D-Day and the Battle of Normandy Remembered

D-DAY LANDINGS  &  the  BATTLE OF NORMANDY MEMORIAL SITES.          1944:  Le bel été de la Libération

On June 6 every year and for 100 days after, there are very many events commemorating that day in 1944 when the Allies started their long planned invasion of German occupied France. The ensuing Battle of Normandy continued until the end of August when Allied troops crossed the Seine and entered Paris.

Falaise, our local town, was liberated on August 16, 1944.

Neuvy au Houlme, our village, was liberated at 8am GMT on August 20, 1944, (after 4 years of German Occupation), by the Reconnaissance regiment of the 59th  English Division.

While the official June 6 ceremonies are primarily reserved for veterans and Heads of State, one or more of the following Memorial sites make a moving and incontournable (unmissable) part of any visit to Normandy at any time of the year.

We can loan you an  audioguide on a mini MP3 player which you can take with you and discover at your own pace the 17 visit points along the DDay beaches.

Click on the links for more information.  Distances and driving times are starting from the Haras du Gazon.

• Montormel Memorial .   38km/ 23 miles (42 minutes).
• Pegasus Bridge.              57 km/35 miles (44 minutes)
• Caen Memorial Museum.        57 km/35 miles (41 minutes)
• Hillman Strongpoint, Colleville- Montgomery   63km/39 miles (48 minutes)
• Sword Beach. Riva Bella, Ouistreham. 65km/40 miles (50 minutes)
• Canadian Military Cemetery. Beny-sur- Mer. 68km/42 miles (52 minutes)
• Saint- Aubin- sur- Mer (Canadian landing site) 71km/44 miles (1 hour)
• Juno Beach.  73km/46 miles ( 1 hour)
• Gold Beach. 77km/48 miles (1hr 3 mins)
• Bayeux Commonwealth Military cemetery 81km/50 miles (54 minutes)
• Longues Battery Longues-sur-Mer.  86km/53 miles (1 hour 4 minutes)
• Arromanches-les –Bains D Day Museum.   86km/53 miles (1 hour 4 minutes)
• Omaha Beach. 98 kms/61 miles  (1 hour 6 minutes)
• Colleville-sur-Mer American Military Cemetary. 101 km/63 miles ( 1hr 9 minutes)
• German War Cemetary La Cambe  102 km/64 miles ( 1 hour 7 minutes)
• La Pointe du Hoc 105km/65 miles ( 1hr 12 minutes)
• Sainte Mère- Église 132 km/82 miles (1 hr 23 minutes)
• Utah Beach 134km/83 miles (1 hr 27 mins)

For a more active visit, consider experiencing these famous sites from different viewpoints:

• Go paragliding at Port-en-Bessin
• Try sand yachting, horseriding and parachuting  on Utah beach: You can book in English at the local tourist office of Ste-Mère- Église
• Take to the air by micro-lighting over the D-Day Landing Beaches. Discovery flights of 35 & 45 minutes
• Paddle your own kayak around the Mulberry harbour at Arromanches Groups of 6 are taken out by a moniteur. (Must be able to swim at least 25 metres).