About time to post up our trip to Normandy at the beginning of July. We were prepared for rain, instead we had Sun and temperatures of +22 upwards. Ok, we did have one night downpour.
We based ourselves at L,Anse du Brick, just outside Cherbourg, an excellent base for trips round Cotentin and a great, well run site.
Our pitch.
The bay at the site.
Cite De la mer, Cherbourg
More photos to come. Got to work.
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Basically we spent every second day on site as the kids spent most of their time in the pool whilst we chilled.
Trips included cite De la mer which takes a whole day to see, Barfleur, St Vast me Hougue with trip to the vauban fort by amphibious truck and a trip to decathlon and the auchan hypermarket .
A longer trip was to Mt st Michel. Stunning but what a tourist trap. Very hot day and a long climb to the top but worth it. A trip was taken to st Mere Eglise and Utah beach.
I particularly enjoyed jaunts to the nearest town - St Pierre eglise. It is very Norman.
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Mont St Michel. We opted to walk from the car park.
A long way up
St mere eglise
Utah beach.
We will definitely return to the site as we found it convenient for the port and for the sights and there is so much to see and do, we barely scratched the surface.
I was highly impressed by the site. The facilities were spotless and
a high standard. I will submit a review later.
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Quote: Originally posted by RTS5 on 25/7/2014
I can remember doing to Mt St Michael as a child and thinking the same thing! Good to do but not to be repeated.
Photos are great, sounds like a fab holiday.
It was fab. Very relaxing.
The wife wants to go back to mt S M next year to see the finished bridge. I found it too busy and packed with overpriced restaurants and souvenir shops. The Abbey was well worth the walk and the views are amazing.
The kids aren't hugely into museums etc whereas we are so a trip every second day was the best compromise.
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It was hot enough for me.
I got burnt putting the tent up and actually drank water and there are pics to prove it
The local cider was chilling...
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Quote: Originally posted by geoffprinter on 25/7/2014Great pics Ewen. I don't think I could have stood on Utah beach without a respectful chill running down my spine. Geoff
Yes indeed. The biggest chill was the short drive from st mere eglise to Utah. There are white markers with American names on them, all at where they died.
Everywhere along that coast are the remains of the Atlantic wall. Above the campsite are bunkers and observation posts for a battery that covered Cherbourg. 150 personnel. At st Vast le hougue there are bunkers in the Vauban port.
St Pierre Eglise near the site was liberated on July 20th.
Post last edited on 25/07/2014 20:25:55
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Good trip report and photos Ewan....Utah beach...Don't think I could have walked there without recollection's of former times...But hey....Folk can now walk in freedom on that same beach because of sacrifices made...
Jelboy.
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Great pics Ewen,I love Normandy and have been fascinated by D-Day since I was a kid,If you ever go back to that part of the world you should visit the American cemetery at Colleville sur Mer which overlooks Omaha beach and Arromanches where there is a very good museum and the remains of a mulberry harbour on the beach.
Quote: Originally posted by jelboy53 on 26/7/2014
Good trip report and photos Ewan....Utah beach...Don't think I could have walked there without recollection's of former times...But hey....Folk can now walk in freedom on that same beach because of sacrifices made...
Jelboy.
My eldest daughter was very aware and not that keen to go on the beach. Access to the beach is two gullies through the dunes which are the actual breaches blown.
We didn't do the museum but the monuments are poignant enough.
A lot of people were enjoying the beach.....a privilege they have due to all the allied servicemen involved
Now, Omaha would have really given me the heeby jeebys.
I was particularly moved by a memorial to the Danish seamen that took part in D Day and am a bit miffed that we didn't have time to visit the huge German war cemetary near St Michel
------------- Hypercamp Alaska
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Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag