We are taking our kids to France for spring break, we're going to spend some time in Normandy. To make the most of it, we'd like to spend a day with a personal tour guide to help us appreciate and understand the area and WWII events that took place there. I recall there being some discussion of such tour guides, but can't find them (I'm terrible at finding old posts on this place). Anyways, if anyone has some recommendations for a Normandy tour guide or tips in general for the area, I'd greatly appreciate it. Merci.
-
-
We used Overlord Tour and had a great experience. British guy drove 6 of us around all day and showed us all the highlights including some obscure things."Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessing of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not primary way of worshipping." -Pres. Uchtdorf -
I have discussed personal tour guides for Gettysburg (highly recommended!). Don't recall hearing about a similar service in Normandy.Originally posted by Levin View Post
We took the family to Normandy a few years back and had a fabulous experience. We happened to time our trip in early June so we were there for the annual D-Day festivities.
In preparation for the trip, I suggest reading the Steven Ambrose classic:
http://www.amazon.com/D-Day-June-Cli...4518331&sr=8-1
Then you will be prepared to be a great tour guide for the family.
Just rent a car and hit all the main sites (Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, Sword, etc.). Omaha is the main one you can't miss. Also a big museum in Caen. While in the area you should swing by Bayeaux and see the tapestry.
It will be a great trip. Have fun."There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
"It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
"Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creeksterComment
-
Arromanchet's name says it all."Wuap's "problem" is that he is smart & principled & committed to a moral course of action. His actions are supposed to reflect his ethical code.
The rest of us rarely bother to think about our actions." --SolonComment
-
We also enjoyed a D-day tour with Elwood Von Siebold (he's a Brit, despite the Prussian surname). We covered a lot of ground and saw all of the U.S. landing areas, the cemetery, and a lot more. The tour starts at his house on the St. Mere Eglise town square, just across from the church steeple where paratrooper John Steele got hung up. Elwood's house was the mayor's home, which has a brief scene in The Longest Day, I believe. Elwood's "attic" is actually a museum that includes pretty much every hand weapon (including a cool MG 42) used by either side on D-day, lots of uniforms and other stuff he's collected. We were lucky to join two other people (a military historian and the head of the U.S. Mediterranean fleet) so Elwood was falling all over himself to impress them (and, untentionally, us) with a great day.
You didn't ask for lodging suggestions, but we've stayed at La Ducrie on our two visits, once with three kids), and liked it a lot. Joe and Vivienne are outstanding hosts and the kids loved the mini-castle aspects, including being able to look through arrow slits while using the bathroom.
In addition to D-Day stuff, I assume you'll also work in a visit to Mont St. Michel and (some may disagree with this) the Bayeaux Tapestry.Comment
-
I'm sure the paid tours are great, but Rick Steves was all we needed.Comment
-
Thanks! I really appreciate the tips and write-up. Yes, we are going to visit Mont St. Michel, the Bayeaux Tapestry, Rouen Cathedral, and the like. I'm counting down the days. My 10-year old son can't get enough history; he's watched The Longest Day a few times, and flips through history books every night. I can't wait to experience these places with him. My other kids will most likely be complaining a few minutes into the historical tours and museum visits, but they can eat dirt.Originally posted by PaloAltoCougar View PostComment
-
I just looked into La Ducrie for lodging, and this is on their website: "La Ducrie is for the select few, not the young and rowdy." That unfortunately disqualifies my family . . .
Comment
-
Thanks for the tips. I haven't read Ambrose's book yet, but will. I've been to the D-Day museum in New Orleans and loved it.Originally posted by Jeff Lebowski View PostComment
-
I'm jealous, but I do have a trip planned to get back there in 2017 after the temple opens in Paris. Hopefully the trip happens.Originally posted by Levin View Post
I spent a year of my life in Normandy and would highly, highly recommend the Mont Saint Michel. Everytime I've been there I stay in a hotel that has a little room up high on the Mont. It has a porch type thing where you can sit and watch the tide come in. Truly awesome and it's a crazy nice room..although small. Stuff is expensive on the Mont though and it can get crazy busy during teh summer, but spring break should be nice.
