An early morning of country driving along Normandy coastal routes brought us to the town of Ouistreham where the British landed at the sector called Sword Beach. Views of a lovely chateau along the way inspired French country living dreams in me for a moment. All that movers into perspective as we digested the experience of the sites.
On we travelled after visiting the monument at Sword Beach to the town of Courseulles-sur-mer where the Canadians landed at Juno Beach. By far the most educational and well built memorial site is tge Canadian pavilion at Juno. A quick stop at the cemetery rounded out our tribute to Canada’s effort in WWII .
We continued on the the hill above Arromanches on the Gold beach sector, where a new art installation commemorates the 75th anniversary of the “day that changed the world.”
Our final stop came at Omaha beach and the American cemetery which was completely packed and most impacted by the ceremonies as grand stands and tribunes were being broken down while we visited.
May the lives lost and the efforts exerted by the Allies never be in vain. Our lives today are made possible in all the diversity and freedom only because of all the grade men and women of our ancestors of the greatest generation.
In my humble opinion, nothing brings this reality into light quite like a visit to the grounds where operation overlord took place on June 6th 1944. I recommend it to everyone at least once in a lifetime.
Planet Travel Blog 
Nice to hear that so many turned out to remember this important part of our history
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