Normandy
To one and all the name of Normandy brings back memories of the Normandy D Day Landings in June 1944.
Europe was liberated when the Allies made up of American, British Commonwealth, other European nations such as Norway, Holland, Greece as well as French troops came to liberate Europe from the Nazi occupation.
Come with us for a two, three or four day visit, starting ideally from Paris and during which time I will drive, show, explain and bring to life, some of the most heroic and courageous actions which took place on these northern European wind-swept shores. During our tour we will visit the Omaha and Utah beaches, the American Cemetery at Coleville sur Mer/Laurent sur Mer, the Nazi gun emplacements such as at Longues sur Mer and famous La Pointe du Hoc , taken by the courageous Rangers.
We will also visit in the eastern British sector Pegasus Bridge and in the west in the American sector St Mère l’Eglise and say hi! to John Steele still hanging from the church spire!
With time we can take you on to Cherbourg at the tip of the Cotentin peninsular, back south again in the footsteps of General Patton’s Third Army as far as Rennes in Brittany.
Or indeed to Falaise where the 100 day Battle of Normandy came to an end when the Nazi army was surrounded in the Falaise pocket and annihilation followed.
Otherwise Normandy is a land of milk and honey and …. apples !
All in lush green pasture land, Normandy countryside is really very “pretty”
Normandy is the home of such famous cheeses such as Camembert, invented in the village of Camembert, not far from Vimoutiers (in the Canadian sector) as well as other great cheeses such as Pont l’Eveque and Livarot, absolutely whole and wholesome!
Normandy is also our main French apple orchard : some eating apples but the bulk (with over 225 different varieties) are apples for making cider ( “hard cider” some call it with a 4% alcoholic content) with nothing else added, all pure and good for you ! Much of this cider then undergoes a second distillation and boiling to produce the after dinner drink of Calvados!
All this food, drink and good things of life for you to come and share with us! Book us now by calling : 00 33 2 54 70 20 52 or emailing : office @france-tours.net
Normandy is also the very pleasant drive exploring of the coastal road from Rouen to Le Havre, Honfleur, Deauville, Trouville, Oestreham.
Not only do we cover the US Normandy Beaches but also the Canadian and British sectors starting in Arromanches to see the remnants of Mulberry Harbour B , followed by the Juno, Sword and Gold beaches north of Caen, itself entirely rebuilt after the war.
For the Catholics, but all other faiths as well, we can also take you to visit and attend mass at Lisieux in the huge basilica dedicated to Sainte Therese de Lisieux , a modern Saint and Doctor of the Church as she died in 1897.
In Normandy you’ll also have the pleasure of visiting the Mount St Michael (Mont St Michel) a truly amazing place sitting proudly on top of a granite plug in the heart of the huge sandy bay .
Mt St Michel is an outstanding set of clerical and religious buildings which began to be built in the 8th century and made bigger, better, grander over the course of the centuries. A visit is a must but beware there are a awful lot of stairs to reach the sanctuary!
Normandy is also Rouen, the cathedral town in which the English burnt Joan of Arc at the stake in 1431: hear all about it as I tell you the full story: do you want the French or the English version ?!?
Lots of nice shops, antiques and a very good Musée des Beaux Arts.
So if you want to visit Normandy with me, with all my accumulated knowledge of the important places , in the comfort of top of the range vehicles, with flexibility built into our programmes to allow more time to ponder, to shop,to eat and drink, to relax as well as driving around the many fine places to visit rush now to book us by calling : 00 33 2 54 70 20 or emailing : office@france-tours.com