The Normandy Experience

If you are planning a vacation in France I highly recommend taking the time to visit the sacred beaches of Normandy, or as they are known to the french the "Plages débarquement". A few hours drive from Paris, it is a point of pilgrimage for many veterans who have returned to pay homage to their fallen comrades or other reasons known only to them. They are a mélange of personalities and nationalities, as the Allied Forces who invaded Normandy on D-Day were Canadians, Austrailians, Brits and Americans among others. The long stretch of coastline from "Gold" and "Juno" beaches near Caen to"Utah" and "Omaha", the final resting place of over 10,000 American soldiers, has the energy of thousands of spectres-the screams of dying men in their youth seems to echo faintly in the sea air. One can imagine warships in the ocean beyond the breaking surf as one scans the blue horizon, and as one hikes up the grassy knolls of Omaha beach an abandoned German bunker brings to reality the suicide mission of advancing toward an enemy well entrenched. It is a sobering and emotional place to visit-one must be prepared to shed a tear! We happened upon a group of British veterans who, with their wives, were touring the Sacred Beaches that day. There was a chaplain who had accompanied them as they laid wreaths at the memorials erected at each of the plages débarquement, and prayed over the souls lost during the bloody battle that turned the ocean red. The women thoughtfully arrived with handfuls of red rose petals which they ceremoniously scattered in the incoming tide to signify the blood let by those who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. They were neatly dressed in navy blue blazers adorned with a special crest on the breast pocket, issued by the Crown to honor the spouses of veterans as is the custom in England. (It was a three kleenex moment.) The cemetary and memorial park at Omaha Beach is peaceful, beautiful, and thoughtfully planned. The more than 10,000 pristine white marble crosses-or Stars of David for the Jewish troops-extend as far as the eye can see and are nestled quietly in a park guarded by tall pines. Each state in the union is represented as you walk through row after row, reading the name of each individual, imagining their families and their lives back home in Kansas or Arizona or Tennessee. Sometimes one happens upon an unmarked grave, the body buried there unidentifyable but the sacrifice not forgotton. There is a stunning neo-classical sculpture welcoming the visitor at the point of entry, and a reflecting pool calm and serene as are the entire grounds. There is a museum worth experiencing, the highlight being a short film comprised of photographs accompanied by a narration of letters written by soldiers who would ultimately die on the beaches of France, heartbreakingly optimistic words of love to wives and mothers waiting far away at home and praying for their safe return. (another 3-4 kleenex affair-in fact I recommend having a mini pack of mouchoirs on hand for each person traveling in your group!) The experience is unforgetable, a must for history buffs and anyone who has an appreciation for those who serve in the military. And that's not all, Normandy is rich in history and beauty, and the medieval villages of Bayeux and Honfleur offer a breath of fresh air after an emotional afternoon at the Plages débarquement. The drive is pleasant as you wind through emerald green farmland and little villages, each possesing an ambiance uniquely it's own. I invite you to join me as I visit the Calvados region of Normandy in my next blog entitled, "The Normandy Experience, Part Deux". Bonne Journée!