Been meaning to post a trip report on this for a while, but have had very little success trying to include photos. Sometimes a photo will post, and other times it won't, with absolutely no idea why one wlll and one won't. So, here we go sans photos.
Bottom line: Loved it. All of it. Normandy is absolutely beautiful. Getting off of the beaten path and exploring the oftentimes single lane back roads is fantastic; the country side is impeccably clean and just fun to explore. Just a few days into our trip, I was looking longingly at the Norman farms that were for sale. I could see me ending my days living there. Seriously. And, the people there were awesome; we were there from June 7-15, and many, many private houses were flying four flags: France, USA, Britain, and Canada; celebrating what the Allies went through in WWII. While sometimes in the US we focus on who is supporting our current foreign policy, I think we should remember the history we have with shared together with our Allies.
Long version: We flew in Charles De Gaullle in Paris, rented a car, and drove to our base of operations in Bayeux. We stayed at Chateau de Bellefontaine, just outside the "beltway" of Bayeux, which was awesome. The manager there was just outstanding, and the walk from the hotel to central Bayeux was maybe 10-15 minutes. The first day we spent exploring Bayeux, to include viewing the Bayeux Tapestry and the cathedral. The tapestry museum is very well done; the audio guides explain what you are looking at, and keep everybody moving along at a steady pace at the same time. Once done with the tapestry itself, there are more exhibits and a short film. Once done with that, there is a fantastic creperie place for lunch; savory galletes and sweet crepes, with a delightful vin rouge.
The next day we were up early and were on Omaha Beach at 0630 in the morning, at low tide. 0630 and low tide are the same conditions as H-Hour, 6 June 1944,. I walked to the water's edge and turned to view the bluffs; soldiers landing had 300-400+ yards of sand to cross under machine gun/mortar/88mm fire. It's a wonder anyone got off that beach alive. It is unbelievably humbling to look at that view and try and understand how anyone made it across that killing zone.
We spent the next few days viewing all sorts of WWII and medieval history, from St Mere Eglise (where paratroopers landed) to Mont St Michele to Caen to Pointe Du Hoc to the American cemetery above Omaha Beach (a somber place with almost 10,000 dead buried there) to Falaise (WIlliam the Conquereor's birthplace); we even went to Cherbourg and toured the aquarium there, which includes a fantastic tour of the French ballistic missile sub La Redoubtable. The great thing about France: Even the aquarium had fantastic food! In an American museum you are lucky to get a foil wrapped burger or hot dog; I had one of my best meals at the Cherbourg aquarium (slow cooked lamb with tomatoes in a crucnchy pastry shell with a delightful Bordeaux wine).
Honestly, I thought 8 days in Normandy would result in us looking for things to do; not the case. There is so much to do and see there; we spent every day exploring parts of Normandy and seeing new things. We tried to get off the beaten path as much as possible and see things that most tourists don't (such as the village of Martian; the site of a bitter battle in Normandy during the German counter attack). And there was still much to see that we didn't get a chance to visit.
The whole visit was fanstastic, and I hated to leave. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to return.
___________________________________________________
Taco cat spelled backwards is....taco cat.
Bottom line: Loved it. All of it. Normandy is absolutely beautiful. Getting off of the beaten path and exploring the oftentimes single lane back roads is fantastic; the country side is impeccably clean and just fun to explore. Just a few days into our trip, I was looking longingly at the Norman farms that were for sale. I could see me ending my days living there. Seriously. And, the people there were awesome; we were there from June 7-15, and many, many private houses were flying four flags: France, USA, Britain, and Canada; celebrating what the Allies went through in WWII. While sometimes in the US we focus on who is supporting our current foreign policy, I think we should remember the history we have with shared together with our Allies.
Long version: We flew in Charles De Gaullle in Paris, rented a car, and drove to our base of operations in Bayeux. We stayed at Chateau de Bellefontaine, just outside the "beltway" of Bayeux, which was awesome. The manager there was just outstanding, and the walk from the hotel to central Bayeux was maybe 10-15 minutes. The first day we spent exploring Bayeux, to include viewing the Bayeux Tapestry and the cathedral. The tapestry museum is very well done; the audio guides explain what you are looking at, and keep everybody moving along at a steady pace at the same time. Once done with the tapestry itself, there are more exhibits and a short film. Once done with that, there is a fantastic creperie place for lunch; savory galletes and sweet crepes, with a delightful vin rouge.
The next day we were up early and were on Omaha Beach at 0630 in the morning, at low tide. 0630 and low tide are the same conditions as H-Hour, 6 June 1944,. I walked to the water's edge and turned to view the bluffs; soldiers landing had 300-400+ yards of sand to cross under machine gun/mortar/88mm fire. It's a wonder anyone got off that beach alive. It is unbelievably humbling to look at that view and try and understand how anyone made it across that killing zone.
We spent the next few days viewing all sorts of WWII and medieval history, from St Mere Eglise (where paratroopers landed) to Mont St Michele to Caen to Pointe Du Hoc to the American cemetery above Omaha Beach (a somber place with almost 10,000 dead buried there) to Falaise (WIlliam the Conquereor's birthplace); we even went to Cherbourg and toured the aquarium there, which includes a fantastic tour of the French ballistic missile sub La Redoubtable. The great thing about France: Even the aquarium had fantastic food! In an American museum you are lucky to get a foil wrapped burger or hot dog; I had one of my best meals at the Cherbourg aquarium (slow cooked lamb with tomatoes in a crucnchy pastry shell with a delightful Bordeaux wine).
Honestly, I thought 8 days in Normandy would result in us looking for things to do; not the case. There is so much to do and see there; we spent every day exploring parts of Normandy and seeing new things. We tried to get off the beaten path as much as possible and see things that most tourists don't (such as the village of Martian; the site of a bitter battle in Normandy during the German counter attack). And there was still much to see that we didn't get a chance to visit.
The whole visit was fanstastic, and I hated to leave. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to return.
___________________________________________________
Taco cat spelled backwards is....taco cat.