Pegasus Bridge • Arromanches • Bény-sur-Mer • Juno Beach — November 11, 2025
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Some travel days are beautiful. Some are joyful.
And some — like this day in Normandy — stay etched on your heart forever.
This Remembrance Day, traveling with my AmaDante group, we stepped into history in a way that was emotional, humbling, and deeply human. What unfolded over the course of one November day is something I will never forget.
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Pegasus Bridge — Where the Dawn of D-Day Came Alive
Our morning began early, boarding the bus in near darkness. As the sun rose, we arrived at Pegasus Bridge — the very spot where D-Day truly began. Just after midnight on June 6, 1944, British glider pilots and paratroopers landed here with breathtaking precision, securing the bridge and setting the entire Allied liberation into motion.
Standing at the memorial as the first light spread across the water, it was easy to imagine those first courageous moments. You could feel the weight of history in the air.
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At 11:00 a.m., our group gathered at the base of the bridge for a moment of silence. Marie, our new Aussie friend, had downloaded The Last Post. When the bugle call began, the world went still.
I found myself standing with seven extraordinary veterans from Canada and New Zealand — decorated military nurses and one officer who together represent more than 120 years of service in Bosnia, Somalia, Afghanistan, Haiti, the Persian Gulf, and beyond. Their presence made the moment infinitely more profound. You could feel their stories, their sacrifices, and the lives they’ve touched.
To honour the fallen.
To stand beside those who served.
To remember what began on this very ground…
It was a privilege of a lifetime. ❤️
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Arromanches — Where History and Everyday Life Meet
From Pegasus Bridge, we drove to the quiet seaside town of Arromanches — a place where D-Day’s legacy and everyday life intertwine.
We ate our boxed lunches overlooking the wide, windswept beach, watching as children laughed, dogs chased waves, and a few brave souls plunged into the November surf. Life carrying on, full of joy.
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And just offshore: the rusting remnants of the Mulberry Harbour, the ingenious temporary port that made the Allied landings possible.
It’s a strange, beautiful contrast — to stand on a beach where freedom was won, watching families enjoy the very life those efforts secured. The sacrifice feels even more profound in that setting.
Before we left, I found Remembrance Day scarves and D-Day magnets in a tiny local shop — small pieces of history to carry home.
Arromanches is a place that settles into your heart — a testament to resilience and the life that liberty makes possible.
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Bény-sur-Mer — A Place Every Canadian Should Stand Once
Our next stop, the Canadian War Cemetery at Bény-sur-Mer, left us speechless.
A large Canadian flag greeted us as we arrived — a powerful sight so far from home. Inside, rows of pristine white headstones stretched out in perfect symmetry. Each one marked with a maple leaf. Each one lovingly cared for.
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On this November day, the ground was covered in fallen maple leaves — reds and golds scattered gently among the graves. It felt as though Canada itself had come to honour its sons.
Small poppies grew between the headstones — delicate, resilient, symbolic. Their colour echoed the remembrance poppies worn across the world.
We walked the rows quietly, stopping to read the epitaphs chosen by families. Words of love, pride, heartbreak, and hope. Many were just 18 or 19 years old.
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In the registry book, we found the graves of the three Westlake brothers — Toronto siblings who died within weeks of each other. Canada’s own heartbreaking parallel to Saving Private Ryan. Standing before their headstones was a moment that touched every one of us.
Bény-sur-Mer is peaceful, sacred, and profoundly emotional. A place of gratitude and remembrance. A place that stays with you.
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Juno Beach — A Remembrance Day Ceremony I Will Never Forget
Our final stop was Juno Beach, where Canadians landed on D-Day. The sea was restless, the wind sharp, the sky heavy with history.
But what made this ceremony unforgettable was who I stood beside — the remarkable military veterans in our group:
🇨🇦 Captain (Ret) Cora Newhook – 20 years, Bosnia & Germany
🇨🇦 Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Charlene Langlais – 22 years, Persian Gulf & Bosnia
🇨🇦 Lieutenant Commander (Ret) Denise Kearsey – 22 years, Haiti & Germany
🇨🇦 Major (Ret) LeeAnne Quinn – 26 years, deployments to Former Yugoslavia, Somalia, Rwanda, Afghanistan
🇳🇿 Squadron Leader (Ret) Judith Telford – Royal New Zealand Nursing Corps & Air Force
🇨🇦 Corporal (Ret) Merna Chernetz – 12 years, Lahr and postings across Canada
🇨🇦 Alain Langlais – Royal Canadian Navy veteran
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At the memorial, with the names of fallen Canadians etched behind us, our cruise director João read each of their biographies aloud — honouring their service and sacrifices.
To stand with them on Juno Beach…
To hear their stories in the place where so many stories ended…
To share that moment of remembrance together…
It was beyond moving. And something I will hold close for the rest of my life. ❤️🇨🇦🇳🇿
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A Day of History, Heart, and Deep Gratitude
Normandy is not just a place you visit.
It’s a place you feel.
A place where courage becomes real, where sacrifice has names and faces, and where the freedoms we often take for granted come into sharp, humbling focus.
From Pegasus Bridge to Arromanches, from Bény-sur-Mer to Juno Beach… this Remembrance Day was one of the most profound days of my life.
And I am grateful — deeply grateful — to have walked it alongside such extraordinary people.
Lest we forget. ❤️
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📩 Let’s Start Planning Your Bucket List Journey:
Sheila Gallant-Halloran | www.lushlife.ca | ✉️ sheila@lushlife.ca