From Caen to Juno Beach – Canada’s WW2 Odyssey in William the Conqueror’s Normandy (pt. 2)
Taking public transit in Normandy is no simple ordeal. The small minibuses run in loops from town to town but often drop travelers off at an intersection far outside the town center. To add insult to injury, pickup times are infrequent. It is no surprise to me that most people take cars to explore the war sights. To add insult to injury, I had my heavy travellers pack on my back and the summer heat was unbearable. No matter! I told myself, I had come from Caen (see Pt.1) to pay tribute to my Canadian predecessors that had landed on this very beach on D-Day. My bus dropped me off at Courseulles-sur-Mer, home of Juno beach and I made my slow walk through town towards the waterfront.
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A Brief Layout and Description
Courseulles is a small town of a few thousand people. It lies on the shore of the English Channel and is built into the west bank of the Seulles river. On the east bank of the river is a large sandbar where the German army was positioned on D-Day.
As small as Courseulles is the town swells in population during the warm summer months. Many visitors to the beach resort town are from Paris and own second homes in the region. As such the public beach, located just outside the town on the west bank can get quite crowded during the summer months.
Exploring Courseulles-sur-Mer
The Town of Courseulles
Walking though the city is an inspiring sight. International flags line the main street, saluting the national solidarity that helped liberate the town from enemy hands. This main street is called Rue de la Mer (Road of the Sea) and is entirely pedestrianized . At its entrance stands a red, timber framed, cafe and along its length are the most prominent buildings in the city, including the stone built mairie (town hall).
When you get closer to the waterfront you will be presented with a cinema, built into the remains of the old train station, several hotels along with many war memorials.
One of these includes a Canadian DD Sherman Tank called “Bold”. This type of armored vehicle is amphibious and was used extensively by Canadian American and British troops during D-Day. The tank was recovered and restored in the 1970’s, then being used as a memorial. Near the tank you will find a heritage carousel.
Along the water, where the Seulle river throws itself into the English Channel, you will find another set of memorials, this time dedicated to the liberation of the town.
You will also find a jetty along the pristine public beach. This is a great place to catch the tide roll in and out! Along the water heading east you will also encounter the strange sight of a British telephone booth.
Not to head to the Juno Beach center, you will have to cross the river. To do this I recommend doubling back to Foch street and crossing the bridge located near the fish market.
Juno Beach
From the island located in the Seulles river, you can cross north to the dunned beach. This bunker riddled battleground is what we call “Juno Beach” today. Rising above the tall grass is a large Canadian flag, indicating the location of the Juno Beach center. Upon seeing it my heart swelled with patriotic pride. You will also find a Croix de Loraine, one of the most important symbols of the French Nation and a tank.
Speaking of which you will find a copy of the famous 1940 Charles de Gaulle address to the French Nation “A Tout Les Francais”. In this moving speech he addresses a defeated France in its most vulnerable moment with a message of hope with the assertion that France has lost the battle, but not the war. He further asserts that as this is a world war that in the Free World, innumerable forces were massing to take on the enemy. He asks all patriotic Frenchmen to be ready for the day of liberation. If you can read french it is a touching tribute to the men that landed here (the free world) and the french nation.
Before entering the Juno Beach center I recommend visiting the many bunkers and pillboxes that litter the beach front. Squads ranging from 30-50 Germans manned them independently of each other.
Make sure to also walk the beach where so many lost their lives. There is little left of the chaos that ensued on D-Day but many of the artifacts found in town were retrieved from the beach itself and the waters off of it. Although pristine now the beach once lay waste with obstacles and mines.
Juno Beach Center
The center was almost deserted at the time of my visit. My heavy bag had rendered my body sweaty and exhausted I search for a place to store it. The staff largely consists of young Canucks eager to chat. Turns out (and I should have guessed it from the staffs puzzled expressions) that the center almost never receives backpackers and everyone comes in by car. They stored the backpack behind the counter and I proceed along with an elderly couple to a video room to be presented with a short film about the battle. After the film you will have the chance to roam a museum detailing stories of the men who fought here and the order and sequencing of the battle.
Over 14 000 Canadians were tasked with the landing, 10 000 served with the royal Canadian navy in support of the troops and countless others a serving in the air force. The 3rd Canadian Infantry Division was joined by British commandos and additional airmen. It fell to a small number of men to capture the beachhead and the sheer number of troops created delays when they captured the beach but by the end of D-Day the Canadians had gained the most ground, pushing towards Caen but failing to take their ultimate prize. Yet by the end of the day both Canadian and British beachheads were linked. Take in all that this well planned out museum has to offer. As a Canadian it is an honour and a privilege to do so!
Bény-sur-Mer
For those looking to pay their respects to the Canadian war dead, the war cemetery is located in nearby Beny, a town also accessible by the lamentable Normandy bus service.
Conclusion
My visit to Caen as well as Courseulles was an emotional and exhausting experience. Checking into a hostel room in Paris at the end of my road-trip I fell back on my bed, not yet sleeping but left to my thoughts. I eventually drifted off and woke up several hours later ready to go out on the town. Yet over the next several days I could not help but think of the cost borne by those before me and my own fortunate circumstance that I could visit such a place as a tourist and not as a soldier.
