Normandy Beaches - Advice Appreciated

B

BillyBeckers

Joined
Feb 2, 2019
Posts
110
Likes collected
204
Location
Teesside
Funster No
58,331
MH
Burstner Ixeo 726
Exp
Since 2019
We are heading into our last week in France before catching the ferry back to the UK from Dieppe on 19th. We are currently in Saintes and planning to head to Noirmoutier en I’lle tomorrow for 2 nights (11/12th). We’re then planning to head to Rennes for an overnight (13th) before spending the remainder of the time on the North coast.

It’s our first time in France and I’d like to see as much as is realistically practical related to the D Day Landings in the remaining days. From initial reviews on Search for Sites it appears that driving is required to reach most of the interesting areas. Would it better to use one site as a base or use a few different sites? I’m unsure how practical it would be access the historical areas in a motorhome. Any advice greatly appreciated.
 
There are aires at most of the sites or close by if you have bicycles. Arromanches has an eire directly above the town and Mullberry Harbour. Pegassus Bridge has an aire nearby but there is some local parking for the museum.
 
I did a combined WW1 and WW2 tour with a mate last year. Me WW1 and mate WW2. We visited lots of places, Arromanche, Omaha, Utah, Gold etc, Tracy sur Mer, St Mere eglise etc and it was no problem at all.
Utah beach museum has an Aire/carpark to stay overnight but no facilities.
Arromanche has a 360 degree cinema where you can also park overnight but you can only have 24 hours, brilliant view over Mulberry Harbour if you can get on the front row.
Just go. (y)
Edit, why use one site as a base, that's what your van is for. (y)
 
If you get some time go to the British Normandy Memorial at Ver sur Mer. It has only been open a few years and is a very sobering place. Plenty of parking for a motorhome but you do have to pay to park. Unfortunately no overnight camping.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
20220422_085923.jpg


20220422_104251.jpg 20220420_170246.jpg 20220420_114417.jpg 20220420_103015.jpg 20220421_100648.jpg 20220419_130752.jpg 20220418_133705.jpg 20220418_134819.jpg
 
Arromanches is well worth a visit and there’s a great Aire there. Also Bayeux is interesting and there’s an Aire right next to the museum.

IMG_6613.png
 
It looks like I’ve been over thinking and worrying unnecessarily. Really appreciate the quick responses. I’ll use the information above to put a plan together. It will also put my wife’s mind at rest that we won’t be spending the last few days of our travels on a windswept cliff top in the vicinity of a bunch of burglars just waiting for unwary Brits to provide an easy target.
 
BillyBeckers said:
It looks like I’ve been over thinking and worrying unnecessarily. Really appreciate the quick responses. I’ll use the information above to put a plan together. It will also put my wife’s mind at rest that we won’t be spending the last few days of our travels on a windswept cliff top in the vicinity of a bunch of burglars just waiting for unwary Brits to provide an easy target.
Click to expand...
I am sure as many others will attest, you are not entering through the gates of Babylon and inviting a hord of vipers and the thieves of Baghdad onto your motorhome. This is France. Enjoy it.
 
BillyBeckers said:
It looks like I’ve been over thinking and worrying unnecessarily. Really appreciate the quick responses. I’ll use the information above to put a plan together. It will also put my wife’s mind at rest that we won’t be spending the last few days of our travels on a windswept cliff top in the vicinity of a bunch of burglars just waiting for unwary Brits to provide an easy target.
Click to expand...
Your wife sounds like me:giggle:(y)
 
One thing that surprised me,and has not been mentioned, is how close everything is.
It's only minutes between some of the sites,driving of course
 
Bodging around France here, there and nearly everywhere by car, motorbike and Moho sometimes for months on end, we have come across shedloads of War Cemeteries that don't form part of eg the Normandy campaign - one even with Chinese people's graves, along a minor road on our way from A to B one day and No Way Pedro could we possibly have parked, although there were certainly a few visitors in little cars evident. We were quite disappointed that we were unable to pay our respects. (We also felt a bit out of 'odd' at times eg Bayeux and also Oradour sur Glanes by motorbike and therefore dressed in black leathers, boots and helmets from head to toe. Nobody else even batted an eyelid. Probably just me.)

Beautiful, quiet places with immaculate gardens and always a book of remembrance to sign and add your own comments if you so wish.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
BillyBeckers said:
We are heading into our last week in France before catching the ferry back to the UK from Dieppe on 19th. We are currently in Saintes and planning to head to Noirmoutier en I’lle tomorrow for 2 nights (11/12th). We’re then planning to head to Rennes for an overnight (13th) before spending the remainder of the time on the North coast.

It’s our first time in France and I’d like to see as much as is realistically practical related to the D Day Landings in the remaining days. From initial reviews on Search for Sites it appears that driving is required to reach most of the interesting areas. Would it better to use one site as a base or use a few different sites? I’m unsure how practical it would be access the historical areas in a motorhome. Any advice greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...


