Chapter Twelve
Normandy is well served by crossings with Brittany Ferries (http://www.brittany-ferries.com” http://www.brittany-ferries.com) sailing from Portsmouth to Caen and Cherbourg. Both ports were key to the Allied invasion of France and still bear the scars of conflict. The former is the best option for those wishing to tour the landing beaches of SWORD, GOLD, JUNO and OMAHA as you actually come ashore in Ouistreham, opposite the Atlantic Wall Museum, and immediately find yourself on the D514 which runs parallel to many points of interest concerning the Atlantic Wall. Brittany Ferries also operate an overnight service between Poole and Cherbourg, which is ideal for touring the Cotentin Peninsula and the sites associated with UTAH Beach. From 2011, LD Lines (www.ldlines.co.uk) is also beginning a twice-daily service between Portsmouth and Le Havre, which is quicker.
Currently, there are no regular daily flights to Normandy from the UK though CityJet (www.cityjet.com) runs a service on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays between London City Airport and Deauville and Flybe (www.cityjet.com) flies three times a week during summer between Southampton and Cherbourg.
There is every conceivable type of accommodation available in Lower Normandy which is a popular holiday destination. I found www.normandie-tourisme.fr to be a useful source of information, while there are several specialist tour operators for those wishing to visit the main Atlantic Wall sites. Details of Leger Coach Holidays can be found at the web site www.visitbattlefields.co.uk, while there are different itineraries to be found at battlefield-breaks.com. Battlefield Tours also run guided tours to the Normandy Landing Beaches every year www.battlefieldtours.co.uk
When seeking more precise information about locations, eating places, etc. I’ve always found the local Office du Tourisme to be tremendously helpful. They are usually signposted and found on or near the high street and the larger towns usually have an English speaker on the staff.