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Heading back into France and with our epic road trip drawing to a close, our last 2 major stops were to be ones we've both wanted to do for some time: Clare to the Palace of Versailles and me to the Normandy D-Day landing beaches. So we mapped out a route with these two on it… first stop Normandy. We set up our tent at a campsite literally one minutes' walk from Omaha beach (AWESOME!). The beach itself was pleasant enough and gave an idea of the sort of cliffs and terrain the American troops had to overcome. I did a solo mission to war museum full of salvaged guns, uniforms, bombs, machinery and all sorts of bits'n'pieces from WWII. Without Clare there being all bored and s***, I wandered around this dingy old corrugated iron hanger for ages marvelling at all the cool stuff.
The next day our first stop was Pointe Du Hoc, which was an interesting look at a German battery gun emplacement built on a cliff in between Omaha and Utah beaches that a crew of only 200 American soldiers somehow climbed and stormed, defeating the Germans above. We also explored the Batterie Du Maisey which was a rabbit's warren of German trenches leading from their living quarters to a bunch of well hidden battery and anti-aircraft guns. The 2km of trenches were only recently dug out and restored to their original condition, so it was cool to walk in the footsteps of the Axis. We also visited the American, the British and the German war cemeteries. Of course the American one was the biggest and grandest, located on a cliff overlooking the sea, with very well-manicured lawns and an almost unbelievable amount of white crosses, monuments everywhere and a huge wall with all the names of soldiers lost whose bodies were never found. The German cemetery in contrast had dark grey plaques in the ground for each grave and a cluster of dark grey crosses. The British cemetery used white rectangle tombstones, but this one proved to be the most moving. Not only for Clare (as she's from the UK) but also because of all the details on the tombstone. They put all the normal details: soldiers name, position, regiment, date of death… but they also put in their age, carved in the crest of their regiment and even a message from loved ones. It made it all a bit more personal… not just a tombstone.
So after a good dose of boys' time it was time check out the somewhat more girly Palace of Versailles. But before we got to do that we were to meet a guy out the front of the palace to sell him all out camping gear. This consisted of two big boxes, the tent, pillows and a bunch of other stuff… enough to fill a boot. So when this funny French guy rolled up on his matchbox motorbike and a backpack, I could barely contain myself! He ended up somehow fitting half our stuff on his back and we agreed to stash the rest under our car so he could return and get the rest while we went to see the palace. Top guy… not sure what he was thinking turning up on a bike though.
Anyway, on to the palace to do some heavy duty queuing. We queued for tickets, then a massive snaking queue to get inside (I queued at McDonalds for some breakfast while Clare was in that queue), queue for the toilet…. ARRRGGHHH!! It was hectically busy, which made me just want to zip through the palace and get to the gardens, which were probably more famous than the palace anyway. The gardens were pretty and more spacious but as with the palace, we've seen better. Just didn't live up to the hype. I know, I know, we're spoilt little brats now. Most people probably would have gone bananas for it, especially back in the day. But in its defence, Clare did carry on alone through the gardens and to Marie Antoinette's estate (after I spat the dummy and went back to the car to play games on my phone). She really loved this part of Versailles but her favourite was easily the Queen's Hamlet, with its mock village and working farm. It was famously built by Marie Antoinette as a refuge to get away from the structure of court life and for Clare is was definitely a refuge within Versailles (and no, I'm not sorry I missed it).
Then on the road to stay a night at a cheap hotel next to Paris' airport. Great idea: we had a lovely night's sleep in an actual bed in a real room! We woke up refreshed and headed in to the Peugeot depot beside the airport to return our faithful and reliable car. It was actually a little sad to give him back. He's been such an integral part of our trip and served us so well. So onto Charles De Gaulle international airport where we were confronted by huge crowds of people and eventually by a soldier gesturing we could go no further. Found out there was a bomb threat going on… or at least some unattended luggage. But that eventually cleared up and we headed to our gate to board the plane that would take us away from this wonderfully random continent and the trip of a lifetime. What did make it a little easier was the knowledge we will be back… again and again.
Daz
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