[Hagen]

There was some pretty good fighting in France starting in Normandy. Then there were the Canadians and British against the 12th SS Hitlerjugend at Caen. You mention Falaise, a bloodbath there! Now after Falaise the German army was reeling, they couldn't fall back fast enough. It wasn't until the Allies had to stop because of outrunning their own supply lines that the Germans could stop and pull themselves together. You're right about von Cholitz in Paris, especially as how he was picked by Hitler personnally to destroy Paris if need be. If you want to consider Alsace and Lorraine there was the Vosges mountains campaign.

Part of the reason it may seem as if more bitter fighting went on in Italy is that Italy is great defensive country, mountains, and rivers are great to defend from.