The War Cemetery at St Charles-de-Percy

Scattered throughout northern Normandy are many war cemeteries where the fallen from WWII are buried in the country where they fell.  16 kms to the west of Eco-Gites of Lenault, just outside the small village of St Charles-de-Percy, is the most southerly of these where 809 British soldiers have found their final resting place.  They all died late in July or early August 1944 in the major allied thrust to get from Caumont L'Evente to the important town of Vire, driving a wedge through the German 7th Army and Panzer Group West.

As with all British war cemeteries they are maintained beautifully.  Each row of graves has a small area for plants around it, the edges perfectly straight and no weeds to be seen.  The grass is a perfect lawn.  A fitting place of calm for these brave men to lie after the horrors of war.  

Even in January, when I visited, there was colour and new growth to be seen, testament that their death was not in vain.  As was said on one grave I saw - "He died that we might live".  

Thank you brave soldiers.

Perfectly maintained beds

Heather at the ends of the rows of graves

Wych hazel

 Oxlip

Aubretia

For more details on other memorials please visit this blog on our website - Closest WWII Memorials to Eco-Gites of Lenault.

For more gardens post please do head over to Annie's lovely How does your Garden Grow linky:

Our Easter Weekend

Posted by Rosie

In France, Good Friday is not a Bank Holiday and the Easter school holidays take place so many weeks after Christmas, regardless of when Easter falls. With Easter being fairly early this year it meant that the boys don't start their Easter break until this coming Friday evening (and for schools in other regions it is even later) ... so whilst people in the UK had a day off and were tucking into hot cross buns, here in Normandy we were at work and the boys were in lessons.  We did however take an Easter delivery, a new sheep and her lamb.

Mabel or Korma Katie?

They are yet to be named with some dispute between Simon and me as I mentioned yesterday.  He wants them called Korma Kate and Vindaloo Vinny and I like Mabel and Monty.  What do you think?

Saturday was also work as usual getting the gite ready to greet guests.  However by Sunday we were able to celebrate Easter and had a lovely late lunch with friends ... one of whom, I found out, learnt much of her pub trade in the pub I used to drink in when I lived in Gloucestershire!  The New Inn in Coln St Aldwyns in case you were interested.

Luckily in France Easter Monday is a Bank Holiday (Jour Férié) so with no school, I arranged an Easter Egg Hunt for the boys and the children in the gite.  I think they all look sufficiently pleased with their haul don't you?

Searching for Easter eggs

5 happy children at Eco-Gites of Lenault

After lunch we packed up the car and headed to the beach with the dogs ... as did vast numbers of other people it seemed and the beach was really quite busy.

Ouistreham Beach

It was certainly MUCH busier than two weeks ago when freezing temperatures kept all but the hardiest of folks away.  On that visit Harry didn't want to go in the water and his enthusiasm hadn't much improved by Monday.  The boys, in comparison, were keen and whilst we stayed wrapped up nice and warm they donned wetsuits and went in.  Harry didn't follow them, although I think he actually wanted to!

Some-one is not keen to go in ...

... but he does want to really!

We worked out though that it was the waves he didn't like and he quite happily follow Tom into some of the large pools left as the tide went out.

That's better - no waves.

For history lovers, this beach at Ouistreham, north of Caen in part of the D-Day Landing Beaches known as Sword Beach. On June 6th 1944 thousands of British troops landed on the beach to begin what would be the start of the end of World War II.  It's hard to believe, looking at the calm sea and yellow sand, what carnage took place here just over 70 years ago.

How was your Easter weekend.  Did you manage to get out and about or did you stay home and eat too much chocolate?

Free World War II Sites to Visit in Calvados

Posted by Rosie

The beaches of Normandy both in Calvados and Manche saw, in June 1944, action that would be pivotal in changing the course of Word War II.  On June 6th 1944 and in the days and weeks that following thousands of allied troops landed on the beaches, now known as the D-Day Beaches and so began their campaign to free Europe from Nazi rule.

Perhaps your father, grandfather or other relative was there.  Perhaps you simply have an interest in this period of history.  Whatever the case there are plenty of sites you can visit, free of charge, to experience and learn about this period.

The beaches themselves

Image from the BBC

 

Utah, Omaha,  Gold, June, Sword.

