Le Havre – Introduction
Le Havre is a city that has been rebuilt completely after WWII with a particular and special style. It’s so unique that it was put on the United Nation UNESCO World Heritage sites.
WWII
Le Havre Castle – Villa Maritime
Built: 1890Status: PrivateVisitable?: NoNotable: Visible from the beachWeb: – The Le Havre Villa Maritime has a colourful past. Built in 1890 for a wealthy woman, the Villa was sold and taken over several times. The Villa is located alongside the Le Havre Beach, accessible by the beach road and above. During World War II, the …
Le Tilleul Castle – Chateau de Frefosse
Chateau de Frefosse in Tilleul, Normandy (right next to Etretat) is one of my favourite castles. It’s almost a palace.
Le Treport – Introduction
Le Treport, in the most Northern part of Upper Normandy, is a small fishing town with many restaurants and one big attraction; their (free) funicular!
Les Sables-d’Olonne – Tips
Here is how to get to, where to go, what to see, where to eat and sleep in Les Sables-d’Olonne in the Pays de Loire on the West coast of France.
Lisieux – Introduction
Lisieux, in the lower part of Normandy, is an interesting and different kind of place to visit. It’s a very small city (or a very big town) with a population of some 22,000 inhabitants, but despite its relatively small size it contains an enormous basilica AND a big cathedral. Because of that, and the large population of …
Lorient – Flore Submarine Museum
The Flore submarine museum (a diesel submarine) in Lorient is located in the former German WWII submarine base, which includes 3 enormous submarine pens (which could host up to 30 submarines). Next to the 2nd German submarine pen (K2) you can immediately see the Flore submarine. This sub can be visited. You can see the …
Lorient – Introduction
Lorient in Brittany is not a place you want to visit for the beauty of the city, since it’s not. But the La Base is very interesting since it was the main submarine base of the Germans during WWII. There’s even a submarine you can visit.
Lorient – Submarine Museum
The Submarine museum (in French “Musee Sous-Marin“) is NOT a museum of submarines (for that you can visit the Flore submarine next door, click here to read more about it), but for a look at the life of the divers underwater. The most interesting part of this museum (a private and volunteer endeavour) is the …
Lorient – Tips
Transport Getting there Air: Lorient has an airport, but it does not offer international flights. The majority of domestic flights go to Paris or Lyon. From there you can transfer internationally. Click here to access the airport’s website (in English) Ferry: No international ferry operations can be found in Lorient. In fact, only a ferry …
Lyon – The Traboules – Secret Passageways
During the Middle Ages, Lyon had a flourishing silk trade. In order to allow the silk merchants to transfer their goods from barges in the river, or to and from their storage areas or shops, they had to walk through the narrow streets of the old Lyon (Vieux Lyon). On its own not a problem …
Marseille – Introduction
Marseille is France’s 2nd largest city in population (over 800,000 inhabitants in the city), and France’s biggest harbour. It is also one of the oldest dwellings in France, with cave painting found dating back 30,000 years BC. It doesn’t get any older than that. NOTE: Below you’ll find an impression of Marseille, but it’s far …
Montbard Castle
Built: 10th centuryStatus: PublicVisitable?: Yes (grounds for free, the castle including a tour guide for a fee)Notable: –Web: – Montbard is a small city of some 5500 inhabitants, a river and a big canal flowing through it and an incredible abbey close-by. It also has a castle perched high on the hill overlooking the city. The small …
Nantes – Introduction
Nantes is France’s 6th largest city with some 300,000 inhabitants and 950,000 in the metropolitan area, and it was once the capital of Brittany (that was in the 15th century). Although over the centuries it was part of the Brittany region, nowadays it is no longer considered as such, much to the displeasure of its …
Nantes – The Castle
The Duke of Brittany’s castle is located in Nantes and can be visited, partially for free, partially wby paying a fee.
Normandy – World War II Memorials – The Dieppe Raid
Dieppe is a city that was exposed early on to the WWII invasion when the Canadians attempted an invasion called the “Dieppe Raid“, also known as “Operation Jubilee“. It was a sort of “test case” to see if it could be done, and unfortunately, it cost a lot of lives; 1400 died and1946 were captured. …
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Normandy (Upper) – WWI and WWII Memorials and Remnants
Although the Lower part of Normandy saw the biggest brunt of the WWII battles, with D-Day and the immediate battles that followed, the Upper part of Normandy saw its fair share of fighting. And during WWI, it was one of the battlefronts. Therefore throughout Normandy, at almost any hamlet, village, town and city, you will …
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Omaha Beach Cemetery – Introduction
If there is one place in France where you are automatically silenced, it’s the Omaha beach cemetery. This is the place where US soldiers who died during the World War II D-Day are buried (not all of them, “just” 10,000). After the Allies liberated France (and the rest of Europe), the French government donated the …
Omaha Beach Cemetery – Tips
Transport Getting There Getting there is quite complicated unless you have a car or are on a tour. The closest motorway is the A13/E46 which brings you into Caen from Paris. From there you will need to take the secondary roads. You can drive up to Bayeux on a good road and from there …
Paluel Castle – Chateau de Janville
The beautiful Janville castle in Paluel, Normandy is located right next to a WWII R&R camp and airport (and a kilometer away from a nuclear reactor).
Pegasus Bridge Memorial and Museum
If there was one essential and strategic point during the invasion of Normandy, also known as D-Day, by the Allied troops, it would have been the capture of the two bridges in Benouville and the neighbouring Ranville. The two bridges were essential for the liberation of France and the rest of Europe. The operation was called …
Pointe Saint-Mathieu – Musee Memoires 39-45
The Museum of the 39-45 Memories in Pointe Saint-Mathieu, Brittany is housed in a big WWII bunker. The museum is well designed and easy to see items. It’s well explained and whole families will love it.
Pointe-Saint-Mathieu – Introduction
A lighthouse, a church, ruins of an abbey, a French Navy Observation post and a WWII Memorial museum at Pointe Saint-Mathieu in Brittany. Quite a place to visit.
Pont L’Eveque – Introduction
Pont L’Eveque in the Calvados region of Normandy is mostly know for two things; its epic 2-3 day battle just after D-Day in WWII and its cheese. But both things are no longer there; the WWII battle is over and done and the Pont L’Eveque cheese is no longer made here. But nevertheless, the village …