The title to this entry is in honor of the unknown soldiers buried in the American Cemetery in Normandy. 

 We all woke to birds chirping and sunshine, after a quiet night on the Normandy Coast. After a car day yesterday, today was also filled with car time, but also was full of history.   All four of us had been looking forward to Mylene's breakfast, and it didn’t disappoint.   We arrived to the breakfast room, with a table full of croissants, home-made jams, fresh butter, local apple juice and lavender honey.   Granade made herself comfortable next to Kim, while we enjoyed our breakfast.

Our itinerary started out with the 360 movie a few miles down the road at Arromonches. It is a surround-sound movie on 9 screens that has amazing footage of the D-Day Landing. It is a jarring remembrance of all that went on before, during and after June 6th 1944 when over 1000 died in the first 24 hours.   It is emotional for everyone seeing it, and even more so, when you walk outside to the peaceful bluffs overlooking the ocean and the farmlands with cows grazing in the background.  It is hard to imagine the chaos, destruction and deaths that occurred on the ground we were walking.

From there, we traveled another 30 minutes down the coast to the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha beach, the main beach where the Americans landed.   Here, there is an excellent visitor’s center with several short movies about various aspects of the landings. From a profile of a young man from the farms of Wisconsin to Dwight Eisenhower visiting the troops the night before the assault, it shows the reality of the war.  As you exit, you walk through a stark, cement hallway where the names of those who died during the first 100 days of the landing are being read.

Outside the Visitor’s Center, there are paths to the beach and a sea of 10,000 white crosses where those who never made it back to the US are buried.   It is immaculately manicured and as the rest of the surroundings, a very peaceful place that is in stark contrast to the reality of the summer of 1944.

Our next stop was Mont St Michel, which was a 1.5 hour drive south. It is a huge church, built on a rocky spit, which is surrounded by water when the tides come in.  Our GPS again took us via some very scenic backroads and finally onto the freeway where we made some good time.  

The parking area for the Mont has been relocated about a mile away, where you have to catch a bus. Even though it was late in the afternoon, the bus was packed with tourists which made for a very uncomfortable and hot 10 minute trip.   However, I will admit, it was worth it to see the natural flow of water now present around the Mont, where parking lots use to be.

Walking through the small ancient alleys, past souvenir shops, restaurants and small hotels, we made it to the entrance of the Abbey. I left Kim, Ken and Aimee to the Abbey tour, as I had been there, done that. I found a comfy place to sit, watch people and have a glass of wine while they climbed stairs, more stairs and even more stairs and visited the stark church.   It is worth doing once, as it is a marvel to think it was built in around the year 600…I mean really…how did they do it with none of the technology we have today?

The trio made it down safely, although knees were hurting due to all of the stairs, both up and down. We found the bus waiting for us and braved the cramped ride back to the parking lot. Ken was now ready for dinner, and had his mind set on Moules and Frites. Mussels and French Fries. So, we went back to Arrmonches, the little town were we started the day at the 360 movie.   There was a wonderful bistro overlooking the ocean, where Ken was happy as they had his moules! Kim, Aimee and I were happy as we had some wonderful food, great wine and view of the ocean.   After we ordered, Kim went out to dip her toe (ok her hand) in the Atlantic….it was a great end to a busy day!