Where once there was so much bloodshed they are now peaceful places full of families and sunbathers, dog walkers and bird watchers.  Sometimes it is hard to think of them as any other way but numerous Visitor Centres, Museums and Sculptures to help to relive history.  All of the following are free to visit:

Le Memorial des Reporters, Bayeux

Site de la Pointe Hoc and the Visitor Centre, Criqueville-En-Bassin

Image from Calvados Tourism

Batteries du Mont Canisy, Bennerville-sur-Mer

Site Fortifie Hillman, Colleville-Montgomery

Pegasus Bridge, Benouville (although entry to the museum is charged)

Normandy American Cemetery Visitor Centre, Omaha Beach, Colleville-sur-Mer

American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, Colleville-sue-Mer

Image from Calvados Tourism

Dotted throughout Calvados are many war cemeteries, British and Commonwealth War Graves and memorials to the fallen, the injured and the brave men who went on to help liberate the rest of France.  The closest cemetery to Eco-Gites of Lenault is the British War Cemetery at St-Charles-De-Percy with 789 graves.

There are also 8 signposted driving routes you can follow which look at different parts of the battle for Normandy and free leaflets are available detailing these at local tourist information centres.

An old friend stayed at Eco-Gites of Lenault in the summer and retraced the route his father took 70 years earlier.  Other guests have had close connections with this area during World War II.  Have you a particular interest or connection with the D-Day Landings or  have you a favourite site you have visited free of charge?

The Battle for Lénault

Posted by Rosie

Last Sunday I posted up a picture of the memorial in Lénault honouring the brave soldiers who liberated the village from the Germans in WWII. Since then I have been trying to find out a bit more about what happened 70 years ago in August 1944.  My searches online have not proved massively fruitful but this is what I have come up with some information.

The 7th Somerset Light Infantry who liberated Lénault were part of the 43rd Wessex Division and they landed on the Normandy beaches about 2 weeks after D-Day.  They may well have been involved in the battles for Hill 112 (where a friend's father lost his leg but survived) and Mount Pinçon, just north of Lénault.  Mount Pinçon is the highest point in Calvados, making it strategically vital for the Allied troops to secure.  The result was extremely heavy bombardment to the surrounding villages and town of Aunay-sur-Odon at it's foot.  There was much loss of civilian life.  A memorial on the Mount has been erected by the 13th/18th Hussars by way of an apology for this destruction.  

Memorial on Mount Pinçon

Lénault's neighbouring village of Le Plessis Grimault also took a battering as the Germans were holed up in the tower of the old abbey church with a large gun.  It was finally liberated on August 7th, 3 days before Lenault.

Allied troops in Le Plessis Grimault

For Lénault these may have been saving graces.  Once Mount Pinçon and Le Plessis Grimault were secured German troops may have withdrawn with less of a battle leaving Lénault empty.  I am only guessing this mind.  I do know that the house at the end of our drive was destroyed by a bomb during the war - I do not know when though.

What I do know for sure is that no part of the army took a direct route in any of their campaigns of La Bataille de Normandie.  On this map Lénault is just to the east but you can see what convoluted routes different battalions took.  After Lénault, the 7th Somerset Light Infantry headed north east to Clécy and ultimately east to Berlin.  One of the soldiers in this battalion was Thomas Yearsley who would later unveil the plaque now on the wall in Lénault.  However his story poignantly illustrates that whilst the battle for Normandy saw defeat for the Germans it wasn't until the following year, 9 months later that war in Europe ended and another 3 months after that for it to end in the Far East.  Thomas was later captured by the Germans and served out the rest of the war as a prisoner of war.   There was still much suffering before peace was finally secured.

I would be very interested to hear from anyone who may have more information on the war around Lénault.  Please do get in touch either in a comment or by emailing us here.  Many thanks.

7 reasons to visit Normandy in Autumn

Posted by Rosie

As we move through August there is a very slight hint of Autumn in the air:  the nights are a touch cooler, darkness falls a bit earlier and a few leaves are showing some Autumn colour.  Autumn is a great time to visit Eco-Gites of Lenault in Normandy this Autumn and here are some reasons why.

