Am thinking of a short break and a run down to the beaches anyone got any tips,will be my 1st time abroad so any advice welcome,would also be open to buddying up if anyone fancies it. Went on Bike Normandy £279 plus £75 single occupancy WTF!! for 2 nights 3days.
I have done the Normandy D day area a couple of times, its a fantastic area to visit, easily done over a long weekend. If you want to break the journey and stop for lunch/overnight I would recommend Honfleur (about 170 miles from Calais)it's a beautiful small French town with, inland Harbour, superb architecture and lots of Cafes for food/people watching. The main road bridge into Honfleur is a very impressive structure, don't get caught in any of the queues on the approach to the bridge as there is a special bike lane) However if you wanted to get straight to the D Day area Caen would be a good base. The options are either the autoroute's or taking the coast road is more fun, but will obviously take a lot longer. I would recommend a visit to the Museum at Pegasus Bridge (nr Caen) stopping for coffee at small cafe on the canal (as featured in the film D Day 6th June) the small museum opposite is also worth a visit, as is the bigger Airborne Museum a few miles away (you should allow a couple of hours here) Naturally you will want to visit the beaches, and the coast road will take you through many small villages, many of which have memorials, don't be surprised if you turn a corner a come face to face with the remains of a tank. When you get to Arromanche, you will see the remains of the Mulberry Harbour, an incredible feat of engineering, another Museum to visit opposite the Mulberry Harbour (I would allow at least at hour here). Not a lot more to see in the town, so I would then continue along the coast road to the US Memorial cemetery at Colleville sur Mer (Omaha beach) Over 9500 graves here, in its a very emotional place to visit, and brings home to you the total waste of life, that war is. You could do all of the above in a long day, but I would allow at least 2 days. Not sure when you are going, but I would avoid June
Will reply with more info. but one option to do it over a weekend is the overnight boat from Portsmouth to Cean or Le Harvre, then back on the Monday afternoon fast boat from CHerbourg to Portsmouth - think you need 3 days really as there is so much to see. I stayed at the town run campsite which worked great but masses of accom. options in area. Its also quite easy to combine with a trip to the Le Mans MotoGP if that is your thing
Was thinking of winging it a bit, Rotherham to Chunnel then seeing how far I get through France not booking any digs just find summat when I decide ive had enough do you think its possible to get from Rotherham to Caen in a day?
I live one hour from the chunnel mate. You'd be welcome to overnight at my place on the way there and back if the dates are good? Been to Normandy a few times. Pegasus bridge, Arromanches museums are great. The American cemetery at Omaha Beach is awesome and really had a big affect on me. Some fantastic roads in the area as well , just don't speed near the towns, especially Caen.
