A World War II historic guide to discover the D-Day Landing Beaches in Normandy

Travel Normandy guide François Gauthron offers tours of the Normandy landing beaches, World War II battlefield. Come and discover the most famous part of Normandy where took place the Landing and the battle of Normandy in June 1944 to liberate France and Europe. You will be escorted by a qualified bilingual guide who will show you round the major sites of the beaches. Visit the highlights of World War II sites in Normandy with an expert license guide, first the most important sites of the landing beaches.

Normandy Travel

Travel in Normandy with Francois Gauthron


La Haute Addeville, Le Holdy and Le Pont de l'Esseau

Gillis' Corner.

Hell's corners.

La Haute Addeville, Gillis' Corner

Like Holdy or Hell's corner, today there is nothing to see apart the fields and the cows. This is the spot where Sergt. Leo Gillis took out three Germans manning an MG 42 with his M-1 rifle. Paratroopers Huston, James Luce and Don Shinkoeth were killed there.  Luce was the only one who died in the church in Angoville.

Le Holdy: Gun Battery field

Not a lot to see today at Holdy  and quite difficult to find on your own. If you wish to go there ask your way to Holdy Military Store at Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. A mixed group of about 70 officers and men mainly from the 506th Rgt and some of the 82nd Division, engaged the German at Holdy corner. The enemy position was organized around a battery of 105 mm guns which no one had expected to encounter in that area. They were in a pretty bad condition, but fortunately an additional force of 75 men from First Battalion sent by Silly, reinforced and supported them under the command of CAPT Knut H. Raudstein of Company C and Capt. Lloyd E. Patch of Headquarters Company. Col. B. Sink also sent another 50 men from the 502nd Rgt to reinforce Holdy corner assault.

Le Pont de l'Esseau: Hell's corners

South of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, near Parey Farm, on June 7th, 500 German soldiers of the 1st Bn 6 Inf Rgt were heading towards Carentan to reinforce their forces. They faced Lt. Fred Owens and Pvt Leo Runge who opened fire against the German column, they fired till their MG jammed and continue with an M-1 rifle. The occurred delay permit Col. Howard Johnson Commander of the 501st PIR who landed in front of Château le Bel Enault, to group a sufficient number of men, fully equipped with MGs and mortars to seriously attack the enemy. The German troop was decimated: 150 KIA and 350 captured some 25 escaped the carnage, the Americans lost some 10 KIA and 33 WIA.