Oil on canvas – 5 x 7 inch – Unique work

This is the story of a road trip for girls only on a magnificent September Saturday in Normandy.

Thanks to some wonderful neighbors with really great ideas, the three of us found ourselves driving along small country roads in the heart of the Pays d’Auge. Around every bend, there was a beautiful house surrounded by centuries-old trees. I might be exaggerating a bit about the age of the trees, but the scenery was absolutely stunning.

It all begins in Houlgate. A discovery for me. A truly beautiful town. I love seeing the sea and listening to the sound of the waves. It is low tide when we arrive. And low tide in Normandy is impressive—even outside of the great equinox tides.

The houses are all different—each with its own style, yet all stunning. The ones facing the sea are extraordinary. Having coffee on one of those terraces must be quite an experience! We stroll through the streets, starting with a quick coffee. The weather is so pleasant. And then, we have a mission: to find a restaurant serving moules-frites (mussels and fries). That’s the first goal of this road trip! We settle on La Dolce Vita. We feast, we toast—life is good!

There’s nothing like a walk on the beach to help digest a meal. The tide is starting to come in, and—much to my delight—there aren’t many people around. A few dogs are stretching their legs, having a blast in the waves. We keep walking, and then suddenly realize we’d better turn back; the water is rising very, very fast.

The beach is beautiful, sand, orange and blue tents with matching umbrellas. Just like the sky, whith a very, very deep blue. And why not take a photo for a painting… Right, let’s do it. Besides, this story wouldn’t exist without the painting. Well, it wouldn’t be written down. It would still be inside my head.

It’s time to head back… All good things must come to an end. How about we go grab a cold drink?

I want to give a huge thank you to my wonderful neighbors for this road trip—it’s one I’ll always remember. We didn’t just visit this city; I also discovered a village I’d been dying to see. But that’s another story, another scene. I’ll let you guess which one…

Normandy is my home now, and I’m happier about it with each passing day. It’s amazing!