June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day, saw the start of one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history that marked the beginning of the end of war in Europe during World War II.
Visiting this scenic area in Normandy, filled with the ghosts of the young men and brave soldiers of a bygone era, is on the bucket list of many world travellers and is one of the must-see destinations for many of the passengers on board the AmaLegro, a small luxury river boat which operates on the waterways from Paris to Normandy.
There are plenty of wonderful stops on the tour – from the city of Rouen where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake and inspiration of impressionist painter Claude Monet’s famous gardens in Giverny, to the postcard-perfect village of Les Andelys overlooking the Duke of Normandy and King of England Richard the Lionheart’s 12th-century fortress Chateau Gaillard.
There’s also a visit to the port of Honfleur whose beauty has long attracted artists with works to be seen in its many museums and galleries.
And, of course, you get to experience spring in Paris.
On your evenings in the French capital the AmaLegro is docked with a view of the Eiffel Tower in the distance. After dinner on the first night the boat moves up river close to the Eiffel Tower to watch this famous landmark’s nightly magical light show from the ship’s open air deck with its 360º panoramic views.
It’s all about a glorious journey and not the destination.
However, the site of the D-Day landings seems to have captured a global imagination with tourists flocking to an area that has inspired movies, books and tales of heroism.
D-Day, however, is so much more than beaches. There are memorials and bunkers throughout this now tranquil area of Normandy which saw so much bloody fighting.
There’s so much to visit that the AmaLegro offers two different tours to the area. The first is to the three beaches codenamed Sword, Juno and Gold where British, Canadian and French troops came ashore. There’s also a stop at the Pegasus Bridge, the first piece of France to be liberated shortly after midnight on June 6 in a daring assault by Britain’s airborne forces.
The most famous is included in the second tour: Omaha Beach – featured in the Steven Spielberg epic Saving Private Ryan – where the Americans landed only to have nearly 2 000 men mowed down as they attempted to scale the beach under fierce bombardment from German guns on the cliff above.
There are several museums which tell the story although it’s the Normandy American cemetery, situated on a cliff above Omaha Beach, that really brings home the tragedy of war.
In Saving Private Ryan, the elderly Ryan – whose mother had already lost three sons to the war – is visibly moved as he is confronted by crosses as far as the eye can see. It is a sight that still stirs strong emotions as there are more than 9 000 graves, including 33 pairs of brothers.
Often history books fail to impart the scope of the D-Day invasion, something remedied by a visit to these sites.
There’s a third alternative for those who have no interest in World War II history or have visited the area before.
This includes a Calvados tasting at the 17th-century Chateau Breuil and a tour of its distillery; a visit to Beuvon-en-Auge, a charming village that has been voted one of the most beautiful in France and a visit to the striking 15th-century Chateau St Germain de Livet, considered a jewel of the Pays d’Auge region.
The tours all comprise small groups with knowledgeable and entertaining guides. You even get to wear a sophisticated, lightweight audio headset system on shore excursions, so you never have to miss a word of your guide’s insightful commentary.
It’s just one attention to detail that these river cruise specialists have become known for.
The AmaLegro belongs to AmaWaterways which is consistently ranked as one of the top luxury river cruise lines in the world. In 2013 and 2014 they were awarded the “World’s Best Award” by Travel & Leisure while last year they won WAVE awards for having the “best staterooms” and “onboard dining (for river cruises)” by TravelAge West.
The AmaLegro is elegant and stylish and yet you feel very much at home on this boat. It’s a seamless luxury travel experience that combines unforgettable scenery with history, art and exceptional food and wine.
The food on board was spectacular – everything is freshly prepared (there’s even a baker on board), Gallic and gorgeous.
All wine and beer is included with meals and you get to sample wines from all the French wine producing regions during the week-long cruise.
Cape estate Vriesenhof had been invited to showcase its wines to guests on board and proudly flew the South African flag.
While I’m not sure what the audience made of winemaker and former Springbok rugby player Jan “Boland” Coetzee’s distinctive Malmesbury bray, his fabulous wines certainly spoke for themselves.
He gave a series of talks about Vriesenhof and the South African wine industry to guests who came from around the globe and showcased wines from Vriesenhof and its second label Paradyskloof.
They were hugely well received with plenty of interest in the chardonnay, pinot noir and red blend as well as South Africa’s own varietal pinotage.
At a sumptuous Chaîne des Rôtisseurs dinner, Vriesenhof wines were especially paired with Executive Chef Normen Wolf’s menu which included Scallops St Jacques; foie gras with a lemon brioche; fennel cream soup; Normandy sole poached in a light saffron sauce; tender lamb medallions in a red wine and thyme jus and that famous floating island dessert Ile Flottante.
Normandy is famous for its cheeses such as the distinctive heart-shaped Neufchâtel, Pont-l’Évêque and Camembert and all these and more are available at sumptuous cheese boards for both lunch and dinner.
You also get to dine once during the cruise at the Erlebnis Chef’s Table Restaurant, an intimate gourmet venue offering a special degustation tasting menu.
If you haven’t done enough walking and meandering through picturesque towns with their architecture, museums, churches, gourmet food shops and lively local markets, an on-board gym and bicycles offer extra exercise opportunities to help cancel out the extra kilojoules ingested at the fabulous meals.
With just 148 passengers, the ship’s staff gets to know each guest personally.
We came away carrying a few extra kilos but even more memories of a very special holiday that provided a perfect getaway.
l Janine Walker was a guest of Just Cruising and the special wine-themed Seine cruise was hosted by Vriesenhof Winery, one of South Africa’s favourite brands.
AmaWaterways River Cruises, the highest rated river cruise line in Europe according to Berlitz 2015, offers exciting itineraries on most European rivers as well as the Far East.
Call Raymond Leibman on 011 483 1997 or go to Just Cruising at www.justcruising.co.za or email [email protected]
Janine Walker, Saturday Star