Bayeux is a medieval town in Normandy and the first town to be liberated by the Allied forces after D-Day. It is also famous for the tapestry that tells the story of the events leading up Norman conquest of England. The town was relatively unscathed after D Day meaning that the beautiful buildings still remain…
D-Day took place on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 and was the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II. Today, the D-Day sites are a key visitor attraction for those wanting to pay their respects. The video below shows original footage of American troops landing in Normandy. Five strategic beachheads were established in Normandy across…
Omaha Beach, was the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France on D-Day. The beach is approximately 5 miles long (8 km) and stretches from Vierville-sur-Mer to Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes. The villages of Colleville-sur-Mer, Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer and Vierville-sur-Mer are where the majority of the Omaha Beach sites are. La Pointe…
Sword Beach is the most easterly of the D-Day beaches stretching west from Caen’s ferry port of Ouistreham. The original D-Day plan was not intended to extend this far east and was due to end at Courseulles-sur-Mer. However, the British and American military commanders, Montgomery and Eisenhower, insisted on the front going east as far…
Juno Beach was one of five beaches of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings. The landings took place on 6 June 1944 during the Second World War. The beach covered the area from Courseulles, Bernières and Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer. Juno is located between the British beaches of Gold and Sword. The landings at…
Gold Beach stretches east from the port of Arromanches and includes the villages of Asnelles and Ver-sur-Mer. Action in Arromanches was deliberately avoided on D-Day. This meant it could be kept clear for the floating pre-fabricated Mulberry Harbour that was put in place after the invasion. Aerial and naval bombardments before the troops landed had…
Introduction D-Day took place on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 and was the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II. Today, the D-Day landing beaches are a key visitor attraction for those wanting to pay their respects. The events were the start of the liberation of German-occupied France from Nazi control. They laid the foundations…
There are several different ways to explore Mont Saint Michel abbey. You can take a guide tour or discover the abbey by yourself. If you’d prefer to go at your own pace then you can rent an audio guide that will guide you through the abbey. There’s also a leaflet you can pick up that…
Here are my 10 top tips for visiting Mont Saint Michel. Factor in time to get from the car park on the mainland to the island. It could take half an hour depending on where you park. Try and park as near to the shuttle buses as possible. Check out the Mont Saint Michel Tourist…
A visit to Mont Saint Michel should definitely be on your Normandy bucket list. It’s a rocky island commune topped with a 13th century Gothic abbey. Discover 13 centuries of history and restoration at this UNESCO World Heritage site. The iconic abbey is perched on top of an island and it literally takes your breath…
Introduction Normandy is made up of five departments. They are Calvados, Eure, Manche, Orne and Seine-Maritime. However, the website focuses mainly on places in the Manche and Calvados regions. Normandy’s rich heritage includes William the Conqueror, historic buildings dating from the 11th century and the Normandy landing beaches. It is popular with families who appreciate…
The Men’s Abbey in Caen was founded in 1063 by William the Conqueror. There are two key parts to this magnificent building which is known as l’Abbaye aux Hommes in French The first is the abbey church of Saint Etienne and this is where William was buried. The church is free to visit and is…
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