Hi All, If we can settle on the date as being the week commencing Monday, 11th June 2018, where else would members lie to have included as locations to visit besides the A-6 ALG site? Thanks, Pat
I would like us to meet up earlier than the 11th, say the 8th of June. I'm currently in Normandy and following the 6th of June, there is hardly anybody around. I'd imagine it being the same next year since the 6th will be on a Wednesday. I would be already out for the commemorations so by bringing the date forward, I wouldn't have long to wait for you all to arrive. The gite I'm staying at on the outskirts of St Come du Mont is big. It officially sleeps ten but there are rooms downstairs which could accommodate another ten with camp beds. There are two kitchens, games room, swimming pool and a large lawn in the rear. Best of all, it's the location where pathfinders from 3/506 set up their beacons to guide the C-47's towards DZ D.
I'd love to go but will be there this year in August with a friend. If you are going to be there within a few days of 6 June then I'd recommend a stop by the book fair held in Tilly-sur-Seulles each year. Lots of new books on offer, second hand dealers (including some from the UK) and authors such as Georges Bernage. Hopefully by June next year my book will be out and you can all have an enlightening visit to the B.11 memorial next to the gun battery at Longues
Hello All, This sounds terrific. My days are flexible. This is my first trip to Normandy so, the suggestions and guidance to the area is much appreciated. I would like to visit the area where my father in law, Thomas J. Moore bought in his glider. I think this may have been to the NW of SME. This may be hard to do but, would it be possible to have a "notebook" with images/maps/aerials 1944, with the group during the visits to the points of interest? There may be too many to bring! Be Well Dave
Dave, I know I plan on bringing some photos and my external drive that has 1000's of various documents I have been collecting. If there is no longer a travel ban on laptops, I will bring my laptop too. Make sure, if you haven't done it already, that you download from the "Greenroom" the High Resolution Reconnaissance frames US30/4108 frame 1001 and 1002. They relate to your father-in-law Thomas J. Moore's location. What would be interesting is to do spend some time doing a electronic document swap with other members. I am sure I have some information collected that others will find useful. John
Definitely what I've been looking for. I've never known in what forum to propose the idea, but love it. Not sure I'd be able to devote a week, as my better half does like to see me when we vacation! We typically stay in a gite in Crouay, about 9km east of Bayeux. It's possible, but not probable that my lovely wife would agree to Delaunay Farm. I would certain drive in for the research days if we stayed away from the group. My latest plan had been to spend a week around Belleau Wood, with Melissa having a cooking class in Louviers. (Yes, that would be a lot of driving for me.) It's theoretically possible that we'd do both (one week in Louviers, one week in Crouay), though I might have to get really good at picking horse races for that to happen. Dave Navarre
Hi All, Okay, here are my thoughts on the posts which have been put up so far and based on my experience of bringing a group of 8 over back in July 2014...see thread here. I think we can work on the assumption that there will be a group of approximately 10; maybe a little more or a little less. Its probably a bit early for some people to commit and I would suspect there are some readers who are interested but not sure if they can go at this point in time. Also, the discussion here will generate interest as we progress matters. We do need to get a start date sorted though, so can we settle on Neil's suggested date of Friday, 8th June? If no one finds this date difficult to pencil in, then we will nail it in a day or so. I would suggest we establish a 'CP' gite/house for a core group and then find accommodation to take any over spill nearby. Here is a Google Map I put together for the 'Irish' Tour, which was geared towards a novice group touring for three days. Its just to give members an idea as to what is achievable for a given timescale. Hover over the map pins for location and click for site details. Incidentally, one member has already asked in a PM if spouses are welcome. The answer is absolutely yes! So if you want to bring along a family member, friend or whoever, please feel free to do so. I would suggest that the touring aspect is probably not suitable for younger kids and we will be a more 'focused' group looking at very specific sites which will, at times, involve visiting empty fields. That's not to say that we will try and accommodate as many of the 'regular' sites as possible. Regards, Pat
Pat, Just a quick question... Would the 8th be an arrival date meet and greet, with events / tours beginning on the 9th? I'm just trying to figure out my overnight flight and if I arrived that morning / afternoon would I miss anything? John p.s. (I guess it may not matter too much because Neil will already be on site, or have a location... right Neil?)
