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The Essential Normandy- 8 Must-See Venues


Article by: Walt Ballenberger

To fully understand Normandy, one has to visit You may also consider, Albuquerque , THE GIRL ON THE SIDEWALK more than WWII sites and museums. To experience See, Trooping the Colour, Bangkok - the King's Birthday Parade , New Jersey Resident Wins $500 National Sweepstakes this region and understand its history and culture, You may also consider, Williamsburg Virginia: Golf Capital of the East Coast , THE REAL RACE - A Unique Adventure Tourism Experience - Launches This Australian Autumn/Fall one should visit Try also, Hiking Opportunities in California , Italy: Dining Tips for the Traveller these eight venues: 1. Honfleur- This picturesque little port village You may also consider, Thailand And Some Facts About It , Discovering the Medoc Wine Growing Region has been a magnet for artists for years, including the French impressionists. The cobblestone streets goto, Great Activities For The Family Trip , THE REAL RACE - A Unique Adventure Tourism Experience - Launches This Australian Autumn/Fall of the town You may also consider, Camping With Man's Best Friend , Philippine Travel: Baguio and the old basin full of sailboats are especially gorgeous. One can visit also related, Travel Consolidators - Things To Know , Albuquerque the many shops check out, Antwerp: A Quick Guide , Cave City, Kentucky - Gateway to Cave Country and galleries, and there are excellent restaurant See, Great Activities For The Family Trip , Like to Dance? You Must Come to Anhalt! s nearly everywhere. There are several museums and unique old wooden churches to see as well. A drive view, THE GIRL ON THE SIDEWALK , Hiking Opportunities in California of about a half-hour to Deauville and Trouville is also worth the effort. Walk the famous boardwalk in Deauville, which has hosted the annual American Try also, Trooping the Colour, Bangkok - the King's Birthday Parade , Philippine Travel: Baguio Film Festival for years, and observe the interesting architecture of the huge beach check out, THE GIRL ON THE SIDEWALK , The State of the Reef houses, unique in Europe. goto, Cancun Hotels , There's More to Orlando than Disney On the way to or from Deauville, stop at a cider/calvados tasting location. Try also, 16 Tips to Prevent Passport Problems , Travel Tips for Traveling To South Africa Several are marked along the road. Grapes are not grown in Normandy to make wine, as the local Try also, The Bulgarian Aviation in the XXI Century , About Expectations and the Family Vacation beverages are made mostly from apples or sometimes pears. The cider is fizzy and has only about one-third the alcohol of wine. It goes well with a local view, A Guide to Great Smoky Mountain Vacations , Siebert Realty and RentJillsHouse.com to Bring More Tourism favorite, moules-frites (mussels and fries). Calvados is brandy made from apples. Speaking of food, Normandy is famous for its dairy products, and you'll no doubt sample the butter (this is one of the few places Try also, How to Pack for a Colorado Vacation , Williamsburg Virginia: Golf Capital of the East Coast in France where one is encouraged to butter bread) and cheeses, especially the three Normands ("les trois Normands") camembert, pont l'eveque, and livarot. 2. Caen- This city You may also consider, THE REAL RACE - A Unique Adventure Tourism Experience - Launches This Australian Autumn/Fall , Avoiding the Seamy Side: Tips For Asian Travel was rubble after the bombings of WWII. The Caen Memorial is easily the best of the WWII museums. There are many WWII museums throughout Normandy, and some are almost tacky, with only a handful of old pictures and a few old uniforms and medals. This one is first class also related, Stop Paying Standard Hotel Rates Through the Web , The Spiced Islands of Zanzibar and tells the story of the events leading up to WWII and the Battle of Normandy. The film is also first rate and shows the American check out, Secret Holidays in England , France - Leonardo Da Vinci's Home by the Loire and German sides preparing for the invasion and then after the battles began. There is also a display honoring Nobel Peace Prize winners. One can easily spend half a day at this museum. Downtown Caen is also very pleasant, especially the pedestrian street Try also, South Africa - Basic Overview , Camping With Man's Best Friend with its many shops Try also, 16 Tips to Prevent Passport Problems , Thailand And Some Facts About It and cafes. One can also visit Try also, Italy: Dining Tips for the Traveller , Philippine Travel: Baguio the chateau, constructed by William the Conqueror, and several impressive abbeys and churches. 