Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Planning Your Time
I've listed the D-Day sites from east to west, starting with Arromanches (note that several
are closed in January). Americans prefer to focus on the American sector (west of Arro-
manches), rather than the British and Canadian sectors (east of Arromanches), which have
beenoverbuiltwithresorts,makingithardertoenvisiontheeventsofJune1944.Formore
information on visiting the D-Day beaches,
www.normandiememoire.com
is a useful re-
source.
D-Day Sites in One Day
If you only have one day, I'd spend it entirely on the beaches and miss the Caen Memorial
Museum. (If you want to squeeze in the museum, visit it on your way to or from the
beaches—but remember that the American Cemetery closes at 18:00 mid-April-mid-Sept
and at 17:00 the rest of the year—and you need at least 1.5 hours there.) With the exciting
sites and museums along the beaches, the Caen Memorial Museum is less important for
most.
If you're traveling
by car,
begin on the cliffs above Arromanches. Drive a quarter-
mile downhill to the town and visit Port Winston and the D-Day Landing Museum, then
continue west to Longues-sur-Mer. Spend your afternoon visiting the American Cemetery
and its thought-provoking visitors center, walking on the beach at Vierville-sur-Mer, and
exploring the Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument. Try to find time for the terrific Utah
Beach Landing Museum.
Other good options include visiting the strategic town of Ste-Mère Eglise to learn
about the paratroopers' role in the invasion, and a quick stop at the German Military Ce-
metery. Canadians will want to start at the Juno Beach Centre and Canadian Cemetery
(in Courseulles-sur-Mer, 10 minutes east of Arromanches), then pick up the itinerary de-
scribed above.
For those
sans car,
it's easiest to take a minivan tour or taxi from Bayeux, or—for a
really full day—combine a visit to the Caen Memorial Museum with their guided minivan
tour of the beaches. Public transport is available, but not practical since it is very limited.
Many find that a one-day car rental works best.
With More Time
Ideally, spend one day at Arromanches and the Omaha Beach sites, and another half-day
at the Utah Beach sites (then head off to Mont St-Michel or Honfleur).
