Help required! For a long weekend in the Normandy Area.

[Dean]

Also another looking for some advice please....

Loosely Heading for some DD beaches and cemetries, monuments, museums, nice B & B's, Resteraunts, eateries, bars, photo oppertunities, local life and so much more.

Later In October I'm trying to plan a short visit from Most likely Dover to calais (or Chunnel)

Never having been to the area I realise though that I will be most likely wanting to do a lot more of the area and beyond but that alas must wait for another time.

For this first taster of a long weekend trip can any of you offer some suggestions?

The basic plan would be Arrive Calais on a Friday morning and taking in the weekend to leave calais back to blighty on the Monday so - not a great deal of time for this

Three nights over the four days.

Can anyone suggest a route and must see places of interest and any recommended B&B's

I would have just headed for Dieppe and along the coat, but is there a different alternative opinion ? any input of help would be of great help to me in planning a nice Trip

Dean

 

[Toad]

Paging Lord Richard of Wapping................

 

[tomfra]

A must need to see and favorite for all guests, 1hrs drive from here, Honfleur is a fishing port, which is like a living museum. Tall buildings surrounding the port is simply amazing. A lot of nice cafes and restaurants in the streets and antique shops and art galleries. Great people watching. Parks also nice and a long sandy beach, the best one of all beaches.

 

[grayinthestores]

A must need to see and favorite for all guests, 1hrs drive from here, Honfleur is a fishing port, which is like a living museum. Tall buildings surrounding the port is simply amazing. A lot of nice cafes and restaurants in the streets and antique shops and art galleries. Great people watching. Parks also nice and a long sandy beach, the best one of all beaches.

+1 for Honfleur, Pegasus Bridge is a must but then so is most if it

 

[Fordy]

For time/cost of fuel I'd consider Newhaven/Dieppe or Portsmouth/Le Havre/Caen crossing instead. The Portsmouth crossing is overnight so you get a full day there.

++1 Honfluer.

360 degree cinema at Arromanches is a solemn record of the time.

 

[wessie]

Living in S Wales, I'm another fan of the longer Channel crossings. LDLines are good value. Although, they only have 1 crossing each day to Le Havre in the autumn. Brittany Ferries are good but you pay a premium for their very good service, but they will take you right to Pegasus bridge virtually on the Caen service.

For a group I'd advocate staying in a larger town which has an all year tourist season. That way you will easily find restaurants to accommodate all tastes and it will have something to do if you get an unpleasant day with the weather.

Honfleur, Bayeux, Trouville sur Mer, Courseulles sur Mer, Caen or Carentan are the obvious choices.

For hotels: depends on your budget really. You'll find Etap & Ibis in the larger towns & cities which are cheap & utilitarian. For something with a bit more character choose something from the Logis chain. There are a couple of B&Bs run by some ex-pats which are well liked, depends how big your group is.

 

[Dean]

Thank you to all for the advice posted to date and it gives me a fair bit to google and research pre trip preparation

There are three bikes and no pillions maybe there will be a fourth but most likely for this trip stay at 3.

I'm about an hour and a half from Dover and not a lot more from Portsmouth (about 2.15) the ferry is £26.00 return each from (with depart at 07.00 and arival at 09.30) Dover-Calais
from Portsmouth to Caen on the Friday is £103.00 return each with a reclining chair (with departure 08.15 arrival 15.00) then there is the Chunnel 35mins generally quicker board and exit but stand by your bike (no breaky but good time saver if required )

Honfleur, pegasus bridge, sounds great, I was thinking maybe B & B,s could be more comfort-welcoming (and out of season maybe could do with the support-trade) than the hotel chains, but please keep any further ideas or personal expeirience recomendations coming, as to must see's, accommadation, personal experience and or hear say, routes and all please

I know that I will surely build of this Trip as there is obviously so much to take in and I just know i'm going to feel compelled to return

So please keep the Advice coming

 

[wessie]

Bear in mind you will save £40-60 of fuel by arriving in Caen on the ferry rather than riding from/to Calais.

Did you check out LDLines? It is showing me £53 return, sleeping in a reclining chair, going over at 11pm on a Thursday, arriving 8am Friday and returning Monday PM, arriving Portsmouth 9.30pm. 4 berth cabin will cost you an extra £30 each. On that service you'll get a full Friday in Normandy and Monday up to tea time. Weekend of 20-24 Oct

 

[oblertone]

Take ...

