Special Sub-Topic: Normandy: History and Beauty Click Here To Play: Normandy: History and Beauty

Normandy is geographically divided into two regions. What are these?

Basse and Haute. "Upper" and "Lower" Normandy are distinct regions with different traditions, topography and products.

As we leave Paris and head to Normandy, we follow the Seine river and reach Vernon, my hometown. As we cross the Seine here, I admire the chalky cliffs at Vernonnais, directly flanking the town. We turn right, and just one kilometer after leaving Vernon, we reach a little town more renowned than Vernon. In this village we find a long pink house, gardens, lily ponds, and an artist's studio. Where are we?

Giverny. In addition to Monet's home and gardens, there is an American Impressionist museum in Giverny. Monet painted extensively during his long residence here, and he also painted views of nearby Vernon and its church.

We drive along the Seine until we reach the lovely fishing village of Honfleur. I have to get my fill of French cheese, so I ask for the cheese cart as I take in the sea breeze and charming gray rowhouses along the harbour. The French are proud of their regional specialties, and since I am in Normandy, which of the following cheeses would our server not particularly recommend?

Brie. The three incorrect choices are, of course, all Normandy cheeses. Brie comes from the Ile de France, the region around Paris. Note I didn't include Normandy's most famous cheese, the noble Camembert, my favorite. Too bad all French Camembert sold in the U.S. is overripe, and the domestic ones taste like paper pulp. A quick hint. When you go to Normandy, eat the Camembert very young, when the center is still chalky. Don't buy that stuff about you want it "aged".

We travel to a city of historical importance in the life of Joan of Arc. In which city is there a memorial and a church at the site where she was burned at the stake?

Rouen. Joan was burned at the stake in the Place du Vieux Marche on May 30, 1431. Although she was rehabilitated by the Catholic Church in 1456, she was not canonized to sainthood until 1920, becoming France's patron saint.

There is an attractive city in Normandy which is the birthplace of William the Conqueror, and the castle in which he was born still stands. The town also gives its name to the gap through which many German soldiers escaped after the D-Day landings of June 1944. What is the name of this town?

Falaise. The castle can be visited, and one can allegedly see the room where William the Conqueror was born. There is also an exquisite church nearby with intricate exterior stonework.

The area between the Orne and Vire rivers is known as Calvados, renowned for its Calvados apple brandy. What gave this region its name?

The sinking of a Spanish Armada ship off the coast. Returning from England, the galleon "Salvador" sunk off the coast, and the name gradually was transmuted to Calvados.

Which of the following are not located in Normandy

The Rose Coast. The Rose Coast, a coastal stretch of attractive pink granite, is located in Brittany, to the west of Normandy. Mont-St.Michel is in far Western Normandy, and the Mother-of-Pearl Coast is another name given to the region including the D-Day beaches.

There is a handsome chateau named Brecourt a few miles from Giverny located at Pacy-sur-Eure, the home of Boursin cheese. It used to be owned by the U.S. ambassador to France. The Germans invaded France in 1940. What did the ambassador do with the chateau in 1939?

Sell it. One wonders what he knew in 1939. Today it is a pleasant hotel and has a book with an extensive history, including how, in olden days, an army marching to battle stopped at the chateau, got drunk from raiding the wine cellar, and subsequently did not fight.

Dotting the Normandy countryside are structures used to house pigeons, usually on the grounds of timbered manor houses. Pigeon is a common dish in France, and these houses, built in many architectural forms, are frequently painted, photographed, and admired by artists and tourists. What is the name of these buildings?

Dovecotes. It was forbidden to shoot pigeons in olden days, and this was a convenient way to supply the dinner table. The materials used to build these dovecotes varied from region to region, but the materials were generally ashlar stone, black flint, white stone, and brick.

Mont-St-Michel is an architectural marvel and is one of the most significant sights in Normandy. Which one of the following is not true about it?

The abbey was captured repeatedly between the French and English. Mont-St-Michel has never been captured. It was founded in the eighth century, and has a number of churches, chapels, towers, ramparts, and a medieval village. Thanks for taking the quiz!