WW2 sites and Aires

[Andy MacD]

Hi all. We’re off to France in April and after Eurotunnel will be turning right and following the coast. We’re interested in visiting some WW2 sites, especially where there are good Aires close by.

Any recommendations?

 

[David and Sally]

Fill your boots. Don’t know about the aires but include

Pegasus Bridge
360 cinema at Arromanches
D Day beaches. Omaha, Sword, Juno etc
American Cemetery at Omaha beach
Saint-Mere-Eglise. Parachutist hung up on the clock tower
Honfleur.
Port en bessin. There is an aire above the towm

Loads more to see.

 

[orridge]

There is an aire (well a field really) above Arromanches which has amazing views over the channel and the mulberry harbours still in the bays below. There are a couple of good museums down in the town also.

There is the Batterie at Longues Sur Mer and if you ask nicely at the tourist cabin they let you park behind that and worth a walk around one the day visitors have gone.

Suggest getting a copy online or from a charity shop of Major & Mrs Holts guide to the Normandy Beaches and/or their definitive guide to D-Day It covers lots of ground and places you might not be aware of.

 

[Chris Laing]

Hi all. We’re off to France in April and after Eurotunnel will be turning right and following the coast. We’re interested in visiting some WW2 sites, especially where there are good Aires close by.

Any recommendations?

We're off next Saturday 26th for a week to do exactly the same. This is my plane of attack if it helps.
Also did notice on Search for sites that recent reviews from this month some motorhomers from the UK were finding it difficult to get into some aires with machines not accepting cards.

Sat 26th March Eurotunnel 11.20am

Sat 26th Honfleur - 1 Nights

Villers Sur Mer Beach and Aire

Mon 28th Arromanches Les Bains – 2 Nights

Long sur Mer Gun Battery

American Cemetary

Omaha Beach and Museums

Pont du hoc

Port en Bessin (possible overnight)

Insigny Sur Mer (possible overnight)

Wed 30th Saint Mere Egleise – 1 Night

Airborne Museum

Utah Beach

Easy Company Memorial

Carentan D Day Experience​

Thurs 31st Honfleur – 1 Night

 

[peterc10]

Another vote for the Arromanches Aire on the cliff top. Spectacular views of the Mulberry Harbour.

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[Two on Tour]

We stayed a night at the aire at Port en Bessin.
Nice and quiet and an easy walk down to the vibrant quayside for good food and people watching.

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[Andy MacD]

Thanks all for your feedback.

Chris Laing , would be great to hear how you got on and any issues you had as this is the first time we’ve been to France since tugging in the 90s.

Although we’ll be over for a couple of months we’ll only be looking to visit 3 or 4 WW2 sites so want to pick the best as we head West before following the coast south to Bordeaux.

Hope you’re trip goes well.

 

[Chris Laing]

Thanks
I'll let you know.
The weather looks nice so we might also head south towards Tours to get a couple of days of sun.

 

[DBK]

We did a few in 2018, post #43 onwards in the thread below might give you some ideas although we started from the west so it might be better reading it backwards!

Two Go Back in Time

Dispatches from Pluto is excellent,,very funny read. BUSBY. Many thanks, I've read a couple of his earlier books and enjoyed them.

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We returned to this area the following year looking at older history but again it might give you some ideas.

Two Potter Around Northern France

After our trip to Corsica earlier this year I felt our next excursion should involve less distance and fewer sheer drops on the side of the road. Corsica was a delight and the scenery stunning but something less demanding will go down nicely over the next couple of months. And so yesterday we...

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