# Normandy Beaches



## swanny65 (Sep 12, 2014)

After a fantastic 3 weeks in France last year we plan to return again this year for another 3 weeks from 20th July. Our first week we will be alone and then we will meet up with friends. 

We intend to spend the first week touring the Normandy Beaches. Our daughter is a keen history student and want her to visit the landing beaches, museums etc. 

Last year we mixed our stops on Aires and ASCI sites about 3 to 1 and are looking to do the same again this year. I have searched on here and the web for Aires. So far Bayeux, Utah Beach, Ouistreham and Courseulles Sur Mer look favorites. 

However if anyone has done the tour and can offer other recommendations, a route, it would be appreciated. 

Thanks


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Ill start you off with a few more

The American Cemetery at Colville sur Mer is definitely worth a half day visit and you can stay overnight in the car park OUTSIDE the main cemetery car park. There is a free museum which is one of the best I have seen. Its right above Omaha beach which you can easily walk down to from the cemetery or the car park.

https://goo.gl/maps/ypQ7ZJg1adP2 49.358175, -0.850195

The Atlantic wall gun battery at Longues Sur Mer is the most intact anywhere along the coast and is also worth a look. About 200 yards beyond the gun battery car park right on the cliffs is a terrific wild spot over looking the sea and the Mulberry harbour in the distance at Arromanches (a few miles down the coast). Always a few vans in there.

https://goo.gl/maps/h1gvWSwVgtS2 49.345965, -0.690406

Pont du Hoc is also worth a visit and like the others free

https://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries-memorials/europe/pointe-du-hoc-ranger-monument

As for routes, its all dead easy. Wont even be that busy in July. If you get WWII overload then further up towards Cherbourg there are some lovely wild spots and beaches. Barfleur and the lighthouse beyond (Gatville) are well worth a visit and there are superb wild spots near the lighthouse.


----------



## adonisito (Nov 6, 2009)

Add in the Todt Battery near Audinghen just South of Calais, not a Normandy beach but a fascinating museum focussing on Hitler's Atlantic wall. We stayed in the van outside overnight, or you can use the campsite directly opposite.


----------



## homenaway (Jul 27, 2005)

Hope you realise that 20th July is well into the French school holidays so ACSI CampingCard discounts won't be available.


----------



## swanny65 (Sep 12, 2014)

homenaway said:


> Hope you realise that 20th July is well into the French school holidays so ACSI CampingCard discounts won't be available.


Yes thanks i did - wife and daughter like the occasional site visit for the showers :laugh:


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Plenty of Aires, wild spots and cheap sites in Normandy. You wont really need an ACSI book. There is a list of Municiples somewhere on here as well.


----------



## GAVLAD (Aug 10, 2014)

Highly recommend you buy Major & Mrs Holt pocket guide book to Normandy/D Day which provides self drive tours and history behind where you'll be visiting.
You can then plan your drugs around your chosen tour/sights that you wish to take in.

We stayed at Bayeux's municipal campsite which was lovely and within easy stroll to the town centre, plus handy for a hyper market & fuel, before moving on to another site at Isigny. (Wouldn't return to that site though)

We were in a classic VW camper van so didn't utilise Aires because we needed the awning -hence using sites, but when we visit again, it will be Aires all the way.


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

GAVLAD said:


> Highly recommend you buy Major & Mrs Holt pocket guide book to Normandy/D Day which provides self drive tours and history behind where you'll be visiting.
> *You can then plan your drugs around your chosen tour/sights that you wish to take in.*
> 
> We stayed at Bayeux's municipal campsite which was lovely and within easy stroll to the town centre, plus handy for a hyper market & fuel, before moving on to another site at Isigny. (Wouldn't return to that site though)
> ...


I say old chap! I know Swanny said his daughter was a student but Im not sure you should be advocating that kind of thing on here.


----------



## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

St Mare Eglese is a must (big museum) - it's where the U.S. paratrooper got caught on the church spire made even more famous in the film 'The Longest Day' . . . BYW you'll probably be able to overnight in the supermarket Car park, there's a dump & fresh water opposite.
(We've stayed there several times for the 6th June 'D' day celebrations - but arrive several days beforehand . . .there were over 40 motorhes from all over Europe parked up at the supermarket & the best thing was that the supermarket welcomed us using it ! - (unlike here in UK where you get shot if you park up for more than 2hrs !


----------



## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

There's a great little municipal site in Arromanches. It has an aire next to it but that was full so we went to the campsite which is yards away on foot, but a drive round the block by road.


Chris


----------



## MrWez (Sep 25, 2011)

I'd recommend Pegasus Bridge at Bénouville, there's a good Museum one side of the Bridge but the cafe the other side of the bridge was the first building liberated on D-Day, if you go there don't mention to the formidable Mme Gondree (whose family the cafe belonged), that you've visited the museum - she doesn't approve. We walked along the canal from Camping Haute-Coiture when we went.

The D-Day Museum at Bayeux is worth a visit, there's a car-park overflow we used for our MH, we also took a walk along to the British and Commonwealth War Cemetery nearby, a very humbling yet worthwhile experience. I've always found that you can't spend too long at any of the cemeteries though as they can be very overwhelming.

We too found the aire in Arromanches to be jam packed when we went, there's a car park at the top of the hill near the 360° museum, the walk down into town is easy - catch the road train back up.

Mr Wez


----------



## buxom (Mar 20, 2008)

We did it on a D day weekend and stayed at Arromanches municicpal as the aires was full and its an excellent base .the atmosphere was terrific and there were free outdoor concerts starring the lovely Fiona Harrison who got a lot of the vets up and lots of very moving ceremonies of rememberance at the different cemeteries. Of course the weather made it as it was fantastic and as the other posts suggests the 360deg cinema is well worth a visit as the other places are.


