A S a family we have always been rather big fans of holidays in France, ever since my daughters were toddlers. It's a vacation liaison which stretches back across three decades and during that time we have been to (almost) all four corners of that vast European neighbour.

Like millions of others, we have arrived in our car at all the ferry ports. And, at some stage, en route from some of them to our holiday destination, we have passed the signs indicating the cemeteries containing war graves from both World Wars.

We have driven along the Cherbourg peninsula, too, passing all the other signposts to the coast and the historic sites of the June 1944 Allied D-day landings.

Yet in all that time we have never visited. Or even thought about taking a stay there. Until last autumn.

It was that wonderful late, late Indian summer and, with some holiday to use, we both decided heading for France was the order of the day.

We didn't want to drive too far the other side and found ourselves a pleasant British-owned holiday rental property on the internet.

It looked good, fitted the bill, and was but a relatively short dawdle along the coast in the car from our chosen ferry arrival port of Caen.

Its location was the tiny seaside village of Asnelles.

What we didn't realise until we delved deeper was that this place played a pivotal role in D-Day. As did its bigger near neighbour, Arromanches.

So, by the time we finally arrived for our stay there, I was rather excited about a few days walking in the footsteps, not just of history itself, but on the very beaches where men from many nations had battled their way, against seemingly overwhelming odds, to secure a foothold for freedom.

We had taken the overnight crossing from Portsmouth to Caen operated by Brittany Ferries.

These ships have a special place in our affection. Both my wife and I – and our now grown-up daughters, if they are accompanying us – always declare we feel as though we have stepped onto French soil as soon as we board, even though we may still be moored alongside the dock at Portsmouth.

We always make a point of taking a proper sit-down meal on board, be it a day or night crossing, just to get ourselves accustomed to the culinary delights of la belle France.

Take a tip from me: never pass up the chance to indulge in Brittany's renowned buffet luncheon and dinners, where you can truly overdose on delights such as giant prawns and langoustine.

The overnight crossing gave us time to get ourselves up to speed for the holiday accommodation. We could take our time, as the property wasn't available until early afternoon, so we dawdled along the coast from Caen.

Actually, to be specific, we drove from the ferry port, which is in the very pleasant town of Ouistreham, a little distance from the city.

From Ouistreham, a reasonably straightforward coast road takes you through a whole string of beachside small towns and villages. It eventually brings you to Asnelles.

Asnelles straddles the coast road, with newer homes closer to the beach, and the really ancient heart of the place on the other.

Our bungalow was in this bit, a traditional French style, it had a lovely large sunny garden and was completely private. There was everything we needed, from a fully equipped kitchen to Sky TV (my wife said I didn't need this but, come on, there was football to consider).

The sun shone. Every day. The thermometer climbed to giddy late-autumn heights and we set about exploring Asnelles and its surrounds.

The beach was just across the coast road – and what a beach, a vast expanse of firm, flat sand.

But it was what was on the beach, or a bit further out into the gently sloping waters, which catches the eye. For on your eyeline are some very prominent pieces of what was the famous Mulberry harbour, the floating port through which essential food and arms supplies were off-loaded after the D-Day beach-head had been firmly established.

Other traces of the great conflict that abound, too, include ominous-looking German gun batteries which leave you pondering how on earth anyone did ever get off those beaches.

If you want to find out exactly how then you need to pop along to the next seaside town, Arromanches, just down the beach a bit.

Here is the excellent D-Day Museum, a real must-visit for anyone wanting to understand what went on back in June 1944.

On a cliff between the two places is another definite stopping place. The 360-degree cinema which recreates that summer's day, flicking to and fro in time, and making you duck and dive to the unremitting sound of battle. Bullets whistle past your ears, shells explode, fighter aircraft zoom overhead. It's an emotionally draining experience but worthwhile.

All along the coast road back to Ouistreham are interesting small resorts. We liked St Aubin-sur-Mer and Port en Bressin.

Inland, the Calvados countryside is charming and don't miss Bayeux, either. It's a lovely place, not just for its Norman Conquest tapestry. Make sure you catch the massive market if you can, too.

For the most part, though, with wonderful weather, we were happy to dawdle through our days at Asnelles, a lovely village through which William the Conqueror once strode ahead of his liberating us Brits back in 1066.