Yesterday, we left Caen just after 8.30 for the little village of Bénouville to see Pegasus Bridge, so named for the historic efforts of the British airborne forces n the early hours of July 6, 1944 as part of the Normandy landings of the Second World War. After taking a few photos, we witnessed the raising of the French, Canadian, Belgian, Dutch, Polish, Norwegian and American flags at the nearby museum, and boarded the bus for Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, where we left several flags, both Canadian and provincial.
At 11.00, we left for the Juno Beach Centre, and had a tour of the beach, including a bunker discovered only a few years ago, and walked down to the beach to play a Piper's Lament. After a bit of spare time to experience the beach, we headed for the Juno Beach Centre museum and exhibits, which included the stirring film 'They Walk With Us.'
At 13.15, we left Juno Beach for Gold Beach, up the coast in Arromanches, where we had free time to grab some leisurely lunch and explore the remaining pontoons in the water just off the beach. Quite a few of us did some souvenir shopping, and we returned to Caen for a bit of free time to explore Caen Castle--home to Guillaume le Conquérant, who became William the !st of England after the battle of 1066--and packed up for our departure to Paris.
We're just back in the hotel after an epic day in Paris. We had an early start this morning, including a time change for Daylight Savings, and after dropping off our bags at hour hotel at 10.00, we caught our last lift with our Dutch driver, Ramon, to the closest metro stop and headed straight for Notre Dame Cathedral, the heart of Paris (both figuratively and literally). We had a bit of time to explore the cathedral on Palm Sunday before grabbing some lunch, and walking through the Latin Quarter en route to the Musée de l'Armée at the Hôtel National des Invalides. Most of us headed straight for the Tomb of Napoléon Bonaparte, and after seeing his opulent resting place we went to dinner via metro.
At 19.00h, after eating a three-course meal of feuillette au fromage, boeuf bourguignon and choux vanille, we took the metro again to head down to the Eiffel Tower, one of the busiest areas in the city. And after attempting to get to the top, we had a bit of free time to take photos, before heading back to the hotel around 23.00h.
Tomorrow, it's our full day in Paris.
