Normandy is a lush pastoral region known for its cows and cider. Its modern claim to fame is the D-Day invasion beaches of 6 June 1944. The area has many picturesque villages with timber-framed houses. Bayeux, Giverny and Mont St. Michel are well known names. Spend a minimum of 3 days travelling around the area sampling the local cheeses, cider and Calvados (apple brandy).
Itinerary may include: - D-Day Beaches: These stretch for 48 miles along the coast of the English Channel, from Utah Beach in the west to Pegasus Bridge in the east. - Utah Beach is where US 4th Infantry Division forces landed. Ste. Mère-Eglise, where 82nd and 101st US Airborne troops parachuted in to defend the western flank. John Steele landed on the church spire. Visit the Airborne Troops Museum and the Utah Beach Museum. - A major objective on D-Day was Pointe du Hoc, the cliff that was climbed by the 2nd battalion of US Rangers, only to find that the guns had been moved. - Omaha Beach, where many soldiers of the US 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions were lost. The American military cemetery lies above the beach with 9,387 graves and listing 1,557 names in the Garden of the Missing. - Longues-sur-Mer is a German gun battery, which still contains its original 150mm guns in their casemates. The Control Bunker is also open. - Arromanches still has the vestiges of the Mulberry Harbour, designed as a temporary port. The Musee du Debarquement explains how the Mulberry Harbour worked. - Gold Beach, where the British 50th Division landed. They finally joined up with Americans from Omaha Beach 3 days later. Juno Beach, where the Canadian 3rd Division landed. Winston Churchill, General de Gaulle and King George VI all landed here during June 1944. - Sword Beach, where a Franco-British force landed and eventually met up with the British troops at Pegasus Bridge. There is a museum containing the original Pegasus Bridge, which was the first place captured during the invasion. The landing places of the 3 gliders are marked. - Rouen: Capital of Upper Normandy and a major port. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake here in 1431. The cathedral was painted by Monet in a series of paintings. The old part of the city has been restored. Market day is on a Friday. - Bayeux: Best known for its tapestry showing William the Conqueror's invasion of England, 1066. The British Cemetery contains 4,648 graves, including Germans and other nationalities. There is also a memorial to reporters and journalists. The Museum of the Battle of Normandy explains about Operation Cobra, the US breakout from the Cotentin Peninsula. - Caen: Home of William the Conqueror and his wife, Queen Matilda. They both founded abbeys in the town. Le Memorial de Caen is a fascinating museum divided into sections: The Failure of Peace, France: the Dark Years and World War:Total War. it then continues with the Cold War and Hopes for the Future. There are several films. - Giverny: Home, studio and garden of the painter, Claude Monet, who lived here from 1883 until his death. He painted his huge water lily canvases here. The house and studio are open to the public. - Lisieux: Ste. Thérèse was born in Alencon in 1873. She joined the Carmelite Convent in Liseux aged 15 after a pilgrimage to Rome. She died in 1897 after a painful illness and was canonized in 1925. Ste. Thérèse draws many pilgrims to this town and it is possible to see where she lived as a child. - Mont St. Michel: A village and fortified abbey on a grantite island, which is cut off at high tide. The abbey buildings date back to 11th c and the narrow, picturesque Grande Rue leads up to it. It is now a World Heritage Site. - Honfleur: A charming little port with a Saturday market. - Fécamp: Ruins of a Benedictine monastery. The town where Bénédictine is made. Notes: - Price varies depending on length of tour, number of people, distance covered and transportation used.
Also see tour packages in: Europe France Local Culture Cultural Journey Archeology/History Email it to a friend: Click here to email this vacation to a friend |
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