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England & Normandy


Sgt. Boghots
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Forum Friends,

 

My Wife, 15 year old Son & I are going to South coast of England & Nornandy next summer in July. We're "hicks from the sticks" from the deep woods of the colonies. This trip will only partly be my about military history, but also about our family ancestry with Great Brittain. We'll fly to Heathrow, grab a car, drive on the wrong side of the road, & and spend 2 weeks touring the South English coast near Austell, working our way to Dover, and taking the ferry to France and turning arround for home after a night in St. Mere Eglise.

 

For any of you folks near the south coast, I'm an Austill, Chenowith, and a number of other coal mining other families.

 

Other than "Yankee go Home", from you European forum members, I ask for your input !! :):)

 

Thanks in advance for your travel advice, from both sides of the Atlantic !!

 

Thanks.

 

Best regards,

Paul Walker

Sgt. Boghots

Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA

 

 

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The War & Peace Revival Show will be held again 23rd-27th July, near the village of Paddock Wood in Kent. It is the largest gathering of military vehicles in the world; also with lots of re-enactment and the trading stalls alone will take up most of a day.

 

https://warandpeacerevival.com/

 

Seems you might be at the right place at the right time to visit? ;)

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the whisky drinker

Hi Paul,

Although I'm at the other end of the UK in Scotland I've spent many a good day spent down on the south coast of England and it's a fantastic place to visit. Firstly you have one hell of a long drive ahead from Heathrow to St Austell and then on to Dover If it's your first time driving in the UK just take your time, get used to driving on the correct side of the road and how to negotiate roundabouts If you travel on the A303 instead of the M4/M5 motorways (freeways) you will see some of the loveliest country side that we have on the south coast.

Motorways will be slightly quicker but boring, both will be busy during the date of your visit due to influx of holiday makers, and lots of cars towing caravans on the roads and usually the council decisions to start fixing the roads during summer so expect delays, if you're using the A303 you will pass Stonehenge, the prehistoric standing stones monument dating back 2 to 3 thousand years, whilst In Cornwall you must try the local food delicacies, Cornish cream teas, Traditional Cornish pasty, local beers and ciders and some of the freshest and tastiest seafood. Whilst you're in St Austell keep an eye out for a rogue raccoon, I'll let you work that out (US military history) I'm sure that members who live or know the areas that you're travelling along and heading to better will soon post.

I hope that both you and the family thoroughly enjoy your time in the UK and in France.

Nick

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How about a week or ten days on the South Coast then catch the ferry from Poole or Portsmouth (you can see historic dockyard HMS Victory etc) then straight into Normandy without the drive from Dover down to Normandy. You will love Normandy and there is much to see not all military related it is a nice area of France, less time traveling more time visiting places. There is not much to see on the drive from Dover to Normandy.

Lastly either way just check about taking your rental car to France.

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Don't forget Slapton Sands in Devon great to see the beach and the recovered Sherman tank if you are in the area. I agree with Nick try to go earlier in July rather than later due to school holidays and the area getting busier.

Lastly the Bovington tank museum is great they cater for all ages, but I understand too much military history can be boring for the family if they are not too interested.

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tdogchristy90

Since you're spending so little time in France, one day in St Mer Eglise, I can only say this...

 

If you're facing the church main entrance, look to your right and there's a pizza place on the corner. I can still taste it, it was so good.

 

Cheers.

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the whisky drinker

Since you're spending so little time in France, one day in St Mer Eglise, I can only say this...

If you're facing the church main entrance, look to your right and there's a pizza place on the corner. I can still taste it, it was so good.

Cheers.

Would that be Cafe Bar Au Domino, watch out for the owner, temperamental but good fun all the same, a few years since I visited, but I remember the lovely very strong French coffee.

We ate at C-47 Cafe, not far from the Airborne Museum. Had a wonderful homemade burger and fries, She who must be obeyed had a toasted pannini.

Wonderful desserts, shakes and Ice cream.

If you've never been to St-Mere-Eglise before, you will spend most of your trip with your mouth wide open and almost tripping over it haha, so so many sights to see, a real great treat for any American WW2 history buff.

Just refrain from buying certain items of interest from Normandy, as lot's of guy's on here will confirm, there are lots of fakes about, but also lot's of true relics, some shops in the area will inflate their prices on real relics, be prepared to haggle, start very low and don't be afraid, it's what to do in France.

Nick

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tdogchristy90

Would that be Cafe Bar Au Domino, watch out for the owner, temperamental but good fun all the same, a few years since I visited, but I remember the lovely very strong French coffee.

We ate at C-47 Cafe, not far from the Airborne Museum. Had a wonderful homemade burger and fries, She who must be obeyed had a toasted pannini.

Wonderful desserts, shakes and Ice cream.

If you've never been to St-Mere-Eglise before, you will spend most of your trip with your mouth wide open and almost tripping over it haha, so so many sights to see, a real great treat for any American WW2 history buff.

Just refrain from buying certain items of interest from Normandy, as lot's of guy's on here will confirm, there are lots of fakes about, but also lot's of true relics, some shops in the area will inflate their prices on real relics, be prepared to haggle, start very low and don't be afraid, it's what to do in France.

Nick

A quick Google search for "pizza St mere eglise" brings up "Pizz grill". Judging by the photos and the paint on the windows, I think this is the place.

 

.

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