Destination Magazine # 3 D-DAY, FROM MEMORY TO EMOTION MONT & MARVELS 360 KM OF COASTLINE ON THE MOVE 1001 PATHWAYS WONDERS OF THE PENINSULA Reconstitution during the D-Day commemorations – Saint-Marie-du-Mont manche-tourism.com LA MANCHE MAGAZINE LA MANCHE MAGAZINE CONTENTS COTENTIN SAINT-LÔ AGGLO VILLEDIEU INTERCOM E8 BAY TOURIST OFFICE TOURIST OFFICE TOURIST OFFICE BRÉCEY 02 33 89 21 13 P. 4-11 ot-baieducotentin.fr ot-saintloagglo.fr ot-villedieu.fr tourisme.valdesee@ [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] msm-normandie.fr FROM MEMORY 02 33 61 05 69 D7 DUCEY-LES-CHÉRIS D-DAY 02 33 60 21 53 TO EMOTION tourisme.ducey@msm- TOURIST INFORMATION TOURIST INFORMATION E7 Open all the year round OFFICES OPEN ALL OFFICES normandie.fr THE YEAR ROUND E5 SAINT-LÔ E4 CARENTAN-LES-MARAIS Open all the year round C9 GENÊTS 02 33 71 23 50 02 14 29 00 17 GRANVILLE TERRE & 02 33 89 64 00 [email protected] MER tourisme.genets@msm- E5 HARAS NATIONAL DE TOURIST OFFICE normandie.fr P. 12-17 SAINT-LÔ - ECURIE N°5 tourisme-granville- Open in season C9 MONT SAINT-MICHEL D3 SAINTE-MÈRE-ÉGLISE 02 33 55 29 09 terre-mer.com 02 33 60 14 30 02 33 21 00 33 [email protected] tourisme.lemontsaintmichel@ [email protected] F6 TORIGNY-LES-VILLES 02 33 91 30 03 msm-normandie.fr Open all the year round 02 33 77 42 22 F9 MORTAIN-BOCAGE WEST COAST 02 33 59 19 74 CENTRAL MANCHE TOURIST INFORMATION tourisme.mortainbocage@ OFFICES msm-normandie.fr TOURISM COUTANCES TOURISM tourisme-cocm.fr C7 BREHAL tourisme-coutances.fr Open in season [email protected] THE BAY [email protected] C10 PONTORSON C8 CAROLLES 02.33.19.08.10 02 33 60 20 65 MONT & Open in season tourisme.pontorson@ MARVELS C7 DONVILLE LES BAINS msm-normandie.fr Open in season TOURIST INFORMATION C7 GRANVILLE OFFICES TOURIST INFORMATION Open all the year round E9 SAINT-HILAIRE-DU- OFFICES OPEN ALL HARCOUËT C5 C8 CRÉANCES THE YEAR ROUND JULLOUVILLE 02 33 79 38 88 Open in season Open in season tourisme.sthilaireduharcouet 02 33 45 05 71 C6 AGON-COUTAINVILLE @msm-normandie.fr C8 SAINT-PAIR-SUR-MER C4 LA HAYE Open in season Open all the year round 02 33 46 01 42 TOURIST OFFICE D10 SAINT-JAMES C6 BLAINVILLE-SUR-MER MONT SAINT-MICHEL 02 33 89 62 38 NORMANDY tourisme.saintjames@ D6 COUTANCES msm-normandie.fr C5 LESSAY ot-montsaintmichel.com Open all the year round C8 SAINT-JEAN-LE- P. 18-23 02 33 45 14 34 THOMAS THE D7 GAVRAY 02 33 70 90 71 tourisme.saintjeanlethomas@ C6 GOUVILLE-SUR-MER msm-normandie.fr D5 PÉRIERS TOURIST INFORMATION COAST Open in season OFFICES F8 SOURDEVAL C6 HAUTEVILLE-SUR-MER 02 33 47 82 57 OPEN ALL THE YEAR ROUND 02 33 79 35 61 360 KM tourisme.sourdeval@ msm-normandie.fr D9 AVRANCHES OF COASTLINE P. 24-27 02 33 58 00 22 C5 PIROU tourisme.avranches@ Open in season msm-normandie.fr 02 33 46 30 47 All the phone numbers are ON THE MOVE C5 SAINT-GERMAIN-SUR-AY indicated for calls from France. Open in season From abroad, dial 0033 instead of 1001 02 33 07 02 75 the first digit indicated. Example: to reach 02 33 05 98 70, PATHWAYS dial 0033 2 33 05 98 70 2 51 LA MANCHE MAGAZINE CONTENTS P. 28-33 OUR HERITAGE MARVELS OF THE PENINSULA P. 36-41 THE SEASONS ACTIVITIES WITH YOUR FAMILY P. 34 SPORTS ACTIVITY P. 35 PENINSULA OF P. 42-43 FOUR SEASONS OUR GASTRONOMY P. 46-47. EVENTS LA MANCHE 2019 IN SHORT P. 48 PRACTICAL P. 44-45 INFORMATION P. 49 SOUVENIRS MAP OF MADE IN LA MANCHE P. 50 TOURIST LA MANCHE OFFICES P. 51 3 LA MANCHE MAGAZINE EVENT Commemorations at Sainte-Mère-Eglise 4 LA MANCHE MAGAZINE EVENT D-DAY, FROM MEMORY TO EMOTION The duty to remember is everywhere, of course, but without losing sight of history or the emotions emerging when you follow the route to freedom. Let’s go! 5 LA MANCHE MAGAZINE D-DAY - 75th ANNIVERSARY FROM THE BEACHES TO THE LIBERATION THEY WERE BRITISH, the Hedgerows and Operation CANADIAN AND Cobra. The US offensive in July AMERICAN, AS WELL AS 1944 helped the Allies to make rapid progress in reconquering BELGIAN, DUTCH, POLISH, the country and to liberate Paris NORWEGIAN AND MANY in August. Operation Overlord OTHERS. involved five beaches, including one to the west of Baie des Veys. The Allies landed on the Normandy coast on 6 June 1944. SAINTE-MARIE-DU-MONT Many men were wounded or WAS RENAMED UTAH BEACH fell in attempting to pierce the FOR ALL TIME German defences. Some of the key episodes took place in La The first phase continued Manche and have stayed in the on the following days all the memory, such as the Battle of way to Sainte-Mère-Eglise. 