Anyone been to Normandy sites on D-Day anniversary?

[Mrs Booboo]

We will be in LeHarve via cruise ship on June 6th, 2013; it will be the 69th anniversary of D-Day. We were planning to rent a car and have one of our stops be the Normandy American Cemetary and Memorial/Omaha Beach. Just wondering if anyone has been there on an anniversary day - what was it like as far as crowds and/or special ceremonies?

[CruiserBruce]

Crazy crowded, according to my sources. Everything is booked up, particularly if it is a "special" anniversay, 70 years, 75 years, etc.

[SkystheLimit]

We will be in LeHarve via cruise ship on June 6th, 2013; it will be the 69th anniversary of D-Day. We were planning to rent a car and have one of our stops be the Normandy American Cemetary and Memorial/Omaha Beach. Just wondering if anyone has been there on an anniversary day - what was it like as far as crowds and/or special ceremonies?

 

We were there on D-Day a couple of years ago. Took a ship's excursion that was fantastic. It is a bit of a drive from Le Havre and we were happy to have someone else do the driving. Our guide was so knowledgeable and we learned so much as we drove through the countryside. The tour included visits to Gold Beach, Juno Beach, Omaha Beach, the American Cemetary, Mulberry Harbor,and the Museum in Caen with a nice lunch served there. We were on Celebrity ship and thought the cost and the experience were worth every penny. There are private shore excursions I've seen recommended including Overlord Tours but I don't have personal experience with them.

 

There were several commemorative services we saw taking place with dignitaries, soldiers, veterans, and wreath laying. However, the one of the best things was seeing those that do reenactments--vintage jeeps, uniforms, trucks, etc. They were everywhere and it really felt as if you were stepping back in time.

 

My husband was born on June 6, 1944 and it really was a moving day for us. Truly a special day to be there. We hope to go back in 2014 for his 70th birthday.

[lamchops]

We will be in LeHarve via cruise ship on June 6th, 2013; it will be the 69th anniversary of D-Day. We were planning to rent a car and have one of our stops be the Normandy American Cemetary and Memorial/Omaha Beach. Just wondering if anyone has been there on an anniversary day - what was it like as far as crowds and/or special ceremonies?

 

You may want to do a ship's excursion if there's a chance of large crowds as traffic may be a concern.

Having said that, we DIY with a rental car in November a week before Remembrance/Veterans Day. It was also the last day of a french long weekend. We got back 30 minutes before all aboard but had planned to be back 90 minutes early.

 

We visited:

Bayeaux (tapastry+town)

Juno Beach Center

Canadian cemetary

Pegasus Bridge

 

I think your agenda is do-able but give yourself plenty of time.

 

FYI, there is very little leeway for speeding as I got a ticket for doing 77kph in a 70kph zone on the expressway. There's an area that goes from 100kph+ to 70kph with a "speed camera" shortly after so watch those signs. My co-pilot told me after the flash.:D

[Mrs Booboo]

lamchops - thanks for the advice. We are going to do the rental car; may just have to rethink our stops. Wanted to do Normandy (just the American cemetery and Omaha Beach and possibly Pont du Hoc), Bayeux, and Caen; may cut out Caen.

 

We'll start at the furthest point out and work our way back. Planning on using the faster inland road on the way out and then we'll see about using the coastal route on the way back. Hopefully we'll beat some of the crowds this way. Looks like the cruise ship excursions take almost 5 hrs to get to the cemetery part of their excursion vs. the 1 1/2 hrs using the inland road.

[Hlitner]

We were once in St Mere Eglise on D Day and they had a huge Celebration including a re enactment of the massive paratrooper invasion which included paratroopers from several Allied Countries making the jump. There was also many antique military vehicles on display.

 

Hank

[cathi]

lamchops - thanks for the advice. We are going to do the rental car; may just have to rethink our stops. Wanted to do Normandy (just the American cemetery and Omaha Beach and possibly Pont du Hoc), Bayeux, and Caen; may cut out Caen.

 

We'll start at the furthest point out and work our way back. Planning on using the faster inland road on the way out and then we'll see about using the coastal route on the way back. Hopefully we'll beat some of the crowds this way. Looks like the cruise ship excursions take almost 5 hrs to get to the cemetery part of their excursion vs. the 1 1/2 hrs using the inland road.

 

I'd rethink the rental car option for D-Day in Normandy. We were there in 2010 and took a shore excursion. The roads were very congested. There are ceremonies at every site we went past. Even little ones in front of small churches had people gathered around. When we were at the D-Day Musuem (which is a great site to visit) there was a Catholic mass being performed on the hood of a restored WWII jeep.

Given how far it is from LeHavre and the importance to the people in that part of the world I would definitely recommend using the ship's excursion for that day and I rarely use ship's excursions.