Extra Photos
Daily 'Gram
While in many ways the Normandy Beaches resemble ordinary beaches today, little things - like this barbed wire at Utah Beach - provide a poignant reminder of the not-so-distant past.
Daily Snap
The thing that always strikes me at the American Cemetery is how peaceful it feels - a mood that is perfectly captured by the beautiful reflection pool.
Daily #Hashtag
#LeJourJ: The French expression for "D-Day," Le Jour J can also be used more generally to refer to any date of importance - sort of like saying "the big day" in English.
Stop #1: We began our journey through Normandy at the D-Day Paratroopers Historical Center in Saint-Côme-du-Mont. The museum houses a large collection of memorabilia belonging to the airborne troops: uniforms, helmets, weapons, and much more are collected here.
While the museum's displays were interesting, its real hallmark was the D-Day Experience, a simulation of the journeys the paratroopers made on D-Day. Our group was taken to a dark room where we were "briefed" on our mission. Then, we headed to the hangar, climbed aboard our plane, and buckled up. The plane's movements simulated a real flight (including a direct hit with some billowing smoke). It all sounds a bit cheesy to describe, but I actually found it to be really fascinating and helpful in better understanding what the experience might have been like.
Day 9: Today, we toured Normandy's D-Day sites with our local guide, the knowledgable Rudy. It was a jam-packed and moving day.
Stop #2: Angoville-Au-Plain, home to a church turned D-Day field hospital
The church at Angoville-Au-Plain is extremely moving. On D-Day, two medics, Robert Wright and Kenneth Moore of the 101st Airborne Division, set up a field hospital here. Today, you can still see cracks in the floor from where a shell hit and blood staining the pews.
Here, Rudy introduced us to Daniel, the town's mayor (pictured at right). We also met Genevieve, who was ten years old during D-Day and maintains the church today. It was really lovely to meet folks so determined to keep telling the story of what happened here on D-Day to future generations.
Stop #3: Sainte-Mère-Église, the first town liberated on D-Day.
Sainte-Mère-Église saw a lot of action on D-Day, and is perhaps best known today for the incident portrayed in the film The Longest Day: a paratrooper dropping into Normandy got stuck on a spire of the town's church and had to hang there, pretending to be dead, while the fighting went on below him.
Stop #4: Utah Beach
At Utah Beach, we began indoors at the Utah Beach Museum. We ate lunch as a group inside the museum and then had free time to explore on our own. Later, we moved outside to the beach, where Rudy talked to us about what happened on D-Day there. Unlike the intense and bloody battle at Omaha Beach, Utah Beach went much more smoothly for the Americans, and resulted in a smaller number of casualties (194).
Stop #5: A brief stop in Grandcamp-Maisy to see the Statue of World Peace
Stop #6: Pointe du Hoc
The beautiful cliffs of Pointe du Hoc were the site of incredible bravery during D-Day. There, U.S. Army Rangers scaled the 100-foot cliffs and seized German artillery that could have been used to fire on the troops landing on Utah and Omaha Beaches. Today, the landscape here is dotted with gigantic craters - a poignant reminder of the location's history.
As I mentioned, there were 194 casualties at Utah Beach - at Omaha Beach, there were 3,913 deaths, with 90% of the first wave of troops dying. It's staggering to comprehend, and all the more jarring because, today, Omaha Beach resembles nothing so much as a peaceful seaside town. It was an honor to stand on those somber shores.
Stop #7: Omaha Beach
Stop #8: Our final stop of the day, the American Cemetery
After a bit of an emotionally exhausting day, we made our way back to Bayeux. Virginie set up drinks for us at the hotel, in a grand old room with a gorgeous chandelier. Too tired to venture much further, Mom and I opted for dinner at the hotel, ordering a big plate of meats and cheeses. We were joined by a few of our fellow tour members - and one very adorable resident hotel dog.
Our final stop of the day was the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer. We arrived near the very end of the day, so we were able to see the flag lowering ceremony and hear Taps being played before walking through the rows and rows of striking white crosses. Situated just by the sea, the American Cemetery is such a peaceful, beautiful experience.
Helpful Hyperlinks
-
The D-Day Paratroopers Historical Center is home to memorabilia from the airborne division and to the D-Day Experience.
-
A stop in Angoville-Au-Plain to visit the church is well worth it.
-
Sainte-Mère-Église was the first town liberated in France.
-
At Utah Beach, make sure to visit the Utah Beach Museum in addition to walking the beach.
-
At Grandcamp-Maisy, you can find the Statue of World Peace.
-
The cliffside spot of Pointe du Hoc contains a monument to the American Second Ranger Battalion.
-
For American visitors, Omaha Beach is an essential stop.
-
The American Cemetery is a somber and stirring experience.