1. Often September days are lovely and warm here in Normandy and we usually get some good beaches visits during the month ... sometimes we even get hot weather in October as happened in 2011:

Ouistreham beach - October 2011

2.If the nights (or days) do turn a bit chilly the wood burner in the gite will keep you warm and cosy and there's a fire-guard if you need to keep little ones safe.  Snuggle up with a glass of wine and a good book, watch a film or play a board game.

The woodburner to keep you cosy

3. Most attractions are open and will be much quieter, so no long queues to get in or buy an ice-cream!  Bayeux, Mont St Michel, the D-Day Landing Beaches and Museums, Falaise Castle, Jurques Zoo, local art galleries and museums (the list goes on) are all within easy reach of the gite.  (Please note some attractions may have limited opening times).

4. There are plenty of special events, boot fairs, brocantes, festivals and one off activities to attend with more details here. 

African Music at Clécy - Sept 2010

5. You can go blackberry picking along the footpaths that start straight from our gate - great for crumbles, pies and jam but should you choose not to make jam we have plenty for sale.  If the blackberries are finished there are sloes for sloe gin, hazelnuts and sweet chestnuts to find. 

Blackberry crumble anyone?

6.  The countryside looks wonderful in Autumn - why not have a look at our Normandy in Autumn Pinterest Board.  Think fabulous leaf colours, orchards laden with apples and morning mist hanging in the valleys!

7. Finally, we have availability from now until October 17th 2015and Oct 31st to December 27th 2015 so there's still time to bag an Autumn holiday at Eco-Gites of Lenault.  Prices start from just £350 per week with short breaks possible.   We can also give you a code to get 20% off with Brittany Ferries crossings and offer 15% off if just 1 or 2 people stay (which can include a cot sleeping infant).  The gite sleeps 5 plus a baby.

For further details please click here to visit our website

or email us by clicking here 
or Telephone 0033 231 09 27 51 (up to 8pm UK/9pm French time please)

 

Silent Sunday - August 10th 2014

A Normandy Tale, 70 years in the making.

Posted by Rosie

Last weekend we had friends staying in the gite although we had lost contact over 18 years ago!  They did not even know we have moved to France but when David was googling for gite accommodation he stumbled across one Eco-Gites of Lenault run by one Rosie Hill and realised who it was.

David  had a very particular reason to visit Normandy at this time. His father, Peter, was in the 413 Battery, Essex Yeomanry (Royal Artillery) and he had landed on the beach at Le Hamel, (Gold Beach) on June 6th 1944, part of the first wave of soldiers in the D-Day Landings.  He succeeded in getting safely off the beach and worked his way inland in what was to be a much slower than anticipated liberation of Normandy. Probably luckily for David, his father was injured near Tilly-sur-Seulles and he saw no more action from that day.

Lieutenant Peter Mitchell

Peter died in 1997 but left detailed memoires of his time here in Normandy so David and his wife Jackie wanted to come to Normandy and retrace the route he took from the beach to the spot where he was injured. Whilst it was not feasible to do this in real time what they did succeed in doing was finding the exact field where he had been injured and they stood in this now peaceful corner of Normandy, 70 years to the day after the mortar landed that injured Peter.

Near Tilly-sur-Seulles where Peter's war ended in injury.

Interestingly had Peter not been injured he would have passed very close if not even through Lenault. 413 Battery was involved in the battle to liberate the neighbouring village of St Pierre La Vieille from the West which would have been via Lenault.  How amazing is that!

Lenault was eventually liberated on August 10th 1944 by the 7th Battalion 43 Wessex Division.   

If you would like to know more about Peter's time in Normandy, David has been putting his memoires up on this Facebook page.  They make fascinating reading.

We have also been in contact with a lady whose father did help liberate Lenault and later unveiled the plaque on the wall of the Mayor's Office, celebrating the day.  Other guests in the gite have also had family members who fought in this area. 

Do you have any family members who were involved in the liberation of Normandy or do you have any D-Day stories to tell?  We would love to hear them.

Word of the Week - Remembrance

Posted by Rosie

Remembrance

riˈmembrəns

noun

the action of remembering something

 

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings on our Normandy beaches.  Thousands of soldiers from the Allied Forces of Great Britain, Canada and America took part in a massive invasion of Normandy across the now beautiful and peaceful beaches, in what would be a pivotal point of World War II.

Sadly many did not survive this assault and many more would die before the end of the war.

