Multicultural Kid Blogs

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Autumn in Normandy, France

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Autumn in Normandy, France is an explosion of rich and vibrant colors as well as a symphony of pungent odors of decomposing foliage, moisture and burning wood. Heaven on earth! The Multicultural Kid Blogs asked me to write an article about fall in France and so I decided to give you a small peek into my corner of the world. The small village we live in is located in Normandy, the Northwestern corner of France, about an hour and a half west of Paris and an hour away from the coast of the English Channel. Rustic and full of charm, we feel so blessed to call it our home. These are a few photos of a nature walk I took with my children just yesterday.

Autumn in Normandy, France | Multicultural Kid Blogs
This is an active farmhouse where cattle are raised as livestock, just down the road from our house. The Normande cattle are raised for both milk and beef. Although we didn’t see a single cow on this particular walk, they are usually very present in the Normandy landscape and account for the high number of milk and dairy products exported from this region.
Autumn in Normandy, France | Multicultural Kid Blogs
Red brick is not uncommon in the rustic houses and architecture in Normandy. Autumn colors lend themselves especially well in this setting.
Autumn in Normandy, France | Multicultural Kid Blogs
Hydrangeas are also an iconic symbol of Normandy. These abundant, gorgeous flowers grow especially well in partial sun and abundant rain – and that pretty much sums up the climate in Normandy! Hydrangeas color turn beautifully through the months and can be harvested during fall when their colors have matured and the petals stiffened. A bouquet of dried hydrangeas will keep for years!
Autumn in Normandy, France | Multicultural Kid Blogs
Plush forests also surround us making for delightful walks and bike rides. This forest road continues straight out of the street that we live on. The forest is called La Londe, which means “woods” or “forest” in Norman. The flora consists of hornbeams, oaks, European beech trees, chestnuts and pine trees, just to name a few. Chestnuts are an especially popular treat to harvest in autumn in Normandy and are eaten roasted, boiled or made into an unctuous chestnut cream to eat on crêpes.
Autumn in Normandy, France | Multicultural Kid Blogs
It rains a lot in autumn in Normandy. A lot. Rain boots and umbrellas are a household must.
Autumn in Normandy, France | Multicultural Kid Blogs
When you think of Normandy, you think of apples, just like you think of cows. Apple trees and orchards dot the landscape and it is not uncommon to find orchards where you can pick apples on your own, a personal favorite family activity every autumn. Normandy is a major cider-producing region and are well-known for their apple brandy called calvados. Apples are also used in baking pies, such as the world-renowned Tarte Tatin, a caramalized upside down apple pie. So delicious!
Autumn in Normandy, France | Multicultural Kid Blogs
These fields are also just around the corner from our house. Agriculture is important for this region and crops such as wheat and corn grow in abundance.
Autumn in Normandy, France | Multicultural Kid Blogs
Crab apple trees adorn every nook and cranny of the landscapes in Normandy. These red “pommettes” look especially quaint with the exuberant fall colors in the background. Crab apples are often harvested to make jelly or crab apple butter, but are mostly used for their ornamental quality.
Autumn in Normandy, France | Multicultural Kid Blogs
I hope you have enjoyed our little walk through our neighborhood as much as we did! Normandy, France is a wonderful place to live, especially in the autumn! If you’d like to take another peek at Autumn in a Normandy village vote one of the most beautiful villages in France, click here: Bec-Hellouin. What about you? What does Autumn look like in your corner of the world? What are some of the crops that are harvested?
Lou Messugo

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Maria Babin

Bonjour! I'm Maria! I was born in Southern California to a Peruvian father and a Mexican mother. I grew up speaking Spanish and English and fell in love with French when I was just a girl. I studied French and second language acquisition at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where I met my French husband Samuel. I taught French at BYU for a few years before venturing onto our own homemade multilingual experiment... My husband and I now live in Normandy, France with our four gorgeous trilingual children. I'm a substitute secondary school English teacher and am currently preparing my certification to become a tenured teacher in French private schools. I am passionate about second language acquisition and my blog is the story of our multilingual, multicultural life. You'll also find different resources and advice for raising your own multilingual family on Trilingual Mama. Come have a peek, I'd love to have you visit!
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Comments

  1. Chris says

    Hello Maria from another multilingual family here in Normandy! It’s always nice to know there are other people locally sharing this adventure.

    best wishes/bien cordialement

    Chris