Normandy & D-Day

Thu. Apr. 14: For this stay the breakfast buffet has been included so we started the day with the biggest breakfast we had had in two weeks. We were therefore well-fortified for our day exploring the many sites centered around the D-Day invasion 67 years ago on June 6. Marv knew a great deal about it already but I learned so much! Going from our Rick Steves book, the GPS, and some other maps we had, we drove through lovely countryside and through tiny villages that hugged the winding road for much of the day. Our first stop was at the “Disembarkment” Museum in Arronmanches. This tells the story of the remarkable artificial harbor, called Port Winston, which the Allied Forces built in just 2 weeks immediately after taking the beach heads on D-Day. The harbor allowed the Allies to get supplies to the troops on the ground quickly and safely. We were lucky enough to arrive just as an English speaking guide began a group tour so we could understand everything as we watched the movie, heard her explanation of the display cases, and watched the slide show. We took a bit longer there as Marv had left his jacket in the theater and had to wait for another showing to let out to get it. From there we drove to the American cemetery. This has a wonderful Visitors Center with a very moving film highlighting some individuals as well as the general sacrifice that resulted from the D-Day invasion. There are many displays as well which are all in English (and French) because it is administered by Americans so we spent a long time there. The exhibits funneled us into the cemetery with its rows and rows of perfectly aligned whiten crosses and Stars of David. It is sobering, inspiring and memorable. We learned that the cemetery was established in 1956, with soldiers’ remains brought from temporary graves all over the area. Families had the choice of having their loved ones buried there or returned home, which about 61% did. Throughout the day the light cloud cover was burning off so that it was mostly sunny but cool as we wandered and contemplated the ultimate sacrifice that each grave represented. Omaha Beach is nearby so we drove there next to walk the famous landing site known as Bloody Omaha for the great number of casualties incurred by the Americans. As opposed to the many reminders left in the water of Port Winston at Arromanches, little remains here but there are a few markers of rusting hulks that we could see in the water, and one we could walk to and examine because it was low tide. The beach was chosen partly for its width at low tide so we walked a ways after we had eaten our lunch of a baguette and some cheese and tuna. By then time was running short so we drove back towards Arromanches to be able to watch the 360° movie that had been recommended to us. However, on the way we managed to find the best preserved German Battery site, which retains some of the original guns. We made our way around there on the long circular path that stops at 4 concrete gun sites with their low rounded roof that, with the help of camouflage, would have concealed them very well from bombers. The path also shows some of the underground ammunition bunkers and one large, two leveled machine gun nest right next to the cliff down to the sea. We left there in time to see the last showing of the movie, which is very well done, combining movie footage from the time of the invasion with footage taken in the same areas in 1994 for the 50^th anniversary. Afterwards, Marv realized that the camera had been on the wrong setting for much of the day. We returned to the German Battery to get new pictures while there was still light and then followed the coastline to return to Caen before getting back on the freeway to go back to Honfleur. By the time we had returned and found out we still couldn’t use the Wi-Fi, it was after 10:00 and restaurants were closing. Knowing we still had to pack for an early departure and that we would have a full breakfast the next morning, we settled for sharing our last packet of tuna and some trail mix for dinner; it was quite a long cry from our lovely meal the night before!