Blogs from Caen, Lower Normandy, France, Europe

The trip continues and we move ever onward towards Christmas. The weather apart from the rain and wind of last night is being particularly kind to us . So where in the world is Gabby the motorhome? She left her quiet overnight spot and we drove the quiet empty roads to a massive parking area at the Battle of Normandy museum at Caen. We had a plan. Free to park, plenty of space , easy walking to the museum and then a bus ride into Caen. An overnight stop if we wanted it. All for free. We had made the plan to visit the museum as this year is the 75th anniversary of the D Day landings. Caen also had two magnificent abbeys - one built by William I for men and the other by his ... read more

Another peaceful night's sleep, with birds that awoke at a sensible hour too! The more we looked at the maps last night, and the info about the Dakota drop, the more convinced we became that we needed to be further South, nearer to Sanneville, if we wanted to see anything. So this morning, after a quick cup of tea and a wash, we headed for a picnic area right next to the drop zone shwnnon the website. Called at Hérouvillette aire again, hoping to fill up with water, but like the one we'd spent the night on, the borne needed jetons (metal tokens) which could only be bought from certain shops IN OTHER VILLAGES! One day all aires will have bornes which take plastic - but for the moment we'll just have to use our water ... read more

Caen is very different from Paris. Less hustle and bustle, everyone is really nice. First stop this morning was the laundrette. Easy, cheap and fast. While we waited had a coffee at the coffee shop next door. Asked for a latte and cappuccino- got one black coffee and one topped with sweetened whipped cream. Caen is a port city in the Normandy region. The Chateau de Caen is across the road from the laundrette and was built by William the Conqeror around 1060 prior to his invasion of England. He also built 2 great abbeys (men's abbey and women's abbey) which gave birth to the city of Caen and was the heart of the "Norman Empire" The chateau was destroyed in the French Revolution and then by the bombing in WWII. The remains of William's original ... read more

On June 6, 1944, the largest amphibious invasion of all time landed on the Normandy coast. The landings, codenamed Operation Neptune (as part of the larger operation to liberate France known as Operation Overlord), involved some 7000 ships, landed some 150,000 men (roughly half American and half from Commonwealth countries) with their immediate supplies, and included air cover by thousands of Allied fighters and bombers plus the transport aircraft that carried the paratroopers (the invasion was immediately preceded by the drop of the British 6th Airborne Division and the American 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions). By the end of the day, the Germans had suffered about 1000 casualties, while the Allies had suffered about 10,000 casualties, 4, 414 confirmed dead. The only woman to land on D-Day was Martha Gellhorn, a celebrated war journalist and at ... read more

Friday 22 May 2015 Seventy-one years ago the Allied armies were preparing to land at the Normandy beaches only a few kilometres from where we are staying. It is hard to believe the turmoil that would be unleashed on such beautiful countryside. Today the weather is fine, the fields have been planted in summer crops of grain, corn and broad beans. They look lush and sway in the light breeze. We wondered if this is how it would have looked all those years ago. Our destination today is the Caen Memorial Museum. We were greeted by a larger than life American sailor embracing a local girl, a sign of happiness and relief perhaps. Inside a very large bunker -like building we are greeted by a light welcoming feeling. Without any questions being asked we are charged ... read more