# Landing Beaches (with dogs?)



## timotei (May 4, 2007)

It has been a lifelong ambition to visit the D-Day beaches....to pay my respects to both the fallen and those that survived. I am in total awe of all those that fought... I am ashamed to say I don't believe I have their courage...

Can someone point me in the right direction for a previous post outlining a tour itinerary, with possible stopovers (mainly aires would be great)...?

I have esarched and met such a bewildering assortment that I have become increasingly confused.

Also, if I visit in feb / march, can i take the dogs onto the beaches with me? I am sure this may sound disrespectful to some, but I want to walk the sands, take time to stop and contemplate, and do so with my closest companions... I know my Grandfather would approve.

thanks for your help,

Timotei


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Durn, just lost a page of info.................. Grrrrr.

Hi Timotei.
Yes you can take the dogs on all the beaches but not into any of the cemeteries and museums.

You will need a good two days to cover everything from Pagasus Bridge to Utah Beach.

Look up some Tourist websites in the area like St. Mere Eglise and Aromanches.

Take a look at this as well............... http://www.atlantikwall.co.uk/

We won't be back till early Mach and many places will be closed.

Ray.


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

And this Timotei.

http://www.atlantikwall.org.uk/index.htm

Ray.


----------



## jud (Aug 15, 2009)

hi timotet here is some of the d-day landings there is plenty of French Aires in vicarious books .jud


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Loads of stuff centred around Arromanches. There is an aire in the centre of town but its very cramped. 2 miles up the road is Longues Sur Mer with the most intact gun battery in the Atlantic wall

http://www.satellite-sightseer.com/id/3115

Not only is it worth seeing but a couple of hundred metres in front of the battery is a superb wild spot. We have stayed there a few times. There is always a van or two but you might get it to yourself in February although knowing the French perhaps not.

Here is our van parked on the cliff top overlooking the Mulberry Harbour.










The American cemetery is well worth a visit as well. It has a great museum which is free.


----------



## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

Have a look at Camping Le Pickard rooughly 30 minutes from all the beaches, we stayed there 10 nights last year because it was so handy.

It is run by a brit named Paul and his luvly wife, they really look after you

Enjoy


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

we took our 9 and 11 years olds 16 years ago They thoroughly enjoyed it
Son was doing WW2 history at the time and daughter the Norman conquest.
So we popped in to Bayeaux to see rth etapestry too.

a very moving holiday.

Dave p


----------



## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

We stopped the MH near a beach on the Normandy coast last year.
We saw the signs barring dogs from the beach and just walked along the promanade with him. As we passed the beach guard, sat in a deckchair reading a magazine, he turned to us and said pleasantly in good English "I'm sorry but you can't take your dog on the beach"
"Yes, we know" I said "But what about that women with two large dogs paddling in the sea?"
He gave a Gallic shrug - "She's French!"

Common sense says that screaming kids and excitable dogs don't mix but the French population seem to just ignore the rules, any rules, and do exactly what they feel like doing. When in Rome ----.

If you want to find dog friendly beaches have a look at -
http://www.tele-animaux.com/presse_tma,plages-autorisees-aux-animaux,17.html - and click on the Department you are visiting.


----------



## SaddleTramp (Feb 15, 2007)

Allow a good 2 weeks to see most of it, All the way from Pegasus bridge there is a coast road which runs virtually all the way to Cherbourg.

First the Merville Gun Battery then Pegasus bridge, Then to the Grande Bunker at Ousterhuim all on the first day.

The Towns/Villages that were Landed are, Colleville-Plage Lion Sur Mer St Aubin Sword Beach, Berniere, Coursulles (Juno), Ver-Ser-mer, Anselles (Gold Beach), St Laurent, Colleville Sur Mer, Vierville sur mer (Omaha), This takes you to Arromanche and the Mullberry Harbour, But don't miss Pont Du Hoche on the way.
I strongly advise getting one of the books on the subject which if you cant find one in Uk are very easy to get in English over there and these list everything there is to see and I got to the point that wherever I saw an English/Canadian/French flag I stopped.

