Café Gondrée facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Café Gondrée |
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The Café Gondrée in 2009
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| Location | Bénouville |
| Built | 1892 |
The Café Gondrée is a famous small coffeehouse in a French town called Bénouville. It sits right next to the Caen Canal, at one end of the Bénouville Bridge. This bridge is now known as the Pegasus Bridge. The café is very special because it was one of the first places in France to be freed during the D-Day invasion in World War II. It's famous for remembering those important events.
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The Café's Story: D-Day and Beyond
The Café Gondrée is a two-story building made of red bricks. It was built in the late 1800s. The nearby Bénouville Bridge was a very important target for the British 6th Airborne Division during D-Day. This division was a special group of soldiers who jumped from planes or landed in gliders.
Taking the Bridge: A Daring Mission
A unit of soldiers from the 6th Airborne Division's 2nd Battalion had a brave mission. They had to land in gliders, capture the bridge without damaging it, and hold it until more troops arrived. This unit was led by Major John Howard.
Major Howard and his men flew in three gliders. They were released from their planes at 8,000 feet (about 2,400 meters) in the dark of a stormy night. Amazingly, all three gliders landed roughly in a field almost exactly where they needed to be. The soldiers quickly left their broken gliders. They fought a short but fierce battle. Soon, the British paratroopers were in control of the bridge.
The First Liberated House
At 6:20 AM on June 6, 1944, three British paratroopers entered the Café Gondrée. This made it arguably the first French house to be freed from German control during the D-Day invasion.
At that time, Georges and Thérèse Gondrée owned and ran the café. They were secretly involved in the French Resistance. This was a group of French people who fought against the German occupation. The Gondrées had even shared important information about the bridge's defenses with British intelligence. Capturing the bridge successfully was very important. It helped stop German forces from launching a big counter-attack in the days and weeks after the Normandy invasion.
After Georges and Thérèse Gondrée passed away, their daughter, Arlette Gondrée, took over the café. She was only five years old when the café was liberated. Arlette is a strong and determined woman. She is often simply called "Madame."
After the War: A Place of Honor
After World War II, the Café Gondrée became a special place. It honors the brave soldiers who fought in the Normandy campaign. British paratroopers often celebrate the D-Day anniversary at the café every year on June 5. At 11:16 PM on June 5, Arlette Gondrée offers champagne to the veterans who are there.
The walls inside the café are covered with interesting items. You can see shoulder patches, army badges, old uniforms, helmets, and photos of the leaders of the D-Day operation.
Special Visitors and Memories
The café also became a stop for speakers at military lectures. These lectures were organized by war colleges in Normandy every summer. Officers who fought in the Normandy battles were asked to return and share their experiences. Famous people like Major General "Pip" Roberts, Brigadier David Stileman, and Major John Howard visited. Even Colonel Hans von Luck, a German officer from the 21st Panzer Division, came to the café. Because the owners had strong feelings about the war, Major Howard introduced Colonel Luck as Swedish so he could visit.
The Café Gondrée still operates as a café today. It is now often called the Pegasus Bridge Café. On June 5, 1987, it was officially recognized as an Historical Monument.
