Trevieres - Normandy

Trevieres is a small village in Lower Normandy, in the Calvados department, France.  This is the village i recently stayed in on my weeks holiday.  The village is just inland from Omaha beach (10 minutes by car) and is a great central location in which to be based if you are visiting Normandy to see the D-Day sites

We stayed in a 3 storey town house on the main square which was a delight as it gave great views over the village and the square and allowed you to 'people watch' as they went about their business but mostly to visit the very popular Boulangerie three premises away from where we staying, which we also used.

We chose Trevieres as our base just because it looked nice from the details on the Internet but it wasn't until we got there and walked around the village that we understood it's own WW2 history.  The battle of Trevieres was fought between 8-10 June 1944.  In the words of a survivor the battle for Trevieres "was a tough nut to crack".  

The attack by 9th and 38th Regiments of the American Second Infantry Division began at 1200 hrs on 9 June on this important German HQ, with it's carefully prepared defensive positions.  By the end of the day the 38th had entered the town but it was not until the end of 10th June that they cleared Trevieres after a house to house battle.

On certain days there is an open air market and on one evening returning from the beaches we found a pizza van operating from the square.  The van had a real wood burning stove built inside it and they made the dough to order and cooked the pizza in the wood burning stove inside the van! Of course, we had to sample them!

Anyway, here's some pictures of Trevieres...

Trevieres is circled in Orange, left on the map just above St Lo.  As you can see it is centrally placed
for access to all the beaches, the Airbourne drop zones (American & British) and the Battery at Merville and Pegasus bridge.

Looking at the picture our house is in the corner just to the left of the Orange awning or the 6th dormer window going right to left

A closer view of our 'house'.  My bedroom is the dormer to the left of the dormer with the satellite dish (looking at the picture) and had great views over the square

The lower floor was the living accommodation of the owners of the house.  The 'sports bar' next door was so quiet and shut about 6p to 7pm every night.

An ariel view of the village in June 1944.  

A view from my bedroom window...

Another view but showing the right hand side.  The very popular Boulangerie is by the zebra.

Another view...looking left.   If you go back three pictures up you can make out the triangular square top left..

Look at the picture above.  The 'white' house with the church spire sticking out of it is the 'white' house in this contemporary picture.  The body is a dead German soldier still laying there as the mopping up operation continues.

The church in Trevieres.  There are still bullet holes visible around the doors.  Note the statue..

The statue, a striking bronze female figure wearing a Poilu's helmet is a monument to those who died during the first world war.  It was damaged by a shell during the 'battle of Trevieres'

Here's the statue in situ today, note the statues face....

A close up with two collared doves taking a break...how symbolic!

The explanation...

In this contemporary shot you can see the 'white house' that had the dead German in front of it in the background.
Here they are celebrating the 4th of July.  My house was just down the street behind the crumbling house right of the flag

Another view of the church

The road we mostly took into and out of the village is top centre of the picture.
The biggest house you see in the centre of the pic is the back of the 'white' house.

Our roof balcony where we enjoyed three or four evening meals in the late evening sunshine.