FRANCE - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 194

The town of Caen was the pivot of the battle and paid heavily for its part in the
conflict. By the second day of the invasion, the whole of the town center had been
flattened by Allied bombing. The German garrison fought fiercely. It wasn't until
July 9 that the British and Canadian troops were able to take the town. The Ger-
mans, however, retreated to the right bank of the Orne River, where they continued
to direct mortar fire into the ruined town. Caen was not completely liberated until
August 9. The Battle of Caen lasted more than two months. Seventy-five percent
of the town was destroyed.
For years following the war, Caen was one vast building site in which life slowly
began to return to normal. Reconstructed and restored, the town decreed that now
is the time for all men of goodwill to be reconciled. To that purpose, the Caen Me-
morial was established on the site of one of the bloodiest battles in history to take
you on a compelling journey from the dark years of world wars to a vision of peace.
The memorial is unlike any other museum devoted to the theme of warfare. It
employs audiovisual presentations to explain the sequence of events that led up
to the outbreak of hostilities in 1939, the suffering of the people involved, the pre-
paration for the invasion, and the strategies behind it. Peace can never be taken
for granted; consequently, the memorial ends its presentation with a powerful and
moving film emphasizing the need for vigilance if we are to have peace in our world
in our own time and in our children's.
Allow one day for the Caen Memorial and sightseeing in Caen—a typical day
excursion. If you want to tour the landing beaches and the memorial, this may be a
good place to consider renting a vehicle. Ask the tourist office for the brochure The
D-Day Landings and the Battle of Normandy. The Hertz office in Caen is directly
across from the rail station (closed Sunday). Reserve your first car rental on your
rail/drive package at least seven days prior to your departure for Europe by calling
Hertz at [phone] or visiting www.hertz.com .
Another option is to take the train from Paris St. Lazare Station to Caen and pur-
chase the Caen Short Break package, which includes a two-day pass for a visit of
the Caen Memorial, guided tours of the D-Day Landing Beaches, a book on the D-
Day Landing (in English), and one night in a one-, two-, or three-star hotel, includ-
ing breakfast. Prices start at €108 per person, based on double occupancy. Make
your reservations in advance with a credit card: Tel: [phone] (0900 to 1800
Monday through Friday); telephone from the United States: 011 [phone];
www.memorial-caen.fr ; E-mail: [e-mail].
This is a pilgrimage that every American should make. Arriving in Caen, you can
proceed directly to the memorial on city bus No.17 going in the direction of the me-
morial. It departs from the bus station outside the rail station on the right.