Mont Saint Michel

Samuel wanted a beret, he got one.

 Today was a long day, but a busy day.  We left Bayeux on our way to Mont Saint Michel.  It took about   1 1/2  hours to get there.  We were almost there and I saw a sign that told about a German War Cemetery. So we stopped.  Mont d'Huisnes was the name of cemetery.  This is the final resting place for 11,956 people. Among them were not only German soldiers, but also forced laborers, concentration camp prisoners, and civilian casualties-women, children, and infants.  It is situated on the top of a small hill overlooking the English Channel.  It is the only German crypt construction in France.  The viewing platform offers a stunning view of Mont Saint Michel.

After leaving the cemetery we stopped at the St Michel Biscuiterie for lunch and to buy some cookies. We did not just happen on this location.  It was on our list of places to visit.  We had bought cookies here on a previous trip.

Mont Saint Michel was next on our list. For purpose of brevity, I will refer to the abbey as MSM.  It is located on a tidal island on the English Channel.  In its 1300 year history it has been a religious sanctuary, home to the Benedictine monks, a military stronghold, and after the French revolution it served as a state prison until 1863.  It held thousands of political and religious prisoners. In the modern era it was occupied by German forces from June 18, 1940 until June 6, 1944. Then everything changed. The Germans started packing their bags. As the last Germans departed the abbey, one German soldier machine gunned the statue of the founding bishop atop the St. Aubert's Church.

On August 1, Private Freeman Brougher drove onto the MSM causeway with two British reporters.  Private Brougher was hailed as the liberator of MSM. When word spread that the "Les American" was here, people came out of the woodworks.  The reporters counted 25 girls kissing Brougher and he accepted kisses from 6 babies.  The Germans that had not left, walked up to Brougher with their hands in the air and surrendered and asked where was the nearest prisoner cage.  The joyous crowd escorted Private Brougher to the mayor's office in the MSM. He was toasted with champagne, covered with flowers, and carried through the narrow cobblestoned streets on the shoulders of the crowd. He signed the Golden Book, which recorded a list of nobility that had been to MSM. He said he felt like President Roosevelt kissing all those babies. The people called him "the Savior of Mont Saint Michel". 

For Private Brougher, this was the highlight of his military career.  He returned home to Pennsylvania where he became a high school business manager. He returned to MSM with his family in June 1987, 43 years later.  He was welcomed with open arms.

We enjoyed our visit to the cemetery, the cookie store, MSM, but we had one more stop to make. We drove to Arromanches, the home of the "Churchill Mulberry Harbor".  The Allies created an artificial harbor to be used to ship personnel, vehicles, and supplies.  All of this was needed to support the Allies in sustaining its war against Germany.  You could write a book when talking about the Mulberry Harbor. I don't have the time.  We found a nice seaside restaurant for dinner before we headed back to Bayeux.  I had a very good meal of fish and chips.

Mont d'Huisnes German Cemetery

View from the cemetery

View of French countryside

Fish and Chips

Mont Saint Michel Street

Tomorrow we will visit Saint Mere Eglise, visit the Airborne museum, and explore the story of Sgt Steele while hanging from the church during the D Day invasion.

Ethan & Samuel on the causeway at Mont St Michel

Ethan and Samuel on an extremely narrow alleyway