This year will mark 80 years since the D-Day invasion, also known as Operation Overlord, in Normandy, France. It was in the early hours of June 6, 1944 when approximately 160,000 soldiers from the Allied forces - comprised of American, British, and Canadian troops - launched a massive assault on Normandy's beaches to start Western Europe's liberation against Nazi Germany during World War II. Despite a myriad of problems with weather and intense German resistance, the Allies successfully secured the beaches. Thousands of men on both sides of the war were killed or wounded.
It's been on my bucket list for awhile to visit the D-Day sites in Normandy, and I finally had the opportunity to go last summer with my husband, Ryan. I come from a military family, and Ryan serves as well, so visiting here was very meaningful on many levels for us. I've also been researching my great uncle's and grandfathers' military records and have grown a strong interest in visiting all of the WWII sites. I've been to Hiroshima, Japan - where the first atomic bomb hit; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii - where the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the U.S.; and Dachau Concentration Camp outside of Munich, Germany - one of the longest running Nazi camps. Each place is so moving, and it is hard to describe the feelings you have when you go to each one. They're all so different, yet all so important.
I did A LOT of research before this Normandy trip. We decided to rent a car so we could go to each place for however long we wanted. It's important to note we only had a day and a half there, so we heavily visited the sites of where U.S. forces were due to our connections to those units. We didn't get to spend as much time at the latter stops. I do hope to go back to spend more time at those locations, but will share what we know about them from our quick visits - it's important to dig deeper into these places and I hope to get back and do that. With that said, let's dig into where I suggest you visit when you go to Normandy if you have the same interests we had. These places below go in order from west to east (see map below). You can easily go the opposite way to begin, too.
1. Sainte-Mère-Église
Sainte-Mère-Église is a small town in Normandy that played a significant role during World War II, particularly in the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. It was one of the first French towns to be liberated by Allied forces. The town became famous for its involvement in Operation Overlord, where American paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division (where Ryan served from 2012-2015) landed in and around the town as part of the broader efforts to establish a foothold in Nazi-occupied France. Visiting this town is like going back in time. I absolutely loved it and wish we could have spent more time there.
A notable incident involved paratrooper John Steele, whose parachute got caught on the church steeple, leaving him hanging for several hours. This event has since become symbolic of the bravery and challenges faced by the paratroopers during the invasion. There is now a restaurant there named in his honor. You can also see a replica of him on the church when you visit (pictured right).
2. Utah Beach
Utah Beach was one of the five landing beaches during the D-Day invasion. It was the westernmost beach of the five and was assigned to the U.S. 4th Infantry Division. The primary goal at Utah Beach was to establish a beachhead and join with airborne forces dropped earlier. Despite strong German defenses, the landings were relatively successful and less costly in casualties compared to other beaches, thanks to effective bombardments and airborne operations. There are several places to visit at Utah Beach. We did not get to all of them as we were on a time constraint, but if you have the time, it's very much worth doing all of them. Below are the ones we saw.
Places to visit:
Utah Beach Landing Museum: This museum provides more insight on what happened that day at Utah Beach, which includes a lot of personal stories. A key highlight is the B-26 Marauder bomber on display. Again, I could have spent all day here!
Monument to Major Richard Winters: A monument honoring Major Richard Winters, the commander of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, made famous by the book and TV series "Band of Brothers."
There are remnants of war across this entire beach, and whether something has a sign with more information or not, it's still worth exploring because all of it is part of history there. Be sure to stop at Le Roosevelt Café for a bite and bier!
3. La Cambe German War Cemetery
This cemetery serves as the final resting place for over 21,000 German soldiers who died during the Battle of Normandy. It's hard to describe the feeling of visiting here. It's somber visiting all of the stops, but something was extra somber here and almost eerie feeling. I think part of it has to do with many of the Germans buried here did not want to be part of this war. They fell victim to Hitler's regime and had no choice. That is the sad tragedy of war - much similar to today like we see in the War in Ukraine, where many Russians do not want to take part in the conflict. I was so inspired to visit this cemetery after hearing of WWII veterans going here. When you visit, make sure you head inside to the visitor center where you will learn more personal stories. It really creates a feeling I cannot describe.
