Normandy

I knew this was going to be a long post, so it's taken me a bit to get it together…

Before we moved here, Russell had one place in mind that he wanted to see ASAP.  He has always wanted to see Normandy.  He is a World War 2 history buff, and it is obviously the place to go.  We have every documentary/movie made about the war, like WWII in HD, Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan, etc.  Ok, you get it.  My stepdad is ex-Army JAG, and was just as interested in visiting Normandy.  We began planning the trip for their visit this summer!

We took the Chunnel across from Dover to Calais, our favorite way of crossing the English Channel.  We took it early in the morning, and were in France with plenty of day to spare.  The drive from Calais to Nonant (where we were staying) was about 3 hours.  There were lots of toll roads.  If you drive through France, have LOTS of change/small bills handy… we ended up spending about 35 euros on the way down in tolls.  It's better than taking the longer routes with two toddlers…

We tried to stop in a village to get petrol and lunch, but not much was open.  We ended up in a grocery market and loaded up sandwiches, snacks, and miniature bottles of wine.  We WERE in France…

We arrived in Nonant mid-afternoon, and found our bed & breakfast without a problem.  It was such a great spot!  (Photos are further down the post.)  We carried in our bags, freshened up, then talked to the owners for a bit.  We wanted to see some sights, and he sent us on our way with a local map (we have a TomTom, too).  Our first stop was Gold Beach, in the town called Arromanches.  It is a gorgeous little beach village with friendly people and French, British, and American flags everywhere.

Jim on Gold Beach

Russell on Gold Beach

Arromanches

The streets of Arromanches

Welcome to our Liberators

Museum

I loved the street art

There was crochet work everywhere, on street signs, trees, etc

Sunset above Arromanches

Here are some pics of our B&B, it was called Chambred d'Hotes Le Clos Poulain, in Nonant (also booked through booking.com).  I definitely recommend it.  They are very accommodating, and the food is great.  They served us breakfast each morning, and you can have the option to have dinner there (we did the second night).

Our B&B

The garden/eating area

The sleep was good, the breakfast was great, and it was time to head to Pointe du Hoc the next morning.  Talk about emotional… the monuments are well done, and the stories are extremely well told.

If you want to read more about the history of the site, here is some good info: 

http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/dday/pointeduhoc.aspx

Russell in a crater from the bombings

Where the Rangers tried to ascend the cliffs

Bunkers

We toured the entire area of the Pointe, then headed toward Omaha beach and the sights there.  We stopped for a quick lunch, and had some delicious crepes at a cafe on Omaha Beach.  It was time to explore some more.

Our kids enjoyed Omaha Beach, and actually ended up soaking wet by the end of our visit.  The water was cold, but they didn't care.  Onlookers were snapping photos and cracking up at our little beach stormers!

Some Omaha Beach history…  http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/dday/omaha.aspx

A museum in Omaha Beach area

We headed to the American Cemetery.  There was not much to say there, it's very sobering.

These amazing mosaics are part of the memorial

We headed back through Bayeux.  We didn't get to spend much time there, as we had dinner plans at our B&B, but I would recommend spending time there.  It's a very cool city, with bustling streets, lots of cafes, and cute little shops.

Our hosts made us a variety of food for dinner.  We had fresh oysters, fromage (cheese) plates, omelets, sausages from the farm next door, and a few other delicious items.  Didier and Solange are great hosts, well worth the visit if you are headed that way!

The next day, we got up to have breakfast and make our journey back through France to Belgium (see previous post).

Normandy was an experience of a lifetime.  As an American, it's truly amazing to see the appreciation that people there have for us, and they are so kind and gracious.  The landscape is stunning, and the food is unbeatable.  World War II impacted so many lives.  We all owe gratitude to those who fought and those who sacrificed.  Thank you.

Side note:  My grandfather, the great Charles Luciano, flew in a bomber in WW2, and his plane was shot.  Luckily, they made a safe landing in England; their plane on it's last legs.  I couldn't help but think of him every second that I was in Normandy, and how much we miss him.

RIP Charles Luciano  1925-2013