Bayeux is a cool town, but not a ton going on there except for the tapestry. We spent maybe an hour looking at the tapestry and then were done. There is a restaurant right by the cathedral at which I had my best meal ever in France. It's a central point though for most tours of Normandy due to proximity to the beaches.
Rouen is my favorite city where I served. The cathedral is okay, but I guess it's a bit of a landmark thanks mostly to its tall spire and the Monet paintings. Rouen also has the Joan of Arc cathedral, where she was burned at the stake.
Etretat would be a recommendation of mine. Take some time to hike the cliffs and eat some moules frites. If you are a golfer, you can play 18 holes on the course on top of the cliffs.
Giverny is also pretty close to Rouen. If you like Monet or impressionism then you should spend some time there. Monet's house is gorgeous and the gardens are even better. You can stay in Vernon (whcih is where some kids threw rocks at my car back in 1998) or there are plenty of other places close by to stay.
On WWII stuff, unless you are a history or want to spend time doing a lot of research, I'd highly recommend just hiring a tour guide for a whole day tour. It can be overwhelming as there are hundreds of museums and landmarks. Reading Ambrose's book is a very good suggestion. MJ and I also rewatched Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers before going last time. But going to Normandy without a tour guide can be like going to Gettysburg without a tour guide...it's fine if you know the history and landmarks well...otherwise it's a nice drive interrupted by the occasional popular landmark. We loved our tour as it was small (6 people) so we got to ask any questions and even modify the tour as needed. The guide took us to the beaches and gave us plenty of time to just explore on our own but he also told us personal stories of people that fought and was able to point out a ton of stuff we'd have never noticed. We also went to the American cemetery, which is a must, and gave us time to look around and even offered to help us find relatives buried there. We were lucky as we were there around Memorial Day, so veterans were everywhere. We also went to St Mere Eglise and a couple other towns that were notable in the first couple days after the invasion.
I'll never forget walking onto Omaha Beach, going down to the water line and then turning around and looking up at those cliffs..."Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessing of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not primary way of worshipping." -Pres. UchtdorfComment
-
FYI, here's some links:
Random France travel suggestions start here: http://www.cougarstadium.com/showthr...=1#post1107581
Mont Saint Michel hotel recommendation: http://www.cougarstadium.com/showthr...dy#post1107730"Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessing of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not primary way of worshipping." -Pres. UchtdorfComment
-
FTR, I think hiring a guide is always a great idea. No matter how much prior research you do."There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
"It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
"Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creeksterComment
-
I don't have any guide suggestions since my wife and I drove the Normandy coast on our own stopping at the sites along the way, but I'll just confirm that it is a terrific trip. Normandy was a highlight of our trip to France."It's devastating, because we lost to a team that's not even in the Pac-12. To lose to Utah State is horrible." - John White IVComment
-
My brother and I went to Normandy in '08. In fact my avatar is a pic I took at Utah Beach. We went mainly to see the US sites (Ohama and Utah beachs plus Point Du Hoc) and the Tapestry and only had a day and a half so we didn't have a whole lot of time. We didn't use a tour guide, but my brother had been there few times and knew his way around and speaks French, plus we are both WW II buff and knew exactly what we wanted to see.
All of the suggestions are very good and I don't have a whole lot to add or recommend, but here are a few.
Of the beeches I personally like Utah the best. It is by far the least developed. Once you cross the berm at the Visitors center, It almost like it was that morning, plus we got there ar 0630 and the tide was out
I also like the German cemetery off the main road before you turn off to get to Utah.
We stayed in St. Mere Eglise (SP) and they had a decent museum and the church that the 82nd trooper landed on still has a model paratrooper stuck on the steeple.
The American Cemetery at Coleville is a must see!
Enjoy your trip. I hope to get back there after my retirement and hopefully drag my brother along with me
Last edited by happyone; 02-04-2016, 03:52 PM.
I may be small, but I'm slow.
A veteran - whether active duty, retired, or national guard or reserve is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to, "The United States of America ", for an amount of "up to and including my life - it's an honor."Comment
-
Cornelius Ryan's the Longest Day is also very good and probably gives a better overall view.Originally posted by Levin View Post
I may be small, but I'm slow.
A veteran - whether active duty, retired, or national guard or reserve is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to, "The United States of America ", for an amount of "up to and including my life - it's an honor."Comment
Comment