LTGSANCHEZ Posted January 27, 2008 Share #1 Posted January 27, 2008 I've been debating planning a trip to france to see normandy, some d day towns, and perhaps some battle sites from the first and second world war. I also have been debating bringing along a metal detector. I had several questions for anyone on the forum who has done suc a trip... Are there groups that go? Where should I fly into in France? Cheap place to buy tickets? Good places to go relic hunting for old bullet cartridges and such? Is metal detecting etiquite or law different in France than the US? I've gone metal detecting on cw sites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted January 27, 2008 Share #2 Posted January 27, 2008 Mark Patterson runs some tours: http://www.pathfindertour.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeeper704 Posted January 27, 2008 Share #3 Posted January 27, 2008 If I'm not mistaken, the French are very strict when it comes to metal detecting. Be sure to get the land's owner approval first. I'm sure others here can provide more details. Erwin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted January 27, 2008 Share #4 Posted January 27, 2008 If you really want a personal and detailed tour of the D-Day Battlefields: http://www.battlebus.fr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solcarlus Posted January 27, 2008 Share #5 Posted January 27, 2008 Bonjour Ltgsanchez Attention, detection is regulated in france. Legally, the permission of the owner is not enough. We must also make an application for Cultural Affairs and is impossible. Otherwise, it is necessary to detect with discretion Attention also pseudo equipment "made in normandy" Welcome to France sol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teufelhund Posted January 28, 2008 Share #6 Posted January 28, 2008 Bonjour Ltgsanchez Attention, detection is regulated in france. Legally, the permission of the owner is not enough. We must also make an application for Cultural Affairs and is impossible. Otherwise, it is necessary to detect with discretion Attention also pseudo equipment "made in normandy" Welcome to France sol. 100 % in agreement... leave your metal detector at home. As solcarlus said, Prospection in general and Metal Detection in particular are STICTLY forbidden to individuals. In sensitive areas such as Normandy, Belleau and the Argonne Thiaucourt , the french gendarmery, police and forrest rangers are very watchfull ( they have nothing other to do). They will be keen to take you to the court...6 months after you had been caught and your rented car might also be seized ( and must therefore be reinbursed to the renting Cy). It means also that you have to return to France to attend the trial and fined and do not beleive that being back in USA will protect you against international law agreements. Furthemore you will need the assistance of a french lawyer etc... Once again, it is a costly experience I would not recommend to anybody Teufelhund Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FOXHOLE Posted January 28, 2008 Share #7 Posted January 28, 2008 Welcome to France, ground of liberties ! Foxy, who owns a special camo suit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VALERY Posted January 28, 2008 Share #8 Posted January 28, 2008 MP sent Cheers Valery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunbarrel Posted January 29, 2008 Share #9 Posted January 29, 2008 I can see why they would be very leery about letting folks dig over there. I read "The Dead of Winter" and those guys were truly interested in history and they were very respectful. I'm sure Lt. Sanchez is the same way when he goes metal detecting in CW sites. But, then you have guys like the ones that dug 460 holes at the Fredericksburg-Spotsylvania Civil War military park in search of artifacts, and they spoil it for everybody: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-01-23-looting_N.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrei Posted January 29, 2008 Share #10 Posted January 29, 2008 Feel free to contact us when in Paris and we'll have a beer or two with Val and Jerome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwb123 Posted January 29, 2008 Share #11 Posted January 29, 2008 And even with the years that have passed, you might want to be very careful about what you might be digging up. It is probably best left to the locals. Do a web search for "Iron Harvest" or look for the previous threads that were on this web. For all the clean up that has been done over the years, there is still some nasty stuff in the ground. If you go to Verdun, which rates as one of the spookiest places I have ever been, you will see that much of the woods is OFF LIMITS with signs warning you not to leave the designated tourist paths and roadways. One suggestion.... start looking at copies of After the Battle. http://www.afterthebattle.com/home.htm It is printed