Tips and suggestions for a Normandy 2009 trip.

sapper740 · #1 11-03-07, 16:41

I've finally received permission from the War Dep't. (my wife) to start planning a trip for the 65th anniversary of D Day. I've secretly been putting aside 5% of every paycheque into a savings account for a few months now and will continue to do so, openly, until our departure. I'm seeking tips and suggestions from those of you who have been to Normandy for a D Day event to make the best of this trip.
Here is my tentative itinerary:

Fly to London approx. 1 week before the event in order to see the IWM, Bovington, changing of the Guard etc.

thence to Normandy via Chunnel? ferry? LCAC? CMP? I'm hoping to hook up with a group that is travelling to Juno beach so as to be on the beach June 6th. I have a copy of Ken Ford's JUNO BEACH from the "Battle Zone Normandy" series and will use his book as a template for a tour of Bernieres, Courseulles, Graye-sur-mere, Pegasus bridge etc.

then on to Carpiquet and Caen, ending up in Paris.

After Paris I hope to follow the Canadian Army's drive through N.W.E. to Holland, with a stop in Arnhem.

I want to be as flexible as possible, with no hard and fast schedule, other than being on Juno Beach for June 6th. I'm considering renting a car for the trip. Would that be prohibitively expensive? Can a person rent a car in, say England and drive it throughout Europe? Would a Eurail pass be a better way to travel?
I understand that I should have hotel resevations for Normandy well in advance of the date, but for the rest of the trip would I have trouble finding a room in the rest of Europe without previous reservations?
How about cell phones? can I buy a Pre-paid minutes cell phone in Europe, or is that purely a N. American thing? Hope I don't sound too ignorant with all these questions, my previous experience in Europe was with the Canadian Forces and everything was taken care of for me.

I've talked to some of my American friends who have gone to D Day and they've told me to join a group such as the MVT as there are many good suggestions they offer their members for such a trip.

Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated and if any of my fellow MLUers living in Europe are interested in getting together for a pint/litre/flagon while I'm there, let me know. Thanks, Derek.

Hanno Spoelstra · #2 11-03-07, 17:28

Quote:

Originally posted by sapper740
I've talked to some of my American friends who have gone to D Day and they've told me to join a group such as the MVT as there are many good suggestions they offer their members for such a trip.

Derek,

I have not started planning for this trip but the suggestion to join a European group is a very good one. Sunray and I joined our British friends who had laid out the trip and planned camping etc. It was good company and a great trip.

Hanno

Barry Churcher · #3 11-03-07, 18:52

Derek, Brian Gough and I have gone with Dirk and Stefan Leegwater and then met up with the Dutch group KTR. Their campgrounds are right at Juno Beach so you can pretty well walk or bicycle all over Courseulles. Also there are lots of vehicles and the Dutch will give you a ride in anything you ask. There are usually a couple of events with KTR at Juno that only have Canadian vehicles, so that is kind of fun. Whichever group you hook up with I know you will have a great time.
Cheers,
Barry

Bruce MacMillan · #4 12-03-07, 02:07

A bunch of Western Command members made the trip over for the 2004 D-Day ceremonies. If you've never been it's probably the trip you want to make.

I would rent a car on the continent, at least the steering wheel is on the correct side! For visiting the museums around London the buses and the tube are best. Check out the Cabinet War Rooms and the new Churchill exhibit, quite good. The changing of the guard was a bit disappointing because if you didn't get there hours before and press your nose through the grate you didn't see much.

I took the Eurostar from Paris to London and would recommend it. The trip is less than 3 hours and you go from Gare Nord in Paris to the heart of London and vice versa. One quirk was that the ticket agent in Paris said to buy a return ticket as it's cheaper than a one-way ticket and she was right.