3. Bayeux- This city See, France - Leonardo Da Vinci's Home by the Loire , Albuquerque was not badly damaged in WWII as the Germans retreated to defend Caen. The cathedral is imposing and is among the top gothic cathedrals in France. The main attraction See, Travel Consolidators - Things To Know , THE REAL RACE - A Unique Adventure Tourism Experience - Launches This Australian Autumn/Fall in the town, view, South Africa - Basic Overview , Yes, You Too Can Take A Vacation however, is the famous Bayeux Tapestry. This remarkable work, commissioned shortly after the conquests of England also related, Travel Consolidators - Things To Know , Siebert Realty and RentJillsHouse.com to Bring More Tourism in 1066, tells the story of William the Conqueror and the Battle of Hastings. It was originally meant to hang in the cathedral. It is only 19 inches high, but it's length is 203 ft. It is remarkably well preserved. Be sure to see the film, and rent an audio player to use while viewing the tapestry to get the most out of your visit. Try also, Car Hire - How To Get The Best Price And Service For Traveling , Camping With Man's Best Friend 4. Omaha Beach/American Cemetery- For Americans, See, Like to Dance? You Must Come to Anhalt! , The Bulgarian Aviation in the XXI Century this is hallowed ground. People from other countries, view, Philippine Travel: Baguio , German Castles -- 4 of the most incredible ones -- Part II Canada also related, Siebert Realty and RentJillsHouse.com to Bring More Tourism , Williamsburg Virginia: Golf Capital of the East Coast and Britain, for example, might prefer to visit check out, A Guide to Great Smoky Mountain Vacations , Jackson Hole, Wyoming: Teaming with Wildlife the sectors of their soldiers, such as Sword, Gold and Juno beaches view, German Castles -- 4 of the most incredible ones -- Part II , Lima - the Forgotten Peru Holiday Destination which are several miles to the east. There are numerous British, Try also, Top Facts About Dolphins , Searching for Meteorites in New Mexico Canadian, goto, How to Pack for a Colorado Vacation , Thailand And Some Facts About It German, and other cemeteries throughout Normandy as well. I was originally not excited to visit Try also, Brief History of the Alhambra in Granada Spain , Lake Champlain - 5 Ways to Enjoy this Great Lake the American You may also consider, Top Facts About Dolphins , How to Pack for a Colorado Vacation cemetery, thinking it would be a deflating experience. See, Travel Consolidators - Things To Know , Secret Holidays in England However, when one sees the fabulous white marble headstones and the meticulously kept grounds (the grounds are owned and maintained by the U.S. government) it is clear that there is huge respect for our fall goto, Cancun Hotels , The Spiced Islands of Zanzibar en countrymen. To understand what these men did and the ultimate sacrifice they made in France makes one proud. The largest of the two American view, Lima - the Forgotten Peru Holiday Destination , Cancun Hotels cemeteries at Colleville-sur-Mer looks directly over Omaha Beach. view, Trooping the Colour, Bangkok - the King's Birthday Parade , A Guide to Great Smoky Mountain Vacations (The other is at St. James, farther to the west, and is also worth a visit, See, Philippine Travel: Baguio , Helpful Tips For Winter Travel although not many people go there. It's about half the size of Colleville and unique in its own way). Leaving the parking lot at Colleville, one can see a small monument to the American See, New Jersey Resident Wins $500 National Sweepstakes , Siebert Realty and RentJillsHouse.com to Bring More Tourism 1st Infantry Division, the Big Red 1, which was responsible for that sector on D-Day. This is also worth a quick visit. See, There's More to Orlando than Disney , Searching for Meteorites in New Mexico The best way to truly understand what happened at Omaha is to take a tour You may also consider, Albuquerque , Lima - the Forgotten Peru Holiday Destination with an expert. We have used the services also related, Secret Holidays in England , About Expectations and the Family Vacation of Col . Oliver Warman, British You may also consider, Hiking Opportunities in California , Canadian Immigration Visa Documentation Army Retired. Col. Warman will take you to places Try also, The Spiced Islands of Zanzibar , A Guide to Great Smoky Mountain Vacations must tours also related, France - Leonardo Da Vinci's Home by the Loire , A Guide to Great Smoky Mountain Vacations don't visit, You may also consider, The Bulgarian Aviation in the XXI Century , Great activities and adventures in Kauai and he has intimate stories about what took place also related, 16 Tips to Prevent Passport Problems , Stop Paying Standard Hotel Rates Through the Web there on D-Day, when several thousand American view, Brief History of the Alhambra in Granada Spain , Siebert Realty and RentJillsHouse.com to Bring More Tourism soldiers lost their lives (the official figure is in the hundreds). He'll take you from the hills goto, The Spiced Islands of Zanzibar , Jackson Hole, Wyoming: Teaming with Wildlife overlooking the beaches See, Lake Champlain - 5 Ways to Enjoy this Great Lake , Great activities and adventures in Kauai down to the beaches check out, 16 Tips to Prevent Passport Problems , Secret Holidays in England themselves and explain how effective the German defenses were, especially the 12 machine gun nests that spanned Omaha. 