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Day 5 Rouen, France Departure: 7:30am on Nov. 15th
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Click Any Photo To Make It Larger!
All-day Excursions: After an early breakfast, we loaded onto the coaches to begin our full-day tour to the historic beaches where the Normandy D-Day landings took place. There were two tours that you could choose from: the Normandy Beaches Commonwealth or the Normandy Beaches U.S.
Normandy Beaches Commonwealth: A small group and the tour guide drove to Bayeux to see the magnificent tapestry that portrays events leading to the decisive Battle of Hastings in 1066. The group traveled to Gold Beach and the seaside village of Arromanches and then stopped at Juno Beach and the museum. They were able to visit the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian Cemetery. Next stop was at the Pegasus Museum where they had time to see the Pegasus Bridge (made famous by movie The Longest Day) that was taken by the British in order to prevent a German counterattack. Last stop was to the British cemetery at Ranville, the first village to be liberated by the British.
Normandy Beaches Commonwealth: A small group and the tour guide drove to Bayeux to see the magnificent tapestry that portrays events leading to the decisive Battle of Hastings in 1066. The group traveled to Gold Beach and the seaside village of Arromanches and then stopped at Juno Beach and the museum. They were able to visit the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian Cemetery. Next stop was at the Pegasus Museum where they had time to see the Pegasus Bridge (made famous by movie The Longest Day) that was taken by the British in order to prevent a German counterattack. Last stop was to the British cemetery at Ranville, the first village to be liberated by the British.
Narrow roads on way to Normandy beaches
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Very narrow roads through the villages
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Small church and cemetery next to pasture
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More narrow and twisty roads
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More narrow and twisty roads
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Road through village very narrow, hard for a coach to get through
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Road through village very narrow, hard for a coach to get through
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Another narrow curve for the coach driver to navigate
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Memorial seen on Normandy Beaches Commonwealth excursion
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Seaside village of Arromanches seen by those on Commonwealth excursion
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Seaside village of Arromanches seen by those on Commonwealth excursion
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Seaside village of Arromanches seen by those on Commonwealth excursion
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Normandy Beaches U.S: A much larger group and the tour guide drove first to Longues-sur-Mer Gun Battery which is located between the Allied landing beaches of Gold and Omaha. It has four German 150-mm guns in each bunker that were aimed at the landing beach. These are the only original coastal artillery remaining in the D-Day region.
Remnants of Mulberry Harbor seen by those on Commonwealth excursion
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Longues-sur-Mer Gun Battery seen by those on US excursion.- one of four bunkers
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Normandy Beaches US excursion tour group investigating the bunkers - only original coastal artillery remaining in the D-Day area
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View Germans would have had looking out to the sea
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Close up view of the gun in the bunker
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Inside one of the bunkers
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Inside one of the bunkers
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Peaceful area surrounding the gun battery
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Normandy Beaches US excursion's first glimpse of the remnants of the manmade harbor
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Out in the sea, the Allied forces positioned floating steel pontoon sections that were used to off load troops and supplies from their ships. Remnants of this manmade harbor are still clearly visible in the water. We also stopped to visit the small Arromanches Debarkment D-day Museum to see the displays of this fascinating portable harbor called Mulberry B as well as other interesting historical items.
Views of the remnants of the manmade harbor that enabled the Allied forces to off load troops and supplies
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Views of the remnants of the manmade harbor that enabled the Allied forces to off load troops and supplies
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Views of the remnants of the manmade harbor that enabled the Allied forces to off load troops and supplies
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Views of village of Arromanches from outside of Debarkment D-Day Museum
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Views of village of Arromanches from outside of Debarkment D-Day Museum
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Outside of museum
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After lunch, our next stop was to the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer located on a bluff above Omaha Beach where there are almost 10,000 gleaming white crosses and Stars of David in memory of the American men and women who gave their lives to free Europe. Our group, along with the ship’s program director, gathered at the semi-circle memorial with its 22 ft. bronze statue entitled “The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves”. The names of the 1557 Americans whose bodies were never found are inscribed on the wall behind the memorial. Our program director led the group in a touching ceremony reflecting on the sacrifices these Americans made, asked those in the group who had served to step forward to thank them for their service and then led the group in singing “The Star Spangled Banner” while two very large American flags flew nearby. At the close of this ceremony, each person was given a single long stem rose that was to be left at one of the crosses or Stars of David. Individually, we walked out among all those memorials to place our rose at its base. I walked until I found one from my state and tearfully left the rose there as my thank you. We were given time to walk by the reflecting pool to the chapel and then to view the two figures presenting the US and France at the far end of the cemetery. Before we left the cemetery and as we walked to the edge of the bluff to gaze down on Omaha Beach and wonder how anyone could have possibly survived the attack, two fighter jets did a fly-by which was very timely. We first thought it was done especially for us, but later learned that it was a practice run at 3:00pm each day.
Bluffs as seen from village of Arromanches
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Road into Normandy American Cemetery
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Sign for Memorial and for Omaha Beach
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Bronze statue entitled "The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves"
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Flowers left from Armistice Day at base of statue
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Wall behind memorial on which names of those never found are inscribed
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Close up of some of the names on the wall
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One of two American flags flying nearby the statue
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Almost 10,000 white crosses and Stars of David in the cemetery
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Other views of the crosses and Stars of David
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Other views of the crosses and Stars of David
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My rose left at the cross of a person from my state
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Reflection pool with chapel in background
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Chapel
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Altar in chapel
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Inscriptions on wall of chapel
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Inscriptions on wall of chapel
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Ceiling of chapel
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Two figures in rear of cemetery that represent the US and France
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Close up of the two figures
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Close up of the two figures
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Before we left for the long drive back to the ship, the coach drove us down onto Omaha Beach where we were able to walk on the beach and look back at the imposing bluffs, remembering again the terrible loss of life. Located there on the beach are the Les Braves statues, a WWII Memorial, which is a powerful remembrance of what happened that day.
Looking down on Omaha Beach from the edge of the bluff
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Road along Omaha Beach
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Marker along beach road for first American cemetery in France
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WWII memorial
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WWII memorial
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Les Braves statues represent three elements: Wings of Hope, Rise Freedom and Wings of Fraternity
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Had time to walk along the beach and reflect on the events of June 6, 1944
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Had time to walk along the beach and reflect on the events of June 6, 1944
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Had time to walk along the beach and reflect on the events of June 6, 1944
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Lunch: In the middle of our tour we stopped for lunch at an old farmhouse now the Seminaire Mathilde Guillaume hotel which has a very nice restaurant. The staff had our lunch ready and waiting for us as we arrived. The food was delicious and plentiful, having several courses and also dessert.
Views of old farmhouse (now restaurant) where we had a delicious lunch
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Views of old farmhouse (now restaurant) where we had a delicious lunch
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Views of old farmhouse (now restaurant) where we had a delicious lunch
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Views of old farmhouse (now restaurant) where we had a delicious lunch
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Views of old farmhouse (now restaurant) where we had a delicious lunch
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Views of old farmhouse (now restaurant) where we had a delicious lunch
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Dinner was waiting for us when we got back to the ship topped off with a delicious dessert
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Dinner and Evening Entertainment: We arrived back to the ship just in time for dinner which was very much looked forward to after the long ride back. After dinner, there was a special evening of music and dancing in the Lounge. The music was provided by the onboard musician who played everyone’s favorite songs.
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