THE NORMANDY AND WESTERN FRONT SERIES, DAY 7&8
CAEN – PEGASUS – MERVILLE – ETRETAT – DEAUVILLE – HONFLEUR – ROUEN
The best viewpoint, museum & cafe in France. After listening to a fellow throw up outside my hotel room, I finally made it to sleep for a decent kip before the best museum in Normandy I have been to.
I REFUSED TO BELIEVE THE LADY WE MET YESTERDAY SAID WE NEEDED AT LEAST HALF A DAY AT THIS MUSEUM…SHE WAS RIGHT.
If you can only visit one museum during your time here, then visit the Caen Memorial Museum. It is incredibly huge.
WHERE IS ROUEN?
Rouen
CAEN MEMORIAL MUSEUM
The Caen museum covers everything from the period just after World War I to the 90s, including the Cold War. It also covers the Holocaust in great detail and is only bettered by the Holocaust Museum in DC. The museum can be accompanied by an audio guide or accessed via QR codes on your phone if you sign up.
DAY 7 DAILY INFO….
- HOTEL – Brit Hôtel privilège Deauville Sud 7/10
- RESTAURANT – L’Etoile 8.5/10
- ATTRACTIONS –
Caen Memorial Museum 8.5/10
Pegasus Memorial Museum 6.5/10
Pegasus Bridge 8/10
Cafe Gondree
Merville Gun Battery 8.5/10
Pointe de la Courtine 8.5/10
Deauville
DAY 8 DAILY INFO….
- HOTEL – Best Western Plus 8/10
- RESTAURANT – Les Maraichers 8/10
- ATTRACTIONS –
Honfluer
Le Gros Horloge 5/10
Rouen Cathedral 7/10
PEGASUS MEMORIAL & BRIDGE
One of the most important pre-battles of the D-Day landings took place here. Around 180 Royal Engineers flew in to take control of this town and bridge. It was vital that the bridge remained intact, as the Germans had explosives set up, but the element of surprise prevented them from detonating them.
The bridge has since been replaced, but the original is within the grounds of the nearby museum. Although it is not the most exciting museum, it is still worth visiting to see the bridge and replica gliders.
DAILY TRAVEL STATS….
- Steps – 11,700 & 12,200
- Miles covered – 182.3 miles
CAFE GONDREE
Famous for being the first building to be liberated by the Allies, Cafe Gondree is now the busiest cafe this side of Paris. The young lady, who was only five when the Germans took it from her family, still owns it and works at the front desk to this day—relentlessly! I asked her, “Still working?” to which she replied, “You have to.”
MERVILLE GUN BATTERY
France isn’t short of gun emplacements, but most of them offer something different. Some, however, provide truly unique experiences, and nowhere more so than here.
Merville Gun Battery is more like a museum, similar to Azeville in the value it offers. Several pillboxes have been fitted out with weapons, supplies, and demonstrations for visitors to watch. However, the highlight is undoubtedly the full immersive experience at the final pillbox.
Here, you can experience the battle from the German point of view — hearing, seeing, smelling, and feeling what it was like while defending against a heavy attack. It is an incredible show and absolutely worth visiting.
RELATED READ: THE WORLD’S HIGHEST TOWER CLIMB
POINTE DE LA COURTINE
Our final stop was a three-hour round trip to the small town of Étretat, all for a viewpoint. And honestly, it was worth every mile and wrong turn taken.
If you love beaches, cliffs, and dunes, then this little gem has no doubt appeared on your Instagram feed. After taking my parents this far off the beaten path, my dad still asked for a picture at the nearby golf course!
DEAUVILLE
Tonight we stayed in Deauville, and our hotel, Brit Hôtel Privilège Deauville Sud, appeared to be in yet another industrial estate 🤣. However, dinner at L’Etoile was once again on another level. Shout out to mum for not picking a bad restaurant yet!
DAY 8
After hearing complaints all week, I finally relented and gave the parents a lie-in. They may rarely go to bed early, but they definitely prefer getting up after 8 a.m. They love their lie-ins like they love their tea, scones and wine…every morning!!!
HONFLEUR
We made a quick stop in Honfleur, a quaint seaside marina town just across from Le Havre. It is clearly a tourist hotspot, packed with cafes, restaurants, and souvenir shops lining the harbor.
ROUEN
Rouen is of a similar ilk, but its history goes back as far as the famous heroine Joan D’Arc. She was tried by the British and burned at the stake. Her cross stands in the main square as a constant reminder of her efforts.
LE GROS HORLOGE & CATHEDRAL
Not wanting to get sidetracked on other history lessons, we kept things brief here. An audio tour of the Clock tower and a visit to the cathedral were as exciting as it got but both were still very worthwhile. A semi-busy day was exactly what the doctor ordered.
SUMMED UP….
- HIGHLIGHT – Pegasus Bridge or Caen Memorial if you have a spare 12 hours
- MVP – The waiters at L’Etoile
Insider Tips
- Arrive early at the Caen Memorial Museum because it takes much longer to explore than expected.
- Carry comfortable walking shoes, especially for Étretat’s cliff viewpoints and long museum visits.
- Don’t skip the immersive experience at Merville Gun Battery — it is the highlight of the attraction.
- Cafe Gondree gets busy quickly, so visiting during quieter hours gives a better experience.
- Keep extra travel time for Normandy road trips because wrong turns often lead to hidden gems.
FINAL THOUGHTS
We have now finished the Normandy leg of our trip, and it exceeded all expectations. From good omelets to people being sick outside my hotel room, it had it all, and long may it continue!!!
NEXT UP
Checking out the Battle of the Somme, one of the worst battles the world has seen!! Would it be bad to say I can’t wait? Click to read.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
152/229
This post was part of The Normandy & Western Front Series. For episode 1 click here or to see the entire series click here.
To see a different side of my trip head to my social channels; YouTube, Instagram & TikTok. Links at top of the page.
Question Time
- Have you seen this viewpoint in Instagram?
- Have you visited Honfleur?
- Do you prefer an intense holiday or chilled?
Let me know in the comments below . . .