There's a free overnight parking at the Canadian museum
 
You can park outside the Cemetery at Etaples on the way back to Calais. We often call in.
I always say that children should be taken to one as part of their history education although for all I know they maybe are.
 
I was most moved by the German Ossary
Very few named graves, 2or 3 to a stone marker and a very emotive statute called “Parents”

I couldnt t go into the American cemetery. So many young men
I’d watched and read Band of brothers beforehand and I was glad I’d some background- I’m not one to hold details of battles and manoeuvres in my head
It was an excellent trip and I’m sure you’ll find the same

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
sedge said:
Bodging around France here, there and nearly everywhere by car, motorbike and Moho sometimes for months on end, we have come across shedloads of War Cemeteries that don't form part of eg the Normandy campaign - one even with Chinese people's graves, along a minor road on our way from A to B one day and No Way Pedro could we possibly have parked, although there were certainly a few visitors in little cars evident. We were quite disappointed that we were unable to pay our respects. (We also felt a bit out of 'odd' at times eg Bayeux and also Oradour sur Glanes by motorbike and therefore dressed in black leathers, boots and helmets from head to toe. Nobody else even batted an eyelid. Probably just me.)

Beautiful, quiet places with immaculate gardens and always a book of remembrance to sign and add your own comments if you so wish.
Click to expand...
Oradour-sur-Glane sur Glane was another on my list. Went there a couple of days ago whilst heading back north. Very moving place. Really reminds you of the level of barbarity the human race can reach in times of conflict
 
During lockdown I started researching family history. A bit later whilst on a Hymer rally there was a trip to the National Arboretum so Sue and I went with ideas to track down relatives involved in WWII. Turns out most of the things there are for after that bu there was a memorial for the hunt class destroyers that Sues uncle had been on. His mother would never admit he was dead and said Jackie was a good swimmer and would be on a desert island 🏝️. After doing lots of research his shop HMS Quorn was sunk off Normandy by a human torpedo (another story in itself) on the 3rd/4th August 1944. His name is on one of the columns at the Normandy Memorial. Lots to see and understand. The memorial has a website with lots of info on family members about deceased family.
 
Just to the South West of Limoges, lies a small village called Sussac and I commented as we went through there to get to the campsite we were staying on that the old Cafe there didn't look like it had been pained for decades - window and door woodwork painted 'municipal green' that everything belonging to the council in West Brom in the 1950s when I was little eg park railings, park keeper's premises, registrar's office outside etc, was painted in - grim looking really.

Later walking down a lane one day we passed a stone cross and stopped as it was a monument erected to remember several people killed in the War, from the dates and one of those names was Violette Tsabo - and then it dawned on us, cos there had been a prog on TV at home some months previously we'd watched, about the lady. She was widowed during the War when her husband, a Pole, was killed when flying with the RAF. She wanted to help especially now and as she'd been brought up in France so spoke literally like a local and was intelligent, she was recruited as a radio operator and got posted to the Resistance - in Sussac. Bit like Cafe Renee, guess where the resistance met?

That dull green paintwork was actually fairly new matt paint, freshly applied to the still existing window frame etc (though there hadn't been a cafe actually there for ages, they could still make the outside look like it was!) when they made the TV Prog!
 
BillyBeckers said:
She thinks there's a bad guy behind every bush 😄😁
Click to expand...

If you do get to all the places you want to see and find good parking / overnights for the MH would you post that info on here as we would like to do the same idea next year.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Sandancers said:
If you do get to all the places you want to see and find good parking / overnights for the MH would you post that info on here as we would like to do the same idea next year.
Click to expand...

As requested some details on what we actually managed to see.
First, I must point out that in order to spend the majority of our last 4 days visiting WW2 stuff, my wife had a couple of conditions - and I know my place :censored:
  • We had to spend the nights on Sites (provided they were reasonably priced), unless it was not feasible
  • We had to have one full day and an overnight in Bayeaux
The night prior to heading to Normandy was spent in Fougeres so we set off around 08.00 with the intention of working West to East along the various beaches.

Utah Beach Area
  1. D Day Experience & Dead Mans Corner Museum, Saint Come Du Mont, duration 2 - 3 hours - Parking on Site
  2. Crisbecq Battery, near St Marcouf, duration 40 minutes - Parking on Site
  3. Utah Beach Museum & Memorial, La Madelaine Manche, duration 2 hours - Parked at roadside La Grand Dune
  4. Overnight Camping at Le Haut Dick Campsite, Carentan - 25 Euros
Omaha Beach Area
  1. German Cemetry, La Cambe, duration 40 minutes - Parking on Site
  2. Omaha Beach Memorial & Museum, St Laurent Sur Mer, duration 2 hours - Limited parking. We parked on the Beach road east of the monument close to the Eolia Bike Cafe
  3. US Cemetry, St Laurent Sur Mer, duration 40 minutes - Parking on Site
  4. British Cemetry & Museum, Bayeaux, duration 2 - 3 hours - Parked in Camping Car Aire (Free)
  5. Overnight at Camping Des Bordes De L'aure, Bayeaux - 19 Euros
Full day in Bayeaux and overnight at same Site as above

