Ètretat, Normandy and Pointe Du Hoc

The drive to France was amazing, I don't know what it is exactly, but I really do think the cows are cuter in France.  So we drove through France to Étretat.  Étretat is a beautiful coastal town with the most amazing white cliffs.  The hike up to the top was right along a golf course.  It was so beautiful!  It was also a little scary at times because we hiked right along the cliffs and if you know me you'd know how terrified I am of heights; but thankfully I survived.

After Ètretat we grabbed a bite to eat at a restaurant where we waited about an hour and a half for our food, which apparently is the norm and then headed to Bayeux where we were staying the night.  In the morning we made our way to Normandy and Omaha Beach.  Normandy was an incredible experience.  It made me so grateful for all the men who sacrificed their lives in WWII.  At the museum there were so many stories of young men who fought so hard and sacrificed so much to liberate the people who were taken over by the German's.  It was a very humbling experience to be on hollowed ground where all those men fought so hard.

The grounds at Normandy were so beautiful and well kept.  Omaha Beach was incredible, it's amazing to me that such a beautiful place was so riddled with war.  It just makes me more grateful for the sacrifice that was made so that we could enjoy and appreciate that beautiful place.

From Normandy we headed to Pointe Du Hoc, this was probably my favorite site.  This is the site where U.S. rangers scaled up the cliffs as they were being shot down at by german soldiers and eventually took control of Pointe Du Hoc.

On the 40 year anniversary of D Day, President Ronald Reagan delivered a speech honoring the "Boys of Pointe Du Hoc".  It is so moving and I just want to share some of my favorite parts;

The Rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers -- the edge of the cliffs shooting down at them with machineguns and throwing grenades. And the American Rangers began to climb. They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe. Two hundred and twenty-five came here. After 2 days of fighting, only 90 could still bear arms...These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. These are the men who took the cliffs. These are the champions who helped free a continent. These are the heroes who helped end a war.

The whole speech is here and I highly recommend that everyone reads it.  It was such a neat experience being on such hallowed ground.  We headed back to Bayeux to get some rest and get ready for Mont Saint-Michel.

Ètretat

Normandy

 

Pointe Du Hoc