Geoff,
Returned yesterday from our second Group recce to Normandy in preparation for 2004. As Secretary of the Norfolk Military Vehicle Group I was 'fine tuning' our accommodation needs for 31 vehicles and 76 participants. We have secured substantial ferry discounts via P&O so first task was to establish our transit route from Cherbourg down to Litteau (on the Bayeux St. Lo road).
We started planning in August 2002 and that was not early enough. All of our previous or preferred accommodation sites as you say had already been gobbled up, so we made a physical first recce into the area in April this year. Have now secured a camp site with 'bring your own camp gear', pre-erected tents, chalets, and mobile homes + three bed and breakfast type accommodations in close proximity. Camp site will be our HQ as it has an all important bar! Believe me if you have not booked already it is going to be tight. When speaking to the Tourist information in Bayeux they had only one place left on their books for next June 6 week!
There is now a 'Normandie Memoire 60 Anniversaire' publication out which is issued by a Committee responsible for events. They also have a website on which they will update info. as available as some localities have not yet finalised their involvement, or things are changing.
Web address is:
www.normandiememoire.com
e-mail:
info@normandiememoire.com
During this trip we were also 'sowing the seeds' with localities and trying to establish our participation in events. Suffice to say we have got the grounding for a good full week of events which I will happily furnish when complete. On the negative side these are mainly events organised by the French locals for veterans or supporting official events but the current programme makes no reference to formal attendance events, hopefully attended by the correct level of royal family of approriate governments representation. However if the 50 anniversary is anything to go by the programme we are proposing will keep us clear of the areas that were 'no go areas' on the 6th. June.
We are quite nicely sited within an hour of any of the beaches and many of the more inland sites where the real battles for Normandy took place. I personally would not like to be part of the 'official MVT tour' based at Falaise who have significant distances to travel even to reach the extremity of the British sector! For those in the majority with American interests its a hike of 2 hours plus, even cross county, to reach any of the sector sites.
Ian