All language subtitles for The.World.From.Above.S04E08.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264-AlfaHD_track3_[eng]

(upbeat music)

(upbeat music)

- Our journey
begins along the Normandy coast

at Omaha Beach, the bloodiest
site on the D-Day landings

of World War II.

We continue west and across
the Contentin Peninsula

to Granville, a fortified medieval city.

Further along the coast,
perched on an isolated island

in the sea is Mont
Saint-Michel, a medieval abbey

that once drew pilgrim
monks from around Europe.

Then on to d'Ouessant on
the western tip of Brittany,

where iconic lighthouses
protected the busy sea lanes

for hundreds of years.

We'll attempt to unravel the mystery

of the 3,000 neolithic stones

outside the small town of Carnac.

And finally, end our
journey in La Trinite,

the famous port town that drew sailors

from around the world to it's shores.

This 360 miles stretch
of Normandy coastline

has forever served as a natural frontier,

dividing France and
it's neighbor, Britain.

And sadly, the golden
beaches still hold memories

of countless bloody battles.

After the Norman conquest of England,

this coast was subjected to, more or less,

ongoing conflict over eight centuries.

Culminating in the D-Day
landings of World War II

that sought to liberate
France from Nazi occupation.

The beach head, outside
the town of Arromanches,

was one of the landing sites

for the allied invasions
on June 6th, 1944.

In just one day 300,000 British
troops were unloaded here

with 2.5 million more soldiers arriving

over the next hundred days.

The Allied Forces
reasoned that only 10 days

in the year was suitable for a
massive landing of this sort.

During the convergence of a full moon

to illuminate the way for air forces,

and a spring tide to provide
the deepest water possible

for ground forces to wade ashore.

(gentle music)

It was here that that the
Mulberry Harbor was utilized,

the remains of which are
still scattered about.

It consisted of a series
of breakwaters, caissons,

and floating piers constructed in England

and brought across the channel.

Metamorphosing on the day of the assault

into a sprawling harbor that
spanned the entire beachfront.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, the
commander of the Allied Invasion,

deemed it necessary to
overwhelm this entire coast

as quickly and with as much
force as possible in order

to fully utilize the element of surprise.

What resulted was the largest
amphibian invasion ever

to take place in human history.

Hitler had expected such an invasion

and ordered the construction
of what became known

as the Atlantic War.

A series of gun turrets
built into the cliffs

with barbed wire and landmines
scattered along the beaches.

Some historians believe the German leader

would have been successful
in repelling the invasion

if he had taken his generals advice

and deployed more tank
units at the beach fronts.

His failure to do so was caused
by Ally deception tactics

which convinced him
the invasion would come

from the Straits of Dover.

Hitler continued to believe this,

even after the Allied
Forces had already begun

their invasion of Normandy.

(upbeat music)

As we make our way down the coast,

we pass by Port-en-Bessin.

This fishing town of
2,000 people is positioned

between the beaches that
we used in the landing

of the two largest
invasion forces on D-Day.

(seagull cawing)
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It also played a major role
immediately afterwards,

functioning as the head
end of a fuel pipeline

that serviced the arriving
troops and vehicles.

Now we arrive at Omaha Beach,

where over 300,000 American
soldiers were landed on D-Day.

After a series of misfortunes
it was this invasion force

that suffered the most
casualties on that day.

Firstly, a makeshift harbor
was totally destroyed

in a storm beforehand and
so soldiers were landed

in the water and had to wade to the beach,

making them easy targets
for German gunners.

To compound this, the enemy defenses

were four times heavier than anticipated.

This cemetery was established
by American forces

on June 8, 1944, two
days after the invasion.

The land was granted to the United States,

without charge or tax,
by the French government.

It contains the graves
of the 9,387 soldiers

that died on June 6th and
the two days following.

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Most of those killed were
among the first soldiers

to arrive, landed in order

to dismantle the defense perimeter

so that troops landing later
would have easy access.

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All though the casualties
were high the perseverance

of the individuals of these
first landings resulted

in the securing of two isolated footholds

which allowed access inland.

German defenses ended at the beachfront

and so once the forces had
infiltrated the first line,

it was a simpler task to
storm the rest of the base.

Bunkers positioned on these
cliffs at Pointe du Hoc,

were situated between
Omaha and Utah beaches,

two important D-Day landing points,

and so was strategically important

for the Allies to capture.

A force of 225 Rangers were tasked

with scaling the 30 meter
cliff using grapnels,

ropes, and storming the
emplacements seen here.

Despite the lack of surprise,

the small force was able
to take the bunkers.

Though, by the time
reinforcements arrived,

only a hundred men of the
initial landing were left alive.

Situated on the left bank
of the Dives River estuary,

Utah Beach was the
westernmost landing point

for the D-Day invasion forces.

In stark contrast to the
fierce fighting at Omaha,

there was relatively
little resistance here.

Of the 20,000 men who were
landed, only 300 were killed.

Nature gave a helping hand

to this mission by
blowing the landing craft

about two kilometers off
their intended target

to a place where the beach
was much less fortified.