in the UK. I used to buy copies at the PX in Baumholder, Germany. They literally show you different WWII sites using period photos, and then more recent shots. It helps you a lot when you finally arrive at a historical site and it has all been rebuilt with modern shops, signs, etc. I lucked out and found a copy that served as my guide when I visited Bertchesgarten. After the Battle often has articles on artifacts and excavations that are finding remaining items from WWII. Also, you might want to look at adding Belgium to your trip... as in Battle of the Bulge. If you have not been to Europe before, you might be surprised at how close these countries are and how much ground you can cover even on a short stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr-X Posted January 29, 2008 Share #12 Posted January 29, 2008 For may last trip to Europe I stopped in Vietnam for a week. I bought so much militaria there I had to lug around a extra bag for the rest of my trip I recommend stopping somewhere on the way. For my European trip this year I am stopping in Korea. I works out cheaper than just going to Korea or Vietnam for a holiday. I met up with my girl (she is Belgian) in Paris and I only went as far as Versailles when during my week there. This year I am off to Normandy and the Somme. I spent 2 weeks in Belgium and for battlefield trips I had a car and a GPS and a tourist map. I feel that if you know your history and know where you want to go this method is much more rewarding than going on a tour, which can be inflexible as to stops and timings. Here are some pics of a few of the places that I visited. E co 506 PIR positions in the Bois Jacques Forrest. Foy from the Bois Jacques US Battle of the Bulge Monument US Military Cemetery Henri Chapelle Rochelinval where the 551st PIR was decimated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solcarlus Posted January 29, 2008 Share #13 Posted January 29, 2008 hello Welcom to Saint Mihiel sector. solcarlus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunbarrel Posted January 29, 2008 Share #14 Posted January 29, 2008 One suggestion.... start looking at copies of After the Battle. One of my two favorite magazines! (the other one is "Man at Arms"). I received the latest issue in the mail last week: "The Battle For St-Lô." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guillaume le ouf Posted January 30, 2008 Share #15 Posted January 30, 2008 hello, I'm french and I live in normandy, if you want you can take a coff or a beer in my house... When You gonna to france? If you want I can give you some good adress or some militaria salon dates... bye! guillaume Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Apathy Posted February 3, 2008 Share #16 Posted February 3, 2008 Hi Lt. Sanchez, I hope that you have a good trip to Europe and Normandy in particular if that's were your heading. Regarding your enquiry about is it legal and is it safe to metal detect in Normandy, here are two photographs of items that appeared on the shore this week after the winter tides. The one shot shows three items, two at the rear totally encrusted with sands, this is what happens with metal in the sea over the years. The one at the front shows what is inside the encrusted sand, they happen to be smoke shell canisters from an artillery shell. Sadly they could be something more dangerous, it is hard to say when you see these sand lumps. The second photo shows what they would have looked like 60 years ago. Take care and enjoy it but return home safe. There was a well known Belgium collector a couple of years back trying to disarm a shell in his garage, he and his garage are no more. Cheers ( Lewis ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teufelhund Posted February 4, 2008 Share #17 Posted February 4, 2008 Hi Lt. Sanchez, I hope that you have a good trip to Europe and Normandy in particular if that's were your heading. Regarding your enquiry about is it legal and is it safe to metal detect in Normandy, here are two photographs of items that appeared on the shore this week after the winter tides. The one shot shows three items, two at the rear totally encrusted with sands, this is what happens with metal in the sea over the years. The one at the front shows what is inside the encrusted sand, they happen to be smoke shell canisters from an artillery shell. Sadly they could be something more dangerous, it is hard to say when you see these sand lumps. The second photo shows what they would have looked like 60 years ago. Take care and enjoy it but return home safe. There was a well known Belgium collector a couple of years back trying to disarm a shell in his garage, he and his garage are no more. Cheers ( Lewis ) His name was Jean Michel... He left a young widdow and two little girls and a devastated house... T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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