Advance Warning - Summer 2018 I&i Northern France

[Allan W]

Harold and I have been discussing a possible I&I to northern France in the summer (target June) 2018. Starting in Paris (Les Invalids & Musee d'Orsay) we would travel north to the WW1 battlefields including the Vimy Memorial. Then we would swing over to Normandy to see the beaches and the maritime museum in Cherbourg where they have an SSBN open as a museum ship. Then down to the French armour museum at Saumur and back to Paris. This is all just in the discussion stage and open to change, so if you are interested feel free to put your 2 cents in. I was thinking 8 to 10 days staying in hotels in Paris, Normandy and around Saumur, but once again nothing is cast in stone.

 

Here is the itinerary:

June 13-15 Paris*

16-19 ww1 Battlefields

19 travel to Caen*

20-21 Normandy

22 Cherburg

23 Saumur

23 Back to Paris*

*Hotel locations

These are the current attendees:

Ken Estes

Allan Wotherspoon

Leo Niehorster

Sunday

Markus Becker

[sunday]

I like it. Could bring/hire a car for the part outside Paris, if necessary. The aerospace museum at Le Bourget deserves a visit, also.

For +1s there is the Bayeux tapestry, and the castles of the Loire.

Edited July 18, 2017 by sunday

[Harold Jones]

I had a look on vrbo.com and it looks like renting an apartment for several days on the outskirts of the city would be pretty reasonable. We had a pretty decent experience doing that in Prague.

[T19]

It's early so I can plan. Yes I'm interrested

[FlyingCanOpener]

June might be too early for me (I work in June to pay for summer vacations!) but a late June/early July timeframe might work for me. My +1 and I are considering going to Europe next summer to see my brother who's stationed in Italy. We'll keep this in mind.

[DB]

I like this idea. I'd almost certainly drive myself over. Any fools who take to my car would have to get used to being on the wrong side of the road in a car with the steering wheel on the right

[sunday]

I like this idea. I'd almost certainly drive myself over. Any fools who take to my car would have to get used to being on the wrong side of the road in a car with the steering wheel on the right

 

I think both Marek, and Allan, have some, related, experience in the matter

[Markus Becker]

It's early so I can plan. Yes I'm interrested

Seconded.

[On the way]

Allan, I like it, keep us all updated. Would definitely plan for it.

[Allan W]

Keep your eye on this section of the forum. Updates will be posted here.

[Harold Jones]

This should be on the itinerary https://www.thegoodlifefrance.com/new-tank-museum-to-open-in-cambrai-northern-france/

[Markus Becker]

Hurrah, it's accessible again!

[Ken Estes]

Count me in. Looks exhausting, though.

[Harold Jones]

We'll probably have to start spend a little time paring down the schedule when it gets a little closer. Jami is currently between jobs so I won't have a realistic idea of how much time we'll have till she lands a new one.

[bojan]

It is quite possible I will be able to attend that one, or at least Paris part.

[T19]

Sounds like good

[Ken Estes]

For example, here is the Normandy phase of the program I was doing for Texas A&M University's summer program in history, last time in 2011, whence Banshee One and Dave Clark visited:

 

Week 1: 6-9 July

W: Leave Texas

Th: Arrive Paris, Bus to Caen, Lunch at Café en route

F: Orientation to Caen: Abbaye aux Dames Tour 11 am, Reception noon;

Sa: 10:00 am; André Heintz; p.m.: Visit Memorial Museum

6:30 Commemorative Ceremony /Reception

Week 2: 10-16 July

Su: Free Day

M: Fieldtrip: Pegasus Bridge, Merville Battery, Canadian Cemetery, 360 Theatre, Arromanche

Tu: Classes

W: Fieldtrip: Omaha Beach: U.S. Cemetery, Vierville Gap, Pointe du Hoc, German Cemetery

Th: Classes

F: Research Day

Sa: Free Day

Week 3: 17-23 July

Su: Free Day

M: Research Day

Tu: Field Trip: Grand Camp Maisy, St. Mere Eglise, Polish Cemetery

W: Classes

Th: Fieldtrip: Bayeaux Normandy Campaign Museum, Br. Cemetery, Tapistry

F: Classes in a.m. Midterm Examinations in p.m.

Sa: Free Day

Week 4: 24 July-30 July

Su: Free Day

M: Caen > Huisnes-sur-Mer (German Cemetery) > Mont St. Michel > St. Malo

Tu: St. Malo WW2 Museum

W (War Tunnels Museum)

Th: St. Malo to Paris via Chartre

F: Paris: a.m.: WW2 Walking Tour

Sa: Paris

Edited November 11, 2017 by Ken Estes

[Markus Becker]

Count me in for sure if this happens in June. The company gave me the entire months off.

[Harold Jones]

It's looking like June 13th-24th are the dates that will work for me. If someone wants to propose other dates I have some wiggle room but can't extend into July.

[Marek Tucan]

June should work, overall. Though a lot of events are still in the air - but that applies to any week.

 

Depending on schedule, Vimy ridge -> Normandy could possibly swing through Dieppe.

[Allan W]

Any thoughts on a base? I think we will have to move around rather than staying in one place. Certainly Vimy & the other WW 1 battlefields are doable from Paris (there are even tours if we want to put it in someone else's hands), but I think we will need to stay somewhere to do Normandy and Cherbourg and then Saumur.

 

Post trip, I am planning a few days in London to do some more sightseeing. This time, I think the RAF museum and maybe another trip up to Duxford...

[Harold Jones]

Just looking at the map Caen might make a good base for the Normandy portion. Realizing that Tanknetters will expand any activity to consume all available time, and that no battlefield marker or museum is too obscure to be bypassed, here is my rough guess at a schedule.

 

June 13-15 Paris

16-19 ww1 Battlefields

19 travel to Caen

20-21 Normandy

22 Cherburg

23 Saumur

23 Back to Paris

[bojan]

Les Invalides are whole day visit, it took me two tours of about 3 hours each just to skim it. It works IIRC 9am-5pm.

Edited January 8, 2018 by bojan

[Harold Jones]

Les Invalids & Musee d'Orsay are the only two museums I plan on visiting in Paris this time around. If I can figure out how to get there and have time https://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries-memorials/europe/lafayette-escadrille-memorial-cemeteryis on the list as a nice to see.

[T19]

Looks like I can travel then