Is Normandy worth a visit?

[Tedferg]

I have read extensively about D Day etc. and am very interested in the history. Normandy seems like a highlight of our British Isles tour.

 

However, I wonder what is to be seen today. Are there memorials, visitor centers. I am concerned that we drive for 2-1/2 hours and just see a beach as it is today.

[gunnywife]

The Princess tour is well worth the trip.  My husband ( a retired Marine) and I took this tour a few years ago. We both had tears in our eyes at the cemetery.  You will visit the beaches, the cemetery and a museum.  And then have a nice lunch and a drive thru the towns.  It was a memorable tour.  Jim and another man from our tour saluted the flag and the graves.  That's something I will always remember.

My family and I are taking the same cruise in June, but this time we'll do the Paris Seine tour, which was their choice.

 

[Cotswold Eagle]

2 hours ago, Tedferg said:

Are there memorials, visitor centers. I am concerned that we drive for 2-1/2 hours and just see a beach as it is today.

Oh, there’s plenty to see.  The website below list 250 individual sites to visit. Most Americans with limited time will understandably tend to gravitate to Omaha Beach, the Overlord Museum and the American cemetery, which are in close proximity. But if you have an interest in a particular unit, battery, town or (for example) the airborne assault, you may want a different itinerary. 
 

https://www.normandywarguide.com/explore?

[CruiserBruce]

No doubt...tons to see. We did a 3 night land tour there about 15 years ago, going back this June for another 3 day land tour. Looking forward to it.

[Tedferg]

Thanks for the replies, put my mind at rest.

[John Bull]

12 hours ago, Tedferg said:

,........put my mind at rest.

 

 

Not really 😏

 

There's such a wide choice, spread over about 60 miles of coast, plus hinterland, that you need to research & choose what you want / have the time to see.

Assuming your interests are in the American sights, from Le Havre consider the American cemetery & Omaha beach and mebbe as far as Pointe du Hoc. It's a drive of about 1 hr 40 mins to the first of those sights - longer if you stop off at Brit or Canadian sights on the way there or back. But ships tend to stay in Le Havre until mid-evening, check your ship's time in port.

From Cherbourg the nearest sight is Ste Maire Eglise (para-troop objective & museum), only about 30 minutes,  Utah beach (quite bland, but excellent D-Day museum) is a further 15 minutes. Omaha & the American cemetery is 40 minutes beyond - if you want to visit (I recommend) I suggest you go there direct and work your way back to Cherbourg, so you can drop Utah or SME if you're falling behind the clock. Some ships are in Cherbourg for only half a day 🤨, if so I don't reckon you'll have time for Omaha & American cemetery - so again check your ship's time in port. 

 

JB 🙂

[Turtles06]

16 hours ago, Tedferg said:

However, I wonder what is to be seen today. Are there memorials, visitor centers. I am concerned that we drive for 2-1/2 hours and just see a beach as it is today

 

In terms of seeing “a beach as it is today,” one of the most moving moments of our visit to the D-Day sites of Normandy was walking out to the sea on Omaha beach, turning around to face the full shore, and just trying to imagine the courage it took for all of those fighters to get out of the landing boats, into the water, and attempt to make it to shore, facing German underwater obstacles and being fired on from numerous positions across the beach. So many never made it. 

[Tedferg]

Thank you, John Bull, and Turtles06 I can imagine looking back from the sea. We are with Princess in Le Harve from 7am to 8pm. I had thought of doing an organized tour, like Overlord.

[TheOldBear]

3 hours ago, Tedferg said:

Thank you, John Bull, and Turtles06 I can imagine looking back from the sea. We are with Princess in Le Harve from 7am to 8pm. I had thought of doing an organized tour, like Overlord.

Mrs Bear and I have done Cunard's D Day beach tours - and would highly recommend it.

 

I would not be at all surprised to find the Princess version to be identical to the Cunard tour [the Cunard tour includes a lunch stop] and likely very similar to Overlord's bus based tour [731B??] except Overlord apparently has a lunch time stop, but does not include lunch.

[Tedferg]

30 minutes ago, TheOldBear said:

Mrs Bear and I have done Cunard's D Day beach tours - and would highly recommend it.

 

I would not be at all surprised to find the Princess version to be identical to the Cunard tour [the Cunard tour includes a lunch stop] and likely very similar to Overlord's bus based tour [731B??] except Overlord apparently has a lunch time stop, but does not include lunch.

Just checked and you are correct, Princess tour is as you described, $239pp they also have one that covers Canadian landing sites that looks good, $219pp, both include Lunch. Overlord tour is E150.

[styme123]

On 1/15/2023 at 4:25 PM, Tedferg said:

I have read extensively about D Day etc. and am very interested in the history. Normandy seems like a highlight of our British Isles tour.

 

However, I wonder what is to be seen today. Are there memorials, visitor centers. I am concerned that we drive for 2-1/2 hours and just see a beach as it is today.

When we were on Princess we did a private tour with https://www.overlordtour.com/

I highly recommend them. Very professional, knowledgeable and cheaper than what Princess was offering. It was a very moving day.

