Episode 4 Northwest Normandy Coast: Port en Bessin, Pointe Du Roc, Ile Tatihou and Quettehou, Mount St Michel and the Sentier Littoral

For episode 4 I wanted to show you more of the Normandy coast beyond Dives Sur Mer and Caen. The Normandy region is more than what most people know it for, WW2 and of course the war memorials . I did not feature any memorials in any of my videos, In fact I purposefully left them out.  Although this area is where so many young men risked and many lost their lives on Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword beaches I wanted to look beyond the war machine to the future…the freedom and natural land beauty these brave young men gave back to the people of these small French villages along the Northwest Normandy coast.  

In my explorations I saw the memorials, passed by many memories of war and some villages named for it and yes it evoked some emotion but not the one most would think. I drove past the crowds and to be honest as a retired military person with close to 21 years behind me I remember…. how can I not remember. And although grateful for the sacrifice of my former comrades in arms at this moment I had no interest in the memory of sadness or seeing machines of destruction… It is of course a personal choice and one not meant in disrespect. I do not need to prove anything to anyone.

 I wanted to remember this place as it stands here and now. I wanted to see Normandy area for its warm embrace, it’s sun kissed sands, good food, endless green fields and what seems on the outside to be a ease In the way life is to be lived and enjoyed to the fullest despite history and the ravages of war. I want to remember the positive impact foreign forces had on this region , it is far too easy especially in the time of Covid to concentrate on the war, sadness, internal strife, destroyers and disease scarred landscape. I would rather concentrate on the good outcome the war brought. I do not wish to celebrate the battle I prefer to celebrate the resilience of the people, their grateful perseverance and the natural beauty of the landscape.  With that being said…i hope you enjoy the video.

A very Special thank you to TC for some videos and photos