Normandy

I had a seven day ‘holiday’ in D-Day week in 1998 covering Pont du Hoc to Ouistreham taking in just about everything up to 10 miles inland. This must be the humblest feeling of my 66 years on planet Earth, the museums are excellent, so too the cemeteries, but so very sad to visit.

My feelings, I have seen it once, I have stood on the beaches and looked up at those sandy cliffs, I have looked down to the beaches and out to sea I wouldn’t want to go back, it must be gut-wrenching for those old soldiers, sailors and airmen to do it for a second time as it was for my only visit.

I might just add that to sit in any of those remembrance gardens at the Musee de Peace Caen is the most chilling reminder of what life must have been like in 1944, I look on in awe aat my fellow brethren…………….

May just be me that thinks this, but i reccomend you don’t visit the ‘Museum of Peace’ in Caen. It’s expensive, and personally i thought it wasn’t that good at all, the only good thing for me was the replica Hawker Typhoon hanging from the roof, but it’s free to go into that bit (shop, foyer area)

Sorry to disagree Rlangham, but I would recommend the ‘Memorial'(Museum of Peace) in Caen, visited more than once over the years, last visit met a group of 101st/82nd Airborne guys on a visit 60 years on, very thought provoking looking at the museum and talking to the airborne vets.Also a nice Mig21 in the new extension, I would say that any ‘beaches’ tour should include the Memorial.

May just be me that thinks this, but i reccomend you don’t visit the ‘Museum of Peace’ in Caen. It’s expensive, and personally i thought it wasn’t that good at all, the only good thing for me was the replica Hawker Typhoon hanging from the roof, but it’s free to go into that bit (shop, foyer area)

Well to be honest,I did all the above in about 6 hours,although I did only visit one beach,and I had the wife and two daughters in tow.

Bayeux to Arromanche is 15kms,and then it’s about 30kms to Cafe Gondree,and Pegasus Bridge.And then from there,about 5kms to the ferry at Caen.

The cemetery and museum are opposite each other,so two attractions in a short space of time helps,and I know there are other places to see/do,but the above are what I wanted to see.I’ve no doubt,given more time,I would do more in the future.

One day only..

Lots of interesting recommendations here. On a slight tangent, I’ll be in Normandy in October, but will only have 1 day for a ‘beaches’ visit, and I’ll have a small child in tow, so too much travelling is out. So what would be the best site to visit in those circumstances?

Well,back home in Blighty,and did the business,and have to say,I was very moved by the Commonwealth cemetery in Bayeux,after visiting the D-Day museum,nearby.

Also visited Arromanche,and couldn’t leave without a visit to Cafe Gondree,which was superb.Like a time warp in fact.

I do have some pics,but may need some help posting them,if anyone is interested,as I’ve not put pics on here before,but I need to upload them to my computer first,after I’ve got some sleep.

Thanks to those that pointed me in the right direction on my visit to our neighbours soil.It’s something I’m pleased I’d done.

Ken.

A bit late for this post but someone else might be going to Normandy and want some tips.The Merville Battery is NOT to be missed,it seems to get overlooked when D Day is talked about.It was a tremendous achievement by the British at this place.

May I suggest as a change from Museums you get up to Hill 112 and walk across to Cornwall wood, through the copses and down towards the village of Esquay. Here you can still see the countyside just as it was in 1944, and the fields and hedgerows still give up the rusting remains of the tools of war.

“During two days fighting alone, 10th-11th July 1944, the 43rd (Wessex) Division suffered more than 2,000 casualties, and the slopes of the Hill were ablaze with the wrecks of British tanks (largely Churchills) knocked out by the SS Panzer units in occupation of the high ground. Hill 112 was not finally cleared until 3rd August, during the final phase of the breakout from Normandy. By that time the crest of the hill had been turned into a vast crater-zone of shell holes, wrecked vehicles and the bodies of those who had fought and died here.”

http://www.army.mod.uk/lightinfantry/history_traditions/major_battles/hill_112_1944/

Remembering 43rd (Wessex) Division – Normandy 1944.

Currently holidaying in Brittany,and sailing via Caen this Saturday at 11pm,so without doubt on the list,is a visit to Cafe Gondree,and Pegasus Bridge,and time permitting,a museum.

Ken.

I’m a bit “off-thread” with this question and I apologise for digressing, but mention of the WWI cemetaries brought up a question I have often wondered.

Were those cemetaries and other WWI memorials damaged in any way during WWII?

Regards

Wombat

I believe in general the cemetaries were relatively untouched by the effects of WW2, however some memorials were damaged or destroyed, mainly those in the centre of the towns fought over.

Sorry to digress

I’m a bit “off-thread” with this question and I apologise for digressing, but mention of the WWI cemetaries brought up a question I have often wondered.

Were those cemetaries and other WWI memorials damaged in any way during WWII?

Regards

Wombat

Plus of course the cemeteries, always the cemeteries….. Lest we forget.

Indeed.That will be in the forefront of my mind when I visit.

I’m travelling Plymouth/Roscoff to stay in Brittany,but coming back Caen/Portsmouth,and should have plenty of time to view the area.So can’t wait.

Thank you for your input.

Ken.

Plus of course the cemeteries, always the cemeteries….. 🙁 Lest we forget.

If you travel toward Dieppe and the Somme estuary, take time out to visit a few of the First World war cemeteries, and battle fields, I found these very sobering when we were there a couple of years ago.

You could do a lot worse than buy a copy of Major and Mrs.Holt’s “Battlefield Guide to Normandy Landing Beaches”. About a tenner on Amazon and comes with a map of all the local memorials, sites etc.

How long have you got? I stayed in Bayeux last year for three days, there is so much to see in the area we only scratched the surface;

Bayeux Museum with its Spitfire (surprisingly quite a lot of the airframe on display)

Arromanches (bit sea-sidey but good for the Mulberry harbour)

Omaha Beach (very quiet and thought-provoking)

Juno Beach (Small museum. Again, makes you think)

the Musee des Epaves at Port-en-Bessin has some very intriguing pieces brought up from under the sea; you can even buy prop blades there!

In 2002 I was near Lisieux, and visited St Mere l’Eglise (bit far away, but good museum and a very focal point of the landings) also the Peace memorial in Caen itself, that’s a big place, so you would need a good length of time to go round there. They have a MiG-21 in the basement! No idea how they got it in there! 😮

I’ve yet to do Pegasus Bridge, but it’s on the list as a ‘one day’

Plus of course the cemeteries, always the cemeteries….. 🙁 Lest we forget.

For me the ‘must see’ sights are probably Pegasus Bridge, Arromanches, the Gun Battery at Longues, Pont du Hoc and St.Mere Eglise.

Also if anyone is ever there for a longer stay and is interested in the wider Normandy campaign rather than just D-Day itself, the museums at Falaise and particularly Montormel (the actual site of the closing of the Falaise pocket) are both superb.

I have a section on my website with pictures of most of the above. www.davebrenchley.co.uk then click Normandy in the links on the left hand side.

Yes, been to all the above, several times.
Quinny, I know you’ll be travelling in the opposite direction but as general tip.
Get an overnight boat to Caen, then drive straight to Cafe Gondre and breakfast there, coffee and croissants–wonderful.

Also on the sea-front in Arromanches there’s a hotel very near the Mulberry harbour museum, that does local quisine. The Sea food platter takes from 12 to 3 to eat.
They also do a very decent Tripe ala Normandie–Mrs AiB sat on another table while I wrapped myself around that little lot.

I’ve rambled on about this place on here before to MOTF, Damien and HP.
But it is really good.
Cheers
Andy

At Caen you are within a few miles of Pegasus Bridge, scene of one of the defining moments of WW2 aviation.

Read up about it in advance – the Stephen Ambrose book is surprisingly good. Stand in the tiny field in which the gliders landed and marvel at the achievement of such a precision landing, in the dark, in combat conditions, in unsophisticated aircraft and without engines. Astonishing.

The nearby museum is superb with the actual bridge and a reconstructed glider.

Cafe Gondree, the first house to be liberated, a veritable shrine to the paras, still run by a Gondree daughter is a must. The coffee and pastries are pretty fine too.

Recommended 🙂

Moggy

St Mere Eglise on the Cherbourg peninsular is well worth a visit. Omaha Beach and Pointe Du Hoc, too.

Not really related to vintage flying as such,but I’m off to France in August,Brittany to be precise,but on my way back to my sailing from Caen,I fancy a visit to some of the Normandy attractions.

I need to some pointers as to where to visit,if anyone on here has done so.

Ken.

Bayeux is a good place to start, they have an impressive and thought provoking cemetry, a museum and also the Tapestry is you are intot hat sort of thing. From Bayeux it is a short drive to Arromanches where you can see the British artificial harbour amongst other things.

best rgeards, steve