I think that's a good idea John, I pushed my guys right onto a three quarter day tour with Dale Booth on day one, but Dale was collecting us at the Cherbourg ferry terminal at 11:00am and most of that day's sites were on the run down to our accommodation. Regards, Pat
Hi All, Friday 8th June then is our start date and is, depending on people's arrival times, probably a 'Meet the Group' kinda day with nothing formal beyond getting settled into our accommodation... Which brings us onto the next step...where are we staying? I presume most of you are focusing on the American Airborne Sector? If such be the case, then can we have suggestions in that area please?...or perhaps a location more central to the five invasion beaches? I have no fixed ideas in this regard beyond having the group as close as possible to our morning start points for tours. Neil has suggested his favorite haunt here: Anyone any other suggestions? I think perhaps a small range of accommodation from gite to B&B in close proximity might work well - what do you guys think? Mark Bando has emailed to say he would be happy to merge his group with ours for part of our time in Normandy and has also kindly offered to give us suggestions in the organization of the event. We should have him here shortly... Regards, Pat
Hi All, It is my hope that we stay in the Airborne sector. We need lots of feedback on where to stay, but I found one useful website here: https://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/results/france/region:31/arrival:2018-06-08/departure:2018-06-18/@49.21855641684032,-1.6267136344140454,49.553787392313055,-1.1117295035546704,10z I trust the opinions of those who have stayed their before and if we are looking for a group facility where we can all stay, Neil Jones has recommended this place here: https://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/results/france/saint-come-du-mont/region:29423/arrival:2018-06-08/departure:2018-06-18#spu=trips-8162098-3454781 And Mark Bando likes to stay at ferm Delauney here: http://www.fermedelaunay.eu/index.html I would like to learn more about both places because they both seem like good fits for a group, but if Mark Bando already has a large group going, then maybe we don't want to infringe on his location unless there is room. We do need suggestions or feedback from those who have been in the area before. Also if someone is bringing a spouse and would like to have more private accommodations I found this small couples place just up the road from Neil's suggestion here: https://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/accommodation/p98118 Everyone please chime in with your ideas, and feel free to add your own links. John
So having returned from Normandy after spending nine days at Le Houlland farmhouse on the outskirts of St. Come du Mont, I can thoroughly recommend the place. The farmhouse has been renovated to a high standard. The place has two gites. The main farmhouse and then the converted stables is now a second gite. For the past two years I had been staying in the converted stables which has been wonderfully renovated. This year though we rented the larger farmhouse as we had guests staying with us. The farmhouse in a way is two houses joined together as a part of it was the old hay barn. Officially it has four bedrooms (x2 doubles and x2 with two singles), two bathrooms and two kitchens. The second living room has I believe is a sofa bed. The dining room is huge. I think it's where the cows were kept originally. The dining table can cater for eight but you could put another four tables easily in the room. That would be a great place to have maps out to study. There is a games room which is shared with the stable gite. There is a very nice pool table and table tennis. Outside to the rear is a huge expanse of terrace and lawn plus a very nice 15m swimming pool. The entire complex is very secure with an electronic gate accessed by a key code. The house is owned by an English couple who live in England and their odd job man is also English who lives near Chef du Pont. I think it would be ideal for our needs as a place for a Whitebeam get together.
Sounds to be exactly what we need Neil, Can we decide on this location folks? I'll leave this open for a couple of days just in case. Regards, Pat
Hi All, I like how this sounds and I would go with Neil's suggestion. It seems ideal. Neil, when you go next year before D-Day are you staying in the farmhouse, or one of the converted stables? I ask because if you are staying in the farmhouse, maybe you can just make your reservation for a longer time period to suit your groups need through D-Day, and then our expected arrival on the 8th. I don't know how long you plan to stay, but once you leave we could then take over the billing. How does the farmhouse rate work. Is it one fee per day no matter how large the group is, or is there a per person fee? John
I think my group's intention this year was for us to rent the stables for the D-Day week as there is only three of us going. I'll be staying on to meet up with you guys. I do believe it is one fee per day no matter the size of the group. I can check that with the owners. [hr] It is a one fee a day rental. So it looks like seven days would cost £1200.
Greetings all, I read this with great interest and the hope I could join this intrepid group next June. I have been on a Normandy "drive thro" once; historical sites limited to typical tourist attractions. This opportunity would be fantastic. I would like to visit "Charlie's Church" in Boissey and would make individual arrangements as necessary. I also hope my brother Jim will join me on the trip. Thank you to the previous travellers/"informed locals" for offering their valued opinions. Best regards, Ellen
Glad to hear you are back in Canada safe and sound Ellen! Don't forget the 'T' Junction as well for your tour - and hopefully we will have the railway embankment found by then as well! Guys and Gals, We need some idea now as to how many people are willing to share a gite and who would prefer to stay in a B&B. Please send a PM to either John or myself and let us know your preferred option. Thanks, Pat
Hi All, Just to keep everyone updated, Pat and I have reserved the large Farmhouse for the dates of June 7th thru June 17th, 2018. You can see the location here: https://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/accommodation/p8162098 The Farmhouse can sleep 8 to 10 or more, and will be a wonderful gathering place to start from should we carpool to locations, and it will be even better for evening group gatherings and discussions. I have not heard from anyone directly, but I do know that Charles Hobbs has expressed interest in staying with us. We need some idea as to how many people are willing to share the Farmhouse, or who would prefer to stay in a more private cottage. There are smaller private cottages rooms either at this location or many other locations throughout Normandy. Pat has a better idea on those who has expressed interest, so please send a PM to Pat and let him know your preferred housing option, or just post your interest. John