Liberation from Normandy to Paris
Day 1
Our journey began in Sainte-Mère-Église at the Airborne Museum, where we learned about the courage of the Allied paratroopers who landed in Normandy on D-Day. Standing under the wings of original aircraft, we imagined their fear and determination to take part in the liberation of Europe. In the afternoon, at the German Military Cemetery in La Cambe, we reflected on the tragedy shared by all sides. Here, the architectural and design differences between German and American cemeteries struck us.
We interviewed each other for a podcast comparing the German and American cemeteries, discussing how each site tells a different story of memory and reconciliation.
Content from the Participants
Day 2
Our journey along the D-Day beaches went on with the visit of the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer. There, the endless rows of white crosses overlooking Omaha Beach left us speechless. Our guide Cécile uncovered the diversity of stories of the fallen resting at the cemetery.
Inspired by these stories, we recorded a podcast exploring the role of women in the Second World War, including the untold stories of nurses, female soldiers, and resistance fighters.
Later, at Arromanches, the D-Day Museum and the remains of Mulberry Harbor helped us visualize the scale of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy.
Content from the Participants
Day 3
At Juno Beach, we discovered the Canadian sector of the D-Day landing beaches, following the footsteps of the Canadian soldiers who landed on this section of the French coast in 1944. We explored the bunkers of the Atlantikwall and listened to stories about the young men who landed here to fight for Europe’s liberation.
Inside a simulated landing craft of the Juno Beach Centre, we experienced the landing through an immersive film. The exhibition concluded with a moving film featuring the voices of Canadian soldiers and their families.
Day 4
The final day of the exchange brought us to Paris, where we visited the Museum of the Order of Liberation and the Historial Charles de Gaulle at Les Invalides. Surrounded by artifacts of courage and resistance to the Nazi occupation, we connected the stories of Normandy to France’s liberation.
The program concluded with a delicious lunch in a Parisian brasserie and a moment of reflection, where everyone shared their thoughts about the week.
