D-Day in Normandy

Sites, landing beaches, festivities and museums telling the story of D-Day in La Manche
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On 6 June 1944, 150 000 men landed on the Normandy beaches from the sea or the air. The Battle of Normandy had begun. During that night and the following weeks, la Manche faced its darkest hours, and is now a place of remembrance.

In la Manche, d-day beach and numerous sites and museums pay tribute to this key episode of the Second World War.

Landing beaches, sites and places of remembrance in la Manche : powerful stories

they are a tribute to the soldiers who liberated Normandy
  • Visit Sainte-Mère-Eglise, the first French town to be liberated by the American paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions.
  • Walk on Utah Beach, one of the five landing beaches, along with Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. Today, to better protect them, the 5 beaches are listed by UNESCO.
  • Follow the Voie de la Liberté (Liberty Road), the 1 145 km route travelled by the liberators from Normandy to Bastogne in Belgium.
  • Explore the Azeville and Crisbecq batteries, which were key parts of the Atlantic Wall, the defence system built during the German occupation.
  • Climb up to the Fort du Roule to better understand the importance of the deep water port in Cherbourg.
  • Take time to remember in the German and American military cemeteries.
  • Walk through Saint-Lô, a town that was completely destroyed, and imagine the life of the people living there during the occupation.
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Must-see sites and museums connected to D-Day

These poignant places tell the story of D-Day. The museums, remains of the Atlantic Wall and military cemeteries tell of the fierce fighting here and invite people to remember.

D-Day sites and visits
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D-Day sites for the whole family

To help your children discover the history of the Battle of Normandy, why not go for a jeep tour, try educational activities or a flight simulator? A fun way to pass on the history of la Manche.

D-Day sites with your family
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Unusual D-Day activities

Jeep tours, parachute jumps, escape games, thematic tours, and so on. There are many ways to find out about D-Day in the sites of la Manche.

Unusual D-Day activities
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What to do at Utah Beach, the D-day beach ?

On 6 June 1944, the Allies landed at Utah Beach. Now a place of memory, but also of leisure, here are our recommendations close to this D-Day beach.

Utah Beach
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WHAT TO DO IN SAINTE-MÈRE-ÉGLISE

In the night of 5 to 6 June 1944, the American paratroopers rained down on Sainte-Mère-Église. Here are some suggestions for discovering the town, its history, and remembering the events.

What to do in Sainte-Mère-Église

D-Day commemorations

Every year, in June, la Manche commemorates the anniversary of D-Day. Ceremonies, convoys of vintage vehicles, militaria fairs, parachute drops, reenactments of military camps, and so on. Normandy celebrates its liberation!

The anniversary of D-Day in Normandy

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