Little bimble around normandy

[bristol banger]

After visiting the Arlington National Cemetery with Devilsyam last summer I decided that a trip to France was in order to visit some of the WW2 sites. The original plan was to spend a week in France staying in cheap but comfortable accommodation with a view to visiting 17 historic sites, Due to work commitments and lack of funds this ended up as 4 days camping visiting The American Cemetery, Overload Museum, Site Fortifie Hillman and the German Cemetery.

The ride up to the channel tunnel from Bristol was overcast but the rain held off As we emerged from the train in France we were met by blue skies, A quick fuel stop and we set off to our camp site at Port en Bessin. Five hours later we pulled into the campsite and just had time to pitch the tents, brew a cuppa and eat a pot noodle before the sun set. 438 miles and day 1 over.

After what can only be described as not the best nights sleep ever (cramp in right foot followed by right leg then left leg) I awoke to blue skies:) After quick shower and a cuppa we set off to visit the American Cemetery. Its hard to put into words the feelings I experienced whilst visiting the American Cemetery, many of the brave soldiers who gave their lives were younger than my oldest boy who was travelling with me. Next it was off to the Overlord museum followed by a blast to Saint Lo for a Mc d's. 136 miles and day 2 over.

I awoke early thanks to the local wildlife (tents have shit sound proofing) so we set off to Site Fortifie Hillman. On the outskirts of Colleville-Montgomery Site Fortifie Hillman was a German defensive command post, The site is situated at the top of a hill with good views in all directions. Comprising underground bunkers that were joined by trenches with gun emplacements its very impressive that this whole site which has 930 cubic meters of concrete is hardly visible. After a spot of lunch we set off for La Cambe to visit the German Cemetery. Compared to the American Cemetery the German Cemetery has a very different feel about it, For one the plaques that lay on the ground don't have the same presence as the bold white crosses also each plaque has two bodies buried beneath it. Originally an American Cemetery from 1945 to 1947 the Cemetery was handed over to the Germans in 1948 after the American bodies were transferred to the new Cemetery or repatriated. 142 miles and day 3 over.

Awakened by the alarm I packed the bike ready for the trip home. With the sun shining we set off with plenty of time to spare. Arriving at Calais with an hour to spare we had time for a burger king Back in the UK two things struck me, First the more congested our roads are and second it was overcast The ride home was uneventful until we reached Chippenham when it decided to piss down. 438 miles and day 4 finished.

All in all a great time and a perfect way to spend a bank holiday weekend

[bristol banger]

Few more pics

[bristol banger]

few more

[adeejaysdelight]

That looks like a great trip. I am planning on visiting the bomb crater near Picardy in August. We have a free afternoon that day to. What would you recommend in the area?

[slimwilly]

Brilliant,, great trip and post.Thanks

[DekF]

A cool trip  nice writeup & pics, a couple quite sobering 

[locksmith]

Nice trip, but you went to France and ate McDonalds and Burger King 

Visited a war cemetery before in France, very sobering, makes you feel humble and seeing the fortifications around the countryside, riddled with bullet and shell holes, shit we are lucky to live in this day and age!

[ogri48]

Fantastic stuff mate, nicely done. I had a weekend visiting the v1, v2 and v3 sites on the 1939-44 tour, it was fantastic, and very moving

[esetest]

Great write up and pics , makes me want to go .

[bristol banger]

That looks like a great trip. I am planning on visiting the bomb crater near Picardy in August. We have a free afternoon that day to. What would you recommend in the area?

Not sure if its going to be to far for you to travel but one of the places I wanted to visit was La Coupole museum of WW2, Google maps indicates its around 1h 50min from Picardy

[bristol banger]

Nice trip, but you went to France and ate McDonalds and Burger King 

Its a tradition that started in the States My oldest boy treated me to a nice meal in a restaurant at Port-en-Bessin the day before we came home so not all bad

[bristol banger]

Fantastic stuff mate, nicely done. I had a weekend visiting the v1, v2 and v3 sites on the 1939-44 tour, it was fantastic, and very moving

I really wanted to visit the rocket sites Hopefully maybe in the future I might be able to revisit my original plan and see the sites I missed.

[midden]

Nice trip, but you went to France and ate McDonalds and Burger King

+1 sacreblue

[ogri48]

When you do, me and the missus will tag along, I'd love to do it again. The v3 site was the biggest eye opener, londoners would have been proper focced if us and the yanks hadn't have developed the tall boy and wiped that out.....it was a huge underground complex in a mountain, all the poor sods who built it ( concentration camp labour) got locked in the basement when we bombed it..water table ruptured, they all drowned in the dark.


Something else I found really humbling..they used POWs and concentration camp labour for the v1 and v2 sites too.. their strength of spirit and humanity was awe inspiring..if they got caught trying to sabotage the rockets in any way( a loose bolt left inside a turbine etc) they would be hung on the spot along with the twelve closest comrades  working near them and left there for a week as a deterrent..and they still did everything they could to slow the rockets coming out of the factory..

[lincs1963]

That looks like a great trip. I am planning on visiting the bomb crater near Picardy in August. We have a free afternoon that day to. What would you recommend in the area?

would you be referring to the lochnagar crater ? If you are it is well worth a visit, as is the canadian sector on vimy ridge. Also in the same area is Thiepval memorial, that is stunning.
Hope these give you some ideas, cheers, Neil

[downey]

sounds like a great trip ,,,nice fazer in the wine colour too