9 Essential World War II Sites In Normandy

There is no doubt that Normandy is a place of history. For many tourists, history is even the sole purpose of their visit. Most of them want to understand or remember the events of D-Day, the day the Allied forces invaded Europe during the Second World War. In almost every street or around every corner you see a reference to D-Day, such as a monument or flags of the countries that participated in the invasion. There are hundreds – if not thousands – of World War II sites in Normandy you can visit, so I list the most essential ones for you.

D-Day

Operation Overlord, the codename for the Battle of Normandy, started at the 6^th of June in 1944 with the largest seaborne invasion in history. The allied forces invaded German-occupied Western Europe at the shores of Normandy during World War II. More than 150.000 Allied soldiers stormed the beaches and risked their lives to liberate Europe. The cost of freedom was high. Estimates range from 5000 to 12000 Allied casualties and 4000 to 9000 German soldiers killed, wounded or missing. And that’s on D-Day alone.

Standing on the shores where so many men lost their lives to ensure your freedom is unreal and emotional. I felt sad, because of the thousands of people who died here. I felt grateful, because I owe it to many of them that I am able to live my life the way I do. And I felt complete incomprehension, because how can you understand war if you see the cost of it? I think every person in Europe should visit Normandy at least once in their lives to learn about the events that happened here. We owe it to the extremely brave men who fought for us. Here are the 9 World War II sites you don’t want to miss.   

Arromanches

Nowadays Arromanches is a quiet seaside town. However, during the Second World War it was an artificial harbour created by the Allied Forces. You can still see the remnants of the harbour in the sea and on the beach. Also, make sure to visit Arromanches 360. A circular cinema with exceptional archive footage from the war. The footage is real, making it incredibly impressive to watch.

Overlord Museum

The Overlord Museum tells the story of the Allied landing and the liberation of Paris that followed. It’s located nearby Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery. The museum houses an exceptional collection of military equipment, including personal items from soldiers, vehicles, tanks and guns.

Landing Beaches

The landing beaches are just beaches, but it’s still special to visit these historic sites. Utah beach is a wide stretch of golden sand and at Omaha you find some memorials. The other beaches are Sword beach, Juno beach and Gold beach.

Pointe-du-Hoc

Pointe-du-Hoc was a tactical and important site for the Germans during the Allied invasion. It’s located on the top of a cliff overlooking both Utah and Omaha beach. There are multiple bunkers that you can visit. You’ll also notice the dozens of holes in the ground, due to the heavy bombing this place endured before D-Day.

A team of Rangers fought their way up the cliffs during the invasion to conquer the site, but they suffered heavy losses. To let the Allied invasion succeed, however, it was critical to take Pointe-du-Hoc. This places tells a unique story of making the impossible happen.

Longues-sur-Mer battery

Longues-sur-Mer is one of the best preserved batteries in France with original cannons still in place. It was strategically located on a cliff to counter the Allied invasion on D-Day. It’s very interesting to see, especially since it’s still in such good shape.

American and German Cemeteries

Both the German and American cemetery show the impact of war on human lives as no other place can. The latter has thousands of allied graves on the grassy fields near Omaha beach. Although the American cemetery is a well-established stop on the tourist trail, not too many visitors go to the German cemetery. Obviously it tells an entirely different story, but most of these soldiers were not even eighteen years old as you can read on their gravestones. It’s horrific, but essential to fully understand the impact of D-Day.

Sainte-Mère-Eglise

The small village of Sainte-Mère-Eglise was the first village to be liberated by the Allied forces. But that’s not why it’s a famous place. Something extraordinary happened here during D-Day.

On the night before D-Day thirty paratroopers landed in the middle of the village. Unfortunately for them, there was a fire on the town square. Everyone in the village, including the German soldiers, was awake and the town was well lit. The paratroopers were easy targets for the Germans. A fierce battle followed. There are still bullet holes in the church near the entrance.

Private John Steele, one of the paratroopers, became famous. He was hit by a shrapnel shortly after he began his descent into the village and landed with his parachute on the church tower, leaving him hanging. John Steele decided to play dead for a couple of hours to avoid being killed. Eventually one of his fellow soldiers cut him loose and he was taken prisoner by the Germans. He escaped just three days later to rejoin the Allied forces.

At Sainte-Mère-Eglise there is now a monument of a paratrooper dangling on the church tower. Forever remembering the story of John Steele, who became an honorary citizen of the village. If you want to know more, pay a visit to the Airborne Museum located in the village. Also have a look at the stained glass windows in the church, as one of them depicts Virgin Mary and three paratroopers. One of whom is private John Steele.

Caen Memorial

The Caen Memorial provides a detailed overview of the impact of the Second World War on the entire region. It’s one of the most comprehensive museums about the war. The museum was built on top of the former underground bunker and headquarters of the German General Richter, which you can also visit. It also houses a movie theater and three gardens dedicated to the soldiers who died in Normandy.

● ● ●

What do you think is the most impressive place on this list of World War II sites in Normandy, and why? Let me know in the comments! Or want to know more about what Normandy has to offer? Read all about it here in my top 5 highlights of Normandy.