view of the infamous Falaise Gap. (Falaise itself is way out of shot to the right rear.) The Canadians held this high ground and behind, the yanks were on the ridge left rear, and the Poles were on high ground behind and left, all making a large horseshoe shape. In the forest centre-right-rear were the retreating Germans. Then a deadly game of bullrush kicked off across those fields in the middle...

Our park-up in Gace is Nowheresville, France and yet there are two other British vans and two large French motorhomes (one towing a Smartcar!). And two other motorhomes have been and gone since we arrived at 7pm. Go figure.