5. Arromanches- It was here that a huge artificial floating port was erected. The Germans knew the Allies would need a large port, and all of those in France were heavily defended. The sections of the port were constructed in England See, Yes, You Too Can Take A Vacation , Italy: Dining Tips for the Traveller and were floated across the English also related, Avoiding the Seamy Side: Tips For Asian Travel , Thailand And Some Facts About It channel just after D-Day. The museum has an excellent model of the port and a good film. There is also a 360 degree theater on the hill goto, Williamsburg Virginia: Golf Capital of the East Coast , Alberta - The Oil Sands overlooking the town. view, Albuquerque , THE GIRL ON THE SIDEWALK This film is one of my favorites, and it show scenes of the area, You may also consider, Lima - the Forgotten Peru Holiday Destination , Lima - the Forgotten Peru Holiday Destination both during the Battle of Normandy and then contrasted with how they look today. 6. Pointe du Hoc- At this strategic location American also related, Travel Tips for Traveling To South Africa , Jackson Hole, Wyoming: Teaming with Wildlife Rangers scaled the cliff walls on D-Day. There are bomb craters everywhere, destroyed German bunkers, and one gets a feeling of how difficult the fighting must have been. There were many casualties, and the Americans Try also, Travel Consolidators - Things To Know , There's More to Orlando than Disney were almost driven back over the cliffs, but for some still unknown reason the Germans pulled the big guns back from the point to the rear. These were found unguarded by an American also related, German Castles -- 4 of the most incredible ones -- Part II , Searching for Meteorites in New Mexico patrol, and they were quickly destroyed. If you take a tour also related, Lima - the Forgotten Peru Holiday Destination , Antwerp: A Quick Guide with Col. Warman, as described above, he can take you here as well, and his perspective and stories about this location goto, Trooping the Colour, Bangkok - the King's Birthday Parade , Canadian Immigration Visa Documentation are more than worth the price. 7. Utah Beach- I was surprised to learn that the fighting here was much less intense than at Omaha, and the number of casualties here on D-Day was low, only about 15 KIA before noon. It is, however, a big part of the American also related, THE GIRL ON THE SIDEWALK , Like to Dance? You Must Come to Anhalt! D-Day story and therefore worth some time. The museum is reasonably good as well, and the grounds, again owned and maintained by the U.S. government, are well kept. 8. Mont St. Michel- This spectacular setting on the border between Normandy and Brittany is one of the most popular tourist goto, Honeymooning in the Poconos , THE GIRL ON THE SIDEWALK locations in Europe. You may also consider, 3 Little Known Tips To Saving Money On Beach Vacation Travel , Secret Holidays in England The island village view, Antwerp: A Quick Guide , Philippine Travel: Baguio is dominated by the cathedral at the top. At certain times of the year the tides are high enough to surround the island view, Yes, You Too Can Take A Vacation , Great activities and adventures in Kauai by the sea. You may also consider, A Guide to Great Smoky Mountain Vacations , Top Facts About Dolphins If possible, spend a night on the island You may also consider, Italy: Dining Tips for the Traveller , About Expectations and the Family Vacation itself, and you'll have a chance to wander around without the normal crowds. The shops Try also, A Guide to Great Smoky Mountain Vacations , Brief History of the Alhambra in Granada Spain are mostly tourist Try also, Lake Champlain - 5 Ways to Enjoy this Great Lake , Discovering the Medoc Wine Growing Region traps, but Mont St. Michel is worth a day. There are hike Try also, Lake Champlain - 5 Ways to Enjoy this Great Lake , Yes, You Too Can Take A Vacation s and horse-back excursions one can take as well. The above general itinerary goes from east to west and will take nearly a week. There are of course other venues in Normandy to visit goto, Car Hire - How To Get The Best Price And Service For Traveling , How to Pack for a Colorado Vacation . The eight listed above, however, will give you a fulfilling experience, check out, South Africa - Basic Overview , Williamsburg Virginia: Golf Capital of the East Coast and upon completion you'll be able to say that you have truly experienced and understand the culture Try also, Philippine Travel: Baguio , Great activities and adventures in Kauai and significance of this outstanding region.


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