The Beaches of Normandy

Last weekend we took the kids out of school at noon and drove to Northwest France - to the Atlantic coast. We don't pull the kids out of school without thought but given our imminent return to the US we need to see and experience as much as possible in the time we have left. It was a fairly long drive - about seven hours. Our hotel was in a small harbor town called Deauville. On Saturday morning we set out along the Atlantic coast. We followed the coast from Sword Beach to Utah Beach. All along this route you find memorials, monuments, pieces of equipment used in the Allied invasion on June 6, 1944.

We crossed the River Orne/Caen Canal over Pegasus Bridge. This sight was the eastern boarder of the Allied invasion. Securing this bridge was crucial because it prevented a German counter attack from rolling up the invasion force. Pegasus was secured by an initial assault team of 181 men just past midnight on June 6, 1944. The bridge was up when we arrived. We had to wait for it to be lowered so we could cross.

This is Juno Beach - just west of Sword Beach. Gold, Juno and Sword Beaches were primarily sites where British, Canadian, Australian and Scottish forces landed.

Farther west they were wind surfing on Juno Beach.

These are German bunkers.

Looking west towards Omaha Beach.

These metal spikes were all along the beach. They were submerged during high tide and were placed there by the Germans to puncture boats attempting to land.

This is the front of one of the landing boats - the front that swung forward when the boats landed so the men could quickly exit the boat and run to the beach.

This is Omaha Beach and the Normandy American Cemetery.

The cemetery overlooks Omaha beach. 9387 service men and women are buried here. 307 of them are Unknowns.

The cemetery also honors 1557 Missing in the region.

Driving toward Utah Beach there are many more monuments and memorials.

This moveable bridge was used to unload and transport tanks and other equipment after the beaches were secured.

At Utah Beach is the Pointe du Hoc Federal Monument. It was erected by the French to honor the soldiers that scaled this huge cliff. It sits on the edge of a cliff surrounded by a 30-acre region that is full of bomb craters, bunkers, etc. It is much as it was when it was left by the Germans on June 8, 1944.

Looking toward Omaha Beach from Utah beach...

The Pointe du Hoc Monument.

A view of the western part of Utah Beach.

A view of Omaha Beach from Utah Beach.

This is a statue erected for peace.

We were all struck by the beauty of the Normandy Beaches - in spite of the scars and remnants of the death and destruction that took place there - it is a truly beautiful and surprisingly peaceful place.

We are so fortunate to have had the opportunity to come here. This was one of the places on our list of "must sees". It is worth the visit!