... the longer crossing, the savings in time & fuel are roughly equal to the extra cost of the ferry. Don't forget Bayeux while you're there, lovely town with quite a bit to see apart from the carpet.

The Maison Laudeire seems to get good press among tossers

 

[ronniez1a903]

re normandy accommodation

hi mate
try adrian at Normandy b&b some friends of mine stayed their and had a
ball. Adrian will also put you right on where to visit.
hope this helps
best regards Ronnie.
ps also have a look at jono of this parish previous threads.
normandy/somme/ypres.

 

[IanNicky]

If you want a guide i can highly recommend Jack

http://www.freewebs.com/gixajak/

 

[MGJ]

hi mate
try adrian at Normandy b&b some friends of mine stayed their and had a
ball. Adrian will also put you right on where to visit.
hope this helps
best regards Ronnie.
ps also have a look at jono of this parish previous threads.
normandy/somme/ypres.

+1 on Adrian and Karen, just search normandy beachs B&B your bang in the middle of all you want to see.

 

[Straydog]

Point De Hoc there is a great place to pick up some great spirits and cyder,
The airborne Musem if it is still open, any on the batteries near Omaha.
Some very good B&B in St Mere Eglese one right on the square.

 

[Wapping]

Paging Lord Richard of Wapping................

Hello.

(1) Routes?

Several potential routes in the 80 Virees a moto stickies. Also some in assorted Wapping's Wanders threads. Cobble them together in Mapsource.

(2) What to see?

Lots of threads in the Travel section / WW2 Battlefields section.

Lots of websites. Google 'Normandy' Google 'Brittany'

Also have a look at the Michelin Green guide to NW France, it has everything and more http://www.amazon.co.uk/Normandy-Green-Guide-Michelin-Guides/dp/2060001390 Free from a library or look at one in a half decent bookshop.... Even buy one as it will last (near enough) forever.

This may be good, perhaps? It won't break the bank between you all: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Michelin-Historical-Map-102-Normandy/dp/2067002627/ref=pd_sim_b2 Scroll down to the 'Frequently Bought Together' suggestion, too.

(3) Where to stay?

Lots of threads in the Travel section of UKGSer.

Lots of suggestions available via a Google search.

(4) What else?

(i) What will the weather be like? Google 'Weather in Normandy' and / or use assorted weather sites and / or even the dear old Beeb's weather page.

(ii) Get a couple of half decent maps (see sticky).

(iii) Sit down with your two (maybe three?) mates over a pint or eight and dream something up based on all the above.

Have fun

 

[Dean]

Thank you to all for the input

There is a lot for me to put together a nice small trip and no doubt lots more for another few the B & B's are appealing

Point taken about the longer Ferry makes sense and the late night leaving leaves the fuyller Days

good idea about the L D lines wessie do you or anyone know the difference (other than money) between a seat in club class and a sleeper seat is it in a quiter area ?

I used the satellite map in google to view Point Hoc (very harrowing ) and the American cemetery I had know idea it was so vast ! but I supose when over in that area although there is a natural beauty to the area and a warmness of the people its a humbling thing !

Does anyone know if there are any preserved examples over in northern france of a sdkfz 234/2 the Armoured car (puma) ?

Thanks again to all that posted lots to think about and plan some very nice links and thank the Lord I did not know such Maps existed and the recomended that goes with it is very interesting

I have the book by Antony Beevor (D-Day) the batle for Normandy to finish Reading also

 

[wessie]

On my crossing, 1st week of September, the main lounge with the cheap seats was very quiet. On a previous crossing in school hols it was full of whining kids. Some people had li-los, others used the kids play area as already stated.

Sleeper seats are wider apparently. A chap I spoke to in the queue had used the "flat bed" seats in the past and said they were good but they were fully booked so he was in club class this time.

Wherever you are, even in a cabin with a couple of mates, it's pot luck whether you are near a snoring walrus like me...

 

[Fordy]

If shared between 3 get a cabin. The fourth bunk will take lids jackets etc...think how much space you'll take up round a seat and security of gear. Plus you can wake up with a shower. When you leave c 11pm, have a couple of hours of beers with mates, lose an hour in time zone and wake up at stupid o'clock to get up a shower will be very welcome.

