Intex

I still can not determine what is the best route for a 2 nite trip to Normandy from Paris, this October?
I have been told that I should not miss Honfleur, Rouen and Bayeux (D-Day Beach)If there is a TGV to Rouen, would it be better to start there, and rent a car to go to Honfleur and then Bayeux?
I understand that the D-Day beaches are not in Bayeux. One of my party is not really into seeing the beaches and cemetaries, so we thought we might be able to do a 1/2 day to Omaha Beach, Cemetary and Museum to at least get an overview.
I know its not enough time, but it might be better than nothing, since we've never been. Have 3 weeks in Paris, and wanted to get out to Normandy and Lyon.
Thanks

rex

With three weeks in Paris, I would devote no less than 3, maybe even 4 or 5 nights to Normandy, especially since you seem to want to trek both east (Honfleur) and west (D-Day sites). If you think you are not interested in the hallowed grounds where Americans fell (and now lie) in taking the beaches of Normandy, then go to Arromanches, and learn about the real success of the Normandy invasion - - where the British took their part of the Normandy coast, virtually unopposed and set up the world's greatest amphibious landing of personnel... and more importantly, materiel - - in a manmade harbor that was created &quot;out of nothing&quot; in under 48 hours. Every soldier who landed at Normandy needed 200 pounds of &quot;stuff&quot; <u>per day</u> to wage the war, and without the ability to unload truckload after truckload of materiel - - literally about every 30 seconds, the battle for Normandy could not have been fought.

As Spielberg graphically portrayed in &quot;Saving Private Ryan&quot; (which you ought to see again before you go to Normandy), Omaha Beach was about courage and ingenuity in the face of a bloodletting - - but Arromanches was what led to the successful invasion of the Allies on to the continent of Europe.

Best wishes,

Rex

Dave_in_Paris

You could skip Rouen, I think. Also the &quot;trek&quot; from Honfleur to Bayeux, or as Francis Miltoun puts it, the &quot;auto dash,&quot; is an hour and a half. Not all that daunting, but don't dash over the speed limit. There is radar.

Dave_in_Paris

ttt

Mlgostyla

I agree with Rex, Arromanches is fascinating. I would also recomment Point du Hoc. It's the location of the first invasion on D-Day. It remains the same as it did 50 years ago with craters and destruction from the bombs. It's really breath taking.

tmh

Just a correction on the first point of invastion: The first troops hit the beaches about 6:30 A.M., with 23,000 men rushing Omaha Beach. Having family in the 4th ID this was part our family stories. At 6:45 they got to Point du Hoc.

For minute by minute detail, see: http://www.military.com/Content/More...=dday_timeline

Dave_in_Paris

No, the airborne troops were the first on the ground, jumping in the dark and then landing (and crash-landing) in gliders.

hopingtotravel

And by 7:00 a.m. some of the men on the ground were actually from the Navy--not meant to be on the ground at all but their landing crafts had been destroyed!

gplusg

Take a train to Caen. Tour Omaha beach where you can't help but see the thousands of our young in endless rows..Then either to Honfleur or St.Mere Eglise where a large group of our paratroopers from the 82d Airborne Division landed directly in the town.

gplusg

Take a train to Caen. Tour Omaha beach where you can't help but see the thousands of our young in endless rows..Then either to Honfleur or St.Mere Eglise where a large group of our paratroopers from the 82d Airborne Division landed directly in the town.

This is maybe a day and a half. You should spend more time.Our troops are spending eternity.