 |
| Photo courtesy of Dave Harruff |
Normandy, France. D-Day Landings
June 6th, 1944
http://www.bessin-normandie.com/ - Official site
Toll roads from Spangdahlem AB, around 50 Euro one way, be ready with cash.
Recommended stay: Port-en-Bessin, Colleville-sur-Mer, Port-en-Bessin Huppain, Grandcamp -Maisy, Vierville-sur-Mer, Arromanches-les-Bains. All of these are extremely close to a site and on the country road behind the beaches. For a city stay there are Bayeux and Caen depending on how far you would like drive to the sites.
We stayed at Pierre Et Vacances Maeva Tourisme in Port-en-Bessin Huppain. Booked with Booking.com. Tourist residence next to the Omaha Beach Golf Course. It was an excellent base camp with a grocery store & gas station in the nearby town. The residence were fully furnished apartments with a heated outdoor and indoor pool, and a playground next to the outdoor pool. Parking was free and surrounded the building in lots. You do take out your own garbage and no maid service is available. Reviews online also stated that you don't get extra TP- we brought our own…… a vacuum cleaner was also in the apartment to clean up all of the sand=)
Campsites and Caravan Parks are also abundant in this area. Check out the above website for more info.
Arromanches- Artificial Mulberry Harbour. Arromanches 360- D-Day landings film from archives and Normandy today. 9 screens 360 degrees around you. Musee du Debarquement- Construction & operation of the artificial port/ Mulberry harbor.
Arromanches Militaria- Shop selling memorabilia from 1939-1945.
Batteries de Longues- Near Arromanches. Four German batteries with guns aimed at the coast across. A little bit further on the main road is Longues-sur-Mer- an Observation cliff of Arromanches and artillery command center.
Omaha Beach- 2 Museums. Big Red One Assault Museum, Colleville-sur-Mer & Musee Memorial d'Omaha Beach with the floating bridge of Mulberry Harbour, St-Laurent-sur-Mer. 11 Monuments. The American Cemetery. German bunker on the cliff at the Monument Les Braves site. Read the signs and maps, they explain exactly the area you are looking at and what you can completely miss!!!
 |
| Photo courtesy of Dave Harruff |
The American Cemetery and Memorial- Colleville-sur-Mer.
April 15-Sept.15th: 9-6pm. Sept 16- April 14: 9-5pm. Weekly closing: Dec. 25th- Jan. 1st. www.abmc.gov. 172.5 acres of cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach.
9, 387 graves of fallen soldiers during the Normandy campaign. A chapel, a Memorial and a garden pay tribute to the fallen. The inspired story for the Saving Private Ryan Film was from the Niland Brothers. There are 41 sets of brothers buried.
Pointe du Hoc- Cricqueville-en-Bessin. Free access all year. Reception & Info office: April 1- Sept 30th, every day: 9:30-1pm. 2-6pm. Oct.1- Mar. 31: 10-1pm, 2-5pm. Closed Mon-Thursday. The Pointe was a strategic fortification for the Germans on the Normandy coast. 30 Meters above sea, taken by storm by the men of Colonel Rudder's 2nd Ranger Battalion. The site was bombed heavily before the Rangers scaled the cliff wall to fight.
Grandcamp-Maisy- Port town after Utah Beach on the way to Pointe du Hoc. Nice lunch spot and visit.
Musee des Rangers- Recounts the story of the Rangers who stormed Pointe du Hoc on June 6, 1944.
Batterie de Maisy- German gun battery. 1.5km of trenches, tunnels & six 155mm artillery platforms.
Cimetiere Militaire Allemand- La Cambe. German WWII cemetery of 21,300 casualties.
Utah Beach & Museum- Sainte Marie du Mont. 9:30- 7pm. Utah Beach Monument..
Saint Mere- Eglise- Near Utah Beach. Paratroopers landed in the town and one got stuck on the steeple of the church. The church now has two stained glass windows, one with Mary and the paratroopers surrounding her, the other of Saint Michael (patron saint of the paratroopers) dedicated in 1972.
 |
| Photo courtesy of Dave Harruff |
Bayeux- Notre Dame Cathedral, Gothic style. Famous for the Bayeau tapestry. Cimetiere Militaire Britannique- British military cemetery of WWII.
Musee Memorial de la Bataille de Normandie- Retraces the battle of Normandy from June 7th to August 29, 1944.
Musee des Epaves Sous-Marines- Port-en-Bessin-Huppain. Underwater WWII vehicles recovered after 25 years. Route de Bayeux-BP 9
Musee de la Bataille de Tilly-sur-Seulles- In a 12th century chapel, recounts the struggle of Tilly-sur-Seulles and surrounding villages during the war.
Overlord Tours- They were always around us at the same time. Company recommended by veterans. French and English fluently. Tours in air-conditioned minivans for up to 8 people. 45E half day, 85E full day- includes museum. Private tours for all distances. overlordtour.com
 |
| Photo courtesy of Dave Harruff |
Normandy is famous for their biscuits, Isigny Caramels, Cheese, Ciders- alcoholic and non, & Calvados- apple brandy, try the Calvados chocolates;)
Follow the signs, sometimes the GPS got lost for us.
Gold Beach, Juno Beach & Sword Beach - No info. Non American beaches.
Center Juno Beach- Canadian museum of D-Day landings on the beaches.
The countryside is dotted with charming villages with stone- built homes, colorful painted shutters, windows wish full flower boxes and beautiful tended gardens. The American flag flies proudly in every town/village more often than any small town in the States!
The food: Fresh seafood prepared in traditional dishes. Cream and butter sauces are richly delicious. The breads and bakery treats are fruit or chocolate filled, decadent and tasty.
Le Mont Saint- Michel
1 hour drive from the sites
Mont Saint Michel BP 22, 50116
Enchanting island sight crowned by a fortified abbey linked to the mainland by a causeway.
May- Aug: 9-7pm
Sept- Apr: 9:30-5pm
The entrance to the island town is free, shop and wander the pilgrim's route up to the Abbey.
Tour the Abbey: Under 18 free. 8,50 Euro adults
Parking for the day: 5-7E, can't fully remember!
The abbey of St. Michel- Benedictine monastery and then used as a political prison after the Revolution for 73 years. 3 levels- lower, middle & church..
St. Aubert's chapel: Small 15th century chapel on rock outcrop.
Ramparts: Fortified walls with imposing towers and walkway around for great views and photos. Take the right staircase after the first shop in town to the walk the Rampart wall and to the abbey.
Abbey: Protected by high walls
Gautier's Leap: Top of the inner staircase where a prisoner leapt to his death.
Grand Rue: The pilgrim's route followed dine the 12th century. Climbs through the town to the abbey gates.
We ate at Les Terrasses Poulard, one of the first restaurants at the top near the abbey entrance. Excellent fresh seafood specialties. You can order meals separately on the menu or choose a 3 course meal for a fixed price. The fixed menu was an inexpensive choice to try three separate courses compared to the main menu prices. Portions were very well sized and we left beyond full! I ordered a seafood sampler plate, scallops in a cream soup to die for, literally, and a dessert sampler plate with 4 desserts. Absolutely awesome!!!
So exactly how long does it take to get from Spang to the beaches by car? :) this is an amazing blog :) great job :)
ReplyDelete