 

[Wapping]

......] and thank the Lord I did not know such Maps existed and the recomended that goes with it is very interesting

No problem.

......]

I have the book by Antony Beevor (D-Day) the batle for Normandy to finish Reading also

Here's something you could do, with a little bit of planning.

Beevor's book describes the whole Normandy campaign, ending where the retreating German army is finally encircled and smashed in the Falaise pocket.

Most bods only go to look at beachhead landing grounds, which is fine. As you go through the book, mark out the places where other significant events occurred. For instance, you could stand on the very crossroad where the encircling Allied armies met, or ride through the towns and down the narrow boccage roads where German resistance was strongest. The Normandy campaign was vast in its scope, swinging right down to Le Mans before hooking back towards the coast, to complete a classic outflanking and encircling manoeuvre which took months to complete. It had to be done in order to ensure that the German army was trapped and destroyed. As Beevor's book explains, it very nearly went wrong.

 

[Dean]

single pronged attack

On my crossing, 1st week of September, the main lounge with the cheap seats was very quiet. On a previous crossing in school hols it was full of whining kids. Some people had li-los, others used the kids play area as already stated.

Sleeper seats are wider apparently. A chap I spoke to in the queue had used the "flat bed" seats in the past and said they were good but they were fully booked so he was in club class this time.

Wherever you are, even in a cabin with a couple of mates, it's pot luck whether you are near a snoring walrus like me...

Thanks for that Ps Re: snoring I do suffer, apparently sometimes I can sound like a small Chain saw

If shared between 3 get a cabin. The fourth bunk will take lids jackets etc...think how much space you'll take up round a seat and security of gear. Plus you can wake up with a shower. When you leave c 11pm, have a couple of hours of beers with mates, lose an hour in time zone and wake up at stupid o'clock to get up a shower will be very welcome.

Good tip Fordy I do like that fresh as a daisy feeling.

I remember driving in a van in france many years ago (fishing trip) after taking a Dover Calaise crossin in the silly hours (couldnt work out at the time why many just boarded and layed where ever for some shut eye) until into our 8 Hour drive swapping drivers every 30 mins and pouring bottles of water over our heads to keep awake. all after a days work was a lot younger but very foolish and never again

Here's something you could do, with a little bit of planning.

Beevor's book describes the whole Normandy campaign, ending where the retreating German army is finally encircled and smashed in the Falaise pocket.

Most bods only go to look at beachhead landing grounds, which is fine. As you go through the book, mark out the places where other significant events occurred. For instance, you could stand on the very crossroad where the encircling Allied armies met, or ride through the towns and down the narrow boccage roads where German resistance was strongest. The Normandy campaign was vast in its scope, swinging right down to Le Mans before hooking back towards the coast, to complete a classic outflanking and encircling manoeuvre which took months to complete. It had to be done in order to ensure that the German army was trapped and destroyed. As Beevor's book explains, it very nearly went wrong.

That is a brilliant Idea which I would not have thought of the book in question is of course well documented with an array of photographs and Maps


Just looking at a picture of French woman in the Beevor book accused of collaboration horizontale paraded with their heads shaved through Cherbourg. If you will excuse my French they had it fekin hard in them old days



Thanks

 

[JH]

Hi

Most of the advice here has been as good as you would expect from this site.

I would heartily recommend Normandy Beaches B&B - I had a weekend jaunt there last weekend. Adrian was his usual host knocking up a fantastic BBQ for us on arrival with the free beers etc. before we hit the 'Le Pub' up the road. The four of us paid € 46 each for the full B & B (full english breakfast) and including that BBQ.

But to assist you with forward planning look at the Normandymemoire website. It lists much of the best sites, takes you to their links, allows you to plan an itinerary and associates sites to the different parts of the campaign.

Hope it helps, enjoy yourself - everyone I have taken so far has been back at least once, most many times more.

JH

But one word of warning - watch it on any main route / Autoroute leading to a ferry port. I spoke to a chap on the Eurotunnel on the way home. He was very sad.

He had been heading back to Dieppe for the ferry, the Gendarmerie are well aware of crossing times and were sat up on the road in a 70kph limit, which he failed to respond to. They stopped him!

He missed his ferry and was relieved of €750 on deposit against the matter being considered by the magistrate. He was lucky to keep hold of his bike and this is more common on the main routes of late. I have never had problems myself, but apply certain rules applicable to the location.