Paris & A Surprising B’day Gift


Monday morning we took the Normandie SNCF train from Gare Montparnasse to Flers. Then just a 30 minute drive and we were home. It seems as if automne has arrived, though next week does have a couple of warm days in the forecast. Sunday morning I got one last sketch in over un café near…

A workshop, Le Saint Julian’s, and Texture – A Good Week


This has been a good week in the world of theTravelsketcher, moi. The last workshop I did was in August of 2020, when we had a brief relaxation of the COVID requirements in our part of the US. Recently, a group of our neighbors asked if we could do a workshop here in Normandie, I…

A Week of Food and Friends


Tricia and I are foodies; we talk about food, we plan our next meals while eating, and we both read food blogs. When we travel, seeking out a good place for lunch is as important to us as visiting some iconic sight. Thankfully, our friends Tim and Lisa enjoy good food as well, so their…

Normandie – Or “The French UK”


It is beautiful here in Normandie in the spring. How can you beat a sunset like this one? For centuries Normandie has attracted foreigners who attempted to make it their own. The earliest residents were pre-historical. They left behind cave paintings and mysterious megalithic monuments. When Julius Cesar invaded in 58 BC there were thriving…

Printemps en Normandie


Springtime in Normandie – food, a bit of sprucing of chez nous, and kicking-up our French. Auberge de la Source in Sainte-Cyr-du-Bailleul remains our favorite place to eat in our area. We are regular enough that we share bisous (the French kiss on each cheek greeting) when we arrive and au bientôt when we depart….