Planning a trip to Normandy? We invite you to immerse yourself in the epic history of the Second World War by exploring the Longues-sur-Mer Battery. It’s an emblematic site nestled on the cliffs of the coast, an impressive fortress that was part of the German defensive system of the Atlantic Wall. Its remains bear witness to the conflict that took place on June 6, 1944 and shaped the destiny of millions of people.
In this article, you’ll find some useful tips to help you prepare for your visit and have a wonderful time!
BEFORE OUR TIPS + PHOTOS
HERE ARE OUR favorites
Our favorite car rental platform with great offers: DiscoverCars
Our favorite places to stay:
Hotel Domain de Bayeux, elegant and central – see photos and availability
Hotel Domaine d’Utah Beach, for the north – see photos and availability
Hôtel Ferme de la Rançonnière, the charm of the countryside – view photos and availability
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Why visit the Longues-sur-Mer Battery at Gold Beach?
Is the artillery battery worth it? Our opinion:
Yes, the battery is definitely worth a visit for several reasons:
- This is an impressive and still relatively intact example of the German defensive system constituted by the Atlantic Wall.
- You can freely explore its facilities: imposing bunkers, well-preserved artillery guns, a strategic observation post… And understand German defensive strategy.
- The view of the English Channel is breathtaking. We loved following the coastal path that crosses the site and continues overhanging the sea.
In our opinion, it’s one of the most important sites of the D-Day landings. Immortalized in the film The Longest Day, the German battery at Longues-sur-Mer is a listed historic monument.
Why is the Longues-sur-Mer Battery famous?
The Longues-sur-Mer Battery is famous for the crucial role it played during the Second World War, particularly during the Allied landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944. Located on the Normandy coast, this coastal battery was equipped with 4 German 150 mm guns andone 120 mm gun.
It was part of the German defensive system of the Atlantic Wall. Its strategic location was decisive in defending the coast from the Allies. What’s more, the battery has remained relatively intact, making it a remarkable historical site where we enjoyed discovering and understanding the history of the war and the events of June 6, 1944.
Our favorite moments
During our visit to the Longues-sur-Mer Battery, we were impressed by the German force’s deployment. We liked it:
- the “art deco” architecture of the 4 bunkers we discover at the start of the tour, which house the huge German artillery guns still in place,
- the panoramic view of the English Channel from the firing direction station on the edge of the cliffs at Longues-sur-Mer,
- the coastal path leading to the village of Arromanches and the remains of the artificial harbour on Gold Beach.
History in brief
The Longues-sur-Mer Battery is a German coastal fortification built during the Second World War. It was part of the famous Atlantic Wall. Located on the Normandy coast, it was equipped with 4 150 mm guns and one 120 mm gun. They were positioned to defend the coast against a possible Allied invasion.
During the Normandy Landings on June 6, 1944, the battery was attacked by Allied forces landing on nearby Gold Beach. . The cannons at Longues-sur-Mer, which were supposed to repel the assault, held out for just a few hours. They were captured and neutralized by British troops on the morning of June 6.
After the war, the battery suffered little damage from the passage of time. It has become a major historical site. It bears witness to the conflict and the heroism of the Allied forces on D-Day. We enjoyed discovering its bunkers and cannons, and learning more about its crucial role in the history of military strategy.
STAYING NEAR THE D-Day beaches
Option 1: Bayeux
The most practical option, in our opinion, is to base ourselves in the town of Bayeux. We recommend..:
- Hotel Domaine de Bayeux in an 18th century mansion – see prices, photos and availability
- see all top rated accommodations in Bayeux
Option 2: in the countryside
In the countryside around the D-Day beaches, you will find beautiful buildings with a lot of charm: farms, manors…
- Hotel Domaine d’Utah Beach – prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel Ferme de la Rançonnière – prices, pictures and availability
Option 3: next to one of the beaches
If you’re looking for a seaside holiday or are fascinated by one of the beaches, you can choose a more specific hotel:
- Hotel Villas d’Arromanches in Gold Beach Beach – prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel La Sapinière in Omaha Beach Beach – prices, pictures and availability
Access and map: Battery, Longues-sur-Mer
Where is the battery?
- The battery is located in the commune of Longues-sur-Mer.
- Driving time from Bayeux: 15min
- Driving time from Caen: 40min
- Here is a map to help you find your way:
How to get there?
