Bayeux and D-Day Beaches, Normandy, France

My sister and I drove from Champagne in north-east France to Normandy in north-west France. We stayed in lovely Bayeux, and visited the amazing Bayeux Tapestry. Then we spent a long day visiting various D-Day sites from WWII.

Bayeux Cathedral

Bayeux Cathedral, interior

British Military Cemetery, containing graves of 4,144 Commonwealth soldiers from WWII, including 17 Australian soldiers

Graves

Grave of an unknown soldier

Plaque

Grave of an Australian soldier

Church in Sainte-Mère-Église, with memorial to paratrooper John Steele, whose parachute caught on the spire (he pretended to be dead for 2 hours, before being captured by the Germans)

Close-up

I'm a MASSIVE fan of Band of Brothers, so I insisted we visit the paratroopers museum, at Dead Man's Corner in Saint-Côme-du-Mont (not far from Carentan)

Band of Brothers display, with memorabilia from Easy Company of the 101st Airborne division

Captain Dick Winters (RIP)

La Pointe du Hoc, a German battery near Omaha Beach, which was taken by US Rangers on D-Day

Omaha Beach, where US troops landed on D-Day (as depicted in Saving Private Ryan)

It's hard to imagine what it was like on 6 June 1944

Omaha Beach sign

American Cemetery, overlooking Omaha Beach

Graves

Memorial at the American Cemetery

Graves

Flag

Batterie de Longues-sur-Mer, a German battery overlooking Omaha and Gold beaches

Gold Beach at Arromanches-les-Bains, where British troops landed on D-Day, and site of the artificial Mulberry Harbour (remnants remain today)

Remnants of the Mulberry Harbour

Next: Granville, Mont Saint-Michel, and Saint-Malo, Normandy and Brittany, France…