Remains of German gun emplacement
History of the D-Day Invasion - 6th June 1994
The major focus of this region of France still remains the D-Day invasion on the 6th of June 1944 where the Allied armies under General Eisenhower landed to free occupied France and Europe from Nazi control.
The Normandy beaches are about 250 kilometres from Paris. There are many things to do and see in the region, below is just a sample of what is available.
For an historical overview of that day in 1944 click here.
Remains of German gun emplacement
Points of Interest
U.S. Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer
The cemetery over looks Omaha Beach. Here are buried 9,386 soldiers of the war.
U.S. Cemetery
Web site - http://www.abmc.gov/no.htm
Caen Museum
Museum focusing on the Normandy invasion but with many other interesting exhibits. From here you can book many tours of the surrounding Normandy beaches and points of interest.
Web site - http://www.memorial-caen.fr/portail/accueil/index.asp
Pointe-de-Hoc
This is where men from the U.S. 2nd Ranger Battalion landed and climbed the cliffs to destroy heavily defended German guns. From a unit of 225 men under Lieutenant Colonel James Rudder only 90 could fight after the cliff top was secured. Unfortunately, the German guns they had fought to capture were found hidden in an orchard a mile away, having been relocated as results of earlier air raids.
Pointe-de-Hoc memorial park
Web site - http://www.abmc.gov/ph.htm
Musée de la Batterie de Merville
The museum retraces the conditions and operation taken here by the British 6th Airborne Division.
Web site -
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/mairiedemervillefranceville/BATTERIE.htm
Web site -
http://membres.lycos.fr/zhorfix/le_musee_de_la_batterie_de_merville_texte.htm
Pegasus Bridge
It was here that the gliders of the British 6th Airborne Division landed in the early hours of the 6th of June 1944. The capture of this bridge by Allied troops, a strategic objective across the River Orne, was the first Allied victory.
Web site - http://battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/airborne_museum_pegasus_bridge.htm
Musée No 4 Commando
The museum retraces the story of the first British and French Commandos to land on Sword beach at dawn on 6th June 1944.
Web site - http://www.atlantikwall.net/museums_fr_musee_commando_no_4.htm
Musée du mur de l'Atlantque
In a former post of the Atlantic wall, the museum houses a large collection of documents and relics.
Web site - http://www.atlantikwall.net/museums_fr_batterie_todt.htm
Musée du Débarquement
A permanent D-Day landing exhibition on the beach at Arromanches focusing on the artificial harbour ( Mulberry B ), the remains of which can still be seen from the beach. Here you will also find Arromanches 360 a D-Day film projected onto 9 screens in a panoramic auditorium. The film combines pictures from the 1944 landings and of Normandy today.
Web site -
http://www.normandy1944.com/
Web site - www.arromanches360.com
Omaha Beach museum
Just a short distance from the beach on which so many American
soldiers landing on D-Day lost their lives in the struggle to get ashore. A
display of military vehicles, arms, uniforms and badges worn by American and
German soldiers in the World War II.
Events and life in France under German occupation portrayed. Exhibits concerning
French Resistance and Deportation to Germany of civilians. Explanatory notices
in French and English.
Web site - http://www.musee-memorial-omaha.com/
Airborne Museum
Located at Sainte-Mère-Eglise this museum focuses on the contribution made by American airborne troops in the Normandy campaign.
Web site - http://www.airborne-museum.org/
General Web Links
http://www.wtj.com/articles/normandy/ - War Times Journal summary on Normandy. This site has a great animated map about the landings.
http://www.normandiememoire.com/
http://search.eb.com/normandy/