For that reason I will spend a few quiet moments at some point today remembering these brave soldiers and thanking them for their courage.  For without them I very much doubt I would be here in Normandy today and our world may well have been a very different place.

June Weeks Available at Discounted Price

Posted by Rosie

We are now offering a special discount to couples wishing to stay at Eco-Gites of Lenault this June.  If just 2 people stay at the gite we will reduce the price from £400 to £375 (and you can bring a cot sleeping infant and still be eligible for this offer!)

We also have a code giving 10% off crossings with Brittany Ferries.  Please ask for details 
 
The price includes electricity, gas, wood for the fire if needed, bed linen, a generous welcome box and vast amounts of baby and toddler stuff!  We can also provide a simple first night supper, on arrival shopping, BBQ packs, home-made cakes and jams and other produce from our smallholding. 

June is a wonderful time to visit Normandy - green fields, abundant flowers and so much quieter than before the rush of school holidays.  This year it is even more special as 2014 sees the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.  Throughout the summer and especially in June there are all sorts of events, exhibitions and ceremonies celebrating what ultimately was the beginning of the end of World War II. There are further details of events here and here.

Photo from Brittany Ferries

However of WWII is not of interest to you there are still masses of things to do around and about including open gardens, art exhibitions, horsemanship displays, music festivals, street art, Viking Festival and so on.  This page gives far more details than I could list here.

Short and week/longer bookings are possible in June.  For further information and to make a booking about the gite please click here.  You can email us by clicking here or telephone 0033 231 09 27 51 (Up to 8pm UK/9pm French time please).

A biêntot!

Normandy in June

Posted by Rosie

Events, Exhibitions and Festivals in Normandy 

June 2104

Normandy has something to offer tourists all through the year and this year is even more special with both the celebrations for the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in June and the World Equestrian Games in August/September.  These are far from the only events on this year and here is a taste of some of the varied events, exhibitions and festivals waiting for everyone who is in Normandy this June.

June events in Normandy

Every Thursday through June and July:  
'Les jeudis du Pin' at Le Haras du Pin (stud) - the chance to see a weekly display of dressage, show-jumping and fine horsemanship.

Photo from Le Haras du Pin

Up to October:
'Leaving the War behind. From the Battle of Normandy through to Reconstruction' an exhibition that will be travelling around Calvados

Up to the end of October:
'Cherbourg... and Freedom came from the Sea', an exhibition at La Cité de la Mer, Cherbourg, Manche showing the work of the American troops in the days following the liberation of the port of Cherbourg

Until December:
'Grandma what was it like during the war?' an exhibition at Juno Beach Centre, Courseulles-sur-Mer, Calvados showing the war-time experiences of Norman and Canadian civilians, mainly of children, from 1940 to 1944

Until December:
'100 objects from the 100 days of the Battle of Normandy'.  An exhibition at the Caen Memorial, Calvados recounting the conflict which led to the Liberation of Paris and Western Europe putting the emphasis on objects which are remarkable or previously unseen.

14th June - August 23rd:
Rendez-vous à la Cathédrale', Bayeux, Calvados.  A sound and light show around the cathedral, at dusk, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays

Photo from Animations Estivals - Bayeux Catherdral

21st June:
Fête de la Musique, across Normandy. This National Music Day is celebrated with music brought to the streets of every Normandy town.

28th - 29th June:
'Rétrofestival', Caen, Calvados. A Vintage car festival with over 500 vintage cars including post-war and Liberation vehicles

If you are looking for accommodation when attending any of these events we do still have some availability in June and July:  Click here to go to our prices and availability page or scan through the list of dates below:

Sun June 1st - Tues June 3rd (short break)

Mon June 9th - Sat July 5th (3 full weeks available and one shorter break)

Sat July 13th - Tues July 15th (weekend break that includes Bastille Day)

Thurs July 17th - Sat July 27th (9 day break possible)

Dates after September 13th

Christmas 2014

Link to our website here

Email us by clicking here

70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in Normandy

Posted by Rosie

Image from the BBC

June 6th 1944 saw the beginning of the Allied invasion of occupied Europe as thousands of troupes landed on the 200kms of Normandy beaches between Cherbourg and Le Havre at what is now know to be the first step along the road that would end the war in Europe the following year.  The names of the beaches, etched in the minds of so many and made famous by films such as Band of Brothers are the most local beaches to Eco-Gites of Lenault.  June and Sword are the closest, situated east and west of Caen/Ouistreham whilst travelling further west and north there are Gold, Omaha and Utah, all still within easy reach of the gite.

