Normandy - can anyone recommend places/areas to visit (1 Viewer)

[Southdowners]

We've hoping to spend a few days in Normandy after Christmas. We don't normally plan a route anywhere but, since time will be tight, we want to plan this trip.

Can anyone recommend stops in Normandy? We like remote areas with walks and/or cycling opportunities.

 

[orridge]

These are the places we visited over Easter that would recommend

Merville Battery
Pegasus Bridge
Along Coast to Longues Sur Mer (you can park overnight behind the visitors centre here)


3 Thurs 13th April - Normandy Beaches
Overnight - Normandy Beaches

American Cemetery Omaha Beach
Pont de Hoc
Utah Beach Museum
D-Day Experience

 

[suavecarve]

Bayeux is well worthy of visit, Rouen town is a surprise as long as you can find a nice aire

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[Speve]

Aramanche there’s an air and a good campsite

 

[TerryL]

Anywhere along the Normandy coast. Just be aware that there won't be any campsites open and most of the aires will have the water turned off (although you can usually still park there).

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

St Mère Eglise is a pleasant little town with a parachutist on the church roof.
Valognes is also quite nice.
Bricquebec has a big square and castle adjacent.
Cherbourg has a submarine museum.
Carteret on the west coast has a cafe which serves the best moules in Normandy and you can get a ferry from there to Guernsey, subject to the time of year.
St Vaast la Hougue on the NE coast has good parking and you can visit Île de Tatihou, again subject to the time of year.

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[Wendo55]

St Mère Eglise is a pleasant little town with a parachutist on the church roof.
Valognes is also quite nice.
Bricquebec has a big square and castle adjacent.
Cherbourg has a submarine museum.
Carteret on the west coast has a cafe which serves the best moules in Normandy and you can get a ferry from there to Guernsey, subject to the time of year.
St Vaast la Hougue on the NE coast has good parking and you can visit Île de Tatihou, again subject to the time of year.

4 of us (4 motorhomes) want to visit at the beginning of June. Bearing in mind that it's the D-Day anniversary and we'd like to stay a few days in one place to see more of the area, would anyone recommend we pre-book campsites (and which ones) or will we be safe to just turn up?

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

We've always been on the motorbikes and stayed in a chateau just outside of Cherbourg so unfortunately can't recommend any sites.

 

[TerryL]

4 of us (4 motorhomes) want to visit at the beginning of June. Bearing in mind that it's the D-Day anniversary and we'd like to stay a few days in one place to see more of the area, would anyone recommend we pre-book campsites (and which ones) or will we be safe to just turn up?

It's not one of the major anniversaries so probably won't be as packed as it could be. There are plenty of campsites and aires so I would guess you should be okay - but please don't hold me to that, I've always avoided the area in the m/h at that time. It was my principal destination when I was a coach driver, so I know the area well although I can't actually recommend anywhere. We stayed in hostels.

A good way to visit the D-Day landings is to start near Caen at Pegasus Bridge, then head south along the coast stopping off at the main exhibits, finishing off at the American Cemetery at Colville, an absolute must (closes at 5.00 pm prompt every day) You can get loads of info from a TI office; beware though, everybody and his pet monkey tries to get in on the act and some of the "museums" are a bit lacking and tacky. The Memorial at Caen is worth a half day, especially if it's raining, but it's not dedicated just to WW2.

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[Wendo55]

Thanks very much for that. It's a great help for us inexperienced bunch!

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

Or start at Pegasus Bridge and go north to Arramanche and the landing beaches

 

[TerryL]

Or start at Pegasus Bridge and go north to Arramanche and the landing beaches

Think you'll find Pegasus bridge is north of Arromanche and most of the landing beaches.

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[TheTwoOfUs]

'Fraid not. Pegasus Bridge is on the Caen Canal mid way between Caen and Ouistreham at Bénouville. The nearest landing beach is Sword Beach at the mouth of the L'Orme river. The rest of the beaches are NW of Pegasus Bridge starting with Juno, Gold then Arromanche followed by Omaha where the American Cemetary is situated and then the last landing beach at Utah Beach where there is a museum.
Due west of Utah is Ste-Mère-Eglise where the paratrooper is on the church roof and there is also a small American airforce museum. There's always something happening here on the anniversary of D Day with military vehicles and personnel in uniforms plus music and food.

 

[sdc77]

I always thought he was looking at the paratrooper.... not so sure now ...

This was the 70th anniversary
Already booked into Omaha beach for the 75th .
You shouldn't have too much of a problem this year but it's advisable to book the sites near the beaches if you intend staying the D Day week .. anything a little further away should be fine.

Hmmm just seen how old the thread is.

 

[TerryL]

I spent a lot of time in that area and so never used a map. In my mind I always believed the landing beaches were on a north/south line but I've now had a proper look and see that they are actually on an east/west orientation. So of course Pegasus Bridge is actually north east of Caen. But I'd still recommend starting there and go west along the coast.

Thanks for the correction - you live and learn!

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