Jour #8: Balade en Normandie

Days 5, 6 and 7 were a weekend and holiday, respectively, which brings us to day #8: our excursion to Normandy. This always feels like a special trip, between the bonding that happens amongst the American students, and the rich history and emotion that is felt in Normandy. It was a full day, but many cat naps were taken in between stops! For those of us who didn’t sleep, there were many a cow and apple tree to see out the bus window (Normandy is known for cheese and cidre, after all!)

We started our day at Pointe du Hoc, one of the most impressive sites amongst the landing beaches. The bomb craters and German bunkers are still as they were back in 1944, yet this is juxtaposed with a gorgeous view of the Atlantic and the neighboring cliffs.  From there, we went to Omaha beach, a vast, open space, totally unlike that of Pointe du Hoc, which Army Rangers struggled to get to by climbing cliffs with knives and makeshift ladders. Omaha Beach is perhaps most famous for its depiction in the opening scenes of the film, Saving Private Ryan. Every time I am there, I try to picture what it must have looked like with the floating harbors, tanks and German obstacles, coupled with the planes, parachutes and vessels in the distance. With children playing just down the beach, it is admittedly hard to imagine.

After Omaha, we visited the American National Cemetery, which for many, was the highlight. They were still cleaning up from the remembrance ceremonies last week, attended by many heads of state, so it was a little more hectic than usual. We had the unique pleasure of meeting WWII veteran, George Merz, a Kentucky native, who had arrived in Normandy last week for the ceremonies. At the age of 94, George still had a vibrant energy about him (see his thumbs up below), and the students were so fortunate to meet him.  With less and less WWII veterans among us, this was a special moment in a special place.

The final stop on our visit was the Mémorial de Caen. As our guide so aptly put it, it is not a museum about a war, it is a museum about maintaining peace. For me, this museum is a constant reminder that we must not forget the errors of those before us, and that we should strive for peace and acceptance, always.

From there, we checked into our hotel in Caen, a city that the students saw in the film at the museum. Unfortunately 80% of Caen was destroyed in the war, however, students got the opportunity to see some of the remaining original structures. After dinner, they took a nice walk through the old quarter, and even climbed to the top of the Château de Caen for a special view of the cathédrale.