Arromanches, July 10

Monday, July 10
Arromanches, France

Today we took off on a 36-mile round trip (23 miles for me) to Arromanches, a coastal town that played a vital role in the D-Day landings. More... We passed through some very picturesque countryside. It drizzled earlier this morning, but it had stopped by the time we got out on the roads. It made the pavement a little wet, but it also brought out the fragrance of the wheat, barley, linen, beet, and canola fields we passed in the rolling countryside. We also saw some Norman churches in the country villages, with their characteristic massively thick walls and towers.

Arromanches is one of two sites where the British built temporary artificial ports in June 1944, after the Allies successfully held the beachheads following D-Day, so they could unload the supplies and troops needed for the invasion. One, called Mulberry A, was farther west at Omaha Beach, but it was destroyed by a storm. The one on Gold Beach at Arromanches, called Mulberry B, was more protected and survived to see heavy use for the next 8 months. It was used to land over 2.5 million men, 500,000 vehicles, and 4 million tons of supplies. All that remains of the harbor today are some huge concrete blocks, which you can still see on the beach at low tide, with more farther out at sea.

Mulberry B in October 1944, also known as "Port Winston" because Winston Churchill originated the idea of building portable harbors in Normandy.

Part of the remains of the harbor today

After seeing the remains of the harbor, we bought tickets for the Arromanches 360 Cinema, which features 9 screens surrounding the audience in a 360-degree circle. Here, we saw a fascinating movie called “100 Days of Normandy,” which used both wartime footage and modern images to portray the Nazi invasion of France, the D-Day landings, the Battle of Normandy, and finally the liberation.

This film moved me to tears. It was horrifying to see footage of Nazis strutting down the Champs-Elysées while weeping French citizens watched, and soldiers’ bodies scattered on the sand as they fought to secure the beachheads. Standing in the theater surrounded on all sides by these images makes you feel you are right in the middle of it, experiencing it as it happens.

We also visited the D-Day Museum in Arromanches, which uses animated 3D scale models, photographs, and film archives to give you a detailed look into how the artificial harbors were constructed and how they worked.

Gary and I had lunch with Tim and Peggy at a bistro called the Brasserie D’en Face (“The Opposite Brewery”?), where we had the local specialty, mussels and fries (moules et frites). Then I caught a ride back to Bayeux in the van with Sophie while the rest of the group cycled back. I used the time waiting for Gary to wash out my cycling clothes in the hotel shower and hang them up to dry. We each brought three sets of cycling kits, so that we can have one to wear, one spare, and one in the wash.

After Gary got back, we went to see the Bayeux Tapestry. This is a 230-foot-long linen cloth embroidered in colorful wool thread with about 50 scenes depicting the events leading up to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. This is when William the Conqueror invaded England, overthrew King Harold, and became the first Norman king of England. The tapestry is essentially a piece of medieval propaganda explaining why Normandy was justified in invading England, told in images to educate a mostly illiterate population.

The cloth is preserved and displayed in a circular glass case, so that you can walk around it and view it in its entirety. Our admission price included an excellent audio guide that explained each scene in the cloth as you approached it. The French legend is that the cloth was commissioned by King William’s wife, Queen Matilda. But most experts think it was actually commissioned by William’s half-brother, Bishop Odo, because it was found in the Bayeux Cathedral which he built. Since the cathedral was completed in 1077, that means the tapestry is probably more than 900 years old!

We also went by the Bayeux War Cemetery, which is the largest World War II cemetery of British Commonwealth soldiers in France. Most of those buried there were killed during the Battle of Normandy. It contains a total of 4,648 graves, including 3,935 British soldiers and 466 Germans. Sophie had explained to us earlier why there are soldiers from both sides interred here. She said it’s a tradition of Commonwealth nations, because they believe that once your enemy is dead, he is no longer your enemy.

Later on, the six of us had another great meal at Le Pommier (“The Apple Tree”), one of Bayeux’s best restaurants that Sophie and Adel recommended. I had foie gras with figs and bread; baked sea bass in ginger and caramel sauce with quinoa and rice; and chocolate profiteroles for dessert. I know I’m going to have to go on a diet as soon as I get home, but for now I can’t resist. What’s the point of going to France if you’re not going to enjoy the food, right?