Normandy beaches

Hi Jerry,
When I went to Normandy, we saw the beaches and the cemetery, and then went to a museum(unfortunately we didn't make it to the museum in Caen). Honestly, I wish we would have gone to the museum first, because then it gets you in the right mindset for the beaches, I find it helps me understand something if I go to the museum first, see the pictures and read the stories. Then I can fully appreciate the monumental sight I am going to see. The D-Day beaches are amazing, simply for their incredible historical impact. Make sure to try to see the US cemetery as well! Good luck, and enjoy your trip!

I'd go to the cemetary first for two reasons:

it gives you a small idea of the cost involved

there are two gigantic diagrams in the main memorial area: one gives you an overview of the amphibious opeation itself and the other gives an overview of the rest of the campaign.

Then go to the museum to see the stuff that was actually involved and read the stories.

Save an hour to see the Bayeux Tapestry, don't pass straight through. There's also a military museum there. The last time I was in that one it was with the former directior of an american military museum and he thought it was excellent. I know nothing about the workings or rankings of a museums; I just gawk.

jerry,

If your schedule allows one night in Bayeux, I'd highly recommend taking a BattleBus Tour, as it's a very efficient way to cover the main sites in a limited time. I've taken the American Highlights tour, and it stops at the Cemetery above Omaha Beach, as well as St. Mere Egilise and both Omaha and Utah beaches (and other locations).

They require tour members to stay in Bayeux the night prior to the tour, as they depart at 08:00 precisely! The Guides are extremely knowledgeable and I found that I learned far more than if I had gone on my own.

Cheers!

If you are able to spend a night in Bayeux, I would take the Battlebus American Highlights tour. That will get you to the most important sights and you'll learn a lot of interesting information. The tour is excellent and well worth the money. You have to stay in Bayeux the night before, though.

If you can't do that, I would probably tour the beaches and cemetary myself -- I think the best places to stop are Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, the American Cemetary (a must!), Point du Hoc, St. Mere Eglise and the German guns at Longue sur Mer. I also liked the British Cemetary at Bayeux and the Airborne Museum.

Whether or not you go to a museum depends on how much you like museums and how much you already know about what occurred in Normandy. I haven't been to the museum in Caen, but I understand it's expensive and big. I believe Rick says the museum in Bayeux is also very good -- a smaller and cheaper version of Caen. If you decide to see the museum, you might want to try that one given your limited time.

I agree with Carroll. We didn't like the Caen museum at all, I'd skip that even if you had lots of time. We thought the museum in Bayeux was the best, if you have time for it. There's also a good, little museum at the American cemetery. I wouldn't try to fit in the Bayeux Tapestry this trip, I'd focus on the places Carroll mentioned.

I can only second what Ed says. Don't "pass through" Bayeux without seeing the Bayeux tapestry. It's amazing. The thing is 1,000 years old!

That is a hard call to make. But, the museum in Caen is one of the best in the world. If your main interest is WWII then I would skip Bayeux. It is a wonderful town, but if your interest is WWII then the museum in Caen would serve you better.

Jerry, you may be making the same mistake I made when I first visited several years ago. The area is massive. I never fully realized just how much territory was involved. From one end to the other, beaches stretch for more than 50 miles. And then there are miles of "stuff" behind the beaches. So it is very difficult to see every thing in a day or even two. So you might want to concentrate on a few key areas.

Jerry, I was addressing your questions, but since it's come up, I will say there is no way I would go to Normandy and not see the Bayeux Tapestry. Of course, I love English history and needlework. Your interests may be different.

I would go to the beaches and cemetary first. There is a small museum at gold beach. See the bunkers, gun placements etc. Then if you have time go to St Mar Eglais. If you are familiar with Longest Day movie. This is where the paratrooper landed on the steeple. There is a small museum there and it was wonderful. Lots of pictures, a glider, etc. Up close and personal. And the poor guy is still hanging on the steeple :)

We stayed in Bayeux and took the BattleBus "American Highlights" tour last September. The tour was fantastic. It lasted from 8:30AM to 5:30PM. We were in a van with 3 other couples, and a guide/driver. We went to Ste. Mere Eglise, the hedgerow country, Pointe du Hoc, Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, and finished up at the American Cemetery. It was a wonderful tour, and well worth the time and cost.

I absolutely agree, the Battlebus tours are terrific and worth every cent.

They are not just well informed, they get places you won't or can't on your own. Highlights for me:

• First stop at a small ancient church near Ste. Mere Eglise. This church was turned into an aid station in the early hours of the war. It is chilling to see the remnants of dried blood on the pews (which were used as beds).

• Seeing the flag lowered at the end of the day at the American Cemetery while taps is played.

• The view from a hill above Omaha Beach.

Two out of three of the above you'd would likely not see on your own.

Michael,

I also visited the Church that you described, on a BattleBus tour. I believe that's at Angoville au Plain, and the actions there involved the 101st Airborne, Band of Brothers. It was a very moving site!

