If I am being honest here, then I would never have gone to Normandy on my own. History and WWII memorials are not my forte, but they are TOTALLY my husband’s realm of interest. I had the opportunity to travel with EuroTrip Adventures to Normandy, and here are my recommendations.
Pointe Du Hoc Memorial
We first arrived at the Pointe Du Hoc Memorial, where the United States Army Rangers scaled the cliffs to de-weaponize the German’s 155mm guns. These guns threatened the allied invasion on Omaha beach in 1944, as they were able to accurately shoot over a mile away.
Fun fact, our most recent base that my husband and I were stationed at was named after Lieutenant Colonel, James Earl Rudder, who commanded the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions to land on Pointe Du Hoc.
The American Cemetery
After departing Pointe Du Hoc, we continued our travels to The American Cemetery. This memorial was astounding. The cemetery houses 9,386 military personnel on over 172 acres of land. Behind the cemetery, there is a memorial wall, dedicated to the missing. It houses the names of those who have yet to be identified from WWII.
The Memorial of Omaha Beach – Top Travel Destination
Our next destination was the memorial of Omaha Beach. This beach was stormed by the allied troops on June 6th, 1944. There were many dilemmas that were faced during the invasion. To start, the Army Air Corps missed bombing the German bunkers by over a mile. They used a new radar system, and were told to wait 5-10 seconds to drop their missiles, after reaching land. This was so they would not hit their incoming allies. The Army then, attempted to send 29 floating tanks to shore to aid the already landed troops with coverage on Omaha beach. Unfortunately, 27 of them sank to the bottom of the ocean due to the 6-foot waves, and only 2 made it to shore. As a result, thirty-three soldiers died in the sunken tanks because they were not able to open the top exit hatch in time.
Food in Bayeux
That night we arrived in Bayeux, France. Bayeux is such a cute little city. During our two-night stay, we discovered a nice hole in the wall bar called “Oh LaLa.” This bar had great burgers, and they even had chocolate lava cake as a dessert. The staff were extremely friendly, and it was overall an awesome environment to eat dinner after a long day of travel. On our second night, we were able to venture to another restaurant, called “La Normande”. I tried a delicious pizza named the “Diabolique.” The pizza was so big that I even took the leftovers back to the hotel.
Optional Excursion – Travel to Mont Saint Michel
On our second day in France, we were able to join the optional excursion to Mont Saint Michel. Pronounced (me-shell), not (my-kal), just for reference. I absolutely loved Mont Saint Michel. The design first appeared as a dream to an architect named Saint Auburt. The Archangel, Michael, requested that Saint Auburt build a sanctuary in his name. At first, Saint Auburt ignored the dream, which angered Michael. Then, Michael came down to Earth and touched Saint Auburt on his head, leaving a hole in his skull. This act convinced Saint Auburt that Michael was not kidding about his request. The memorial is now a top tourist attraction, and highly recommended by those who have visited.
At the top of Mont Saint Michel, is the Abbey. The Abbey was once a prison, and is now a top travel destination. The entrance fee for the Abbey is 10 euro. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to visit the Abbey, but it is definitely something I will be doing on our next trip.
Visit Reims
On our way back home, we were able to stop in Reims. Reims houses a beautiful cathedral known for its stained glass and gothic carved portals. The cathedral showcases the statue of the smiling angel.
Reims had A LOT of shopping centers, and my all time favorite was the budget friendly Christmas store in the middle of the town square (which I now cannot remember the name of). Reims is also the unofficial champagne capital of France, and there are many different champagne houses that offer tours and tastings for guests. If you ever get the chance to travel here, definitely try the champagne.