A friend and I are planning a tour of the Normandy Beaches area this coming October. We will probably have five days in the area given we are driving down via the Tunnel. A brief outline is 1-2 days in the area of the British beaches and the same with the American beaches. Then a day looking at Hill 112 area and the battles around Caen. Although I know a bit about the Campaign I am far from an expert and there is no particular Regimental association for either of us. So we are looking for ideas of places to visit and things/sites/museums we shouldn't miss? Does the time split make sense? Our plan is to stay in smaller, family-run hotels in smaller towns, rather than a Mercure in Caen. We plan to move every day or two rather than stay in one and drive from it every day. Does anyone have any recommendations? Have looked through the threads here so apologies if this is an oft-asked question! Thanks S89
I would thoroughly recommend the Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mère-Église - Accueil - English | Airborne. I went some years ago and its a great museum. If you have the transport a trip up to Pointe du Hoc would also be worth doing, its amazing to see the craters and remains still up there, gives an idea of the amount of Firepower raining down on that point on 6 June: If you're interested in the British airborne operations the memorial and museum at Pegasus bridge is also excellent - Musée Mémorial Pegasus - RANVILLE : Normandy Tourism, France - Make sure you watch 'The longest day' before you go! I haven't been personally but I also believe the D-Day Landing Museum at Arromanches is worth a visit, with lots of info about the Mulberry harbours etc. If you would like to visit any cemeteries, the Normandy American Cemetery is very poignant. Enjoy your trip!
Skoyen89 I concur with TomP.1994 , if you get chance, a visit to Pegasus Bridge is well worth it. In 2005, I was lucky enough to have a 7 day RAF 'Force Development' visit to Normandy. Whilst I've had a militaria interest since I was 13, this visit was before my WW2 interest really kicked in. I have very few memories and zero photos of my trip....Pegasus Bridge and Omaha Beach being my only real memories. Enjoy your trip, and get plenty of photos
I concur re Pegasus Bridge and Pointe du Hoc and would add that a trip to the Merville Battery site is worthwhile. The museum in Bayeux is worth a visit - Bayeux, the gateway to the D-Day beaches - Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy Bayeux British cemetery is on the opposite side of the ring road - originally built by RE so vehicles didn’t have to use the narrow medieval streets of Bayeux. If you haven’t seen the Bayeux Tapestry before it is well worth a visit as is a trip to the Norman cathedral. Steve
The Canadian Memorial and museum at Courseulles (Juno Beach) should not be missed. Stay in Arromanches, it is nicely central for the British and American beaches.
I rather like the "Underwater Wrecks" museum. It's really "real" Musée des épaves sous-marines du débarquement. DE Wrecks Reviews - Google Search
Hotel Normandie in Arromanches is right by the Musee du Debarquement. A little tired, but decent value, and very central.
Many many years ago; Hôtel du Phare, Ouistreham (off the Ro-Ro and you're there!). Was exceptionally cheap and cheerful, location made Pegasus, Horsa, Merville but a short step, and driving further afield Hill 112 and Villers-Bocage can be visited as a "day out". Kind regards, always remember, never forget, Jim. P.S. 112 Memorial as was way back when (n.b. The Churchill, not the USSR lump!) Public Tanks
Before you go I suggest you do some light reading to give you some context. A friend of mine who is interested but not deeply knowledgeable borrowed from me Overlord Coastline The Major D Day Locations by Stephen Chicken, and The Penguin Atlas of D Day The Normandy Campaign, John Man. He's just returned them and told me that he really thought they helped him with a deeper understanding of what went on at the places he chose to visit. Do go to a war cemetery. It is for me always a moving experience to look out across a vista of crosses receding into the distance.
Thanks Osborne2 for the advice. I have a pretty good idea of the chronology, campaign etc but I have been to battlefields before where it is hard to see that anything happened there. Equally I am aware there are a number of 'visitor attractions' in Normandy and I was looking to get a steer on which are 'must visit's. i will include a few cemeteries - I find sometimes the smaller ones are more evocative than the huge ones. If we have time there is one east of Caen that has the casualties from Hill 112 and Epsom which I would find interesting. Regards Sk89
Many years ago we stayed in Arromanches at the Hotel de la Marine ... evocative location as we got a cancellation and the corner room overlooking sea and place for the night of 5/6 June That was a fluke No idea of how it is now Other visits we used Chambre d'Hotes Enjoy the planning and the trip Robin
We had a recent trip to Normandy having in the past visited the area passing through on the way to holidays further south and stopping overnight in Calvados in returning for the overnight ferry. Our itinerary was over five days, starting and finishing at Ouistreham using the overnight Portsmouth/Caen ferry for both journeys. A good preparation is to read Stephen Ambrose works, D Day, Pegasus Bridge and Band of Brothers (based on the true account of Easy Company,506th Regiment,101st Airbourne Division and very open on relationships between officers and ORs.) The three-book collection is available on Amazon for £35.99. Ambrose covers the Omaha and Utah invasion beaches well in his D Day work. The taking of Pegasus Bridge, a vital British operation in the planning for victory in Normandy is comprehensive detailed. For the visitor the Battlefield Guide Normandy Landing Beaches by Major & Mrs Holt is an excellent reference companion which includes a Battle Map. All the information required for making up an itinerary is here. Normandy Tourism has a first class website covering the battlefield beaches and beyond as below. D-Day & the Battle of Normandy - Normandy Tourism, France
I/we visited the area recently 16-21st June, we stayed in Arromanche at the hotel De Normandie. Managed to cram in loads of places in the short time we were there. Day 1:- Merville Bty, Pegasus Bridge and museum, Ranville, Sword & Juno Beach. Day 2:- Gold Beach, Allied Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, Crepon, Hill 112 and the area of Op Goodwood. Day 3:- Disembarkation Museum Arromanche, US Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, Omaha Beach, Point de Hoc, Port-en-Bessin and the Gun Battery at Longue-sur-Mer. Day 4:- Utah Beach and museum, St Mere Eglise and museum. We then drove up to Cherbourg to get the ferry back to Poole!
A moving, grim and happy article by James Holland on his walking through Normandy just following the route of the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry (SRY): In the Footsteps of Heroes & Gentle Men