I was over last year as well for the "Voie de la Liberte" trip in July where we traced Patton's drive from Utah Beach to Bastogne. It was organized by the Belgian Military Vehicle Trust and a few other groups. We traveled with the Belgians and they were most helpful. I think you will find that comradeship with most any group over there. It's also nice having someone that can speak the local lingo. Some WC members had got together and purchased a jeep and a deuce & 1/2 which they used in 2004. It was stored in Belgium and we used them last year. The plan was to bring them back to Canada at sometime but they are still in Belgium so if not here by 2009 they might be available.

Like you, my war dept has given me the go ahead for the trip and there's ample time for planning. I wouldn't hesitate dropping an email to MVT, KTR or the BVMT and discuss your plans.

horsa · #5 12-03-07, 02:36

There are very nice campgrounds in Ranville which is between Pegasus Bridge and one of the main DZ/LZs used during D-Day in the British sector if you plan to camp.

Overall plans for camping and cars would depend on what you are really wanting to do but I'd say a car is essential to easily see everything in the Normandy region. You can use public transportation in the UK for that part of your trip. Catch the ferry at Portsmouth and cross to Sword Beach (Ouistreham) which has many affordable hotels within half a kilometer of the ferry landing. Do the crossing at night and get sleeper rooms so you don't waste a day and can save on a hotel at the same time. Bus in Ouistreham can get you to Caen where you can rent a car for the rest of the trip and turn it in when you plan to fly out.

You'll also want to read everything about the area that you can find so the little stuff will make more sense while there. You already know about Juno and Caen, read up on Pegasus Bridge, the Grand Bunker, Merville Battery, etc.

sapper740 · #6 12-03-07, 03:18

Quote:

Originally posted by Bruce MacMillan
A bunch of Western Command members made the trip over for the 2004 D-Day ceremonies. If you've never been it's probably the trip you want to make.

I was over last year as well for the "Voie de la Liberte" trip in July where we traced Patton's drive from Utah Beach to Bastogne. It was organized by the Belgian Military Vehicle Trust and a few other groups. We traveled with the Belgians and they were most helpful. I think you will find that comradeship with most any group over there. It's also nice having someone that can speak the local lingo. Some WC members had got together and purchased a jeep and a deuce & 1/2 which they used in 2004. It was stored in Belgium and we used them last year. The plan was to bring them back to Canada at sometime but they are still in Belgium so if not here by 2009 they might be available.

I read about your trip in Army Motors, you went with Ian McArthur and one other guy, correct? Ian and I were in the same Engineer unit in Abbotsford together and I'm a past member of Western Command.
Great info and tips from everybody, muchly appreciated! I'll start developing a relationship with some of the vehicle trusts over there and keep my ear to the ground over here in case there is a bunch of guys forming a Canadian unit for D Day 2009. In the meantime, keep the suggestions coming! Thanks all! Derek.

sapper740 · #7 12-03-07, 03:23

Quote:

Originally posted by horsa
There are very nice campgrounds in Ranville which is between Pegasus Bridge and one of the main DZ/LZs used during D-Day in the British sector if you plan to camp.

Overall plans for camping and cars would depend on what you are really wanting to do but I'd say a car is essential to easily see everything in the Normandy region. You can use public transportation in the UK for that part of your trip. Catch the ferry at Portsmouth and cross to Sword Beach (Ouistreham) which has many affordable hotels within half a kilometer of the ferry landing. Do the crossing at night and get sleeper rooms so you don't waste a day and can save on a hotel at the same time. Bus in Ouistreham can get you to Caen where you can rent a car for the rest of the trip and turn it in when you plan to fly out.

You'll also want to read everything about the area that you can find so the little stuff will make more sense while there. You already know about Juno and Caen, read up on Pegasus Bridge, the Grand Bunker, Merville Battery, etc.

Lots will depend on whether my wife wants to experience D Day or use that time to go to Scotland. I don't mind roughing it, she on the other hand is a total princess and a lot less than a pea will disturb her sleep! If she comes to Normandy, it will be hotels, if it's just me, the first tent with cold? beer will suffice. Looking forward to discussing this further with you Dave this weekend. Thanks, Derek.

Barry Churcher · #8 13-03-07, 01:54

There is lots to do in Normandy.

