It looks very similar to Merville Battery - I will have to visit this one.The Maisy Battery is worth a visit. Only rediscovered in 2004 and opened in 2006.
If you visit this area that Chickenrunner suggested you can visit Falaise and the castle where William the Conqueror was born at.I can recommend Montormel which commemorates the closure of the Falaise Gap and effectively the end of the battle in Lower Normandy. Particularly poignant as the men who fought there were Poles for whom the end of WW2 did not really result in the liberation of their country. Many did not return to Poland at the end of the war and some were stripped of their citizenship of Poland including their leader General Maczek.
When I first visited during the 1980s there was just a memorial but later a small museum, subtely built into the hillside, was added.
MÉMORIAL DE MONTORMEL. LA DERNIÈRE BATAILLE DE NORMANDIE. AOÛT 1944
MÉMORIAL DE MONTORMEL. LA DERNIÈRE BATAILLE DE NORMANDIE. AOÛT 1944www.memorial-montormel.org
Stanisław Maczek - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Edit: If you want to do some reading on the battle I'd recommend John Keegan's 'Six Armies in Normandy'. A different approach and very readable.
Do you have a Tesco Points card?Thanks everyone. I will look at each of these and plot a route around the key areas. More advice welcomed
I think if I was visiting the Somme and the D-day landing beaches, I would split the holiday into two. I would suggest doing your homework and planning your day accordingly on what you want to see.
We stayed in Mortain (further inland), which was a site of an American battle, and on the hill that the Americans held, you can still see the fox holes, etc. Not a great deal to see here though.
We also stayed in a cottage at Ecausseville near Sainte-Mère-Église. We went into Sainte-Mère-Église to see the paratrooper hanging from the church roof and it looks like one of them soldiers you use to get from the £1 shop.
The American war cemetery at OMAHA (Colleville-Sur-Mer) is worth a visit but I would also take in Merville Battery and then move onto Pegasus Bridge (Ranville).
Normandy American Cemetery | American Battle Monuments Commission
For questions regarding the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 2024, please visit our D-Day 80 landing page or contact us at dday80@abmc.gov.www.abmc.gov
Musée de la Batterie de Merville • Une véritable immersion dans l'histoire
Visitez 6 bunkers aménagés en musée à la Batterie de Merville et un avion mythique, le Douglas C-47 ayant participé au D-Day, en Normandie.www.batterie-merville.com
Mémorial-Pégasus
musee.memorial-pegasus.com
Operation Lüttich - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Arras is the best town to stay for the Somme definitely. Those Wellington Tunnels are astonishing. Built by tunnellers from Wellington NZ they were used as accommodation for the many soldiers who were heading to the front. Built way u der ground they are cast caverns in the rocks and there is even a chapel. Chilling to reflect that these tunnels were the safe haven for many young men before heading for death in battle. A must see experience.Can I recommend for the D Day beaches staying in Bayeux. it’s a great little town with nice restaurants and bars and of course the tapestry is great if you haven’t seen it. From there it takes no more than 10-15 minutes to drive to the coastal areas. Places that should be on your itinerary
Arromanches and the museum at the top of the hill re Port Mulberry
American Cemetery at Omaha beach is stunning and a must see
The new British Normandy Memorial at Ver sur Mer.
Pegasus bridge at Blainville
Museum at Caen
Turning to the Somme without the best place to stay to see the Somme is Arras. Great place with a lovely town square. There go and see the Wellington tunnels. Cemeteries are all over the region.
Then go from there out towards the Canadian Monument and the trenches near there.
Thiepval to the south is an absolute must to visit.
We did the Blockhaus last year, staggering place. Thank god for the RAFMe and the wife did the coastline using Dieppe as our base. The operation overlord sites are signposted pretty well. I think one of the highlights for me was Pegasus bridge and the museum there. I had just read the book by Stephen E Ambrose which was fascinating so was great to be there.
Also I don’t think it’s in the official overlord tour but the blockhaus d'éperlecques museum is excellent.
Home
The largest blockhouse in the north of France, a witness to the dark period of 1939-1945. Visit and discover the blockhouse to learn about its history during the Second World Warwww.leblockhaus.com
It was scary stuff. We parked near the “pond” but later realised it was a crater where one of the two tall boy bombs had missed its target. If that had been operational and could provide a steady stream of V2’s who knows how it would have turned out.We did the Blockhaus last year, staggering place. Thank god for the RAF
That's the hut they battered seven shades of sh t out of before realising it was a railway halt and not a strongpoint. If in doubt, I suppose.