Visiting the 5 D-Day landing beaches (in Normandy)

The landing at Utah Beach – facts and figures

Utah was the westernmost beach of the landing.
It covered the section between Pouppeville and La Madeleine with the sub-areas Tare Green, Uncle Red and Victor.
The section is 3 miles long (about 5km).
23,000 American troops landed here.
Casualties were the lowest with 187 men killed or wounded.

Visit to the beach

The beach is easy to visit with a small dune, viewpoints and a large stretch of sand at low tide.

Barges and mannequins are installed not far from the museum, which allows to visualize a little better what the landing was like.
But it’s hard to imagine this peaceful view with the sounds of gunfire, explosions and all the warships in the sea.

A little further down the beach, there are also some bunkers.

Museums around Sainte-Mère-l’Église

The main museum is the Utah Beach Landing Museum right on the beach. It tells in 10 sequences the events of D-Day.
It is a chronological journey from preparation to victory.
Open all year round

But the region is full of other museums and sites:

• The Airbone Museum with a superb scenography to understand the experience of the parachutists on the day of the landing
  Closed in December and January except during school vacations
• The D-Day Experience: an immersive museum with flight simulator
  Open all year round
• The Azeville Battery with an impressive underground complex
  Open from April to November 11
• The Normandy Victory Museum, about the Battle of the Hedges
  Open from April to October and partially in winter (weekends and vacations)
• …

See more activities at Utah Beach.

Practical information to visit

The landing at Omaha Beach – facts and figures

Omaha, the largest, is probably the best known of the D-Day beaches.
It covered the section between Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes and Vierville-sur-Mer, with the sub-areas Charlie, Dog, Easy and Fox.
The section is 6 miles long (about 10 km).
34,000 American troops landed here.
Losses were highest, with 2,400 killed.

Visit to the beach

Omaha Beach is the most difficult to visualize.
The beach has a promenade right on the edge and is very touristy with bathers.
It is still one of the most photographed with the sculpture “The Braves”. It is composed of 3 elements: “Wings of Hope”, “Stand Up for Freedom” and “Wings of Brotherhood”. Created by Anilore Banon, it was installed in 2004, for the 60th commemoration.

The only signs of the war are the memorials and some bunker ruins.

Museums near Colleville-sur-Mer

• American Cemetery: 9387 perfectly aligned tombstones, garden, chapel, memorial, and a small museum giving the content of Operation Overlord.
  Open all year round
• Overlord Museum: near the American cemetery, one of the richest in terms of artifacts of the landing and the war. With a museography adapted to children.
  Closed in January and early February.
• The Pointe du Hoc: a strategic place of the German fortifications. The walk around the point takes you to see different bunkers above the cliffs.
  Open all year round
• Big Red One Assault Museum: museum dedicated to the 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army nicknamed “The Big Red One
  Open from March to November
• Maisy Battery: Battery rediscovered in 2006 with many underground passages.
  Open from April to September
• D-Day Omaha Museum – open from April to September
• Liberation House – open from May to September
• Omaha Beach Memorial Museum – open from June to September

Find out more about activities around Omaha Beach.

Practical information to visit

The landing at Gold Beach Beach – facts and figures

Gold Beach covered the section between Longues-sur-Mer and La Rivière, with the sub-sectors How, Item, Jig and King.
The section is 5 miles long (about 8 km).
25,000 British troops landed here.
Casualties amounted to 400 killed.

Visit to the beach

The Arromanches part of Gold Beach is one of the most visually interesting of the D-Day landing beaches.
At low tide, pieces of the artificial harbor (Mulberries) appear clearly and you can approach them.

The beach of Arromanches is surrounded by cliffs. This allows to have beautiful views from the top of them.

And at the entrance to the beach, near the museum, you can appreciate several pieces of equipment.

Museums in Arromanches

• The D-Day Museum: presentation of the history of the British artificial harbor with the challenge of its construction and its key role in the victory.
  Closed in January
• The circular cinema Arromanches 360: with 9 circular screens, the film “100 days of Normandy” plunges you during 19 minutes in the heart of the terrible battle.
  Closed in January
• The battery of Longues-Sur-Mer: a superb site on the cliffs with access to a fire command post, 4 reinforced concrete casemates and artillery pieces.
  Accessible all year round
• America Gold Beach Museum: dedicated to the first USA-France airmail link and the British landing in the “King” sector.
  Open from March to October
• Museum of underwater wrecks – open from June to September

Find out more about activities around Gold Beach.

Practical information to visit

The landing at Juno Beach Beach – facts and figures

Juno Beach was the landing site for the Canadian Army.
It covered the section between La Rivière and Saint Aubin-sur-Mer, with the Love, Mike and Nan sub-sectors.
The section is 6 miles long (about 10 km).
21,400 Canadian and British troops landed here.
Casualties amounted to 1,200 wounded or killed (including 359 Canadian dead).

Visit to the beach

To reach the beach, you have to climb a small dune of white sand.
The beach extends as far as the eye can see, when it is low tide.

The Cross of Lorraine is clearly visible. It was installed here to commemorate the place where De Gaulle first landed, an important turning point in the Battle of Normandy.

On the beach, not far from the museum, you can also see bunkers, tanks and representations of soldiers.

Museums in Courseulles-sur-Mer

• The Juno Beach Centre which focuses on the role played by Canadians alongside the Allied forces. You will discover a film and 5 permanent exhibition rooms.
  Closed in January
  Read more
• Beny-sur-mer Canadia War Cemetery: not far away you can visit the Canadian cemetery where over 2000 men are buried.
  Accessible all year round

Practical information to visit

The landing at Sword Beach Beach – facts and figures

The Sword Beach Beach landing was one of the most strategic because it was one of the main routes to northern France.
It covered the section between Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer and Ouistreham, with the Oboe, Peter, Queen and Roger sub-sectors.
The section is 5 miles long (about 8 km).
29,000 British troops landed here.
Casualties amounted to 630 killed and wounded.

Visit to the beach

On the beach of Ouistreham, few traces of the war.
It is a very large sandy beach with beach huts.
On the other hand, the city is rich in museums.

Museums in Ouistreham

• Atlantic Wall Museum – The Great Bunker: Explore the former German headquarters in this massive bunker. The interior rooms have been reconstructed on all 5 levels.
  Closed in January and early February
• Pegasus Memorial: museum that presents the different missions of the 6th British Airborne Division, including the capture of the bridge of Bénouville called Pegasus Bridge.
  Closed from December 16 to January 31
• Museum No. 4 Commando: the history of French commando who joined the British troops and participate in their missions
  Open from April to early November
• Merville Battery: a German battery transformed into a museum with an excellent museography around bunkers, tanks, planes…
  Open from mid-March to mid-November
• Radar 1944 Museum (in Douvres-la-Délivrande): installed in the former German detection station, the museum presents the life of German soldiers during the occupation of Normandy as well as the history of radar.
  Open from April to mid-November
• And several cemeteries : La Délivrande, Hermanville, Ranville

Find out more about activities around Sword Beach.

Practical information to visit