Normand D-Day Beaches area and Honfleur

[Cornishpastyman1]

The major attraction for many cruise tourists to Le Havre (or Cherbourg) is the Normandy D-Day landings beaches and surrounding area.

 

The topic is so vast that even the longest cruise-ship day only allows for a brief overview of the momentous events which took place there. The obvious way of getting the most out of the day is to go on an official tour, but in case it's any help with your planning or you wish to hire a car and do it yourself here are my videos, which I've called Remembering D-Day, made from a visit there in April 2009 using archive photos, period music and my camcorder footage.

 

Part 1 (7 minutes)

 

(Background to the invasion, Arromanches/Gold Beach and the Mulberry Harbour, Omaha Beach)

 

Part 2 (6 minutes)

 

(German gun battery at Longues-sur-Mer, Pointe du Hoc, Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer)

 

If you are lucky enough to be at Arromanches when the tide is out you can walk around and even get inside the remains of Churchill's Mulberry Harbour. The battery at Longues-sur-Mer is the only such emplacement to have kept its guns and you can get inside a casemate, stand behind the barrel and imagine what it must have been like on 6 June 1944. Pointe du Hoc is where the US 2nd Rangers scaled the cliffs under heavy gunfire. Their efforts remain a thing of wonder. And the Normandy American Cemetery is a fitting memorial to the nearly 11,000 Americans it honours for their ultimate sacrifice in the cause of freedom.

 

I only had 4 hours there. If you have an early arrival and late departure there is so much more you could explore, including several wonderful museums I had to pass by due to lack of time. To stand literally in the footsteps of so many heroes made this a humbling day for me, and I hope to return soon to explore further. If you go to the beaches I hope you find the experience as inspiring as I did.

 

For those stopping at Le Havre and considering a trip to Honfleur, I can highly recommend that too. It has a very picturesque harbour, some quaint shops and an interesting history.

 

 

If you go there by car there is a large free car park (follow signs for 'Naturospace' with the butterfly symbols) about 200 yards behind the harbour dock.

[JazzDrew]

Thank you so much for posting these videos. I really respect your perspective and appreciate the work that you have done and shared. I look forward to a short time visiting these sights before our cruise this summer.

 

Jazzdrew

[your1mom]

i'd like to get from my ship- silver whisper- to caen & visit the museum, omaha beach, & the american cemetery. can i arrange a tour at caen?

[Cornishpastyman1]

i'd like to get from my ship- silver whisper- to caen & visit the museum, omaha beach, & the american cemetery. can i arrange a tour at caen?

 

If you post this question in the France forum (stating where your ship docks) you'll surely get some good advice. Might also be worth asking it in TripAdvisor's Normandy forum too, where there are several experts who will know.

 

All the best, Tony

[WINEMANVISALIA]

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