Normandy Beaches visit report

Area Discussion North East Midlands
1

12 - 14 November 2024 (Mid week)

Summary

  • 3 Day trip - Day1 to Caen, Day 2 Beaches, Day 3 Return Caen to Nottingham)
  • Visited all Landing Beaches (+ 2 cemeteries) - Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno & Sword
  • Milage 1,035 (Nottingham Return)
  • Ferry DFDS (Dover / Calais / Dover)
  • Accommodation - 2 night IBIS Budget (West side of CAEN)
  • Used Peage Toll roads Calais - Caen return (130kph)
  • Out of season - Normandy roads and car parks empty! But also most cafe/restaurants at beaches closed. Ferries almost empty so travelled on next one each time.
  • Sunny with onshore breeze - so roof down almost all time

Planning -
Go (and bookings) decision day before (13 Nov 2024). Sunny weather forecast for whole trip for all locations.
Google maps (Nottingham - Caen return)
Motorcycle routes for Visiting Normandy Beaches (Inland Caen to Utah and then back along coast road - all beaches West to East)

Costs (1 Person) -
Fuel - £236 (Premium E5) = £22.83 / 100 miles
Hotel - 2 nights £106
Ferry Return - £167
Tolls (Inc Dartford crossings £2.50) £48
Food - £80

Total £637

Highlights -
As a 80th anniversary year all monuments / cemeteries in pristine condition (Tanks etc freshly painted).
German Gun emplacements inland from Coast.
Beaches has strong onshore breeze and surf so it was easy to imagine the landing difficulties back in 1944.
Mulberry Harbour at Arromanches.

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Sounds like my kind of trip, decision at the drop of a hat, look forward to a time when I can do something similar.

Hard to imagine what those involved went through back in those days, let alone back in the '14 - '18 war, we should never forget how blessed we have been for most of the last 80 years thanks to those who bravely fought and in too many cases gave their lives for the cause.

Meantime planing on doing the 1955 Mille Miglia route in April as a personal tribute to Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinsons epic win on board their Mercedes Benz in a smidge over ten hours.

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Nice one, do want to go there however it will require a little more pre-planning from up here :slight_smile: :smiley:

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