Normandy: A Walk Through History

Early mornings and long days continued to be the theme of our Tour de France - today was no different.  We were fortunate to have planned a private tour focusing on the American role during the Allied invasion of Normandy.  Adding a contemporaneous twist, our day started in the commune of Sainte-Mére-Église, the area targeted five hours previous to the assault on the beaches of Normandy.

Omaha Beach

The quaint town of Saint-Mére-Église was a primary objective due to its important location relative to major roadways used for supplies and reinforcements.  One would think, with the meticulousness of wartime planning, all potential obstacles would have been accounted for.  However, unfavorable weather proved to wreak havoc on the campaign from the moment of inception.  Heavy cloud cover and chaotic winds caused an abundance of paratroopers to miss their drop zones.

"John Steele" inspired The Longest Day

Sniper bullet damage on fence

Further complications were compounded when a coincidental house fire in the middle of Saint-Mére-Église drew attention to the townspeople and Nazi soldiers. With the night sky ablaze, Allied paratroopers could easily be seen and marked by enemy troops.  Famously, paratrooper John Steele, successfully careened through enemy fire, however, his parachute caught a church spire and left him dangling from the steeple.  He played dead for two-hours to ensure his safety, but was later captured and taken prisoner.  Eventually, Steele miraculously escaped his captures and rejoined his regiment and the war - inspiration for the movie, The Longest Day.  A dummy paratrooper still hangs from the church and dents incurred by sniper fire can be felt on the fence opposite the square.  We continued our tour and drove east to the location of a strategic defensive position opposite the English Channel.

Battlement for heavy artillery

Hilly landscape provided by Allied bombardments

Pointe du Hoc

Pointe du Hoc is the site of a fortification built by the French during World War I to house their heavy artillery cannons.  Under Nazi control, the Germans used the battlement for the same purpose, however, heavy bombardments by the Allies forced the removal of the 155mm cannons.  As we walked the grounds and approached the precipice, the scars of battle were strewn across the landscape.  Skeletons of bunkers and casements could be seen protruding through the flesh-like grass which has grown over the cratered terrain decimated by bombardments.  If the plight of warfare wasn't tangible enough, our next stop was the site of the highest casualties incurred on June 6, 1944 - Omaha Beach.

Bunker destroyed by bombs

Memorial of U.S. Rangers at Pointe du Hoc

Model of Nazi 155m cannon

Unlike Saint-Mére-Église and Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach appeared unblemished by the destruction of warfare.  I don't speak for the lot of our group, but at first sight, Omaha Beach leaves a perplexing impression. War memorials for the Allied soldiers and their nations can be seen from the parking lot, but they are the only monuments commemorating a battle that saw so much death and carnage.  This five-mile stretch of beach changed the tides of World War II, yet the scars have been washed away by the ocean's ebb and flow.

Omaha Beach War Memorial

How Omaha Beach looks today

Our guide led us to the through the events of the Omaha operation, drawing lines in the sand representing the major sections of beach and their objectives.  Scenes from Saving Private Ryan came to mind and helped recreate the mayhem of the Allied landfall.  Standing in the exact location left a lasting impression.  The distance separating the Nazi defensive lines and the shoreline (often) exceeded 150 meters and was laden with the obstacles of the Atlantic Wall.  The imagination struggled to grasp the reality of such a horrifying and daunting task.  With little to no cover (many tanks failed to reach the beaches), heavily armed enemy combatants gunned down those who made it to shore.  With wave after wave of boats hitting the beach, the Allied forces were able to complete their mission, but not without casualties.

Normandy American Cemetery

Grave for an Unknown Soldier

Approximately 3,000 soldiers were killed or injured during the Omaha Beach invasion.  A staggering number, but the sacrifices made altered the course of the war and history.  To conclude our tour, we paid our respects to those who perished at the Normandy American Cemetery.


Lastly, the day ended with a drive to the final destination of our Tour de France, Honfleur.