European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 19, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Byways and highways checking out the roads to coastal Normandy a Wii Era anti aircraft gun stands near a a Day museum by the stars and stripes Here Are some suggestions for travelling to Normandy from throughout Europe from Germany head for Saa Brucken on the German French Border. Autobahn a-6 from Mannheim or Kaiserslautern will take you directly to the Border crossing. From Frankfurt take a-5 or Highway 67 until it intersects a-6 at Bernheim. It s about a-1 i hour drive by car from vier Nheim to the Border. Regular unleaded Gas in France is about $1.25 per liter. Figure 3.8 liners per gallon. You can fill up at a by Gas station right by the German French Border off a-6. However it s on the opposite Side. To get there you can travel into France to the next exit then get Back on a-6 toward Saa Brucken. Travel Back across the Border and Stop at the by station. The French word for full is Plein pronounced something like  regular fuel is either Ordi Naire or simply essence the French word for gasoline. Unleaded fuel is sans Plomb. For those travelling from the Benelux Check your Road map for the most direct superhighway across France to the invasion coast area. In the United kingdom ask local travel offices for information on Channel ferry or / hovercraft schedules to ports nearest the invasion coast. Be Havre is at one end of the invasion coast Cherbourg is at the other. Travellers from Greece Spain Turkey and other locations outside Central Europe should also Check first with a local travel office before planning the trip. Altogether you la pay about $80 in tolls from the Border to Paris. The tolls Are usually in 10-dr. 15-franc instalments. At one toll Booth you la be Given a ticket which you la turn in a along with about 62 francs about $12 a farther Down the Road. The autoroute is lightly travelled and easy to drive. If your car Breaks Down on the autoroute emergency Call boxes Are Well marked and placed at regular intervals along the route. The operator probably Speaks better a a a $ i Chao Battery a a a Omaha a Pugol Caranta m care Tan amp a Mort so Melchet Quot wow source Franco Magazine English than you do. Simply pick up the phone and give the operator the number on the Box and the location description and the License plate number of your car. Also provide a Brief description of what is wrong and the operator will Send help. If you ran out of Gas be prepared to spend about $80 for the emergency Call. At the Speed limit of 130 Kilometres per hour about 81 Mph you la need Between three and four hours for the trip to Paris depending on How often you Stop for Gas meals or use of the facilities. The Gas and rest stops Are Dean and offer everything from Candy bars to souvenirs much like a . All night grocery. Good places to eat along the autoroute Are fast Foell gulls at the refuelling stops. The Cost of a Steak Burger Fries and a cola is about $9. From Germany the autoroute will bring you to the suburb of Charenton just Southeast of Paris. Tighten your Seatbelt you re about to enter the Peri Herique the Road a some  track that circles the City. On the Peri Herique head South. Depending on the time of Day the traffic will either be stalled completely or racing by you. Stay in the right Lane and remain Calm. If you think of the Peri Herique As a clock dial you la get on at 4 o clock coming from Germany and exit at 8 o Dock. Look for the exit for autoroute a-13 in the direction of Rouen and Caen Caen is about two hours drive from Paris and the tolls Are approximately $20. However you will enjoy the coast More if you turn off 15 Miles before Caen at the Cabourg exit. At Cabourg the Eastern end of the invasion area you la see the Ocean for the first time probably through the gaps in the rows of resort Homes on the water s Edge. Stop at the tourist office or a Bookstore and pick up a of Gold a a a to Juno a Arroma chm a �3sword a  by a Nort Amdy Region /. A a f6camp it cd Havre t a / hot eur beaches coastal artillery Battery of the Atlantic Wall aps amps copy of Michelin s souvenir map of Normandy. The map. No. 102, is a reprint of the 1947 guide to the invasion beaches it has historical information on the top invasion Sites. Another Handy touring Book is the Michel in Green guide to Normandy in English. Cood modern Michelin maps to get Are no. 54. Cherbourg Caen Rouen or no. 231, which covers Al of Normandy. To Cabourg take route 814 if you happen to use map no. 54/ the Road is numbered d514which runs West along the coast. Head for Merville keeping watch for a View of the German bunkers along the coast. Merville Franchville is the site of a German four gun Battery knocked out by British paratroopers before the Dawn landings. Once in town follow the signs to  most of the bunkers Are in Good shape and one has been turned into a museum. From Merville follow route 814 d514 on the new continued on Page 4 May 19, 1994 stripes Magazine