On the Trail of the Ghost Army: Normandy

We set out from Paris early on a Wednesday morning, our tiny Peugot crammed with suitcases and video equipment. Our goal for the week long trip was to retrace some of the steps of the Ghost Army, to visit places they had been in order to get closer to their story. And to experience some other history along the way. The first step was to drive to Normandy.

It was still dark as we navigated the streets of Paris with the help of our Garmin hand held GPS, or as we referred to it during the trip, “Monsiuer Le Je-Pe-Es.” The device was occasionally frustrating; it evincied a love of “unpaved roads,” sometimes imagined highway entrance ramps that weren’t there. At one point while going around a rotary twice (I couldn't find the exit) it became convinced that we had a “Man Overboard”–I’m not making this up. But it proved an invaluable navigation tool, without which I doubt we could have found our way around the byways of Europe. The early start was due to my desire to flee the city before rush hour. Well before 7 AM we were working our way west of Paris on the “Péage,” the tollway. The first toll was 7 Euros, the rest smaller, but we dropped a small fortune at the tollbooths.

We reached the Normandy town of Bayeux shortly after 9 AM. We were there four years ago, and never managed to see the Bayeux tapestry, so we decided to rectify that. The tapestry is amazingly long, about 270 feet, and it is, in essence, a medieval movie telling the whole story of how William the Conqueror leads a Norman army to England to contest for a crown that he believes to be rightfully his, and wins it in a battle against his cousin Harold (who is killed by an arrow in the eye from a Norman archer)
Talk about your mini-series potential.


You'll notice that underneath the main story is another layer of information, which runs along the entire length of the tapestry. Marilyn pointed out is perhaps the earliest predecessor of CNN’s ticker at the bottom of the screen.

From Bayeux, we drove to Arromanches, where we sought inspiration by watching the “in the round” film about D-Day that we saw on our visit four years ago. The movie plays on 8 screens that surround the audience. It juxtaposes modern day images with archival footage to recreate the experience of the battle. There is no narration, and no interviews, but wonderful music and amazing sound design. It was breathtakingly emotional the first time we watched it. This time I was more focused on technical details. The thing that stood out to me is how evocative the audio design is, how much it does to put the viewer in the environment, washing over them with the experience. I also really like the way the filmmakers would take an archival still or bit of footage, and then dissolve to the same scene today, with people and cars and all. This technique makes the grainy black and white images more real by tying them to familiar close by the theatre’s Normandy location.

After lunch we drove to Trevieres, site of the church in numerous Ghost Army drawings and paintings. We took wandering route and found ourselves on a back road by the ruins of an another church, this one abandoned. I also shot some video of Norman cows that may find its way into the film. It was drizzling—rain would dog us for much of the trip –but the church was still dazzling. Not in itself—it is a fairly ordinary medieval Norman church—but because it is such a touchstone to the Ghost Army story.
The door was open, and we went inside, There was no one there—were all alone. It was spooky and moving at the same time. We found some pamphlets in there describing the church (it was built in the 1200's) and the restoration after WWII (it wasn't complete until 1953.)



We took some pictures, but I really wanted to get permission before videotaping anything, so we grabbed an information sheet with the parish phone number, and left for Manor Quesnay.

Once again we were retracing our steps from 2004. Jacques and Alex Fourcade run this fortified Norman farmhouse as an elegant B&B, and we stayed there on our last visit. It was after 4 when we pulled into the courtyard. Jacques greeted us in his pleasingly accented baritone, and Alex showed us up to our room. Honestly, we stayed with them one night four years ago, and they treated us as long lost friends.

We were the only guests staying in the Manor. Marilyn didn’t feel well (still suffering from her infection) and went right to sleep. I eventually went downstairs and began chatting with Jacques, who was trying to find us a good restaurant that was open (it being the off season.) I told him about the Ghost Army story, and asked his help in contacting the “presbytare,“ the church office. He and Alex put their heads together (should we talk to the church or should we call the Mayor) and he went to work. Alex clucked over Marilyn’s health and insisted on making a pot of wonderful tea, along with some traditional tea biscuits (molasses sugar cookies), that proved to be quite a restorative for both of us. Meantime Jacques connected with Jeanine, who ran the church office, and she agreed to meet us there the following morning.

Since Jacques was striking out on restaurants, Alex made a suggestion. Jacquies seemed loathe to consider this place, since he had never eaten there himself) but eventually called and made a reservation. All the time he was saying things such as: “Well, this is Alex’s responsibility.” The restaurant was called L’Assiette Normand, the Norman Plate. It was in a picture perfect location (as if out of a movie) just a few steps from the Bayeux Cathedral. Marilyn ordered the Plat du Jour, I had the Poisson du Jour, and it was a wonderful dining experience. Then it was back to the Manor and bed.