The Landing of June 6, 1944 and the Battle of Normandy are engraved in the mind of every Norman.
It is part of a common heritage that we have at heart to transmit to you.
That’s why we’ve invited you to join us in celebrating the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.
On June 6, 1944, and in the days that followed, thousands of young men representing fifteen different nations and 177 Frenchmen of the Kieffer Commando landed on the Normandy beaches to liberate us.
Historians consider the D-Day landings to be the largest amphibious and airborne operation of all time.
Welcome to celebrate the Anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.
At dawn on 6 June 1944, an armada of 7,000 ships approached the Normandy coast.
On board were 133,000 men preparing to land in the Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword sectors.
A major air and naval bombardment operation preceded the assault.
On the evening of 6 June, more than 156,000 allied soldiers, including 23,000 paratroopers and 20,000 vehicles, were on Normandy soil.
On the evening of D-Day, 10,300 allied soldiers were killed, wounded, taken prisoner or reported missing.
Three months of battles followed to liberate Normandy. Then it was the turn of Paris and finally the whole of Europe.
Even today, these traces of the Second World War are still visible in the remains of the Atlantic Wall, the military cemeteries and the places to visit.
Normandy is a land of remembrance and history, welcoming visitors from all countries and all generations to share the memory of those who fought for peace and freedom.
Which Battle of Normandy sites and museums are worth visiting ?
With 94 memorial sites and places to visit, 44 museums, 21 memorials and natural sites and 29 cemeteries, remembrance tourism is the number one theme for visits in Normandy.
The “visitor’s guide” brochure below will help you prepare your itinerary, with all the practical information you need.
Inside the guide, you’ll find a list of places of remembrance, cemeteries, sites and museums associated with the Second World War :
Brochure available free of charge from tourist offices
The sectors of the D-Day landing beaches in Normandy
Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword, these names may remind you of World War II history classes.
What could be better than to come with your family to discover the sites and museums that tell the story of what the soldiers and civilians experienced on June 6, 1944.
The D-Day landing beaches are one of those destinations that you should visit at least once in your life.
Realization : Creacom Bokeh
New at the Juno Beach Centre, Courseulles-sur-Mer
Credit : CJB-Nik
From February, the room dedicated to contemporary Canada will be redone and updated.
Visitors will discover a more immersive, digitalized space in the continuation of the experience of the film In Their Footsteps which is very moving.
This new hall will be officially opened on June 6, 2024.
The Juno Beach Centre is also preparing a new temporary exhibit for 2024 on the theme of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) celebrating its 100th anniversary.
3 apps to discover the DDAY
Through 3 free web applications and dozens of audio testimonies, archival images and videos, dive into the heart of this historic battle: D-Day.
- In their Footsteps : Their names are Léonard, Thomas or Françoise. They tell their memories of 1944: the occupation, the wait for the landing, the sounds and smells of D-Day, the meeting with the Canadian soldiers…
- Remem’ Bernières : About thirty photos of time on external supports mark out the 2 geolocalized circuits : ” They disembarked ” and ” they liberated our village “. An arrowing in the commune makes it possible to follow step by step the course of the soldiers in Bernières-sur-Mer.
- D-Day App is a free app to visit the Normandy Landing Beaches through thirty points of interest. From Utah Beach to Sword Beach, discover the history of the D-Day with a complete audio guide and a retrospective map.
