Normandy

[simplyexploring]

Thinking of a few days in Normandy, but havnt got a clue on a route. Would like to take in as much as W11 stuff as poss on route and anything else of intrest with reason. Any ideas on a route guys and girls? Anyone got a track log saved from a recent visit?

 

[shuck raider]

I was in both Normandy & Brittany in September this year, doing WW2 stuff. I have a track log if you'd like it; wanders around a bit, detailing where I got lost .

Also some recommendations for accommodation etc - guys here pointed me to Adrian Cox who runs a B&B in Arromanches, he's a biker, very helpful & knowledgeable about the area, would make a good base. Let me know

 

[simplyexploring]

sounds like a great start

any accomadation details and your track log would be great

 

[Trevor Phillips]

Take the Portsmouth -Caen ferry, lands at Oistreham, most easterly D - Day area. Then up river to Pegasus Bridge, first D Day organised action. Then west as you like. Do your WW2 homework first, you'll appreciate it much more. Don't even need the bike - the history is so thick on the ground. Aim to be at Arromanches at low tide to see the remains of the Mulberry harbours. Lots of good, cheap accommodation - I'd suggest chambres d'hote. And you can't really ignore the 900 year earlier bit of the reverse conquest.
More history per step than anywhere I can think of. Enjoy it.

 

[GUZZZI]

Hi, don't know if you left yet but i could certanly recomend a stay in bayeux, I've bin to normandy a few times to see ww2 stuff thouroughly enjoyed all of it. There is a great little bar at 63 rue saint jean bayeux, plays great rock and blues and serves draft leffe The cathedral there is amazing smuverd in gargoil type things and all lit up at night, not to mention the bayeux tapestry... 2 mins walk from the churchill hotle in the middle of town.

 

[Davy F]

I'm going back in '07 as I enjoyed my first visit too many years ago now. Taking my mate with me as he's never been, so it'll be nice to (hopefully) fire someone elses' imagination. I've got a superb b&b organised right in the middle of the area. I'm also going to go visit that big castle thingy near Brittany that always gets mentioned in reports from the area.

 

[Tim Cullis]

Aim to be at Arromanches at low tide to see the remains of the Mulberry harbours.

Pegasus Bridge, the Airborne Museum and the cafe (first building to be liberated in France) are your first stop.

There's not much to see at Sword and Juno beaches, so I would then head west on the D35, D176 for Arromanches (Gold beach) with its museum and the Mulberry Harbour. Tide table: http://meteo.france3.fr/marees/arromanches-les-bains.html 'pleine mer' is high tide, you want 'basse mer'.

Then west a bit more for the german battery at Longues-sur-Mer with its four guns still in place and the control post on the top of the cliffs.

Then Omaha (slaughter on beach), Pointe du Hoc (Rangers), Utah and St Mere Eglise (US Airborne museum).

Tim

 

[shuck raider]

If you're travelling to/from Cherbourg and having a look at St. Mere Eglise, it's well worth visiting the musuem at the German battery at Azeville nearby. There are 150 metres of underground bunkers, tunnels and assorted rooms down there as well as intact gun emplacements.

This is the gun plot room, showing where, on 6/6/44, a 10" shell from USS Nevada punched through 2 feet of reinforced concrete, failed to explode and disappeared out the wall on the other side of the room. Shock wave killed 5 German officers. They found the shell in a ditch a few years ago.

 

[Gaulois]

The Memorial museum in Caen is worth a visit as well.