Normandy/Mont St Michel

This past weekend we headed to Normandy for two days. We left early Friday morning and boarded our bus that would take us up to Normandy. The trip is about 3.5 hours long. When we arrived in Normandy, the first thing we did was go to Pont du Hoc. The place where 225 men went to scale the side of a cliff to capture German guns but, by the time they reached the top, there were about 90 left and the guns were not there. This is one of the few places that has been left virtually untouched since June 8, 1944 in honor of the men who died. After visiting that place, we got back on the bus and ate our lunches while we traveled to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. This was probably the most emotional spot we went to all weekend. To see all the crosses and then walk down to Omaha beach where they landed was an experience hard to forget. We spent some time there just walking around and looking at the museum/watching a movie about some of the people burred there. From there, we headed to the Arromanches which are large concrete docks (the size of football fields) left in the ocean and on the beach still from when the American/British and Canadians landed on D-Day or (Jour-J). This was pretty crazy to see!

After that, we headed to the hostel where we would be spending the night. It was right on the beach! and had a pool! So, we went swimming right when we got there and then had some dinner (traditional French style) and then took a nice walk on the beach (some of us) and finished up the evening playing psychiatrist. The next morning we met for a traditional French breakfast (bread) and then headed out to the Pegasus Bridge.

The original bridge can be seen at the museum that they have there in memory of it. It was a great tour given by the museum curator, who was British, and then we were able to walk around the museum and look at the different things the soldiers used then. It was very fascinating.

From there we headed to Mont St. Michel, it was a bit of a bus ride, but passed quickly with the telling of stories and riddles and games. We stopped half way there for a picnic lunch at a gas station (not just any gas station, their highway gas stations here are decked out! Showers and everything!) We arrived at Mont St. Michel in the mid afternoon and spend several hours there. We were able to see the abbey and take and audio tour of that, it was amazingly beautiful! And, I am happy to say that I walked through some of the halls singing Ubi Carritas from choir in high school! It was a great time! Then we headed back to the bus and came back home. It was a great time! And I really enjoyed seeing everything!!