Normandy and the WWII beaches itinerary

One of our trips this year took us to Normandy.

It was good to be reminded of the sacrifice that so many made for us, to be able to enjoy a free and peaceful existence for all these years since the end of WWII, given the very turbulent times we are living in.

Normandy makes for a very easy trip from Paris. It takes approximately one and a half hours to drive to many of the landmarks dotted along the coast of this beautiful region of France. 

We stayed in the lovely coastal town of Deauville in a magnificent hotel overlooking the sea. Deauville’s heyday was in the 60’s when many illustrious Americans from JFK, to Sinatra or Sammy Davis spent time there but it is still the place that Parisians go to on holiday thanks to its proximity to the capital. In summer the striped beach huts and luxurious beach clubs are still a glitzy place to hang out.

Left: Our hotel in Deauville. Right: The American Cemetery.

One very good reason to visit, however, are the famous 5 beaches along which the Allies landed on 6 June 1944. For the Americans, Omaha and Utah are the great symbols of the war effort, whilst Sword, Juno and Gold were the beaches assigned to the British and Canadian forces on that fateful D-Day.

The sites are basically left untouched, and several war museums have sprung up during these years. The rusting artillery is still in its place testifying to the terrifying battle that troops had to face upon landing. Many moving stories accompany the visits and the extensive Cemeteries bear witness to the sheer number that lost their lives during those days.

We arrived at the American Cemetery as they were lowering the flag at 4pm, a magically solemn and humbling moment which takes place in front of a totally silent audience.

But possibly the most moving visit for us was to the tiny church of Angoville-sur Plain where on that night of 5-6 June, two young American soldiers, Robin E Wright and Kenneth J Moore, landed with their parachutes behind Utah Beach. They were both medical students and immediately got to work to rescue wounded soldiers that lay in the marshes behind the Cherbourg to Paris route that the Americans were trying to capture from the Germans. They brought them into the Church to treat them, irrespective of their nationality; they lay German and Allied soldiers on the pews that still carry the blood stains to this day. The Battle raged on but the Germans who entered the Church, upon seeing that the young medics were treating German soldiers as well as civilians and Allied troops, allowed them to continue their work without harming them. 

Left: The church of Angoville-sur Plain. Right: The cliffs of Etretat.

Robin E Wright, requested that his ashes be buried in the tiny cemetery adjacent to the church where his grave is visible to visitors to this day. 

Normandy has a lot more to offer including the uber famous and somewhat overcrowded Mont Saint Michel, not to mention Calvados and 4 amongst the most famous French cheeses, not to mention magnificent dairy products in general. 

Etretat with its imposing white cliffs that inspired Impressionist artists of the calibre of Monet, Courbet and Matisse, and Honfleur and its pretty harbour, is a delightful village which was spared during the war and has real charm.

Lastly, we even found a few moments for some retail therapy, in the most fabulous umbrella shop: notably, Normandy is wet and windy in winter. So there are two umbrella makers that specialize in fun and stylish umbrellas resistant to 130km/h winds! They sell them with a life-time guarantee… How's that for a good deal! 

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