5 August, Normandy
I didn’t set an alarm since I naturally wake up pretty early, but I guess not sleeping much over the prior few days caught up to me and I woke up at 8, missing our 7:23 train to Normandy. So we rented a car and headed to Bayeux, where our guided tour left from. Bayeux is a very quaint medieval town dating back to the first century that is still very intact because it was spared from the bombings of the battle of Normandy. Our tour started at Longues-sur-Mer, where a few of the German bunkers from the Atlantic Wall are still very intact. Looking at the twisted rebar and chunks taken out of the concrete from artillery and bombs makes you imagine how insane it would have been to have been inside at 6am on June 6.
We then moved on to Omaha Beach, and the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, which is always a moving experience, reminiscent of Ground Zero, being at a place where so many American lives were taken, seeing surviving veterans and families paying respects to their fallen comrades.
Our last stop was at Pointe du Hoc, where the US Army Rangers scaled the cliffs under fire, and destroyed the German artillery at the top. There is a rock monument in the shape of the Rangers dagger symbolizing the Allies slicing through the Atlantic Wall. Here is a speech given by Ronald Reagan at Pointe du Hoc describing the valor displayed by the Allies on that day.
We then returned to Bayeux, we had some awesome crepes at a nice restaurant recommended by our tour guide, and then drove back to Paris. (By the way driving in France is nuts)
Just wanted to mention that Overlord Tour is an excellent tour company, with enthusiastic guides that enjoy informing you about the area. I have used them twice now and wouldn’t hesitate to go back.
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