France – Mondegro

Nov 20

Canadian National Vimy Memorial

By Nancy Moniz France No Comments

Our trip to France in November 2014 included visits to several WWl and WWll memorial sites, including the incredibly moving Canadian National Vimy Memorial.

The ground on which the Vimy Monument sits, as well as the surrounding 100 hectares of land, were given to Canada by France in 1922 in gratitude for sacrifices made by Canada in the First World War and for the victory achieved by Canadian troops in capturing Vimy Ridge in April 1917. The monument was designed by Canadian Walter Seymour Allward, and was built by the people of Canada as a tribute to their countrymen who fought in the Great War and, particularly, to the more than 66,000 men who gave their lives. (Information source: www.veterans.gc.ca)

Nov 18

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The Juno Beach Centre

By Nancy Moniz France No Comments

This year marked the 70th anniversary of D-Day, when 359 Canadians were killed in action on the beaches of Normandy during the Second World War. To coincide with the anniversary, we visited several memorial sites in Normandy, including The Juno Beach Centre.

Aug 12

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Reims Cathedral and the First World War

By Nancy Moniz France

Our visit to Reims Cathedral this summer coincided with their exhibition commemorating the impact and heavy damaged it sustained during the First World War bombardment.

Aug 06

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First World War Memorial Tablet in the Cathedral of Nancy

First World War Memorial Tablet in Nancy

By Nancy Moniz France

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War. We travelled through eastern France this summer and were always humbled by the reminders of the battles fought and the lives lost. We visited Nancy, France and stopped in at its cathedral. Located on one of its pillars is this memorial tablet. (Middle left: The Arms of Canada) It reads:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND TO THE MEMORY OF
ONE MILLION DEAD
OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE
WHO FELL
IN THE GREAT WAR
1914 – 1918
AND TO WHOM THE
GREATER PART REST
IN FRANCE

Jul 23

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The Crown of Louis XV at the Louvre

By Nancy Moniz France

We visited the Louvre last weekend during our trip to France. With so many beautiful objects housed there, it is a guarantee that some things will be missed. We missed this object on previous Louvre visits but fortunately spotted it this time and stopped to admire and photograph it. Kings of France had their own personal crown made for their coronation. This one was commissioned by Louis XV. It is silver-gilt embellished with precious stones, but in 1729 the crown was dismantled and the original jewels replaced with paste imitations. It was worn only at the coronation.