After the expansive breakfast spread, we are on the road by 8.00am, to visit Omaha Beach, one of the sites of the D-day Normandy Invasion of the 06/06/1944, by the American and allied forces. We spent around 45 minutes on the beach looking at the memorials and contemplating the bravery of the soldiers many of them below 20 years of age. Some of our American tourists collected sand from the beach. From there we went to the Omaha US Cemetery [some 10,000 buried here, with 14,000 repatriated to the US] plus an extensive visitors centre with details and images leading up to D-day.
The cemetery was beautifully done with lawns, trees….so sad very big and we spent 1.5 hours at this site. We drive through many quaint villages, with lots of display memorabilia from the recent 70 year anniversary. We visit the seaside village of xxxxx whee we stopped for lunch and a look around the town. We choose panninis as they are only about 8” long, instead of the baguettes which were about 15” long. Instead of coffee as a follow-up we settle on some nice coffee ice-cream in a cup….very pleasant eating as we wander the sea coast wall. After a visit to the Information Centre we find a card shop to buy a birthday card for grand-daughter Belle.
From here we have a 2 hour bus drive transferring from Normandy to Brittany for an optional excursion to the walled port of St Marlo. We have a local guide, Coralie, take us on a walking tour of the medieval ramparts of the city, so that we can admire the aristocratic old houses of the shipping merchants to one side and the coastal scenery on the other side Much of the city was bombed & destroyed during WW2, but has been rebuilt in their heritage style using local stone or stone veneer. The old church is visited and has many special features including stained glass windows internally.
We finish off the tour with sampling a cake speciality of the area. It is enjoyed so much that many of the group go back to purchase a second one. Then it is time to wander the narrow laneways behind the city walls and take in the range of sites and commercial offerings. Back on the bus at 6.15pm, we mote the tide is now in and photo opportunities to show that many of the peninsulas are now islands.
After a 55 minute bus ride we arrive at our accommodation opposite the Mont St. Michel which we will be visiting tomorrow. We are now getting into the French way with dinner around 8.00pm tonight, which included vegetable soup, fish on a bed of rice plus dessert of creme caramel. The accommodation is comfortable and adequate with a balcony view of the floodlight Benedictine Monastery on the island, some 2 – 3 klms away.
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