The American Cemetery cannot be missed, This will take you close to St Mere Eglise which is a beautiful small town where the parachutist (John Smith) landed and got stuck on the church steeple, there is an efigy there of this occurrence, Then of course there is Utah Beach at La Madelaine Les Dunes de Varreville.

There is an awful lot to see and nearly every road has something to offer, I know I have missed some, But this is basically the list I made for myself after doing a lot of research before I went there last year, I didn't see it all and I am going back this year, Museums are everywhere and so are Aires you will have no problem parking up.


----------



## CliffyP (Dec 19, 2008)

The cemeteries are immaculate, and its very humbling when walking around them. Everyone should be made to go and see them in order to realise that everything we have is because of these brave people. Normandy is our favorite part of France, and has some lovely places to see. And the hounds are welcome almost everywhere, excluding some beaches is high season (but there is always another beach very close where they can go)


----------



## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

Did the trip a couple of years ago and loved it. You can start by overnighting in the rear carpark (by the canal) of the museum at Pegasus Bridge. We asked if it was OK at the museum reception and they said no problem as long as you do not light any fires :lol: :lol: 

Pegasus bridge at night is well worth the stopover.

Trevor


----------



## levoyden (Feb 25, 2008)

I watch with interest, something Ive wanted to do for years, but my Wife not convinced. So maybe when all postings are in i can then give my laptop to read.

Dennis


----------



## SaddleTramp (Feb 15, 2007)

levoyden said:


> I watch with interest, something Ive wanted to do for years, but my Wife not convinced. So maybe when all postings are in i can then give my laptop to read.
> 
> Dennis


My wife was just the same Dennis, When I was talking about going over to see the "War stuff" she would pull a face and make statements of "How Boring", Then we went to the Menin gate, and ever since she cannot get enough of it, She stands and reads every line of the Plaques and is the first to suggest locations.

Sorry for going off topic.


----------



## trevorf (May 16, 2005)

Dennis, I can also echo what Les said.   
My wife was not at all keen but loved it just as much as I did and even suggested we do the WW1 sites around Ypres the following year. She loved the Menin gate and the preserved trenches.



Trevor


----------



## CliffyP (Dec 19, 2008)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> we took our 9 and 11 years olds 16 years ago They thoroughly enjoyed it
> Son was doing WW2 history at the time and daughter the Norman conquest.
> So we popped in to Bayeaux to see rth etapestry too.
> 
> ...


Sorry Dave but it reminds me of the Grandson asking his dad about the war as he was doing a project on WW2

G Son :- Was you in the war G Dad

G Dad :- I was that lad

G Son :- Have you anything I can take into school

G Dad :- Aye, go into the shed and theres an old German Helmet, but look after it.

G Son :- Ta G Dad, anything else ?

G Dad :- Aye in that drawer over there are my medals, but look after them and bring them back.

G Son :- Have you got any uniform ?

G Dad :- Aye lad, my old Great Coat is upstairs in the airing cupboard over the tank

G Son :- BLOODY HELL GRANDAD, YOUV'E GOT A TANK :roll:


----------



## OwnedbyCollies (Dec 7, 2009)

We went a couple of years ago and took my parents (not in the MH I might add!). We stayed at a B & B in Arromanches. The museum and the 360 cinema are well worth a visit.

We also visited the Pegasus Bridge, Longues-sur-Mer Battery and the American Cemetery. (and amongst other things - Bayeux for the tapestry and the excellent Saturday market, Falaise, Honfleur and La Cite de la Mer in Cherbourg on a very wet day) 

My partner had always wanted to visit the D-Day landing beaches but I was a little sceptical. However it was still France so off we went! I was completely bowled over by the trip, it was a very humbling and moving experience and I spent a lot of the time in tears. 

