Hello everyone, I am in the early process of planning a trip to Normandy to see the beaches,battlefields, museums etc.

I would also be very interested in visiting one of the tank museums, either Bovington, or Samur.

Which one would you guys suggest and why?

Thank you,
Eric

I've not been to either of them, but my gut says Bovington..

I have been in both of them, any of them are top class and won't let you down, perhaps Saumur will be easier to reach from Normandy

I have seen that Samur is a 3 1/2 hour car trip from Normandy, while Cherborg is an 1 hour drive, then hop on a ferry across the channel to Bovington which would be a total of 7 hours so double the distance but still doable.

It's going to depend on your logistics. Saumur is about 3 hours from the Normandy beach. Lots to see in the area. Don't forget St. Mere Eglise etc

Bovington requires a trip to England. Once there either driving or rail to Wool station Dorset.

I've never been to France. Bovington was 1977 and highly recommend.
Don't bother with either until you're certain everything has reopened after the WuFlu.

I have been to both, some years ago now, and it very much depends on your interests. Both have a range of similar vehicles and each has it's own unique items in its collection. My personal preference would say Bovington if you can get to only one, but if you can, arrange to see both and you will not be disappointed.

On my trip I spent 2.5 days at Bovington taking thousands of photographs (sadly lost on a drive failure) then caught the Chunnel train from London to Paris. Drove from there to Le Mans and visited the museum there, then drove to Saumur. Beware - French Road tolls are costly!! I went through Saumur in a day, but I did not photograph what Bovington already had.

Make sure you pay at Saumur to take photographs and display the sticker they give you, else the gentleman with the Machine Pistol will want to have a not too pleasant word with you. (Mine was covered by the camera bag strap and this soldier went off at a million Db and I could not understand a word he said. When I moved the strap so he could see the sticker, he just glared at me and stormed off.)

In Normandy, make sure you see the Longues-sur-Mer battery. Unlike some of the others where you need to pay a steep entrance fee, this is open and free to enter. The guns in place are worth seeing.

Also as you drive from beach to beach, check out some of the side streets as you pass, you will be surprised at what is still on plinths but not often listed anywhere ...

I was a big supporter of Bovington however they are trying to separate the public from the displays and that to me detracts greatly from its appeal. Saumer I believe will let you climb on the vehicles if you take the time to make requests.

No you can't climb onto the vehicles in Saumur. Moreover they have installed ropes around the vehicles for security reasons. However the collection is fantastic and there are a lot to see outside (nearly all the AMX 13 variants)

Olivier

WoW you need to pay to take pictures in a museum? Is that common over there or is it just the Samur museum?

I remember having to pay a camera supplement in the AAF museum in Danville VA some years back. And when I asked permission to step over the ropes to get detail shots of one exhibit they said sure - for an extra $300!

Bovington at last count didn't charge for pics, but I'm worried if Darren's report means they will restrict access - one of the highlights was being able to touch and photograph at close range.

How are they doing that?

I was at Saumur in January, and it was fantastic. Both the vehicles outside and in, the range and number of vehicles, a few prototypes, and the WWI French tanks, too. A highlight for me was to take a moment, and stand with my hand on the hull of a Tiger, Panther, King Tiger, Panzer IV, or any of the myriad of vehicles there, and appreciate the men (& woman) who went before me. I know, a bit dramatic, but it was an opportunity for me to reflect on my hobby, and what it represents.

I was at Bovington as an impatient teenager, thirty something years ago, and was able to have my photograph taken in the Tiger there, without appreciating the history of what I was doing. Now, I couldn’t do it, and I cannot find that photograph.

Go to either (logistics support Saumur), and take the time to linger.

When are you planning your trip? The reason I ask is that starting June 8, the UK will require anyone arriving via plan, train, or ferry, will have to go into a mandatory 14 day self quarantine.

It is probable that your day trip to Bovington will end up being a two week stay, before you are even allowed to go to the museum.

I would suggest that since you are already in France, go to Samur.

Plan Bovington for a future trip to the UK.

Hello there

I presume you're planning a trip for next year? As Mark says there are some restrictions in place which I don't think will alter much for some time in both countries.

If you'll be in Normandy anyway then Saumur makes much more sense in my mind. If you'll be flying in or out of London though (with some other means of getting to France) then Bovington could fit in.

Saumur pros...
Same country
If you rent a car, same side of the road as you're used to
Whilst the tolls can mount up, there are few in Normandy, none to the west of Caen, so you'll only start incurring tolls when(if) you head south towards the Loire valley and Saumur
If you get a satnav or something, you can avoid the tolls. It will take a little longer but you'll have a more interesting drive
The fee for taking photos in negligible, about €5,- I think last time I was there. Think of it as part of the admission fee
Access is, as has been stated, a little better I think. I was there last about two years ago and could get to everything I wanted to see
The town of Saumur is also lovely. Nice chateau, the river Loire, lots of good local produce (eg wine, mushrooms).
Some interesting WW2 history. 17.SS were based there before moving to Normandy shortly after D-Day, the railway tunnel was a key target for Bomber Command....

Bovington pros
Same language (more or less... )
Nice countryside
Pubs sell real beer

Both museums have unique ecxamples, so if you're after seeing something in particular, that might dictate which one you go for.

For the Normandy part of your trip, if you have any questions, please ask.
The tourism industry here has obviously taken a massive hit, so when you come you'll be most welcome

Cheers

Sean

Sean,
I don't want to offend, but do you mean that seriously?
There are only 3 countries in the world, which produce "real" beer:
Belgium, Czech Republic and Germany. Okay, Ireland also, if you drink Guinness (I do).

Think about it ....

Totally serious.... and no offence taken

There's good beer in north France but in the Loire valley not so much.
I do like German beer and some Belgian, Czech and Dutch but à decent pint in a pub is unbeatable IMHO

Anyway, Cheers

I'd go to Saumur.
There are also a few smaller museums in Normandy, that are well worth visiting, so you could do a road trip/ museum trip.

I went to Bovington about 2 years ago and although you couldn't climb on the vehicles they weren't roped off and you can touch them. If you go to Bovington look at the notice board of daily events, I was able to get inside a Chieftain which was very enjoyable

Sadly that's not achievable at the moment! But I do agree wholeheartedly...

(And Tim Martin wants to reopen his Wetherspoons chain, so STILL no decent beer in a decent pub!)

This is actually interesting. Working on going to military museums during a politically charged pandemic and planning the trip around getting a decent pint of beer. You all just helped me realize there is still hope for mankind (ya woman too)

Cheers from the desert

Hopefully things will improve enough that proper pubs will be able to reopen soon (best not to speak of TM...)

I spent my youth in a city known for having 52 churches and 365 pubs (although it was actually more IIRC).

Happy days

Cheers

And sorry Eric for the diversion

Unless you are looking for something specific (in which case you wouldn't be here asking), none of them will disappoint you.

I have been at both and cannot choose one over the other. You can take photos for free at both, but yes, at Saumur the vehicles are behind ropes

However, considering you are going to be in Normandy it would be much much easier to go to Saumur. I did it last June, you get up early, drive three hours on a straight highway and can spend almost the whole day there. Three hours more and you are back at the hotel.
Bovington would mean a two days trip -which could be a good chance to see London as well.

Regarding Normandy, it's absolutely amazing. Dozens of museums, batteries, memorials... So much to see. I spent seven days and couldn't see everything, so better plan in advance what you want to see!

Thank you everyone for your replies, if I go it would be late spring next year....just in preliminary stages right now...but I am not getting younger!

Eric

And of course, the food in France is great. You could get a Michelin guide. They also feature good "non star" restaurants.