D-Day: Joan of Arc in Tilly

 (77-th Anniversary of D-Day)

This bronze statue of Jeanne d'Arc, one of the patron saints of France, is standing in front of the Chapelle Notre Dame du Val in the town of Tilly-sur-Ceulles near Bayeux. 

In 1944 Jeanne was hit by shrapnel through the heart and the hole took the shape of the heart. 

Little known, to me it is one of the most touching memorials of the Battle for Normandy. 

After D-Day, the Germans counterattacked and Tilly changed hands more than 20 times. The battle continued from 7 June to 19 June.

Jesus, a primitivist stone crucifix

This one is on a crossroads between Chaulieu and Frésne-Poret.

Normandy Celebrates 911

My companion and I were both startled when we drove up to the the central roundabout in Vire, Calvados, and saw 911 put out on the floral display, traditionally marking memorable events in French or world history.

This year it is 1,100 years since the founding of Normandy. In year 911 the king of Franks granted the lands that were to become Normandy to the 'Northern people' – the vikings. For several centuries after that the Normans dominated European landscape, from England to Russia and from Sicily to Norway.

Read 'Normans, Vikings and the English Language' on The Norman Review of Books.

Photo by ©A.Anichkin