Hi, we are Nigel and Nicola and in January 2023 we sold our flat in Portrush, Northern Ireland, and moved full time into our VW Transporter Campervan. Since then we have visited over 20 different countries, had one or two break-downs, a few tears, and of course some incredible memories.
In 2026 we hope to spend quite a bit of time in the mountains. As well as our YouTube channel, we also like to write about our experiences to perhaps both inspire others, and also give a more realistic view of two 50-somethings travelling full time in their campervan. Thanks for following along.
Is it possible to travel yourself happy? Let’s find out !
Trip date; 2021
Having spent some time back home in Northern Ireland, a new year had just begun, and we were starting to get itchy feet again. A few months earlier we had been travelling and hiking in Northern Spain, and our route back to the UK at the end of that trip had taken us past Normandy and its array of visitor attractions. We hadn’t at that point left ourselves enough time to stop and partake in anything and vowed that we would return at some point in the future and do so.
Whilst February wouldn’t be on most peoples list as the best time to visit Northern France, wanting somewhere not too far to travel, we thought this would be ideal, as visitor numbers would be down, and we would miss the harsh winter storms that sometimes pass the north coast of Ireland early in the year. With this in mind, we spent a couple of weeks planning the trip and arrived in France early Feb.
My dad had been a paratrooper in his youth, a calling that had been the making of him as a person, and which gave him strong values and morals to live by for the rest of his life, so for me, high on my list would be a visit to a number of the WW2 memorials, museums and cemeteries. Sadly, my dad is no longer with us, but I thought it fitting to try and learn more about the war, particularly the airborne part, and try to gain a better understanding of what those brave men and women endured during those dark times.
An abundance of choice on the WW2 trail
There are a multitude of choices when it comes to visiting sites associated with WW2. You could literally spend weeks due to the number of museums, beaches, memorials, and cemeteries around the region. Whilst some of these sites are free (sometimes you may pay for parking), we found the remainder to be very reasonably priced and on par with each other, making it very affordable no matter which you chose to do.
When travelling the Normandy coastline, it’s difficult to go for many miles without coming across a memorial of some kind, or some battery stations left behind in an otherwise innocuous patch of land. We found ourselves regularly stopping the van to view something that we weren’t even aware of, or parking up for the night at an Aire, only to find the town covered in murals depicting scenes from the war.
For my visit, over a period of about 5 days, I chose the following sites based on wanting to get a view from the UK, US and German perspectives: The Pegasus Museum, Pegasus Bridge and Cemetery (Ranville), Le Grand Bunker (Ouistreham), Airborne Museum and Church (Sainte-Mère-Eglise), Normandy American Cemetery (Colleville-sur-Mer), British Normandy Memorial (Ver-sur-Mer), La Cambe German War Cemetery (La Cambe), Arromanches
360 (real footage of the conflict - Arromanches-les-Bains), and all the beaches from the D-Day landings – Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah.
In some instances, there is an overlap between museums in what is displayed, and the information provided, although you may get a different perspective depending on which of the countries is the main proprietor. This doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth doing them all, just that you often see similar things and start to recognise stories. I found this to be a good thing, as I wanted to hear as much as I could about the conflict and make sure that I didn’t forget what I was reading.
To say I enjoyed it all immensely feels like the wrong thing to say considering the topic, but it really was one of the best things I have done. I lost count of the number of times I cried, the heroism depicted and above all, the shock at the youth of those brave souls. I have always tried to appreciate what our older generations sacrificed but I have never previously had this much insight. Whilst I can never totally understand, I hope that I at least now know more about it and can be even more grateful.
It’s difficult to pick out highlights as each has its own merits: Pegasus Bridge – the glider pilots whose skill in getting so close ensured that the tide of the war could finally turn; The Airborne museum with its interactive displays making you feel as though you could actually be in one of the planes flying over France in the early hours of the morning, waiting for your moment to jump out into the darkness; The cemeteries leaving you speechless as you see cross upon cross stretching out into the distance, truly highlighting the scale of loss; The beaches, particularly Gold beach where the remains of Mulberry harbour remains sunken on the shoreline, stretching far and wide, a reminder of the vast stretch the soldiers had to cross amidst enemy fire before they could reach relative safety; The memorials etched with name after name, someone’s loved one, never to been seen again, the ultimate in human sacrifice. No matter what you choose to see, you cannot fail to be moved and will not be disappointed.
