On our short road trip last year, we visited Sainte-Mere-Eglise, the two American landing beaches – Utah & Omaha & the American cemetery. Unfortunately we ran out of time, so vowed to go back on this trip to visit the three British/Canadian/French landing beaches Gold, Juno & Sword.
We headed to the coast at Arromanches-les-Bains, G visited the museum detailing the story of the Mulberry Harbours built just of the coast to build a temporary harbour & supply base to unload the troops & store the equipment. Interesting museum but very busy. The remain of the harbour can be seen especially at low tide. Arromanches is geared up for the tourist with lots of shops selling military souvenirs & the usual seaside tat. A short drive down the coast is Ver-sur-Mer where the British Normandy Memorial is located. The memorial details the names of the 22,442 service personnel who lost their lives on D-Day & the Battle of Normandy. Located on hillside over looking Gold beach. When viewed from above the memorial creates an outline of a Union Jack flag. We were fortunate that the Standing With Giants display, initially installed for the 80th D-Day anniversary last year, was back in situ for this year. 1,475 silhouettes, representing the number of fatalities under British command on 6th June 1944. A very moving sight.
Moving down the coast the next stop was Courseulles-sur-Mer, the home of Juno beach. We walked a little distance on the beach before stopping to look at the 18 metre Cross of Lorraine, which was erected to commemorate General de Gaulle’s return to France in June 1944. Just a short drive round the corner we were in Bernieres-sur -Mer where parts of the Atlantic wall are still visible and there is a memorial to the 1st Canadian Army that landed there.
With only one beach left to visit, we opted to stay for a couple of nights at Lion-sur -Mer, located on Sword beach. From here we were able to cycle all the way to Pegasus Bridge along the coastal cycle path. Opted to visit the memorial/museum dedicated to the brave men of the second airborne battalion that landed in gliders to hold the bridge until reinforcements arrived. All in all a very thought provoking & moving few days.