6 LA MANCHE MAGAZINE D-DAY - 75th ANNIVERSARY The US troops were able to artillery bombardment, 3,000 establish a solid bridgehead. US bombers and 600 tanks went The second phase aimed to cut off into action, leading to a rapid the Cotentin area by advancing breakthrough on the road to towards Barneville, which had Avranches in 5 days. It was only been liberated on 18 June, and after the Battle of Mortain that then to attack Cherbourg from the last German soldiers left La the west on the 26th. The port had Manche on 15 August. The Allies been partially destroyed, but was closed the pincer movement soon operating again. It welcomed around the Germans in Normandy large tonnage ships transporting and opened up the route to Paris. troops and equipment. The third phase focused on taking Saint- Lô, the prefectural capital and a gateway town. The Americans only liberated it completely on 25 July. BATTLE OF THE HEDGEROWS In fact, the Allies were caught in the marshland and the bocage (woodland and pasture) areas. They initially made little headway and suffered heavy losses along a 40km front. Operation Cobra, which opened up the fourth phase, was begun on 25 July, along a front that was 9 kilometres long and 2 kilometres wide, between Saint- Lô and Périers. After an intense THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY From 6 June to the Liberation, immerse yourself in history: manche-tourism.com/history- battle-normandy 7 Utah Beach – Sainte-Marie-du-Mont LA MANCHE MAGAZINE D-DAY - 75th ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIONS THE DUTY OF MEMORY IN LA MANCHE, THE GMC truck or a half-track. THE MEMORY OF THE D-DAY But don't forget that the LANDINGS IS KEPT ALIVE passengers dressed in the original COMMEMORATIONS uniforms are getting together to You can see all the events WITH STRENGTH AND celebrate peace, too. During the organised in La Manche for the CONVICTION. events commemorating D-Day, 75th anniversary of the D-Day reconciliation, solidarity and Landings on the website A powerful homage is paid to friendship between all nations manche-tourism.com/d-day- the magnificent heroes who died are highlighted. in the fighting or survived to commemoration become worthy veterans. The celebration of D-Day and the Liberation is an occasion each year for festive gatherings recalling the popular jubilation that followed the victory. MANY COMMEMORATIONS, FESTIVITIES AND PERIOD DANCES ARE ORGANISED by the local authorities and enthusiastic associations from the end of spring and throughout the summer. So, when you are on holiday, don't be surprised to see an army Jeep, an American Saint-James US military cemetery Commemorations in the streets of Carentan 9 LA MANCHE MAGAZINE D-DAY - 75th ANNIVERSARY UTAH BEACH, SAINTE-MÈRE-EGLISE, CARENTAN... EXPERIENCE THE D-DAY LANDINGS AT SEVERAL MUSEUMS, photographs show the enormous HOMAGES INCLUDING THE UTAH military challenge represented ARE EVERYWHERE PRESENT BEACH LANDING MUSEUM, by the D-Day Landings. During IN LA MANCHE. THE AIRBORNE MUSEUM a total immersion in D-Day, you can even board a C47 plane As well as suggesting the IN SAINTE-MÈRE- and relive the minutes preceding strategic scope of the Allied ÉGLISE AND THE D-DAY the great parachute jump of campaign, the D-Day and the EXPERIENCE IN SAINT- the 101st Airborne Division. Battle of Normandy route CÔME-DU-MONT, YOU CAN This impressive three- is also a chance to understand IMMERSE YOURSELF IN dimensional simulation recalls the lived experience of local THE HEART OF HISTORY. the fear that needed to be inhabitants, who played a part overcome and the bravery in an unthinkable historic event, A whole host of objects, required from the sometimes despite themselves. It never fails uniforms, equipment, films and very young soldiers. to trigger emotions. 10 LA MANCHE MAGAZINE D-DAY - 75th ANNIVERSARY Utah Beach La Petite Chapelle in Mortain Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mère-Eglise WITH THE CHILDREN On the route to Enjoy the unique experience of a drive on board an authentic Willys Jeep from the Second World War in the places where FREEDOM the Battle of Normandy actually took place on 6 June 1944 normandyjeeptours.com WE LOVE IT! Immersive, moving and surprising: see all the D-Day sites and museums in La Manche: manche-tourism.com (Discover, D-Day in Normandy section) Notre Dame church in Saint-Lô, 50 % was destroyed during air raids in 1944 11 Crossing Mont Saint-Michel Bay MONT & MARVELS Your gaze is drawn to Mont Saint- Michel and then opens up towards the immense bay and the riches surrounding the architectural jewel Follow the guide..