# A Must-Do on your first MH trip to France



## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

If you're planning your first French trip for next year be sure to include Oradour sur Glane on your itinerary. Just north of Limoges.
Do a little reading on the history first, get there early when it's almost deserted, take your time and be prepared to be saddened to your boots.

If you've been before I suspect you will be going again.


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## 94639 (May 1, 2005)

Hoping t pay a visit next year, found the following site for information

http://www.oradour.info/


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

We weren't saddened as much as we expected by the village.
Some of it seemed to be contrived and I think the whole of France had been trawled for treadle sewing machines.

We were however saddened when going round the cemetry. That seemed so much more real.
Nothing can take away the enormity of the event which was a savage act to perpetrate on a defenceless community.

This was a very visible sign of similar acts which had taken place over much of Europe in the preceding years.


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## Burneyinn (Oct 27, 2006)

The whole site is very thought provoking. I agree the cemetry really puts things in prospective.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

autostratus said:


> We weren't saddened as much as we expected by the village.
> Some of it seemed to be contrived and I think the whole of France had been trawled for treadle sewing machines.


Hi Gillian

I'm not too surprised, I'm sorry to say. 

We went about 30 years ago when it was still pretty much original, and there was just one tiny "souvenir" shop which sold only very tasteful mementos.

I swear the birds didn't sing in the trees at that time, and everybody spoke in whispers. It really was a moving experience then, so much so that we have never wanted to go back.

Hope it hasn't been spoiled too much by fiscal considerations and excessive window dressing!

Regards


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## Saxonman (Aug 23, 2007)

No one can fail to be moved by the photographs of the children in the cemetry, especially where their ages are given in months rather than years.
Though may I suggest that you avoid the crowds in high season when some of the visitors seem to regard the village as a theme park to be ticked off a list.


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## LPDrifter (Aug 17, 2005)

Good post. It is much worth visiting. I had read about it
years ago and always wanted to see it. We went there
in May this year. I would recommend it to anybody remotely
interested in history.

It is a story of an terrible atrocity carried out during war time.

Very much worth thinking about the people who died there
and the people who perpetrated the crime. And worth thinking
about the lessons that can be learned.


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## 101405 (Oct 15, 2006)

*oradour-sur glane*

I agree this was a wicked act , but don't forget the french were very compliant with their German masters ! and only one half was under full German control . south of lyon and the south was run by French fascists 
many brave Frenchmen gave their lives for france. while their neighbours turned them In. and , stood bye when jewish children were rounded up and put on rail wagons to the camps. no Frenchman would admit to this act of cowadice. A better few hours, perhaps! would be spent visiting a cemetary of the war Graves commision, and saying a few words to some of the guys who lie there , many small village cemetarys have small W-G plots with just a few dozen of the fallen . very moving to stroll around and seen how young they were. Like France, but like being English better.


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## Hampshireman (Apr 18, 2007)

Must admit I had never heard of this and as for doing it on the first trip we missed out that some years ago as regards visiting it. I don't think we will anyway frankly.
I visited the Normandy beaches some time ago and that is moving in it's own bleak way.
I was never in the services, but that doesn't stop me in terms of rememberance, however for visiting these sites, it's not a thing we do. Thanks anyway.


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## bill (May 10, 2005)

tonyt.

Your post came at just the right time.

Oradour sur Glane is close to our route south in January 08 (have noted that some of the site is closed during that time), we'd already ear marked it as a place to stop for a break.

So thanks for that, and in particular the link to the site, it will come in very handy.

I appreciate that these places are not everyones cup of tea, but for me they are a must see and one thing is certain two things always spring to mind, one, man's inhumanity to man and two, will we never learn? Just look at the recent events in the Balkans, Afganistan and Iraq.

Thanks again.

bill


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## Regal (Sep 25, 2007)

*D-Day*

Just thought I would share an experience that we had in France a couple of years ago. My Father-in-law was involved in the DD landings at Sword beach and we spent a wonderful few days in Bayeux and booked a tour with a company called Battlebus.

The tour is by mini bus and we only had 6 people in our group. The tour lasts about 9 hours but it is at a leisurely pace. It was a very moving and memorable day, our guide on that day was Dale Booth and he was excellent especially with my elderly in-laws.

At the end of the day when I came to pay they would not accept payment for my Father in law, they just said that without guys like him they would not have a business & just requested that he signed the veteran's book.