Cheers!

No matter what you do, I don't think you will go wrong. The area is tremendous and there is more to see than you will ever fit in one day. We stayed in the are 3 days, off season, got up early to walk the beaches and then spent the day seeing the other sites with hours. Taps is tremendous when the flag is lowered. I forget the book we had, but it was written (I think) by a retired British soldier that details various self guided tours. It provides exact distances and gives summaries of many monuments you might miss. While I imagine the tapestry is wonderful, it did not make the cut for us. Also, we did do the museum in Caen. While excellent, I would not spend my time in it if I only had a day. I would choose to see the beaches.

Hey Jerry,
By all means start your one day off (early) at the museum in Caen. Not only do they give you an excellent media presentation of the history of the war but then they actually take you on a guided minibus tour of Omaha Beach, the local beaches, temporary invasion harbor, and American cemetary. By doing it this way, you will absolutely make the most of the time you have. It's far better than getting lost in your maps and wandering around on your own wasting your precious time in France. You can buy your tickets online in advance and save a few Euros. I did this day tour on my first visit to France in 2007.

(I have been back to France every summer since).

Enjoy!

I agree with Brian, "The tapestry did not make my cut either; it's really, er, uh, an old embroidery."

We planned our trip to France last year around a one day visit to Normandy. We arrived on a Monday night,(train from Paris to Caen to Bayeux - you can walk from the station to the center of town.) We stayed in an inn in the center of Bayeux (Bayeux is a real snooze) and went from 9 a.m. Tuesday to 6:00 p.m on a private tour. I can't say this enough - book a private driver and see it all!

This was our second trip there, first with our school age kids. We saw St. Mere Eglise, the German Cemetery, Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, Pont du Hoc, the American Cemetery, the two museums, but most of all we saw the "out in the countryside sights" that are not on the tours- the abandoned bunkers, the bullet holes in the walls, the small museum shop at Dead Man's corner, and coolest of all - a small church which had been used as a hospital during the first week of the campaign where you can still see the blood stains on the benches.

Our middle son, age 12, was pushing his toe in the dirt near a pen of turkeys behind the church and uncovered a spent rifle cartridge which the local museum curator told us was a D-Day vintage bullet! It was just us and our three kids (we didn't see anyone out in the countryside) and worth every red cent we paid. Be prepared - Omaha Beach is a public beach and there are people playing around - I was kind of offended.

Our boys especially are still talking about what they saw. As an American, you can

Jerry,

If you are motorised, take the first option: go to Caen and see the museum. Yes, it's big and it was expensive...I thought so too when I saw it in 2001 as a day trip from Paris, the ticket includes more than just museum entry. I recommend the museum especially if you're interested in the military history of D-Day as an operation and the battle for Normandie.

After about three hours in the museum, head for the beaches no later than 1 PM, where you have the rest of the afternoon. Haven't been to Bayeux as yet.

Jerry,

If at all possible, you should give yourself more than one day in Normandy. If you're already well-versed in the history, then spend your time at the beaches and hit the museum(s) if you have extra time. There's an interesting museum in Port en Bessin that has items recovered from the floor of the Channel. Pegasus Bridge has a good museum as well as the original bridge.
A visit to the German,Canadian, and British cemetaries reminds us of the cost to all countries.
If you're going to be there over Memorial Day, try to attend the service at the American Cemetary; very impressive. On Sat, June 5, there will be a re-enactment parachute jump a few kilometers outside St Mere Eglise which is also very moving. The whole first week of June is a unique experience with all the re-enactors in their gear and vehicles.
Having your own rental car allows you to spend as much time as you want at any location(s) you want.

I have to agree with Cary: see the beaches, memorials, and villages, and only do the Caen or Bayeux museums if you have the time. To prep for the Normandy WWII sites, you could do your homework in the months before you leave. Not knowing your level of interest it's difficult to recommend reading material, but try Ambrose's D-Day, June 6th, 1944, then maybe Keegan's Six Armies in Normandy or Hasting's Overlord. There's no shortage of homework assignments! IMHO, being at the very locations where history was made beats out any museum display. Good luck on the trip, you'll wish you'd had more time!

Jerry,

I second that on reading the books by Max Hastings and J. Keegan on D-Day and the battle for Normandie, both of which I am well acquainted. For a more recent treatment, look at A. Beevor's book, which is just a bit different than an operational account found in Hastings and Keegan.

I, personally, would avoid S. Ambrose. Happy Travels.

If you haven't seen Band of Brothers, there are several episodes which deal with the lead up to D-day, the drop by the 101st in D-day and the fighting that happpened in the days following.

Saving Private Ryan explores much of this in a similar fashion...

I read and watched everything I could about Normandy over the years, but only after seeing the hedgerows in person, could I understand what a challenging operation the Allies faced.

The beaches, the cemetery, Bayeux, and Battlebus Tour if at all possible. But you must book them well in advance. Unforgettable.