On another European Christmas market quest, I set off to France and Belgium. Upon deciding on France as one of the destinations, the Beaches of Normandy and paying my respects to the 9,387 US servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice was without hesitation added to the list.
December is off season and I was fortunate enough to have the “group” tour all to myself. I used the company https://www.ddaybattletours.com/shared-tours/. The tour guide was really nice and definitely knowledgeable. The itinerary includes stops at Sainte Mère Eglise, Utah Beach, Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, and the American National Cemetery.
Sainte Mere Eglise
On the day of the tour, I took the train to Normandy and the tour guide picked me up at the train station. The first stop is Sainte Mère Eglise. More importantly, this is the first town in Normandy that was liberated by American paratroopers.
One of the paratroopers is John Steele, who was with the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. His parachute got caught on the church’s spire and he hung there for two hours before being taken captive by German soldiers. The church still has a paratrooper hanging today in memory.
Utah Beach
The second stop on my Beaches of Normandy tour is Utah Beach. This beach is the westernmost beach out of the five landings zones (Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword). This specific assault was done by 4th infantry Division service members on June 6, 1944. The preserved German artillery guns can still be seen here.
Pointe du Hoc
The third stop is La Pointe du Hoc, a 114-foot cliff that overlooks the English Channel. The Army Rangers scaled the cliffs, a prominent position, in order to access and capture German gun positions. Seeing these cliffs in person and thinking about the troops having to scale them was heart breaking.
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the fourth stop. This beach includes bunkers, more artillery, and memorials honoring service members. These members are those of the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions as well as the Army Rangers.
American National Cemetery
We closed out the tour with visiting the American National Cemetery where I paid my respects to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. In conclusion, this is a somber yet eye-opening experience. I recommend anyone who goes to France to make the time for a trip to the Beaches of Normandy.
