Visiting Normandy.

[Andy Zarse]

Non D-Day related, but the ladies like a nice seafood lunch in Honfleur (good) and a walk around the shops in trendy Deauville (bad, so stay away if you value your bank balance!)

[aricus654]

Thanks for all the info.

Tristan and I visited Pegasus (again) and the Mulberry Harbour at Arromanches (new).  The exhibition at Arromanches with its 9 screens was very impressively high quality, and recommended (it was also blowinga gale on Wednesday and we were surprised that small children weren't swept off their feet)

Aricus + Tristan

[lynxd67]

Far too late for you, but just a thought for the future really. A trip to the British cemetery at Hermanville is a humbling experience. About 1100 graves, all the usual tombstone shape, except for three in the form of the cross. French beret verts who died alongside British comrades and were buried with them. A place for reflection.

[Lawnmower Man]

We splashed on a guided tour this year as knowing our luck, we'd be standing on the wrong beach   Leaving Friday 5th with a Bletchley Park visit planned on-route.

And I've started preparations already which is a first for me.  Its usually the morning I'm leaving.

Did you get to Bletchley Park?  It's a must see IMNSHO. 

[Stu]

We splashed on a guided tour this year as knowing our luck, we'd be standing on the wrong beach   Leaving Friday 5th with a Bletchley Park visit planned on-route.

And I've started preparations already which is a first for me.  Its usually the morning I'm leaving.

Did you get to Bletchley Park?  It's a must see IMNSHO. 

We did Tom and thoroughly enjoyed it. A bit steep to get in at £16.75 but the museum was really good with a demonstration of a working bombe (reconstructed). They're busy with a new Alan Turing exhibition which will be open next year so it may be better to wait.

[Lawnmower Man]

We splashed on a guided tour this year as knowing our luck, we'd be standing on the wrong beach   Leaving Friday 5th with a Bletchley Park visit planned on-route.

And I've started preparations already which is a first for me.  Its usually the morning I'm leaving.

Did you get to Bletchley Park?  It's a must see IMNSHO. 

We did Tom and thoroughly enjoyed it. A bit steep to get in at £16.75 but the museum was really good with a demonstration of a working bombe (reconstructed). They're busy with a new Alan Turing exhibition which will be open next year so it may be better to wait.

Yes it is a bit steep but the ticket last 12 Months. 

[Barry]

Far too late for you, but just a thought for the future really. A trip to the British cemetery at Hermanville is a humbling experience. About 1100 graves, all the usual tombstone shape, except for three in the form of the cross. French beret verts who died alongside British comrades and were buried with them. A place for reflection.

We did go there, more by mistake than planning, noticed the French graves, as you say a place for reflection, very peaceful, we were the only people there. Interesting contrast to the American cemetery at Colleville, which we visited the following day.

Thank you for your sacrifice.

[Snoring Rhino]

As I mentioned before, we combined a family holiday with LM this year. In the past, as the kids grew up, we had some great holidays in France so it was a good opportunity for us all (11 of us). We often used Eurocamp either in a tent or a mobile home, we always found the sites good, clean and with great facilities. So given  that Brads little ones are are 3 and 10 months and their cousins are 3 and 4 we needed a good family site, not far from a port and ideally on route to LM. So last October I reserved 3 mobile homes on this site
http://www.eurocamp.co.uk/campsites/normandy/nr011-chateau-lez-eaux/ataglance.html with ferries on the Portsmouth Cean route, out on the 6th and back on the 18th. This meant Brad and I could head out to LM on Thursday, have a nice quiet and relaxed race weekend, know that Caroline and the boys were sorted so we could return on Sunday. It worked well, the site was great , it was less than 2 hours from the port and about the same to the track.
Given the Euro football next year it may be worth looking at as they will have a pre allocation of ferry crossings at a better price, bookings will start in October.

[Snoring Rhino]

As I mentioned before, we combined a family holiday with LM this year. In the past, as the kids grew up, we had some great holidays in France so it was a good opportunity for us all (11 of us). We often used Eurocamp either in a tent or a mobile home, we always found the sites good, clean and with great facilities. So given  that Brads little ones are are 3 and 10 months and their cousins are 3 and 4 we needed a good family site, not far from a port and ideally on route to LM. So last October I reserved 3 mobile homes on this site
http://www.eurocamp.co.uk/campsites/normandy/nr011-chateau-lez-eaux/ataglance.html with ferries on the Portsmouth Cean route, out on the 6th and back on the 18th. This meant Brad and I could head out to LM on Thursday, have a nice quiet and relaxed race weekend, know that Caroline and the boys were sorted so we could return on Sunday. It worked well, the site was great , it was less than 2 hours from the port and about the same to the track.
Given the Euro football next year it may be worth looking at as they will have a pre allocation of ferry crossings at a better price, bookings will start in October.

On route back to the ferry we had a diversion to COURSEULLES-SUR-MER to see one of Lorna's Grandads DD Tanks (He was the Technical Director of Strauslers the company that designed and built the DD Tanks).

JUNO BEACH. At 0730 hours 6th June 1944, the 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment (First Hussars) in support of the 7 Canadian Infantry Brigade of the 3 Canadian Infantry Division, assaulted and overpowered enemy defences between Courseulles-sur-Mer and Bernieres-sur-Mer. This tank, recovered from the sea nearly 27 years after launching, is dedicated by the First Hussars, to the memory of all who participated in this operation”.