Visiting D-Day beaches - and, when heading home: Ypres. Tips? Suggestions?

[thieuster]

Last year, my youngest and I went out and visited the Market Garden 'theatre of operations'. After all, that's only 15 miles from where I live. We did the 'tour' in May: landing zone, route of the advancing paratroopers (we used our bikes), Airborne Museum and the Commonwealth War Cemetary (more or less across the street from where the Museum is).

This Summer, I'll be taking my youngest on a trip to the D-Day beaches. Schools are closed mid-July and we have plenty of time to do the trip in that period. I suppose that Caen is the best spot to find a hotel and go from there (other suggestions are welcome, of course!).

Guided tours in English are no problem for my 15 y/o. My youngest is fluently in English (Canadian mom).

I had a look on the internet and found several guided tours, 2- and 3-day trips along the coast (again, with a guide on the spot) etc.

After the Normandy-trip, we'll be heading north again, along with the Belgian coastline. My idea is to take a detour to Ypres and Nieuwpoort as well. Again, suggestions for that are welcome!

Menno

[BillyCasper]

Take a look at the remnants of the Mullberry harbour at Arromanches. If you have Canadian connections maybe stop at Vimy on the way to Ypres. Vimy is the Canadian memorial and is high up so has views across the WW1 front and Loos battlefield.

For American history, the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc and cemetery at Coleville,

Perhaps the Bayeux tapestry, 1066 a major date in English history - when our geography. aristocracy, language, law, culture shifted from northern Europe to France.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PickleB]

Did you find this chap www.normandie-cottages.com/nbttours.html?

[ralphy]

As an alternative to Caen, we've stayed at Ouistreham whilst exploring the D-day area and found it to be a good base with Sword Beach on the doorstep.
R

[PickleB]

As for where to stay, I would have thought that anywhere in the area would provide a decent base. Maybe one of the coastal towns, Ouistreham to Grandcamp-Maisy, or even Bayoux?

There is a forum (in English) about all things WW2 that includes WW2 Battlefields Today..."If you're planning a battlefield tour, or have one to report on, start here." It is probably not quite what you're after, but it may be useful for some background information.

[MikeB687]

If it's a short visit to Ypres the Menin Gate ceremony is a must as is Tyne Cot Cemetery. There are lots of museums worth a visit but personally I would avoid the Cloth Hall, this is a good one https://www.passchendaele.be/

[MikeB687]

This might help too https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/...passchendaele/

[ralphy]

The D-day beaches are several hundred miles away from Ypres.

R

[Paneraiseeker]

I did the Band of Brothers tour a few years back. Had a great tour guide. I'll do out the name if you want

[thieuster]

The D-day beaches are several hundred miles away from Ypres.

R

Yes, but being Dutch and heading North, we have to / can choose that route back home.

Menno

EDIT: A quick check on Maps.Google shows that the coastal route is 34 mins longer than the suggested inland (more eastern) route.

[David_D]

Can’t believe no one has mentioned Pegasus Bridge!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegasus_Bridge

[Mr Curta]

La Coupole near Saint-Omer is pretty interesting and could be included on the route back. https://www.lacoupole-france.co.uk

[ralphy]

Can’t believe no one has mentioned Pegasus Bridge!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegasus_Bridge

There's so much to see in the area that the list is very long. I've done several trips and there's still more I want to visit, spent two days just looking around the Falaise Pocket and still haven't seen all there is.


















R

[ralphy]

Yes, but being Dutch and heading North, we have to / can choose that route back home.

Menno

EDIT: A quick check on Maps.Google shows that the coastal route is 34 mins longer than the suggested inland (more eastern) route.

My apologies, Menno: I completely missed your reference to Ypres in your thread title.

Having said that, for myself there's so much WWI history that I've always kept it separate from WWII tours.

R

[Pretzel]

If you are in the area of Sainte-Mere-Eglise, have a coffee in the square while looking at the church where John Steele found himself, there is still a parachute on the church roof celebrating the event and the visitors book makes for interesting reading.

https://www.normandyamericanheroes.c...er-john-steele

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Steele_(paratrooper)

We go across the channel every year and always try to include a German Cemetery in our visits. They are very different and obviously teutonic with black granite gravestones and one at La Came is worth a visit. Note the inscription as you enter which states that 'it is a graveyard for soldiers not all of whom had chosen either the cause or the fight'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Cam...n_war_cemetery

When in Ypres its worth making the short journey out to Poperinge and a visit to Talbot House (Toc H), sit in the garden and take in the history and atmosphere and then enjoy a cup of proper English tea prepared by the volunteers who look after this wonderful place.

http://www.greatwar.co.uk/ypres-sali...lbot-house.htm

Enjoy your trip

[mjrennie]

Ypres is a lovely place. Tyne Cot is a must as is the Menin Gate 8 o'clock ceremony. Hill 60 and Caterpillar Crater also interesting. A lot of history in that area, a lot. Grab a beer in the bars in the square around the Cloth Hall, it's lovely.

[Wimm]

I spent quite a few holidays mooching around Normandy when I was growing up. The two museums which stick in my mind are the one at Arromanches and the one at Pegasus Bridge. But there are plenty of other things to see around there too. I'm not sure if you still can but at the time you could climb over remnants of the Atlantic Wall at various beaches. Just visiting the beaches a d imagining what it was like was quite an experience too.

This museum is a little gem too, dedicated to a single action:

http://www.batterie-merville.com/the-museum/?lang=en


Tapatapatapatapatalk

[Griswold]

Lots of great recommendations above and I'd endorse all of them.

In addition, if you go to Ypres area, I can heartily recommend a visit to the German Cemetery at Langemark, about 5 kilometres from Ypres. The central area, no larger than a tennis court containing the remains of 25,000 German soldiers, is mind-blowing; as is the anteroom to the right, comomorating the Studentenfriedhof, (Student Cemetery), with the names of German music students who were killed in the battle of Langemark, being sent into battle with no weapons at all.

An opportunity to see the stark difference between the Allied and German war cemeteries.

[oldoakknives]

La Coupole near Saint-Omer is pretty interesting and could be included on the route back. https://www.lacoupole-france.co.uk

Can second this, a very interesting place. And Saint-Omer itself is a jewel of a place. Lovely square and restaurants around it. On a summers evening wine and beer and good food it's worth staying there a night.

[pacifichrono]

A helmet might be a wise choice of headgear (you never know!).

[cbh]

The Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, just above Omaha Beach is an absolute must.

https://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries-memo...rican-cemetery

[mjc1216]

Probably out of your way but did Bastogne and Ypres in 2015 and most of the suggestions have been mentioned.

The new museum only open in 2015 in Bastogne and is worth a visit.

Another plus for Tyne Cot.



Tyne Cot

[PickleB]

How about a map? See...Michelin Historical Maps.

There is also a Michelin Road Atlas: Cemeteries and Memorials in Belgium and Northern France (see link for info).