Discussion
Decided on a last minute birthday trip to Normandy next week for 3 days with a friend. We are crossing to La Havre.
Whats the best route to take and any reccomeded stops?
I was thinking going straight to Omahais way via Caen and Bayeux and then working our way down the coast roads back to Le Havre. This route will obviously change if we see somthing interesting or if something is abit inland.
Cheers
oli
BTW i did post this is Travel, but got nothing.
Whats the best route to take and any reccomeded stops?
I was thinking going straight to Omahais way via Caen and Bayeux and then working our way down the coast roads back to Le Havre. This route will obviously change if we see somthing interesting or if something is abit inland.
Cheers
oli
BTW i did post this is Travel, but got nothing.
There's a patisserie in Le Havre, 109 Rue Louis Brindeau, L and P Bidualt, ideal if you've just got off the night boat, they do a Almond Croissant to die for. I mean, honestly, its that good! Nom nom nom...
Easy to find, just across from the white upsidedown funnel shaped cinema. Parking easy.
Easy to find, just across from the white upsidedown funnel shaped cinema. Parking easy.
The bayeux CWGC cemetary at Bayeaux is across the road from the museum on the main drag through. Definitely humbling to visit there.
The first exhibit at the Omaha musem on the right hand side through the door sends shivers down my spine just thnking about it.
The best choclat chaud I have ever had was in a bar off the main square in Arromanche.
You lucky sod. I love France.
The first exhibit at the Omaha musem on the right hand side through the door sends shivers down my spine just thnking about it.
The best choclat chaud I have ever had was in a bar off the main square in Arromanche.
You lucky sod. I love France.
Bayeux tapestry, whilst you are there, take a trip to the beach directly north at Arromanche and see the Mulberry harbour. There is a good museum there too.
Just to the south of Rouen is the old GP circuit. Well worth a wander, but there is no information about it there. You have to research it beforehand.
Just to the south of Rouen is the old GP circuit. Well worth a wander, but there is no information about it there. You have to research it beforehand.
Don't go into Le Havre. it's a total s
t tip and in the wrong direction.
Wing down to Le Mans and visit the museum du 24 heures, then race down the Mulsanne straight. A must for any self respecting pistonheader. It's under two hours from Caen. You're gay if you don't go. Then hoon across country on the fab D roads up towards Omaha/Utah.
Head east towards the Britsh beaches, calling especially at Arromanche and it's famous Mulberry harbour, the museum is worth a call, it's the most informative place on the D Day beaches run IMO. Pay your respects at Bayeux cemeary.
A night out in Deauville is a good call, and a meal, some drinks, and a trip to a nightclub. The Ibis Hotel is good value. Brekky followed by a game of crazy golf or a trip to the gokart track. Lunch in pretty Honfleur is a must, then you'll be just in time to nip over the Pont de Normandie and into Le Havre for the afternoon ferry. Sorted!
I hate France, but like Normandie.
t tip and in the wrong direction.Wing down to Le Mans and visit the museum du 24 heures, then race down the Mulsanne straight. A must for any self respecting pistonheader. It's under two hours from Caen. You're gay if you don't go. Then hoon across country on the fab D roads up towards Omaha/Utah.
Head east towards the Britsh beaches, calling especially at Arromanche and it's famous Mulberry harbour, the museum is worth a call, it's the most informative place on the D Day beaches run IMO. Pay your respects at Bayeux cemeary.
A night out in Deauville is a good call, and a meal, some drinks, and a trip to a nightclub. The Ibis Hotel is good value. Brekky followed by a game of crazy golf or a trip to the gokart track. Lunch in pretty Honfleur is a must, then you'll be just in time to nip over the Pont de Normandie and into Le Havre for the afternoon ferry. Sorted!
I hate France, but like Normandie.
Go to 'Dead mans corner' museum, it's not big but is well worth a nose around especially if you got in to the Band of Brothers TV series.
Go to the Pegasus bridge museum.
There are lots of tour companies around doing trips around various sites, some good and some bad. I did the Band of Brothers tour with a company called Battlebus and really enjoyed it, well worth a look.
Go to the Pegasus bridge museum.
There are lots of tour companies around doing trips around various sites, some good and some bad. I did the Band of Brothers tour with a company called Battlebus and really enjoyed it, well worth a look.
Andy Zarse said:
A night out in Deauville is a good call, and a meal, some drinks, and a trip to a nightclub. The Ibis Hotel is good value. Brekky followed by a game of crazy golf or a trip to the gokart track. Lunch in pretty Honfleur is a must, then you'll be just in time to nip over the Pont de Normandie and into Le Havre for the afternoon ferry. Sorted!
I'd second this, Deauville is a cracking town with good nightlife, and Honfleur has a great choice of places to order huge pots of Moules et frites.The driving along the coast from Caen thing is a good idea too, because most of the places along that coast are pretty and worth stopping in.