As a result, the soldiers were able

to take the Germans by
surprise and eventually met up

with the 13,000 paratroopers
who were fighting their way

from inland towards the coast.

(gentle music)

Now as we cross over
the Cotentin Peninsula

we arrive at the town of Granville,

situated in Mont Saint-Michel Bay.

The English Channel is known

for it's strong tides
and treacherous winds,

but this old fishing
village is largely sheltered

and so is a significant hub
of cross channel transit.

Though, at times past, it's
proximity to England caused it

to be the site of constant warfare.

It was fortified by the English
in the Hundred Years War.

It passed between the two
nations a number of times

before coming securely into
the hands of the French.

The upper part of the town, seen here,

is surrounded still by
the original ramparts,

which served to resist many bloody sieges.

Further down the coast we arrive

at the famous Mont Saint-Michel.

This rocky tidal island
sits just over one kilometer

from the mainland and has
a total population of 44.

The monastery dates
back to the 8th century

and is dedicated to
the archangel, Michael,

who is attributed with
tossing Lucifer into Hell.

It was a popular pilgrimage
site for monks in medieval times

and infamous for the dangerous access

as it could be only reached
across the causeway at low tide.

As a result, the place was nicknamed

Sir Michael in peril of the sea.

The monastery gained much wealth

in the 11th century by siding

with William of Normandy
in his conquest of England.

It was from this point on that
the surrounding buildings,

cloisters, and abbey were built.

This site and the surrounding bay are

now UNESCO Heritage Site, attracting more

than three million visitors a year.

The tides here are notoriously
unpredictable and fast

with Victor Hugo once comparing them

to a swiftly galloping horse.

Mont Saint-Michel Bay is now
famous for oysters and muscles.

As we cross the border
and leave Normandy behind,

we reach the town Cancale,

widely known as the oyster
capital of Brittany.

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King Louis XIV had his oysters
delivered to Versailles

from this place in the 18th century.

He valued the shellfish
from this region so much

that he ordered a conservation campaign

to strictly regulate dredging

so as to keep the natural stock
in constant steady supply.

15,000 tons of oysters are
produced here each year.

And just outside the town on
Cancale is Rimains Island.

It was built up as a sea
fort in the 18th century

to protect the western side
of Mont Saint-Michel Bay.

One of the mot active engineers
of the French enlightenment,

the Marquis de Vauban, designed the fort.

As of 2012 the island and structures

were on the open market.

The densely packed history of Brittany,

from the neolithic settlers
to the Celts, Romans,

and Gauls are a big draw for visitors.

Perhaps the most appealing aspects

of the region are it's moderate climate

and beautiful beaches.

The only common complaint is of the rain

to which locals have the response,

"In Brittany it only rains on idiots."

Moving along the coast we
arrive at Guesclin Fort,

built in 1026 the original
structure consisted

of three towers and a dungeon.

Taken by the English 200 years later,

the fort then passed
hands a number of times.

During the enlightenment

the ambiguous Marquis de
Vauban reinforced the complex

as a measure against English invasions.

The fort was again used for defense by

the Germans during World War II,

after which it fell into disrepair.

It's now restored and open
to visitors in the summer.

The fortified city of Saint-Malo is built

on a rocky island at the
mouth of the Rance estuary.

This strategic position
has fared the city well

throughout it's history,
giving it control of the sea

and river-based trade heading inland.

In 1590 the town declared
itself an Independent Republic,

their motto was "Neither French or Breton,

"but Corsaire am I."

The status didn't stick
for more than four years,

but it was long enough
to earn it's residents

a strong reputation as rebels.

Much of their wealth in the
16th to 18th centuries came

from the intrepid fisherman
who crossed the Atlantic

to Newfoundland to fish Cod.

Trade with England and the
Americas also flourished.

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The settlement flourished
financially during this time,

but not only through trade and fishing.

The towns most profitable
business by far came

from the Corsairs harassment and looting

of British and Dutch ships

with the blessings of the King of France.

However, the days of
Corsaire piracy are long gone

and Saint-Malo's port now
makes much of it's wealth

from the million visitors
a year from England

and around the world.

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Further up the estuary we come

to the Rance Tidal Power Station.

At 330 meters long and using a
series of reversible turbines

to extract energy from the
incoming and outgoing tides,

this was the worlds first
facility of this kind,

constructed in 1966.

France's lack of fossil fuels

and natural gas forced the nation to deal

with renewable energy
solutions long before the rest

of Europe gave it any thought.

Now we move offshore from the
westernmost tip of Brittany

to the small archipelago of Brehat.

(gentle music)

It has been occupied ever
since neolithic times

and the individual
islands were just a series

of peaks connected by valleys.

But as the seas rose
around the archipelago,

allowing the waters of the
gulf stream to weave through,

an attractive microclimate was created.

Brehat is considerably
warmer than the mainland

and subtropical plants
that are more common

to the Mediterranean like palm trees

and eucalyptus thrive here.

(gentle music)

It has also been a coveted
strategic military point

for many hundreds of
years, resulting in sieges

and invasions throughout it's history.

It's many occupants have, over time,

created a landscape rich in history.

