Category: France

Leaving Carentan

Today where are leaving Carentan and our lovely stay at the B&B . If you want to see the landing beaches and the Airborne landings this is one of the best options as you are in the center where the actions has been taking place. Nancy is running a great B&B and even makes her own bread, jam, yoghurt (I wonder what she does not make by her own). The rooms are great and large.

Carentan_bailey_bridge-wwii

Carentan bailey bridge

CarentanThe nature around Carentan is very nice especially if you like Oysters. One road you should drive during dusk is the small road to left side of the river Diver to the ‘Parc Naturel Regional des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin’. Just out of Carentan you cross a side arm of the river on a original Bailey bridge. At the end of the long road you can see the sun going down in the see.

In the harbor of Carentan lies an original Landing Craft (PA30-4).

carentan landing craft-wwii

Carentan landing craft

Off we go to Clecy near Caen (and the Falaise pocket)

Carentan, France, Normandy (D-Day) ,
Operation Deagoon

Marseille

M4A4 Sherman Tank Jeanne d'Arc Marseille
M4A4 Sherman Tank ‘Jeanne d’Arc’

Significant to the Allied cause in Europe was the capture of Marseille, France’s largest port, and the rapid rehabilitation of the Rhone valley rail and road network. Until the opening of Antwerp in December 1944, this supply route was to satisfy over one-third of the Allied logistical needs in northern France.

Marseille - Longchamp Palace with tank
A Sherman tank of the 2nd Cuirassiers,armoured regiment of the Algerian 3rd Infantry Division,
in front of the Longchamp Palace 
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South (op. Dragoon)

Cap Croisette

At Cap Croisette the Germans took over the French fort ‘ Napoleon’. Within this fort there where 4 138mm canons dating from 1910.  

Von Rundstedt visiting the fortifications of Cap Croisette

Croisette is a beautifull place at the end of teh coastal road from marseille. At the Cap there are several small islands en rocks have strange formations. It has a good strategic good point of view to watch out over the sea to protect the harbours of Marseille. Today there are several remains of the fort an one type H670 bunker.

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South (op. Dragoon)

Caen

The battle did not go as planned for the Allies, instead dragging on for two months, because German forces devoted most of their reserves to holding Caen, particularly their badly-needed armor reserves.The old city of Caen—with many buildings dating back to the Middle Ages—was largely destroyed by Allied bombing and the fighting. The reconstruction of Caen lasted until 1962. Today, little of the pre-war city remains.

Caen Cathredal

Caen st Georges
Caen st Etienne le Vieux
Normandy (D-Day) ,
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