If you get the chance take the tour you will not be disappointed, the website address is www.battlebus.fr/

Steve


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

bill said:


> .................... will we never learn? Just look at the recent events in the Balkans, Afganistan and Iraq.
> bill


I think the answer is no - mankind has a lot to answer for and that includes Brits.


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## AfterTime (Nov 14, 2006)

Although the cemetery was very moving, we (I) found that amongst the displays underground, the Pram with the machine bullet holes strafed right across affected me the most.

On a lighter note Merry Xmas one and All


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## dbh1961 (Apr 13, 2007)

The bullet holes in the church were also disturbing.

As was the listing in the memorial building, of one baby so young as to not even have a first name.

The Aire is OK. At busy times, you are expected to double up on the emplacements.


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## Guest (Dec 19, 2007)

tonyt said:


> be prepared to be saddened to your boots.


Thank you, no.

The impossible task is how to get away from such atrocities.

How many Iraqies have we just helped kill ? 100K 250K More ?

Human beings are just so inhuman.

I guess we must never forget, but there's little chance of this.

I'd prefer to visit the Alhambra, again, it was a time and a place where there was a hint of civilisation. Before the Inquisition moved in.

Can anyone post a place that shows that humans might be civilised and that is not based on a previous tragedy, I want to visit it.

We have our sites on Millau. OK, it's only a bridge but it has purpose and beauty and shows the potential of the human.


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## homenaway (Jul 27, 2005)

We visited both Oradour and Millau this year and were impressed by both places.

We stayed at the aire and visited the martyrs village early in the morning on a wet day when there was only a handful of visitors. I can imagine it's different when the crowds arrive and the requests for silence are possibly ignored.
The fairly new visitor centre was well laid out and informative especially the old photos and the video presentation (once we had sorted out the audio handsets).

We drove all around the Millau viaduct (but not over it!) and the free visitor centre underneath it on the south side is worth stopping at but doesn't open until 10AM. 

The view from the very busy main road (long climb!) to the south east of the town is good but you have to approach from the south to enter the viewpoint layby.

Will be putting some photos on our website soon!

Steve


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*Oradour*

 Buon giorno Brian,
I can sympathise with your feelings. Italy has more than its share of Oradour type villages (e.g. Marzabotto), but a visit to the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi will restore your faith in human nature.
saluti,
eddied


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## Guest (Dec 20, 2007)

*Re: Oradour*



eddied said:


> Buon giorno Brian,
> a visit to the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi will restore your faith in human nature.
> saluti,
> eddied


Ciao eddied.

We have a plan for end of May, all the main Italian lakes and end up in Trieste.

Assisi might have to wait for 2009.

We've done Italy many times now, by bike, this 2008 trip is our first by RV. Gone will be the awesome pleasure of winding up Italian drivers by passing them with a GB plate, a sport that should be in the Olympics. I hope it's at least as good by RV, the 4000 miles since August have not disappointed apart from crawling up hills and now we're re-mapped that's much better.

We've never been further south than Naples so for 2009 I've got my eye on Sicily, that would take in Assisi. There is a lovely bronze of St Francis in Sorento.

Nothing disappoints in Italy. The people, the food, the sights.

Arevederci.

( feel honoured, I've just used 73.5% of my Italian on you )


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

Ciao Brian, glad you are going to visit Italy again. Did you find the statue of St.Francis a bit, should we say 'masculine'?
Was honoured to be present at the unveiling. My wife spent many years as housekeeper to Padre Domenico at San Francesco in Sorrento. He's now at San Francesco in Maiori.
saluti,eddied


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## Guest (Dec 20, 2007)

eddied said:


> Ciao Brian, glad you are going to visit Italy again. Did you find the statue of St.Francis a bit, should we say 'masculine'?
> saluti,eddied


Again and again and again.

We were lucky, our first trip was to Hotel Cannero, Cannero, Maggiore. Before it got huge and full of Germans. First time we were dubbed "The Mad English on a Motorcycle". The second time, the owner greets us by name. It set the scene for Italy for us. A sad loss is the missing hydrofoils.

There is a council campsite in Cannero.

'Masculine ?' Now what does that mean ? Swaps to Sorrento pics.....

It's magnificent, full of life but now you make me look there's little sign of male genitalia. The body does have the "feel" of a young female with a mature male head.

No matter, it's beautiful as is Sorrento.

Now, will we ever be brave enough to take an RV down those roads ?

I've just uploaded the two pictures to Flickr StFrancis16 under

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bhewart/

or Brian Hewart.


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