Normandy: Then and Now Photos

I think you all know by now how much I enjoy doing the 'then and now' comparison photos, so I thought it would be a good idea to put them in to one dedicated thread.

I'll add more as and when I do them.

This is Saint-Pierre church (also known as Caen Cathedral) in the centre of Caen which was badly damaged by allied bombing in 1944.



German POWs stood on the platform of the railway station next to Juno Beach in Bernieres-sur-Mer



US soldiers from 2nd Ranger Battalion at Pointe-du-Hoc

 

I enjoy the then and now photos as well. Keep them coming.

 

The most addictive holiday pastime of all ! I love the Pointe du Hoc one....

 

Yes I do take all the modern photos that I show.

It a is VERY addictive hobby, I sometimes go miles out of my way to get just one comparison shot.

The Pointe du Hoc photo was a little difficult to get as the fence along the coast has been moved some twenty feet inland due to the cliffs crumbling away. I had to pick my moment to get over the low fencing, get my photo and get back without being spotted by an official bod!

 

US paratroopers resting in Ravenouville, which is a few miles inland from Utah beach.



The church in Sainte-mer-Eglise.

 

Hope it's OK to chip in with the only one I did last week in Normandy.
Then photo from Mark J Reardon's book ''Victory at Mortain''.

The Gare at Le Neufbourg on the northern outskirts of Mortain.

 

Great comparison, Owen.

The fact that Normandy has changed very little over the years makes it all the more easy to find the 'then' locations.

 

Here's another taken in Sainte-mer-Eglise. I couldn't quite get the same shot angle as it would have meant standing in the middle of a busy crossroads and risking the chance of being mown down by a local or tourist driver!

 

I feel very daft now as was looking for that back in October to Then & Now a photo on page 28 of ''Canadian Battlefields in Normandy'' by Copp & Bechthold. I couldn't find it...Doh!!!

 

It's one of those buildings that you can pass and not realise that it was once a station. We stay quite close to its location and this is the first time I've done a comparison shot. On previous visits it has been a case of "I'll stop and do that comparison tomorrow"...and then forgetting to.

 

Here's another comparison taken in the town of Bernieres-sur-Mer.

The first house to be liberated on Juno beach.

 

Excellent pics John ! i'm surprised the 3 trees in Mortain still look exactly the same after 70 years

 

These were taken at the WW1 memorial in the centre of Carentan. I didn't quite line this shot up properly.



US soldiers riding a captured Kubelwagen along the main road through Carentan

 

Great pics, guys, and I'm certainly jealous!!!

 

More taken in Carentan







It's a shame that the cars blocked my 'now' shot.

 

The shop behind the monument used to be a garage those days

 

Those are some great photos there Panther

 

I'm sure this one has been seen many times. This is St Lambert-sur-Dives, right in the middle of the Falaise Gap.