Tag: Normandy

Caen, Normandy

Abbaye aux Hommes Caen
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On our last day in Normandy, we took the train to Caen. It's a quick and easy trip from Bayeux, about 20 minutes. Caen is much bigger than Bayeux but unlike Bayeux, it was almost completely destroyed in bombing raids as part of Operation Overlord (the Battle of Normandy). Fortunately, a few historical things remain, … Continue reading Caen, Normandy

Bayeux, Normandy

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I've written about our tours to various D-Day spots and Mont St. Michel, but here, I'll write a bit about Bayeux, the charming city we stayed in while we were in Normandy. Bayeux was the first city to be liberated during the Battle of Normandy (aka, Operation Overlord, which includes but is not limited to D-Day) and because it was used as a headquarters of sorts, it miraculously escaped destruction via the bombing raids that the Allies completed throughout the region.

Mont St. Michel in Normandy, France

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The day after our D-Day tour in Normandy, we took a guided tour of Mont St. Michel. If you have a chance to visit Normandy, I would put this as a must-see on your travel itinerary. A Visit from St. Michel: If you build it, they will come Mont St. Michel is about a 1.5 … Continue reading Mont St. Michel in Normandy, France

Normandy D-Day Tour: German and American Cemeteries

American Cemetery Normandy France
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This post is the fourth in a series on my D-Day tour of Normandy, France. See the rest of the posts here. German Cemetery We started our tour at the German cemetery. The French government has allotted about 17 acres for this space, which is mostly maintained by volunteers and German family members. There are … Continue reading Normandy D-Day Tour: German and American Cemeteries

Normandy D-Day Tour: Point du Hoc

Point du Hoc
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This post is the third in a series on my D-Day tour of Normandy, France. See the rest of the posts here. Point du Hoc: A hard-won and costly battle Point du Hoc was a strategically important location for D-Day since it was the highest point between Utah Beach and Omaha Beach. The Germans recognized … Continue reading Normandy D-Day Tour: Point du Hoc

Normandy D-Day Tour: churches and monuments marking acts of heroism

Stained glass memorializing the US paratroopers in Angoville-au-Plain
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This post is the second in a series on my D-Day tour of Normandy, France. See the rest of the posts here. Angoville-au-Plain We next headed to Angoville-au-Plain, a tiny Norman village home to a small and fairly nondescript church where 2 US Army Medics performed some serious acts of heroism that went unrecorded for … Continue reading Normandy D-Day Tour: churches and monuments marking acts of heroism

Normandy D-Day Tour: Utah and Omaha Beaches

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A couple of days ago, we went on a tour of the Normandy countryside to see various sites related to the D-Day invasion. Norman weather is apparently fairly moody and can change quickly, so I've been told. Our tour day was a perfect example of this. The day quickly changed from the forecast of mostly … Continue reading Normandy D-Day Tour: Utah and Omaha Beaches