----------



## swanny65 (Sep 12, 2014)

Thank you all very much. Plenty to look at here. Much appreciated.


----------



## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

GAVLAD said:


> We stayed at Bayeux's municipal campsite which was lovely and within easy stroll to the town centre, plus handy for a hyper market & fuel, before moving on to another site at Isigny. (Wouldn't return to that site though)


Thanks for this tip. On my last trip to Bayeux, TomTom took me through the town centre on Saturday morning market day. What a nightmare. Nowhere to stop to visit the Tapestry. Now I know where to stay, next time...

Bit of a tourist trap, but I enjoyed Ste Mere Eglise too.


----------



## GAVLAD (Aug 10, 2014)

HermanHymer said:


> Thanks for this tip. On my last trip to Bayeux, TomTom took me through the town centre on Saturday morning market day. What a nightmare. Nowhere to stop to visit the Tapestry. Now I know where to stay, next time...
> 
> Bit of a tourist trap, but I enjoyed Ste Mere Eglise too.


It's on the ring road Herman Hymer and very easy access in & out for sightseeing nearby towns.
We walked or cycled in to town and it didn't take long. You can also walk along the riverbank.
There's a council run swimming pool/leisure centre next door.
Site is immaculate, being council run, they had a team of gardeners in every day tending the flower beds.
Pizza van and take away van visited on some evenings and a bread/pastries delivery van every morning during season.


----------



## nickkdx (May 26, 2009)

We went to Arromanche in 2012 and the aire was very busy so we moved onto Port-en-Bessin-Huppain, has an aire but no facilities, these are down the road at the supermarket( which you maybe can overnight at)
Interesting place, on the cliffs to the left is a pill box with area plan and down too the right of harbour on the cliffs the trenches are still there, this area is where the fuel pipe came in from England.


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

If the Aire is full at Arromanche then you can use the car park just outside. Ive done that before and not had a problem. The aire is pretty grim anyway and your packed in very tightly. Better to park and visit and move on really.


----------



## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

We are booked to go to Caen in September, hoping that the Mercedes and my medical stuff are both sorted.

I've just updated my ACSI app on the tablet, going to have a look in the area to see where we can stay.

Not fussed about aires or sites, we can use either, but things to see are important.

Peter


----------



## Nethernut (Jun 4, 2008)

One of the best museums imho is the Caen museum, doesn't glorify war, takes you from the beginnings, through the Nazi occupation and then liberation. It is a less touristy museum than others but is really interesting - very modern place but well designed to reinforce the horrors of war rather than the "gung ho" aspect. As others have said the Arromanche D-day museum is good as is the 360 circular cinema up the hill. 
Don't know your daughter's age but if she is interested in history make sure that you don't just go to the American orientated, touristy museums so that she can see that they alone didn't win the war! 
To visit Granville and the beaches round 6 June is the best time to get a full perspective and a chance to speak to actual veterans.


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

These might give you some places to visit others have missed................

http://normandy1944.org.uk/index.htm

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

Ray.


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

For us, a reall MUST SEE is La Memorial at Caen - the Museum of Peace - well worth an entire day if you have never been there as it explains WHY WW2 was inevitable and how D-Day was followed through - they have a large car park and you can overnight there (we did).

I used to visit there with recalcitrant 13 year olds and it was a case of chasing them out at the end as they did not want to leave - there is so much there to interest history buffs or those who (like most 13 year olds) already know it all.....

Take the time to see how it evolved as well as where it evolved....

Dave


----------



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

listerdiesel said:


> We are booked to go to Caen in September, hoping that the Mercedes and my medical stuff are both sorted.
> 
> I've just updated my ACSI app on the tablet, going to have a look in the area to see where we can stay.
> Not fussed about aires or sites, we can use either, but things to see are important. Peter


We might get to see you then Peter. 20 miles from St. Mere Eglise and 70 miles from Caen.

Ray.


----------



## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

raynipper said:


> We might get to see you then Peter. 20 miles from St. Mere Eglise and 70 miles from Caen.
> 
> Ray.


I'll remember that, Ramon, will definitely make the detour to say hello!

Peter


----------



## boovonez (Jan 7, 2015)

*360 degree cinema at Arromanches*

Make a point of going to the 360 degree cinema on the cliff overlooking Arromanches, Its fantastic with archive films of D Day. There is an Aire in town + municipal campsite.


----------



## buxom (Mar 20, 2008)

I agree with all the above


----------



## clunegapyears (Feb 9, 2015)

Really recommended is Major and Mrs Holts D Day Landing Beaches book ... think that is the correct name. Probably out of print but try E Bay. We used it and got really into the strategy and human stories. Takes you section by section. Brilliant trip.


----------



## Devonboy (Nov 19, 2009)

barryd said:


> If the Aire is full at Arromanche then you can use the car park just outside. Ive done that before and not had a problem. The aire is pretty grim anyway and your packed in very tightly. Better to park and visit and move on really.


We have found the Arromanche aires full every time we have visited, some of the vans do not move for days on end, others block the movement of vehicles in & out of the bays, & the service point is between 2 slots, so access is pretty dire. Having said that on our first visit an Irish couple advised using the adjacent car park. A bit apprehensive at first as we were the only van amongst all the cars, but by 6pm the car park was packed with overnighting vans.

Thoroughly recommend the municipal site next door, but do check the pitch given before you agree as a couple have very steep slopes & a couple also have a lamp post in the middle of the pitch.

St-Mere-Eglize is a must visit whilst down that way. The aires usually gets closed for the D day celebrations but an alternative has been provided every time we have visited, also as has been mentioned the supermarket car park is welcoming, with a service point in the garage next door which includes a laundrette.


----------