Believe it or not the old girl on the right wanted her photo taken with Brian.

It must be because they have the same hair.

Barry

Barry Churcher · #9 13-03-07, 02:02

Here is the missing photo.

sapper740 · #10 13-03-07, 02:08

Quote:

Originally posted by Barry Churcher
There is lots to do in Normandy. Believe it or not the old girl on the right wanted her photo taken with Brian. It must be because they have the same hair.
Barry

There used to be a M.V. collector in B.C. by the name of Brian Gough, I believe...are they one and the same? I never met him, although he was quite private about his collection. I used to use Jack White auto repairs in North Vancouver and once saw a Dodge Command car being restored there. Jack wouldn't tell me who is customer was as he was asked to keep the owner anonymous, but I heard it was Brian. One and the same?

zemsi · #11 14-03-07, 02:36

Good Day mates

I will be there too. My fourth visit to the Normandy. Would book a hotel or B&B as soon as you planned our tour.

Greetings from Corowa
Chris

Bruce MacMillan · #12 15-03-07, 02:04

There must have been a lot of Boche in the bars 'cause they were liberated quite frequently. There were four of us canucks there. The gent on the left served with Patton's army and the gent on the right works with the US army in Belgium. Derek, do you recognize Ian? This was a bar by the church in Ste Mere Eglise.

sapper740 · #13 15-03-07, 02:46

Quote:

Originally posted by Bruce MacMillan
There must have been a lot of Boche in the bars 'cause they were liberated quite frequently. There were four of us canucks there. The gent on the left served with Patton's army and the gent on the right works with the US army in Belgium. Derek, do you recognize Ian? This was a bar by the church in Ste Mere Eglise.

I spent a lot of time with Mac, in the field, on deployment, and with-in the unit so I'm not likely to forget his mug! Does he still whistle when he talks? LOL! He took a drop in rank when he moved to 192 AEF from 6 Field...to Sargent from Sargent-Major. I think it kind of galled him at first but Mac soon realized that his new unit was a very active one and ended up glad that he moved. The fellow to his left looks familiar...is that you?

Bruce MacMillan · #14 15-03-07, 03:19

The fellow to his left is Super Dave from Alberta. I'm the guy with the glasses (eye, not beer) second from left.

we have a WC meeting tonight so I will light the fire for 2009.

alleramilitaria · #15 15-03-07, 07:04

1. take the ferry, its cheaper and more fun.

2. get a rental car, make it a deisel. the deisel fuel costs only about $4.00 USD a gal.

3. hook up with sic and eric from belguim (will give you the e-mail). they normaly head the belguim group at the beaches.

4. stay away from the US sector on the 6th, see it on the 4th -5th. you will be locked down with probably 100,000 others and be trapped for the day. stay near the canadian and british beaches.

5. visit the smaller museums. sometimes they have much better stuff than the large "official" museums.

6. if you hit one gift shop, you have hit them all.

7. if you start at one end of the beaches, say point duhawk (the west) then you can kinda roll them all up on the way east.

8. stop at a general store and get water and snacks. or it will get real expensive real fast.

9. diep and dunkirk are not too far from normandy, but dont expect to see much there. diep is ok, but dunkirk is a modern port city without much history showing.

10. head to yepers as fast as you can after the 6th, you will be ahead of the flood of people bored with the beaches. there are monuments around there that make the most impressive D-day monuments look like small. the minin gate and aussie, brit, canadian and armored monuments are shocking.

11. if you go to mons there is a amall monument in the center of town that shows where the first AIF troops met the first german troops. its small but interesting.

12. after the WWI battlefields its about 4hrs or so to ninemagen, to arnherm road. with the bridge over the lower rine at the end. the museum there is one of the best in the world.

13. if you want any suvineers there are some great places to visit along the way (AMS militaria, the dumpstore, and others) that will let you walk through the store till you are out of money.

after that just turn around, thats germany and not much to see conserning the world wars.

i would love to come but im saving my money up for another downunder adventure, and i have done normandy 5 times. have fun
dave