Other attractions along the Normandy coastline
Etretat
As well as visiting the war sites, we also spent some time just traversing the coastline. One of best places we stopped was Etretat. This is well known for its huge white cliffs (somewhat reminiscent of southern England) and rock formations, particularly Porte d’Aval arch and L’Aiguille (the Needle).
You can park in the car park on the outskirts of town (which is free overnight and then €5 for 5 hours after 9am). When we arrived at 9am it was empty, but be aware that, particularly at a weekend, by the time you return you will find cars squeezed in spaces you did not think possible, and it could prove difficult to get a large van or motorhome out of the carpark again until most people have left.
The walk from the car park to the cliffside on the other side of town which houses the Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Garde (a small church with dramatic views) and the monument to Charles Nungesser and François Coli (who were attempting to make the first non-stop flight from Paris to New York), is estimated to take around 60 minutes. The route provides you with great views of the cliffs and multiple opportunities to take a picture, or admire the view, and as such we spent almost 4 hours ambling along in the pleasant February sun. It is an easy path to walk and suitable for most abilities, although there are several steps to get up to the church and monument if you decide to visit those.
On arrival in the town there are plenty of cafes and restaurants to choose from if you are feeling hungry, or you can pick up your own baguette and leave the bustling town and crazily busy car park and find a quiet picnic spot in the countryside further along the coast.
Mont St. Michel
We had researched the visit to Mont St Michel quite a lot and knew that parking close to the site was relatively expensive. Because of this we chose to stay at a paid for Aire approximately 7km away (Aire de camping car, l’Anse de Moidrey), but from which you could either walk, cycle or run (as we did) along a very flat and pleasant river path.
The Aire itself is beside a riding school in a beautiful countryside setting and even has a single toilet and shower for van users. In February this was great and a real luxury, as there were only a handful of other visitors to the site and so access to the facilities was unimpeded. I can imagine in the height of summer however, you may have to wait a very long time to use the shower, although it would be worth it as the water was lovely and hot and the shower powerful. There is also mini golf on site and a washing machine, and you can even pay for the use of a hot tub, although at €25 for an hour it’s quite a luxury item if you are on a budget.
If you do choose to stay here, then the path to Mont St Michel will take you past a couple of other attractions. There is Alligator Bay which is a very large animal attraction and houses a huge number of reptiles and alligators, although we did not visit so I cannot comment on whether it is worthwhile. There is also a dam just before you reach Mont St Michel which has great views of the mount and from where close by you can hop on a bus to take you to the island if you do not feel like walking the last couple of kilometers.
I would recommend you time your visit to be either first thing in the morning or late afternoon as it gets very busy, very quickly. At low tide it is possible to walk around the island and the vistas are huge but beware some of the soft patches of mud where you can quickly find yourself knee deep and very dirty!
You enter Mont St Michel via a narrow slope and after passing some (paid for) public toilets you come to the narrow-cobbled streets. At this point you can take some steps to the right of you and climb up onto the stone walls from which you can walk around a large part of the island which boasts stunning views. The abbey can be accessed from this point too if you want to make that part of your visit.
For me the walk around the walls was the best part, as the remainder of the island consists of restaurants and shops with prices sufficiently hiked up to take advantage of the tourist trap. We had read this was the case and so had taken a packed lunch which we ate in a sheltered area of the ramparts.
I had been really looking forward to visiting Mont St Michel but was slightly disappointed overall. The views leading up to it and from the walls are worthwhile, but the interior and its commercial bias tainted my visit a little. In the end we only spent an hour there before heading back to the tranquil setting of the Aire.
This brought us to the end of our Normandy path, a route which we enjoyed immensely and had found very rewarding. There are an abundance of pretty towns and villages you can visit if you choose to follow this coastline (each with its own tantalising boulangerie/patisserie), and you will lose count of the number of huge sandy beaches you encounter. As there are many free and low cost Aires along the way it is not difficult to help keep the cake budget intact, and you will find that there really is something here for everyone.
Our latest vlog
Join us for a pint as we discuss our summer 2026 plans in the van.
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Thanks for following along, and until next time, take care, and Happy Travels !