Arromanches, Normandy

We left Paris early this morning to head for the Northern coast, to explore the historic locations that played such a key role in the Second World War. We were somewhat embarrassed by the fact that we knew so little about D-Day and Operation Overlord, but we were looking forward to immersing ourselves in the history and significance of it all. 

We stopped by a bakery when we reached the coast, and picked up some baguettes and pastries. We drove to a park near the beach and made sandwiches with meats and cheese that had been brought from Paris, followed by fresh pastries for dessert (Mom, I finally had an eclair, and it was delicious). 

We continued east along the coastal road until we arrived in Arromanches, the location of the D-Day invasion and the artificial port that the Allies ingeniously installed 2 kilometers offshore, which ultimately led to the liberation of France. 

We both found the museum at Arromanches to be engaging and informative, as they had both French and English guided tours and short films. We learned about the floating roadways that carried supplies, men, and vehicles to and from the floating port. We saw the 70,000 ton concrete structures that were towed from England to Arromanches (at 6 km/h!) to form the breakwater out beyond the makeshift port, many of which are still visible out at sea. 

This was a concept that had never been attempted before in history, and at its peak, the port was successfully transporting 20,000 tons per day. 

 

This is a model of the Arromanches Port that was installed by the Allies in the weeks after D-Day. Without it, the Allies had no way of getting men, supplies, or vehicles onto the land. 

In this next picture, you can see a caisson behind us - a massive structure made of concrete that was used to form the breakwater around the port. 

I think we can both confidently say that we have a much greater appreciation for  the efforts of the men and women who were both directly and indirectly involved in the D-Day operation and what followed. We can't help but think of our grandparents and the courage and bravery they must have had, in order to face these challenges. The allied forces would have required such incredible vision and patience, as it took well over a year to plan, prepare, and execute the D-Day invasion and subsequent artificial port building.  

 

We continued east along the coast to the American Cemetery and Memorial, in 

Colleville-sur-Mer, which contains over 9000 members of the American military, who lost their lives in the invasion of Normandy or other WWII operations. 

Our last stop was Point-du-Hoc, a 100 foot cliff, overlooking the English Channel, which was used by the Germans to watch for incoming Allied forces. On D-Day, brave soldiers scaled the cliffs and took out the German shelters and gun pits, allowing the rest of the Allied forces to carry out their plans. The landscape is still dotted with deep craters from all of the bombs that had pounded the area. 

  

After a quick stop at our hotel in Caen, we went to dinner with the Poulain family at Le P'tit B, a restaurant in an old 17th-century building, that clearly survived the destruction of the war. 

Everything on the menu sounded amazing. Ashleigh chose a caprese salad to start, an entree of scallops and vegetables, and an apple tart for dessert. I had salmon as my starter, duck as my main and chocolate cake with caramel ice cream for dessert. I'm already planning my detox running route for when we get home. Oh man. 

Tomorrow, we are going to the Juno Beach Museum, followed by a visit to the Canadian War Cemetery, and then back to Paris for a short sleep before our flight to Naples. 

Goodnight!