WWI and WWII Battle Sites - France/Belgium

I recommend the Major and Mrs Holt’s guides. They are fabulous.

You're asking a lot. The places you list are hundreds of miles apart, and in some cases the "battlefields" stretch out over 50 miles.

For Flanders I suggest Lille. I have no experience with any modern guides, but I do have a Michelin guide to the city and surrounding area published in 1918. (I have 7-8 of these actually, covering most of the WWI front.)

Verdun is pretty much self explanatory, although I prefer to stay in one of the smaller towns in the area when I make multi-day trips.

Around Bastogne you'll find that tourism is a major economic activity, so there's lot's of support and lodging available, although frankly the "battlefield" is very spread out and condition is questionable. Be advised that the American Battlefield Monument, across from the Belgian War Museum, is fenced off and undergoing "restoration" for the next 2-3 years.

For the Normandy beaches I've used Bayeux as a staging point, as recently as 2 weeks ago. It works very well if you have a car.

The books I've found most helpful are the old UK publications "After the Battle" and, for the Americans in WWI, Maartin Otte's excellent books on the Meuse-Argonne.

Mike,
You might find the website for the Amereican Battlefields Monuments helpful. abmc.gov covers the areas you are considering. The WI and WII sites are very spread out. You will need plenty of time to cover even some of them.

On WW1 I'll suggest 2 military sites pertaining to the US: 1. the big memorial to the US 3rd Inf. Div. located in Chateau-Thierry which took part in both wars. Also, the Anglo-French WW1 cemetery is there too, not too far, ie within walking distance. I saw these sites in July 1997.

1. In St. Quentin is located also the WW1 US military cemetery.
   

If you are after WW1 sites pertaining to the French, Germans, Canadians, and the British, I would suggest focusing on Arras in the Nord Pas-de-Calais region, ie towns like Vimy, Neuville St. Vaast.

You're asking a lot. The places you list are hundreds of miles apart,
and in some cases the "battlefields" stretch out over 50 miles.

This is true. I don't have first hand experience visiting the Bastogne or WWI sites, but in Normandy alone, the "beaches" are 45 miles apart as the crow flies (Utah to Sword). And you won't fly between them. To get from any beach to another requires going significantly inland and driving along the motorways. Plus, there is so much more to the battle of Normandy than the beaches. The battle is generally accepted to be between the landings (June 6th) and the liberation of Paris (August 19th). Of course, most of the fighting was well inland from the beaches. A good, comprehensive book or movie—along with a map–will get you the lay of the land, but I have seen nothing helpful in Rick Steves, Lonely Planet or Fodors books. I personally visit Normandy every other year—typically on the D-day anniversary—so feel free to PM me for any specific questions you may have, or help I can provide.