2014 therefore sees the 70th Anniversary of this pivotal point in the history of Europe and not unsurprisingly there are many celebrations planned.   This page by Brittany Ferries gives full details of all the events as well as guides to WWII sites, cemeteries, cities, museums, the beaches and memorials.  Below I have highlighted some of the main events and those taking place close to Eco-Gites of Lenault.

D-Day Landing Events close to Eco-Gites of Lenault

• February to December - at the Juno Beach Center, Courseulles sur Mer, an exhibition recreating the wartime experiences of children in Normandy and Canada in 1944 www.junobeach.org
• March to October - A travelling photographic exhibition in 14 towns and villages of Calvados to commemorate the sacrifice made by the civilian population during the Battle of Normandy. www.calvados.fr
• May 10th - Ouistreham - The Ouistreham Jazz Big Band made of up 18 musicians in the tradition of American Big Bands, pays tribute to Glenn Miller. www.ville-ouistreham.fr
• June 14th to September 14th - "The Lights of Freedom", Bayeux Cathedral, a spectacular walk around the cathedral on the theme of Freedom. A dramatic account in light, colour, music, special effects and giant projected images.... www.bayeux-bessin-tourisme.com
• Early June to late Aug take a guided themed walk about the occupation and liberation of Ouistreham
• 2-4th June - Parade Tattoo de la Liberté in St -Lô town centre
• 5-6th June - Film, "They were the First" (in French) at Pegasus Memorial
• 6th June - 3D showings of D-Day Beach landings at Zénith in Caen
• From June 7th to 9th - Caen - Liberation Tattoo at the Zenith.  A Military Music Festival bringing together about 650 French, Belgian, Canadian, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, British, American and German musicians. www.memorial-pegasus.org
• 7th June - Giant picnic on Omaha Beach www.cdc-trevieres.com
• 12-13th July - Festival and fireworks celebrating liberty at Bolleville
• 31th July - Liberation Parade, Julloville
• 9-17th Aug - panther tanks and German period motorbikes at Montormel Museum

D-Day Landing Places of Interest close to Eco-Gites of Lenault

Omaha Beach

Photo from Brittany Ferries

This American beach saw the greatest loss of life where 2,400 men were killed on a 6km stretch of beach.  The American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach holds 9,387 American soldiers.

German Cemetery at la Cambe

Inland from Pointe du Hoc this cemetery is the final resting place of 21,000 German soldiers.

Arromanches

Famous for the Muberry floating docks, a Museum and the 360º cinema now make this is a very popular tourist location.

British Cemetery at Bayeux 

Here you will find the bodies of 4,648 soldiers. Every grave has a touching epitaph and no visit to Normandy should miss this cemetery.  Simon took Tom there a couple of years ago and even as a young lad he was very moved, helped no doubt by meeting and talking to a Welsh Gunner Veteran.

Pointe du Hoc

One of the largest German batteries whose guns had a range of 10 miles.

Pegasus Bridge and Museum at Bénouville

This was a vital bridge that had to be (and was) secured by dawn on June 6th 1944.

Village and Town Memorials

Almost every town and village will have a memorial to their dead and plaque celebrating their liberation.  At Ouistreham for example, an imposing memorial marks the liberation of the village.  Visitors can also visit the The Commando Memorial on the beach, dedicated to the 177 Green Berets from No 4 Commando Franco-British Unit who took the town and discover their story at the Atlantic Wall Museum.
In Lenault there is a plaque celebrating the liberation of the village in August and just up the road is a new memorial to a Polish soldier who lost his life whilst fighting to liberate France.  There are also numerous routes you can follow in your car guiding you around the most important sites.

70 years on, the horrors of the war in Normandy are restricted to it's museums and cemeteries.  You can walk freely through the towns and countryside and enjoy it's wonderful sandy beaches and for that we must lay our gratitude at the feet of the brave men (and the many women who followed the first troops) who took part in the D-Day Landings.  With each year that passes fewer veterans remain to salute their fallen comrades but to each and every one I say thank you.  You will not be forgotten.

Photo from Brittany Ferries

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