Normandy

My parents came to visit this Christmas! We spent the week between Christmas and New Year's exploring the beaches of Normandy, and making a few stops in between. It was an amazing week and I'm so grateful for the opportunity. 

 ^ We began our week at Gold Beach, site of the British Landing. There's a 360 Degree Theater. Highly recommended by my favorite travel guide Rick Steeves, it's a great place to start off your time in Normandy as it sets the stage for the invasion and gives great insight into all that happened in the region. 

^ Following the theater, we made a stop at the Battery at de Longues, the largest concentration of German artillery during the invasion

^ We then made our way to the American Military Cemetery in Normandy. It was a very somber experience, walking throughout the grounds and remembering the many men who gave their lives for freedom. 

^ Our next stop was Point du Hoc, a memorial to 225 Army Rangers. As part of the D-Day invasion, Rangers were to scale a huge cliffside and take down enemy gunfire.  They were able to defeat the heavily armed German soldiers, but at a high cost. Only 90 soldiers survived.

^ After visiting Utah Beach, we went to St Mere Eglise, and saw a memorial to John Steele. His parachute got hung up on the town’s church steeple. He was shot in the foot by enemy gunfire, then pretended to be dead for over two hours. German soldiers eventually got him down and took him captive. However, as the fighting went on throughout the night, he was able to escape during the chaos. 

 ^ We took a drive to Mont Saint Michel, a place that has been on my bucket list since arriving in Europe. It's a beautiful monastery/abbey on a small island. Throughout the day, the tide ebbs and flows, surrounding the chapel. It was wonderful! 

On our way home from Normandy, we stopped in Paris for New Year's Eve and day. 

 ^ At the Notre Dame cathedral 

 ^ At Saint Chapelle - one of the most beautiful stained glassed churches in the world. 

 ^ And of course, at the Eiffel Tower! 

 ^ My friends and I ventured out on New Years and found great seats at the base of the Eiffel Tower... we were joined by at least a half a million people... it was quite the experience!