- We recommend you drive to the Longues-sur-Mer Battery site.
- For those who prefer public transport, bus route 121 (Bus Nomad) runs from Bayeux to Courseulles-sur-Mer, stopping at Manvieux. But you’ll still have just over 3km to walk! Find out more here.
- You can also discover the site on anelectric bike ride between Omaha Beach and Gold Beach.
- And if you’re in Paris, why not takean excursion from the capital to discover the D-Day beaches? The tour includes a visit to the Longues-sur-Mer Battery, and the guide will tell you all about the events of June 6, 1944.
OUR ADVICE FOR RENTING A CAR IN Normandy
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is comfortable enough (distances can be long) but compact (some parking lots and villages are narrow).
- Think of thecomplete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
Parking
Parking is available in the public parking lot, a 5-minute walk from the site. The new reception building, freshly constructed (it wasn’t at the time of our visit), is right next to the parking lot. It houses the tourist office, a store and toilets.
Useful tips: duration, schedules, eating…
Best time to visit
We advise you to check the weather conditions before your visit, as the entire tour takes place outdoors. If you want to go under D-Day conditions, opt for a foggy day and go at dawn. The end of the day in fine weather also promises superb sunset light.
The area is much visited, as it was a central position during the D-Day landings. If possible, we recommend avoiding school vacations. The anniversary date of June 6, as well as other major official events (such as Memorial Day, which takes place on Omaha Beach on the last Monday in May) can also draw large crowds.
Length of visit and main difficulties
Allow around 1 hour to walk around the site, and a further 1 hour if you plan to walk to the village of Arromanches.
The Longues-sur-Mer Battery is accessible to people with reduced mobility, despite the gravel in some passages. On the other hand, the narrow staircases leading to the underground areas make them more difficult to enjoy.
Advice on how to visit
From the reception building, you first discover the 4 bunkers installed 300m from the sea. From there, we naturally followed the path to the top of the cliff. Along the way, we find the ammunition bunker, the mortar, the searchlight enclosure and, at the far end, the fire direction station.
USE OUR GUIDE TO PLAN A
DREAM TRIP TO Normandy
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- 8 maps that make planning easier
- 160+ pre-selected locations
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Visiting with children
There are no special arrangements for visiting the Longues-sur-Mer Battery with children, but the secret nooks and crannies of the buildings and the history of the site will appeal to them. The seafront site is a fantastic playground.
Schedules and rates
- Free access all year round.
Guided tours
The tourist office offers guided tours in French and English.
- Price: €6
- Free for children under 10
More details and tour times here.
We also offer a number of guided tours of the Longues-sur-Mer Battery and other D-Day sites: see photos, photos and availability.
And to discover even more of what the region has to offer, here’s our pick of the best excursions in Bayeux.
Lodging
During our visit, we stayed atHôtel Les Villas d’Arromanches, a 10-minute drive away in a charming, leafy setting on the hillside. The hotel is just a stone’s throw from Arromanches (Gold Beach), with its famous remains of the Mullberry artificial harbor, which can be approached at low tide. We particularly appreciated the cosy atmosphere of the bar, facing the sea. See prices, photos and availability.
But you can also discover our best places to stay when visiting the D-Day beaches.
Catering
There are restaurants in Arromanches, mainly around rue du Maréchal Joffre, but we haven’t tried them. We had chosen to eat in Bayeux, just a 15-minute drive from the Longues-sur-Mer Battery. See our article on the best places to eat in Bayeux.
You can also take advantage of the opportunity to visit the town of Bayeux, a city full of resources, with a rich cultural, gastronomic, historical and botanical heritage… Read our article to find out all there is to see and do in Bayeux.
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Start of the tour: the silhouettes of German bunkers
The first thing you see on arriving at the site are the massive silhouettes of the 4 casemates, before discovering the artillery guns they house.
The 4 concrete casemates
These bunkers were built from 2m-thick reinforced concrete. They are installed 300 meters back from the top of the coastal cliff. They served as protective posts for German soldiers defending the Normandy coast as part of the Atlantic Wall defensive system. They gave us an up-close look at the ingenuity and robustness ofGerman military architecture at the time.
German artillery guns
Each casemate houses a 150mm cannon on a central pivot mount. These marine cannons were formidable. Capable of firing shells over a very long distance (around 20,000 meters), they caused considerable damage to enemy naval forces attempting to approach the coast. Inside, behind the shooting gallery, we discovered 2 ammunition chambers. One housed gunpowder, the other shells.