4. Pointe du Hoc
One word for this place: Wow. You must read every panel of information here because it is truly remarkable what men of the U.S. Army's 2nd Ranger Battalion accomplished here. It seemed like an impossible task: scaling the 100-foot cliffs - no matter the weather - to eliminate the German defenses.... but, they did it. The did run into an issue, though. Once they got there, they discovered the German weapons had been moved inland; but, they managed to find and destroy them. Despite too many lives lost here, the Rangers successfully completed their mission. Learn more about what happened here by visiting the Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument website.
5. Omaha Beach
Pictured above is the Les Braves Memorial. This is the main site commemorating the events at D-Day at Omaha Beach. This sculpture consists of three parts symbolizing wings of hope, rise of freedom, and wings of fraternity. I recommend seeing this and walking along the beach a bit to see some other notable remnants and information of what happened here. We didn't get to visit the Omaha Beach Memorial Museum, but I heard great things and suggest you visiting if you can.
6. Normandy American Cemetery
Nearly 9,400 Americans are buried here. We came at the end of the day and thought we'd have enough time to see it in the 45 minutes we had left before it closed for the day, but we didn't. We woke up early and came back to see it the next day. It didn't feel right to come here for only 45 minutes - it's our duty to take time to honor the fallen heroes who are buried here and learn their stories. There are a lot of storytelling portions of this site that are worth reading every detail of. Another place that it is hard to describe feeling here, especially when its many of our ancestors who put their lives on the line for our freedom. It's a heavy feeling and will most likely put you to tears. The stories of these men, and all who were part of the Greatest Generation, must never die. We must carry them on.
7. Longues-sur-Mer battery
While you're driving the route I suggested above, you will find various bunkers and signs of WWII randomly as you make your way to the end. The Longues-sur-Mer battery is a specific place where you can check out the site of where some Germans were positioned during the war. You can see naval guns, which are crazy to walk around and look at, and also walk through some bunkers. there were also some holes in the ground that I imagine were strategically placed. There is a beach you can see from the end of this location, and I believe it is Gold Beach, but not 100% sure since it says this is located between Omaha and Gold Beach... either way, I'm sure that area was very impacted by the D-Day invasion. This location is one of the only German defense composts that is still mostly intact.
8. Gold Beach, Arromanches-les-Bains and Surrounding Areas
This is where our bed & breakfast was, and where I highly suggest you stay! It's called DDay Aviators. The couple that owns this has been collecting WWII items for over 20 years and decided to make these accommodations in the heart of the Normandy beaches for visitors to stay. We loved our stay there, but more on that later.
As with Utah and Omaha, if you walk Gold Beach, you will find history as you go. We loved exploring Mulberry Harbor - which is right outside DDay Aviators - and around Arromanches-les-Bains. There is history at every corner. We didn't get to visit the D-Day museum here, but we'd love to when we visit again. Other places I wish we had time to see here: Bayeux and Ver-sur-Mer.
9. Juno Beach
Juno beach was one of the assigned to Canadian Forces. Its capture was crucial for linking the British beaches, Gold and Sword, and forming a continuous front and enabling further Allied operations into Normandy. The service members here faced tough challenges with German defenses and treacherous seas upon landing. As with others, despite a horrible loss of life, they defeated Nazi Germany here. I wish we could have spent more time here, but turns out 1.5 days of traveling here is simply not long enough. I think I need a day at each place! Learn about all the places to visit at Juno Beach by visiting their website.
10. Sword Beach
The last beach of the five beaches is Sword Beach, depending on which way you are going on your route. British and French forces landed on this beach on D-Day. The successful mission allowed the Allied forces to fully take over Normandy and begin liberation.
Not far from here is the city of Caen, which is home to the Caen Memorial. I really wish we could have gone here because I heard it was one of the best museums, but time wasn't on our side. I'd definitely get there if you have the chance to, as well explore Caen itself. The tourism site offers a lot of WWII-related tourist activities.
Have you visited the Normandy beaches? If not, I highly recommend planning your visit today! Any questions? Reach out to us at bestiesbetrippin247@gmail.com.
Yorumlar