CHAPTER 163

Original: 2014-05-27

Rewritten: 2026-07-01

The confidence of the French is shown through fashion. The pride and grandeur of France shine through Paris.

After admiring the elegance and magnificence of the City of Light from the top of the Eiffel Tower in 2008, where we enjoyed a breathtaking 360-degree view of Paris, our family of three longed to return and appreciate its beauty at a slower pace.

The opportunity came in 2014, during the 70th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy. We decided to combine our revisit to Paris with a trip to the historic beaches where the Allies launched the counteroffensive that ultimately brought down Nazi Germany. By then, I was one and a half years into my liver transplant recovery. My strength and spirits had largely returned, and my wife meticulously planned a ten-day independent tour of Paris. Her goal was not merely to visit the city, but to help us walk through it with purpose, understanding, and a growing sense of familiarity.

Our preparations were thorough. We printed walking maps from our hotel to every attraction, keeping each route within four kilometres. We also enrolled online in a highly recommended local walking tour. We chose the Arc de Triomphe as our geographical reference point and planned our walks along the Seine. Depending on our energy, mood, and the weather, we wandered as far as we wished, then simply took a taxi back to the hotel whenever we had had our fill.

Normandy, however, lies about 300 kilometres from Paris, so walking was obviously out of the question. We booked a guided minibus tour in advance. Although it was more expensive, the guide's explanations were exceptionally detailed. Besides our family of three from Canada, the tour included five Americans from two families.

Recognizing this, our guide arranged not only a visit to Omaha Beach, where American forces landed, but also to Juno Beach, where Canadian troops stormed ashore. Before touring the battlefields, our group enjoyed lunch together at a traditional French farmhouse on the outskirts of Normandy. We savoured French cuisine accompanied by two different wines, and the eight of us chatted happily throughout the meal.

The morning had been overcast in Paris, and dark clouds followed us to Normandy, where rain began to fall—much as it had on the day of the invasion seventy years earlier.

At Omaha Beach, American soldiers had to scale cliffs nearly one hundred feet high, exposing themselves to devastating German fire. Canadian forces landed at Juno Beach during high tide and likewise suffered terrible casualties. The artificial floating harbours and piers used during the invasion have long since become rusting relics, left where they once served their purpose.

The German defenders fought fiercely from their concrete bunkers, and many lost their lives in Normandy. The towns that had been reduced to rubble during the fighting have since been rebuilt, yet they still retain a plain and weathered character. The American Cemetery was later designated American territory. Ironically, a shutdown of the U.S. federal government had left the cemetery temporarily closed because of funding shortages.

Nearly ten thousand American soldiers are buried there, far from home. The cemetery is solemn, orderly, and beautifully maintained. The Canadian cemetery, designed in a style similar to British military cemeteries, is more intimate and peaceful, with flowers blooming everywhere. My son lingered there for a long time, quietly reading the headstones. So many of those buried were only about twenty years old. It was heartbreaking.

Curiously, the five American visitors showed little interest in the Canadian cemetery. After taking a quick look, they returned to the minibus to wait for us.

Perhaps that explains the stereotype that Americans often show little interest in the people, history, or culture of other nations. The warm impression I had formed of them over lunch faded away.

The Allied forces took eighty days to liberate Paris. Our return journey by road took only three hours.

France is a land of gentle rolling hills, fertile soil, alternating sunshine and rain, and abundant harvests—ideal conditions for producing fine wines and outstanding cuisine. Its beautiful landscapes and refined wines have inspired countless artists, while many French people themselves possess an artistic temperament and refined taste. France's natural abundance, self-sufficiency, and historical strength also delayed its industrialization compared with some of its neighbours.

The French are world-renowned for their pride and their impeccable sense of fashion.

The moment we stepped into Paris, we saw men elegantly dressed in well-tailored shirts, jackets, and trousers, while women wore coordinated outfits, flowing dresses, scarves, and stylish hats. Every combination seemed effortlessly tasteful.

Whether travelling by motorcycle or bicycle, office workers—men and women alike—were impeccably dressed as they navigated confidently through the bustling streets.

The confidence of the French is shown by fashion. The pride and grandeur of France shine through Paris.