The tour continues: underground installations
Continuing along the path towards the edge of the cliff, we discovered new features of the Longues-sur-Mer Battery.
The ammunition bunker
On the left-hand side of the path, we could see a concrete slab and a small staircase leading underneath. This is an ammunition bay, a crucial structure for storing and protecting the supplies needed to operate the battery’s guns. Built to withstand attacks and bombardments, the bunkers ensured a constant supply of ammunition to German artillerymen during the fighting.
80mm mortar
A little further to our right, a huge hexagonal concreted hole caught our eye. The buried structure housed an 80mm mortar, an anti-aircraft weapon used to defend German land positions against attacks by Allied aircraft. This mortar was mobile and could be rapidly deployed to provide fire support to ground troops. Its range and power made it a powerful weapon against enemy aircraft attempting to bomb German coastal installations.
End of visit: the observation system
All along the cliff, 65m above sea level, we were able to discover the site’s last defensive structures. They are dedicated to observation.
Projector housing
At the very end of the path to the sea, a little to the left, we found a huge circular concrete hole. This is a searchlight enclosure, a major installationdesigned to house searchlights used to detect enemy aircraft movements, particularly at night. These searchlights enabled a rapid response from German coastal defences.
The firing direction station
Finally, if you follow the cliff to the east, you’ll find a narrow path on the left that leads to the shooting direction station. In our opinion, this is the most beautiful installation of the battery. Located 300 meters in front of the casemates, on the edge of the cliff, it was from here that the fire was controlled. The ship was equipped with a state-of-the-art electric fire control system, which automatically provided the firing coordinates for the guns.
It is built on two levels: the first, high up, was designed forobservation (panoramic sea view) and distance calculation, and the other, lower down, for target tracking.
Extending your visit: a broader view of D-Day
When the weather’s fine, a visit to the Longues-sur-Mer Battery site is very pleasant, and you may want to extend the walk.
The coastal path along the Atlantic Wall
From the edge of the cliff, just past the shooting direction station, you can follow the coastal path eastwards. It’s a great hiking experience along the Normandy coast. The trail stretches for several kilometers and offers spectacular panoramic views of the English Channel and the region’s landscapes. It also gives a more precise idea of the extent of German defense along the coast.
The remains of Gold Beach
Continuing along the cliff edge, it’s possible to reach Cap Manvieux. The view of Gold Beach is splendid. From Arromanches, you can walk down to the beach. At low tide, you can wander between the remains of Mulberry’s artificial harbour structures. They were used to supply the British Allied forces after D-Day.
Gold Beach also boasts 3 museums dedicated to the D-Day landings:
- Arromanches 360 is not strictly speaking a museum, but rather a cinema with archive images projected onto 9 screens, for a 360° immersion in the D-Day.
- The Arromanches Landing Museum, dedicated to the creation of the artificial port and the structures that facilitated the unloading of military vehicles (Mulberry Harbors).
- The America & Gold Beach Museum, linked to Ver-sur-Mer’s wartime experiences: the first airmail link between the USA and Europe (Fokker America aircraft) and the British landings in the town.
There are many museums dedicated to D-Day in Normandy. They allow us to delve into this key episode of the Second World War to better understand the sacrifices and heroism of the soldiers.
Frequently asked questions
What is a World War II battery?
A World War II battery is a military installation used for deploying and firing heavy armaments to defend strategic positions against enemy attack. These batteries were often located along coastlines or near points of strategic interest, such as ports or important towns.
Who landed at Gold Beach?
Gold Beach was one of the 5 Normandy landing beaches. Allied forces, mainly British, landed on the beach on June 6, 1944. General Graham’s 50th Northumbrian Division (25,000 men) met fierce resistance from the German defenders, but finally, after hours of intense fighting, they succeeded in securing the beach, paving the way for the advance of the Allied liberation forces into Normandy.
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO Normandy
Inspiration destinations
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- Our weekend ideas: best-of, romantic, unusual, seaside, luxury, family
- 16 seaside hotels in Normandy
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Practice
- Where to stay in Normandy – best places and hotels
- See our tips for renting a car at CDG airport, Orly airport, Beauvais airport, Caen, Rouen, Bayeux…
SHE MADE THE TRIP Claire
