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Day 3 Vernon, France Departure: 3:00pm
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Click Any Photo To Make It Larger!
Arrival: The Kadlin arrived in Vernon at 5:00am. The day was cold and rainy but that wasn’t going to stop us from visiting two different villages during the day. So after a very early breakfast, we gathered our coats and umbrellas and loaded onto our designated coach for our first excursion.
Excursion to Auvers-sur-Oise: This little village was the final home of the famous artist Vincent Van Gogh. He only lived there for about 10 weeks and had hoped to recover from his depression and suspected epilepsy. In those 10 weeks he produced over 70 canvases including the famous painting of the wheat field just outside the village. Admirers of Van Gogh make the trip to Auvers-sur-Oise each year to see the area where he painted so many of his works.
It had been raining as we drove to the village but just after we got off the coach (which had just departed), the rain started coming down in buckets. Fortunately there was a Farmer’s Market across the road where we could escape the rain until it let up enough to continue the walking tour.
Excursion to Auvers-sur-Oise: This little village was the final home of the famous artist Vincent Van Gogh. He only lived there for about 10 weeks and had hoped to recover from his depression and suspected epilepsy. In those 10 weeks he produced over 70 canvases including the famous painting of the wheat field just outside the village. Admirers of Van Gogh make the trip to Auvers-sur-Oise each year to see the area where he painted so many of his works.
It had been raining as we drove to the village but just after we got off the coach (which had just departed), the rain started coming down in buckets. Fortunately there was a Farmer’s Market across the road where we could escape the rain until it let up enough to continue the walking tour.
Farmer's Market where we waited for rain to stop
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Farmer's Market where we waited for rain to stop
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Farmer's Market where we waited for rain to stop
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Farmer's Market where we waited for rain to stop
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Farmer's Market where we waited for rain to stop
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Farmer's Market where we waited for rain to stop
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The first stop was the Church at Auvers which was featured in one of his most famous paintings, continued on to the cemetery where he and later his brother are buried and had a look at the wheat field of his famous painting. The tour continued through the village center to his final home where he died two days after shooting himself in the chest.
Statue of Van Gogh in park
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Church Van Gogh painted
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Van Gogh honored on wall of town
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Homes in Auvers-sur-Oise
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Home in Auvers-sur-Oise
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Bakery in Auvers-sur-Oise
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Restaurant in Auvers-sur-Oise with drawings on front of building
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Countryside seen from coach on drive back to ship
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Countryside seen from coach on drive back to ship
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Excursion to Claude Monet’s Home and Garden: If you take the river cruise during the months of April-October, you will tour the home and gardens of Claude Monet. Since our tour was in November, we were not able to visit these but were able to see his home from the road as we rode back to the ship in Vernon. We were told that his garden is actually dug up and protected during the winter months and then replanted in time for the spring and summer season.
Countryside seen from coach on drive back to ship
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Countryside seen from coach on drive back to ship
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Views of Claude Monet's home seen from road since it was closed for the season
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Lunch: A Taste of Normandy was the theme for today’s lunch. There was a wide variety of specialties from Normandy that were served along with entertainment by the pianist.
Views of Claude Monet's home seen from road since it was closed for the season
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Sign at entrance of Restaurant on ship
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A few of the delicious Normandy foods served for lunch
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Area around the ship
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Area around the ship
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Area around the ship
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Walking Tour Through Vernon: From 2:30pm-4:00pm we were led on a walking tour through Vernon. Our local guide gave us some historical information about Vernon. It has been said to have been founded by the Viking Rollo in the 9th century and suffered damage throughout the years because it was a very important transit point between Paris and Rouen (town further down the Seine). Many half-timbered houses along cobbled streets have survived as well as the Archives Tower which is a remnant of an ancient castle and wall that dates back to 12th century and the small parish church (Collegiate Notre Dame) which was built in the 11th century and rebuilt in 1600 in Gothic style. It has a beautiful rose window above the main entrance, but it is the stained glass windows seen from inside the church that are spectacular. The original windows were bombed during WWII and were replaced with contemporary stained glass that looks like water colored paintings. There were many little shops (many with signs in wrought iron from long ago) to explore, but since it was Sunday everything was closed and we could only window shop.
Some of Vernon's half-timbered houses
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Some of Vernon's half-timbered houses
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Some of Vernon's half-timbered houses
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Some of Vernon's half-timbered houses
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Another old home in Vernon
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One of oldest houses dating to 15th century
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House with iron sign in front
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Ancient door
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Window on back of Town Hall depicting legend of St. Louis
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Arches Tower - remnant of ancient castle (fort of Vernon)
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Remains of ancient wall dating back to 12th century
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War Memorial
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First views of Collegiate Notre Dame (now Parish Church)
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First views of Collegiate Notre Dame (now Parish Church)
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Front of Parish Church
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Rose window above front portal of church
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Outside view of stained glass windows
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Beautiful contemporary stained glass windows that look like watercolor paintings
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Beautiful contemporary stained glass windows that look like watercolor paintings
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Beautiful contemporary stained glass windows that look like watercolor paintings
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Beautiful contemporary stained glass windows that look like watercolor paintings
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Beautiful contemporary stained glass windows that look like watercolor paintings
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Beautiful contemporary stained glass windows that look like watercolor paintings
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Beautiful contemporary stained glass windows that look like watercolor paintings
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Interesting statues on building at corner of Rue de Pont and Rue Carnot. The top of the heads are missing.
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Bakery was closed because it was Sunday
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Shop was closed because it was Sunday
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Other Afternoon Activities: From 2:30pm-4:15pm a painting class was held for those who wanted to try and create their own impressionistic painting. From 4:30pm-5:30pm a guest artist shared her insights on the famous painters associated with the area of the Seine River, including Pissarro, Renoir, Monet and Van Gogh.
Port Talk and Dinner: The program director and the head chef met with the group to discuss the next day’s excursions and the seasonal foods which would be featured in the evening’s meal.
Port Talk and Dinner: The program director and the head chef met with the group to discuss the next day’s excursions and the seasonal foods which would be featured in the evening’s meal.
Soup for dinner
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Baked brie with greens
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Pork tenderloin
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