D-Day: Battlebus

Trevor showing off German barbed wire. The closely spaced barbs make the wire harder to grip and remove.

October 26: With a French mother and American father, Trevor, proved an excellent Battlebus guide to the complexities of D-Day, World War II and Normandy.  He enthusiastically applauded American ingenuity and persistence during the invasion, and passionately espoused French fortitude and resistance during the Nazi occupation. Though he tried to hide it, he also had a distaste for Germans and what they'd done during the war.
Battlebus is based out of Bayeux and specializes in one and two-day tours of the D-Day invasion sites. We chose the two-day American Experience because of its comprehensive view of the event, and its visits to the German side. Additional tours cover the British and Canadian sectors, with specials for World War II veterans.

Typical Battlebus van.

We rode in an eight-person van, with only six customers, giving us plenty of room to move around and change seats. Trevor drove as well as lectured, and because he lived in the area, could give us intimate details about Normandy's past and present.  He used a large flipbook with maps and photos, and combination of historical facts and personal anecdotes to liven up his commentary.

I recommend the company highly. But they only accept payment in cash, primarily in Euro. (There are enough ATMs in Bayeux that this isn't a problem.) They will take dollars and pounds but only with expensive exchange fees.

Stay tuned for more details.