[Hlitner]

Is a visit "worth it?"  For those of us who love to travel, explore, and learn, just about all travel is "worth it."  Some might say it is what you make it.  We have enjoyed two driving trips up to Normandy and at least a half dozen cruise trips.  Many Americans (and some non-Americans) would say that just spending a couple of hours at the Omaha Beach area is very educational.  Seeing the cliffs of Pointe du Huk is truly eye opening when one imagines Rangers climbing those cliffs under horrendous fire.  There are still some remaining *** bunkers and the extend of construction in interesting.  The nearby American Cemetary (used in several well known movies) is very special and gives one a real apprecation of the price of freedom.  For those who have time, The Memorial de Caen Museum will give you a new perspective on the time leading up to WWII, as well as a lot of history of France during the WWII period.

 

One of our visits was in early June, during a major D-Day celebration and driving over to Sainte Mere Eglise (where a dummy still hangs from the church spire) was a terrific highlight as there were many US Airborne in town who were doing a reenactment of the parachute drop.  We were fascinated by the many German reenactment clubs who collected and maintained lots of Allied vehicles.  These Germans were driving around Normandy in perfectly maintained US WWII Jeeps while wearing US Army Uniforms.  Who knew?

 

Hank

[spunks]

The best tour we ever took in over 100 cruises was a Normandy tour with Lable West tours. We toured OmahaPont du Hoc the American cemetery and the German cemetery. The German cemetery was impressive in that no birth dates were on the tombstones. The reason was so many defenders were either over70 or under 10.... 

 

I could not recommend any tour group higher.

[Turtles06]

On 1/16/2023 at 12:24 PM, Tedferg said:

Thank you, John Bull, and Turtles06 I can imagine looking back from the sea. We are with Princess in Le Harve from 7am to 8pm. I had thought of doing an organized tour, like Overlord.

 

You're quite welcome!  We toured with Overlord from Le Havre some years ago, and they were fabulous.  As best I can tell, they still get raves here on CC.   If you haven't seen it already, then before your visit please watch (or re-watch) the film "The Longest Day."  Yes, it's from the '60s, and the production values are a bit cheesy by today's standards, but the history is really spot on and you'll appreciate your visit to Normandy even more.  (In fact, our Overlord tour guide asked if we'd ever seen that film, she considered it so accurate.)   

 

["The Longest Day" bonus: just about every male movie star or soon to be star of the '60s is in it.]

[Turtles06]

On 1/17/2023 at 9:22 AM, spunks said:

The best tour we ever took in over 100 cruises was a Normandy tour with Lable West tours. We toured OmahaPont du Hoc the American cemetery and the German cemetery. The German cemetery was impressive in that no birth dates were on the tombstones. The reason was so many defenders were either over70 or under 10..

 

Please tell me that I've misread your post and that you weren't referring to the Germans as "defenders." 

[spunks]

yeah....instead of Defenders I should have said "germans"...Our guide told us that so many casualties were expected at Omaha, that the first wave sent was not the crack troops, but rather the newer recruits. No matter, they all performed with such bravery that I am very,very proud. The most amazing thing was how grateful the French in this area still are. People actually went out of their way to shake my hand when they learned I was American. I was so embarrassed I told one man I was not even born when the invasion happened. He said I shake your hand because I cannot shake your fathers...

[Blondilu]

Our tour guide on the Princess tour was so knowledgeable I was mesmerized by her presentation on the bus ride to Normandy.  One thing that stuck in my mind was her refusal to use the term "Allied Invasion."  I do not consider it an invasion she said.  It was a liberation.

 

I have been twice and both times I felt it was well worth the cost and the long bus ride.  

[marazul]

Yes! Normandy is worth a visit. But, please, be very specific as to what you are interested in.  Normandy is a wonderful and historical region of France.  It is much more than just the WW2 landing sites.  Check out these websites for Normandy.

 

https://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/normandy-f-hn-nor.htm

https://about-france.com/regions/normandy.htm

https://www.france-voyage.com/tourism/normandie-region.htm

https://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/discover/

[Tedferg]

On 1/20/2023 at 6:48 PM, marazul said:

Yes! Normandy is worth a visit. But, please, be very specific as to what you are interested in.  Normandy is a wonderful and historical region of France.  It is much more than just the WW2 landing sites.  Check out these websites for Normandy.

 

https://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/normandy-f-hn-nor.htm

https://about-france.com/regions/normandy.htm

https://www.france-voyage.com/tourism/normandie-region.htm

https://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/discover/

Thank you, I should have been specific vis-a-vis WWII. That is the aspect I was referring to.

[Coral]

I have to say it was one of the most meaningful days of my European cruises. I highly recommend it. 

 

We did a private tour with a total of 7 individuals.

[Cambria2]

I would definitely look into a small group tour. Normandy should not be missed. We did a private tour for our group of 8 6 years ago and our guide was amazing.

I wish I could remember the company but trip advisor might be a good resource.