Normandy - D-Day Beaches

On our second day in Normandy we went to a few D-Day spots.

First we drove to the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer. It sits on the cliffs just above Omaha Beach. The amazing part of the town is how it has been rebuilt. There are placards throughout the town with pictures of the exact view showing what it looked like on D-Day.



The cemetery and visitor's center were very moving and a reminder of the price that all the D-Day soldiers paid. One couldn't help but become emotional. As we were walking to the Center from the parking lot I noticed an official photographer taking a picture of me, Natalie, and Colin. I told the kids that it was probably because it is important for children of today to visit the cemetery to remember the soldiers.

Next we walked down the cliff to Omaha Beach. Today it is a beautiful beach and a great way to relax after walking through the cemetery.



Our last of the D-Day stops was Pointe du Hoc. It was an artillery position that could reach both Utah and Omaha Beaches. The US Rangers were tasked with scaling the 200ft straight up cliff to put the guns out of operation. Looking at the bomb craters one can only begin to imagine what it was like on D-Day.

Normandy

During the mid-term break we decided to sneak in a mini-vacation and took the Eurotunnel (where we can drive our car onto a vehicle train) to France. We decided to go to Normandy to visit the D-day beaches and get a quick taste of the region.

The drive from Calais, where we get off the train, to our B&B in Normandy took about 3 hours but was pretty easy. We stayed at a renovated 11th century farm house. It was a perfect location for our travels for the weekend. The stay was great. We were the only people there at the time and it only had 4 BRs anyway.



On our first full day we drove down to Mont St Michel, a granite rock in the delta of the Seine, where, in 708, the Archangle Michael appeared to St Aubert to build a church on the island. The history of the island is amazing. Around the island is much silt and sand that has built up over the centuries. In the past the quicksand enabled the defenders of the church to repel any enemy that approached.

The island is amazing. The small road leads through the small village up to the church. Subsequent editions/layers of the church were added to previous sections to enhance the overall stature of the island.



The children and I walked along the flats, occasionally sunk in the mud, and found many shells.

The second day we went to the American Cemetery at Colleville-Sur-Mer. When we went through the town there were large pictures that showed what the town looked like on D-day. The town church, looking perfect now, was in ruins on D-day and the picture from that day showed American troops marching through the town.



The cemetery itself was very moving and emotional. Just seeing the monuments, displays, etc., brought tears to your eyes. Afterwards we walked down to Omaha Beach and tried to imagine what it was like on June 6th, 1944. It was impossible since the beach was so peaceful.



Next we went to Pointe-du-Hoc, a German artillery position that overlooked both Omaha and Utah Beaches. As part of D-day the Rangers had to scale the 200ft cliff and capture the position. The position had been bombed unmercifully by the Allies. Today the craters are everywhere and the pieces of the concrete bunkers that were buried throughout the location are still where they were that day.

Bardwell Girls' Football

In the first of the summer tournaments the Bardwell Girls U-12 football team won the Chinnor Girls Tournament. Girls teams from U-10 up to Womens' teams took part! Well Done!