The city of Courseulles-sur-Mer, to the rhythm of its fishing port

Courseulles-sur-Mer is located on the D-Day landing beaches. On 6 June 1944, the Canadian Allies landed on Juno Beach, of which the commune is a part.

Night falls on the beach at Courseulles-sur-Mer. In the distance on the right of the photo, a yellow sun above the jetty bathes the skies punctuated by grey-mauve clouds in its orange rays. On the left, the cabins and windows of the houses on the seawall reflect the orange glow of sunset. In the background, on the left, the spokes of the Ferris wheel can be seen, while the fine sandy beach stretches out over the rest of the photo, with a few strollers still lingering there.

This very important episode of the Second World War is explained in the Juno Beach Centre, the only Canadian museum on the D-Day landing beaches.

The oysters, the lace and the shipyards made the fame of the city of Courseulles-sur-Mer which today, is a family seaside resort animated all the year.

The daily arrival of fresh fish in the fishing port, its markets, its many restaurants, the two sandy beaches and the variety of nautical activities contribute to the dynamism of the city.

Juno Beach sector

Things to see and do in Courseulles-sur-Mer

Two people mending a fishing net. On the left of the picture is the yellow net, the edges of which are reinforced with red or blue cords, while on the right the hands are busy repairing the meshes.

In the foreground, yellow flowers grow on the dune on the left bank (Juno Centre side) of the Seulle, and in the background, on the right, the wooden jetty at the end of which is the light marking the entrance to the port. The sea is a calm grey-blue, the sky blue. - credit: Nathalie Papouin

The pier : it was rebuilt in wood after the war and offers a panoramic view of the port, Juno Park and the beach,

Fishing port : some twenty fishing boats land a wide variety of fish, shellfish and crustaceans throughout the year,

The fish market : the emblematic morning meeting place for holidaymakers who come to buy freshly caught fish.

Every day on the 12 stalls located on the quai des Alliés.

The oyster from the city of Courseulles-sur-Mer : With its 300 oyster beds in the 18th century, the oysters of Courseulles-sur-Mer were well known to Parisian families.

Today, the Benoist family has been producing oysters, matured in clear water tanks, since the 1950s.

You can taste them in the restaurants located around the basins or buy them at the fish market,

fish market

The remains of the Atlantic Wall in Juno Park :

this park was the scene of heavy fighting on 6 June 1944, the day of the D-Day landings, and it still contains many remains of the defence system that made up the Atlantic Wall.

The bunkers are accessible as part of the guided tours offered by the Juno Beach Centre.

A signposted route provides information on this exceptional site in terms of its historical character, its fauna and flora,

Juno Beach centre

Juno Park, located on the dunes on the left bank of the Seulle. In the foreground, two explanatory panels mark the entrance to the park, and in the background, behind the tall grass and grasses, a tetrahedron (on the left) and an allied cannon, relics of the Normandy Landings.

The centre's building: modern architecture with rounded aluminium-coloured parodies, arranged to form the shape of a maple leaf, with the flags of the Allied countries flying in the foreground. - credit: cjb, G. Wait

The tour explores Juno dedicated to young people. On the left is the exhibition wall with photographs and texts to link together, on the right a young boy and two young girls look attentively at the panel, the taller of the girls has stretched out her arm to activate one of the interactive objects on the wall ©cjb ph.delval

Credits : G. Wait, Ph. Delval

The Vélomaritime : with a large proportion of shared lanes and cycle paths, this 1,500 km cycle route from the north of France to Brittany crosses the myriad sites of Normandy:

D-Day beaches, Etretat and Mont-Saint-Michel,

The Vélomaritime

The sailing school : Open all year round, it offers the pleasure of windsurfing, catamaran, windsurfing, stand-up paddle, kayaking and water walking.

Awarded the Norm’handi label, we offer a range of activities for the disabled, including two-seater sand yachting and paddle boarding.

Water sports are also organized, both on the sea and on the Seulles.

Parc de l’Edit and the banks of the Seulles to walk between land and sea and admire the fauna and flora,

Restaurants : the seafood and fish of our coasts are the stars of the plates,

Shopping street : food shops, delicatessens, souvenir shops… from the market place to the sea, the shopkeepers welcome you all year round,

Highlights :

Numerous events are held from May to December: the DDAY festival (late May – mid-June), the Jardifoliz (late May), during the summer, the Fête de la mer, the Semaine Acadienne festival, Halloween, the Fête de la coquille and the Christmas village.