The Normandy beaches of Omaha, Utah, Sword, Juno and Gold are now etched into the pages of history. The average age of those soldiers on that mission was 26 years. Flying was in its infancy really. Some of the soldiers had probably never been on an airplane flight before, never mind jumping out of one.

On the D-Day landings journalists and broadcasters were writing reports for radios and newspapers. Yesteryears news is todays history, that we have to learn from. The historical fields and cemeteries that we walk upon and meditate for relatives or friends, and more especially for the forgotten souls that have no one to remember them.

The Normandy landings was the turning point of WW II, but in the broader sense of the war itself, it is but a particle of the enormous canvas that depicts this tragic event that we struggle to wrap our hearts around and understand. To have the opportunity to stand where so many of our countrymen and women found their last resting place is gratifying.

History can be recorded in many ways. The city of Bayeux in Normandy was one of the earliest to be liberated by the Allies in June 1944. A city renowned for its Tapestry. Looking at these works, history is painstakingly engraved with tread. Cast your mind back to William the Conqueror and the Battle of Hastings, he was the Duke of Normandy who changed the history of England. Follow his story on these tapestries. 

Bayeux is a city of culture and grandeur, it is now recognized as a world UNESCO heritage city.

Don’t forget to sample the famous cheese and dairy products from this region.

As we travel on the Rhone river we can also see the influence that the Roman Empire had with the Amphitheater in Arles, we are reminded of impressionist painters like Claude Monet, Galleries and museums, Cathedrals and Churches. Religion and Catholicism were the cornerstone of France, towns and cities are dotted with ruins of Abbeys, Churches and Monasteries. Avignon, Le Palais des Papes, the Palace of the Popes, Pope Clement V moved the Papal capital here in 1348. It’s still papal property. As the Norman invaders went through England, Wales and Ireland they brought with them religious orders such as the Franciscan, Cistercians, Augustinians, Benedictines etc. The Reformation had not happened yet so all believers were Catholics. 

Paris, France the architectural beauty Queen of Europe. Influenced by a succession of Kings Louis XIV, Louis XV, and XVI. The latter was married to Marie Antoinette and both were condemned to the Guillotine in 1791, after the French Revolution. Louis XVI in January and Marie Antoinette in October. 

The Eiffel Tower or ‘La Tour Eiffel’ one of the most iconic sites in Paris, Champs-Élysées (main avenue), Arc de Triomphe, and The Louvre. For the romantics travelling, spend some time strolling the Rue Saint-Dominique for chic elegance, traditional culture of restaurants with French cuisine. If it’s shopping you want go no further. 

Some Pre or Post nights in Paris could turn a luxurious trip into paradise. Further Afield Travel and Tours can assist you in organizing your activities.

Joe Fahy.