Normandy/Omaha Beach Touring with WC

[MBeamTX]

We are doing a transatlantic in May that stops in Cherbourg. I'm trying to arrange a tour of some D-Day sites in Normandy for my dad, who uses a wheelchair to travel any distance. (He can walk a bit and do a few stairs, but needs the chair for anything more than a block or so.)

 

Has anyone out there done a tour of sites like Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery at Colleville with a wheelchair? Are the sites truly accessible? I'm not finding much information with an internet search.

 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

Susan

[katisdale]

When we did this tour I was using a rollator. I can transfer to a car or van and had the good fortune to make arrangements for a private tour with John Flaherty at handmaid tours (http://www.handmaidtours.com). He is an historian and has lived in France for twenty years, and is also fluent in French. He picked us up at the pier and we went to the American and British cemeteries, the invasion beaches, pointe du hoc, and Pegasus Bridge as well as having lunch in Port en Bessin. This is undoubtedly the very best excursion we have ever taken. Your wheelchair needs to collapse to go into his auto. After returning to the ship and comparing our experience with those who went with ship's tours we were even more impressed. We saw more sights, got closer to the sights, and didn't have to wait while 60 or so people climbed back onto the bus.

[Winks]

We toured Normandy last April (my cousin is buried at Colville sur Mer - KIA St. Lo July, 1944). My wife is in a wheelchair (MS) and we had no trouble at all. Because the Cemetery is American property, it is, by law, handicap accessible. The other areas around Normandy are accessible also. The people of Normandy are wonderful. Bayeux is a wonderful town and the Tapestry is well worth seeing - watch out for the cobblestones though. If you can, go over to St Mere Eglise and over to the bridge over the Mederet River. It is awesome. Arromanches is worth seeing and has some good restaurants. Pegasus Bridge and the British Cemetery at Rantoulle are inspiring and heartbreaking. There is just so much to see. Enjoy your time in Normandy. It is very special. Oh, be sure and try the cider.

Winks

[leoandhugh]

I agree that Arromanches is worth a visit; the last time we were there you could still see some of the ships that were sunk to make a breakwater to protect the landing craft as they brought troops and tanks ashore. there is also a good museum there with documentary films of the landings (from the British point of view):)

[MBeamTX]

We toured Normandy last April (my cousin is buried at Colville sur Mer - KIA St. Lo July, 1944). My wife is in a wheelchair (MS) and we had no trouble at all. Because the Cemetery is American property, it is, by law, handicap accessible. The other areas around Normandy are accessible also. The people of Normandy are wonderful. Bayeux is a wonderful town and the Tapestry is well worth seeing - watch out for the cobblestones though. If you can, go over to St Mere Eglise and over to the bridge over the Mederet River. It is awesome. Arromanches is worth seeing and has some good restaurants. Pegasus Bridge and the British Cemetery at Rantoulle are inspiring and heartbreaking. There is just so much to see. Enjoy your time in Normandy. It is very special. Oh, be sure and try the cider.

Winks

 

I very much appreciate everyone's responses. They are going to help us in deciding whether this excursion is feasible.

 

Winks, did you take the ship's excursion or a privately arranged tour?

 

Thanks again,

Susan

[Winks]

Susan, the answer is Yes. Not to be cute, but the first time we did a ship's tour. Somebody was in cahoots with someone as we ended up spending 4 hours at the Caen Peace Museum and Gift Shop. Never again. Plus, the tour leader was very anti-American and kept making very derogatory remarks about us Yanks. Plus the bus was not handicap equipped so my wife (whom I carried on board the bus with no help from the driver) had to stay on the bus at a couple stops as they let us get off and then get right back on (Arromanches comes to mind) with no time at all to look around.

 

The next time, I arranged for a rental car and did my own research ahead of time. I also has a Garmin GPS with Europe maps. Worked out great. Now please understand, my second trip was not as part of a cruise. We spent almost 2 weeks in Normandy. If I were on a cruise, I would rent a car in Le Harve and head for the Cemetery, St Mere Eglise and Arromanches. Also Pointe du Hoc where the US Rangers landed. Maybe - a big maybe - if I had the time I would stop at Pegasus Bridge on the way back.

 

All said and done - I would never take a ship's tour there.

 

Kevin

[MBeamTX]

Thanks for the information, Kevin. I would love to rent a car and tour at our own pace, but two things hold me back. First, none of us speaks French. And second, our ship is scheduled to depart at 4 pm, so we'd have an abbreviated day. Still, I'll talk with our traveling companions and see if they're up for an adventure!

 

Susan

[Hebe]

We were on the Jewel TA in 2005 and we rented a car. Had no problems since in France they drive on the same side of the road as USA. Car had GPS in English. Roads were well marked and had no problem finding Normandy.

 

Normandy is very WC assessable.