Ancient stone constructions
and other relics

of the past are woven seamlessly

throughout the modern dwellings.

(gentle music)

The islands have a
population of roughly 500,

but they attract plenty
of visitors every year,

being only 10 miles on a short ferry ride

from the nearest town, Paimpol.

Thanks to the Portuguese
trade and demand for Cod,

the fisherman of Paimpol
were rated alongside those

of Saint-Malo as the hardiest
most adventurous in France.

They made hazardous expeditions to Iceland

and onward to Newfoundland which was

at that time referred
to as the Island of Cod.

And as the name suggests it's waters

were absolutely teeming
with the coveted fish.

Gills and these grew up around the trade

and soon there was so much
money in the business,

that the kings of both France and England

were charging tithes on the sale of Cod.

(gentle music)

Now, at the southwestern
end of the English Channel

and at the southern limit of Celtic Sea,

is a body water notorious
for treacherous sea faring.

But despite it's reputation
over 50,000 ships a year

still pass this way,
so it's understandable

why the waterway requires
a path of lighthouses.

Erected on the Isle of Ushant,

the Creac'h Lighthouse boasts one

of the most powerful beams in the world,

reaching 300 kilometers out to sea.

(gentle music)

Established in 1863 and
electrified in 1888,

it has been keeping watch over
this sealane for 150 years.

(gentle music)

But despite having such
a powerful lighthouse,

serious accidents still occurred.

Most notable is the tragedy

of the steamship Drummond Castle.

250 passengers perished
as the ship shattered

on rocks in 1896.

Soon afterwards in 1911,
the Jument Lighthouse,

which stands 300 meters off the coast

of Ushant was constructed.

But it wasn't till much later
that it achieved global fame.

During the violent storms of 1989,

photographer Jean Guichard
captured a unique moment

that grabbed the public
imagination the world over.

What made the photo
compelling was the tiny figure

of a lighthouse keeper
standing on the base oblivious

to a colossal wave breaking from behind.

Fortunately, the man survived
and the photograph went on

to become one of the most
reproduced lighthouse images

of all time.

As treacherous as these waters are,

they've provided essential
passage for military

and trade since medieval times.

Harbor towns grew along this coast,

but few have been as
strategically vital as Brest.

Today it's naval base enforces
a strict exclusion zone

for civilian aircraft, but it's importance

for warfare goes back centuries.

This reputation led to
the town suffering dearly

in World War II, after the
Germans established it as one

of it's major U-boat bases.

As a result it was one of the
most bombed regions in France.

Germany paid reparations to the destitute

and homeless citizens
of Brest after the war

and the city is still a
significant naval center

for the French.

At the head of Brest
Harbor, spanning the mouth

of the Elorn River are the
Plougastel and l'Iroise bridges.

(gentle music)

The cable-stayed bridge in
the foreground, Plougastel,

was built in the late 90's

to supplement the arch
supported l'Iroise seen behind.

This older 1930's bridge is now used

for pedestrians, cyclists,
and slower vehicles.

On the way to our next destination,

we head deeper into Brittany.

(gentle music)

One of Frances leading
vegetable growing regions,

it is also known for it's countryside,

whiskey, beer, and honey mead production.

(gentle music)

This is the city of Concarneau.

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It is one of Frances most
important fishing ports

to this day.

With over a 100,000 tons

of Tuna caught each year by
boats departing from here.

Along with fishing, the
establishment of canneries

and boat building firms were driven by

the industrial revolution and continue

to comprise a large sector
of the local economy.

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The most prominent feature
here, without a doubt,

is the V, or fortified
town, around which the rest

of the city is spread as it has grown.

(gentle music)

The walls were built in the 14th century

and have been successful time and again

in repelling invaders.

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The town within has a
completely separate feel

from the rest of the
city as it is packed full

of narrow streets,
restaurants, and antique shops.

(gentle music)

Still on Brittany's southern coast

and just outside the small town of Carnac,

are these fields of megalithic structures.

Thought to be erected
by pre-Celtic peoples

around 6,000 years ago,

there is still disagreement
regarding their original intent.

Some researchers insist
the 3,000 standing stones

are aligned in the direction

of the rising sun during
the summer solstice.

Others simply believe they are
something like gravestones,

memorials erected to
the memory of the dead.

One particularly
controversial theory asserts

that they are laid where seismic
fault lines would have run

during neolithic times.

A local legend, which hasn't garnered

much scientific support,
insists the structures are

the remains of a Roman legion turned

to stone by the Arthurian magician Merlin.

(gentle music)

Re-erected in an upright
position by Zacharie La Rouzic

in 1900, this one is known as The Giant.

Towering at 6.5 meters.

(gentle music)

And finally, we return
to the Brittany shores,

just east of the stones for a quick visit

to the seaside key at La Trinite-sur-Mer.

The town is renowned for
it yachting traditions

and sailing competitions.

The floating harbor is
placed at the bottom

of an estuary with enough
space to accommodate the craft

that converge here from around the world.

(gentle music)

A wonderfully picturesque
place to end this journey.

(gentle music)

(upbeat music)

(thudding)

(whooshing)