If you've got any interest, even minor, about history, then you've got to
a) go to point du hoc for the stupid US Ranger/Marine head on attack up a cliff.
b) go to Pegasus bridge for the glider landings
c) go to Utah beach and visit any of the war cemetaries nearby
d) go to arromanches sur mer for the mulberry harbour. As mentioned, great museum there.
e) some great places to eat in Caens, and it has a nice atmosphere.
Further away, le mans is quite a nice town (nightmare to navigate round though!) and the car museum is very very good.
There's also calvados farms that do tours and explain how they make the stuff.
Eat moules et frites and try to ignore the little crabs that eat some of the mussels before you get there! Eat apple tart and normandy black pudding.
I'm desperately trying to remember the name of the town where they do a black pudding festival every year - French black pudding, especially the Normandy stuff is so much nicer than our own pepper laden stuff. Probably about 15 miles away from Le Mans, and on some great roads too. Lovely town.
Mont St Michel is also worth a look - yes, it's tacky and touristy inside the walls, but you can always get a phot of your motor on the causeway with the castle in the background.
ETA forgot about Caens!
a) go to point du hoc for the stupid US Ranger/Marine head on attack up a cliff.
b) go to Pegasus bridge for the glider landings
c) go to Utah beach and visit any of the war cemetaries nearby
d) go to arromanches sur mer for the mulberry harbour. As mentioned, great museum there.
e) some great places to eat in Caens, and it has a nice atmosphere.
Further away, le mans is quite a nice town (nightmare to navigate round though!) and the car museum is very very good.
There's also calvados farms that do tours and explain how they make the stuff.
Eat moules et frites and try to ignore the little crabs that eat some of the mussels before you get there! Eat apple tart and normandy black pudding.
I'm desperately trying to remember the name of the town where they do a black pudding festival every year - French black pudding, especially the Normandy stuff is so much nicer than our own pepper laden stuff. Probably about 15 miles away from Le Mans, and on some great roads too. Lovely town.
Mont St Michel is also worth a look - yes, it's tacky and touristy inside the walls, but you can always get a phot of your motor on the causeway with the castle in the background.
ETA forgot about Caens!
Edited by alfa pint on Thursday 3rd March 11:12
Andy Zarse said:
No trip to Normandy is complete without guzzling down gallons of ice cold Normandy cider. It comes in a champagne bottle complete with wired cork. Nectar, even for non-cider drinkers.
This is great advice!All of the above re the cemetaries and beaches etc is very worthwhile. When my kids are old enough I'll be taking them there to stand on top of those grassy cliff's to understand the sacrifice people made. Truly humbling.
One thing I find fascinating in the area is the evidence of war that is left.
We went in to a field with the remains of a Lancaster poking out of the ground. Get the permission of a farmer to wander his field and you can probably pull up spent bullet casings and shrapnel by just kicking the earth about. A local we were talking to in one area was renovating his house and showed us a bucket (literally) full of shrapnel pulled from the walls INSIDE his house. A careful look around some towns and villages reveals buildings covered in pock marks where bullets have hit. Some buildings still have directions painted on them by the allies. Look for some photos of where you plan to visit and try to stand in the spot the photo was taken...a quiet suburban street now but the photo has burnt out vehicles and the dead laying in the gutter, haunting stuff.
We went in to a field with the remains of a Lancaster poking out of the ground. Get the permission of a farmer to wander his field and you can probably pull up spent bullet casings and shrapnel by just kicking the earth about. A local we were talking to in one area was renovating his house and showed us a bucket (literally) full of shrapnel pulled from the walls INSIDE his house. A careful look around some towns and villages reveals buildings covered in pock marks where bullets have hit. Some buildings still have directions painted on them by the allies. Look for some photos of where you plan to visit and try to stand in the spot the photo was taken...a quiet suburban street now but the photo has burnt out vehicles and the dead laying in the gutter, haunting stuff.
Some excellent suggestions already.
Hill 112 is another place that looks so normal today (well, except for the Churchill tank memorial) but read the history to get the hairs up on your neck.
Then there's things such as the Falaise Pocket and the German retreat; small museums all over such as Tilly-sur-Seulles - a town so shelled they didn't even rebuild the main street on the same alignment after the war.
This page has some links: D-Day links
Have fun, and pay your respects if you can.
Steve
Hill 112 is another place that looks so normal today (well, except for the Churchill tank memorial) but read the history to get the hairs up on your neck.
Then there's things such as the Falaise Pocket and the German retreat; small museums all over such as Tilly-sur-Seulles - a town so shelled they didn't even rebuild the main street on the same alignment after the war.
This page has some links: D-Day links
Have fun, and pay your respects if you can.
Steve
Arromanches - Deffo
Stay here http://www.ranconniere.fr/ in a village called crepon about 10 mins from Arromanches. Restaurant is awesome
Stay here http://www.ranconniere.fr/ in a village called crepon about 10 mins from Arromanches. Restaurant is awesome
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