Gold Beach Area
  1. Arromanches 360 Cinema, 75th Anniversary Memorial & Mulberry Harbour, duration 2 hours - Parked in Camping Car Aire 12 Euros
  2. British Normandy Memorial, Ver Sur Mer, duration 1 - 2 hours - Parking on Site
  3. Pegasus Bridge & Museum, Ranville, duration 2 hours - Parking on Site
  4. Overnight on roadside at Pont Audemer, Rue de Augustin Herbert (Search for Sites) Free. Lovely little village
Next day headed to Dieppe for the Ferry. Missed a lot of things so have a valid reason to go back for a follow up visit
Note, durations are approximate time spent at the location not travelling times.
 
BillyBeckers said:
As requested some details on what we actually managed to see.
First, I must point out that in order to spend the majority of our last 4 days visiting WW2 stuff, my wife had a couple of conditions - and I know my place :censored:
  • We had to spend the nights on Sites (provided they were reasonably priced), unless it was not feasible
  • We had to have one full day and an overnight in Bayeaux
The night prior to heading to Normandy was spent in Fougeres so we set off around 08.00 with the intention of working West to East along the various beaches.

Utah Beach Area
  1. D Day Experience & Dead Mans Corner Museum, Saint Come Du Mont, duration 2 - 3 hours - Parking on Site
  2. Crisbecq Battery, near St Marcouf, duration 40 minutes - Parking on Site
  3. Utah Beach Museum & Memorial, La Madelaine Manche, duration 2 hours - Parked at roadside La Grand Dune
  4. Overnight Camping at Le Haut Dick Campsite, Carentan - 25 Euros
Omaha Beach Area
  1. German Cemetry, La Cambe, duration 40 minutes - Parking on Site
  2. Omaha Beach Memorial & Museum, St Laurent Sur Mer, duration 2 hours - Limited parking. We parked on the Beach road east of the monument close to the Eolia Bike Cafe
  3. US Cemetry, St Laurent Sur Mer, duration 40 minutes - Parking on Site
  4. British Cemetry & Museum, Bayeaux, duration 2 - 3 hours - Parked in Camping Car Aire (Free)
  5. Overnight at Camping Des Bordes De L'aure, Bayeaux - 19 Euros
Full day in Bayeaux and overnight at same Site as above

Gold Beach Area
  1. Arromanches 360 Cinema, 75th Anniversary Memorial & Mulberry Harbour, duration 2 hours - Parked in Camping Car Aire 12 Euros
  2. British Normandy Memorial, Ver Sur Mer, duration 1 - 2 hours - Parking on Site
  3. Pegasus Bridge & Museum, Ranville, duration 2 hours - Parking on Site
  4. Overnight on roadside at Pont Audemer, Rue de Augustin Herbert (Search for Sites) Free. Lovely little village
Next day headed to Dieppe for the Ferry. Missed a lot of things so have a valid reason to go back for a follow up visit
Note, durations are approximate time spent at the location not travelling times.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that, will hopefully be visiting there in Sept 2024.

What other things would you have looked at if you had a bit more time ?
 
Sandancers said:
Thanks for that, will hopefully be visiting there in Sept 2024.

What other things would you have looked at if you had a bit more time ?
Click to expand...
I've listed below some of the sites I didn't have time to get to during my visit. Hopefully I'll get to a few of them over the next couple of years;

Utah Beach
  • Airborne Museum - St Mere Eglise
  • Normandy Victory Museum - Carentan
  • Azeville Battery - Azeville
  • WW2 Museum - Quineville
Omaha Beach
  • Pointe Du Hoc - Cricqueville En Bessin
  • Maisy Gun Battery - GrandCamp Maisy
  • Overlord Museum - Le Bray
  • Museum D Day Omaha - Vierville Sur Mer
Gold
  • Landings Museum - Arromanches
  • German Battery - Longues Sur Mer
Juno
  • Juno Beach Centre - Courselles Sur Mer
Sword
  • Merville Battery Museum - Merville - Franceville
  • Hillman Strongpoint - Colleville - Montgomery
  • Radar Station 44 - Douvres La Deliverande
  • No 4 Commando Museum - Ouistreham
  • Atlantic Wall Museum - Ouistreham
There is a very detailed Visitors Guide on the website below. It's too big to upload to the forum
 
We have visited the British Normandy Memorial, British Commando Memorials at Port en Bessin Huppain, The Overlord Museum, The American War Graves Cemetary (huge free car park and I stopped counting at fifty MHs at the time we left) At Bayeux try Camping des Bords de L’ure 26.00 euros per night with ehu, showers etc. Walk along the river into Bayeux and if you want to view the tapestry go early. Plenty more for us to see and we are also using Camping Car Park App which is easy. No parking at the side of the road for us so if that’s what you are looking for others may help. Ferry from Dover to Calais one way was £88.00. This area deserves more than one visit so we are not cramming it in.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top