We visited again last year in the MH and managed to be in Arromanches for the weekend of the 6th June. The whole area was buzzing with lots of events, ex service men and women and old vehicles. We stayed at the aire by the 360 cinema with excellent views over the Mulberry Harbour and a short walk or train ride down into Town. The dogs were made very welcome and the beaches are perfect for them!

We also saw the mass parachute landings at Ste-Mere-Eglise and this time visited one of the german cemeteries.

There is still loads to see and we will probably return again this year.


----------



## levoyden (Feb 25, 2008)

Well with these postings and the writeup in the Camping & Caravan mag, she (The Wife, Carole) agreed this is the year to go !!!
Of course there are conditions. All planning done.

That's new when we go on holiday to France, we disembark the Train, look at one another and one of us will say.........

Where we going then?

But I'll have to make some notes or Carole will put the wrong destination in the Satnav,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, like Aigues mortes SOUTH OF FRANCE.

Dennis


----------



## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

There is a visitor centre at Utah beach and over the road theres a field for MH camping. i was there in june doing the bwach run and the field had 20 or 30 vans on if thats any use.

The aire at Ouistram is always chock a block in spring/summer so if going then expect to have to wait or find somewhere else. Parking very close together.

Phill


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

levoyden said:


> Well with these postings and the writeup in the Camping & Caravan mag, she (The Wife, Carole) agreed this is the year to go !!!
> Of course there are conditions. All planning done.
> 
> That's new when we go on holiday to France, we disembark the Train, look at one another and one of us will say.........
> ...


On our first ever day in France I put the co-ordinates into the sat nav for Pegasus Bridge as West rather than east and ended up 40 miles out in the middle of a rather charming village in Normandy. Thankfully the gliders of the 6th Airborne division in the early hours of June 6th 1944 were more accurate without sat nav!


----------



## adonisito (Nov 6, 2009)

We did exactly this trip last October with the dog. Arromanches is a good place to start and we used the recommended wild site mentioned above (the one with van on the cliff). The aire was packed, so we just had some lunch there and visited the museums and beach.
Juno is good as there's a place to stay near the yacht club, with toilets! Omaha has a large car park and like everyone says visit the cemetery. Dog had great time with his ball on all the beaches. It really is an excellent area to visit, we'll be going back.


----------



## TerryL (Feb 19, 2009)

Have visited this area extensively with school trips (I'm a coach driver) although not (yet!) in van (took the wife there by car couple of years ago).

As for an itinerary, start at Pegasus Bridge then gradually work your way south along the coast road - this also helps to keep the timings in context. Visit the cemeteries last - and please do, they must not be missed. Don,t forget the German Cemetery also the British Cemetery in Bayeux. Beware the smaller "private" museums - many of them charge for nothing more than a few guns and some ammunition, although I do admit to not visiting them all. Stick to the "official" museums which are generally excellent, often free or a reasonable charge. The "360" cinema at Arromanche is definitely worth a visit as part of the D-Day experience.

There is a Memorial Museum at Caen, but it is not really WW2 although worth a diversion on a wet day.

If you are spending time in the area don't forget that it has much else to offer, the Bayeux Tapestry for one. There are other concerns we take the kids to as well including chocolate/sweet factories, goat farms, cider farms (the region is named Calvados after all!), many of which offer guided tours. Avoid Mont St. Michel unless you're into religious tat and crowds of Japanese tourists - it ain't worth the diesel in my opinion. But don't forget to eat (and drink) out otherwise you miss one of the best experiences in France!

As to Aires - get the Vicarious book or look at France Passion. There are dozens of places to stay, including regular campsites. Others on this forum have already mentioned much.

When to go? Most of the D-Day stuff is open all year round but, as someone has said, it gets a bit manic around end of May and June so if you want a bit of space avoid then. Weather is comparable to Cornwall so wrap up outside of the summer months.

Don't try to plan too much at one go. Pick up info leafets as you go along but even if you miss something it's never too far to go back.

Just enjoy!

Terry


----------

