Stay in Normandy: visiting the D-Day beaches in 3 days

On June 6, 1944, the world held its breath. Thousands of Allied soldiers landed on the Normandy coast, marking a decisive turning point in World War II. Today, life has resumed its course, towns and villages have been rebuilt, leaving only the vestiges of this operation.

These four days in Normandy allowed us to learn more about D-Day. It is for us the ideal itinerary to discover the iconic places of the Normandy landings.

For this first day in Normandy, we depart from our hotel in Caen, directly to Sainte-Mère-Église. This first stop revisits theOperation Overlord which took place during the night of June 5th to 6th, 1944. Nearly 13,000 Allied paratroopers were dropped that night. One of them, John Steele, became famous for getting stuck, with his parachute, for several hours on the steeple of the Sainte-Mère-Église church.

A visit to theAirborne Museum immerses you in the history of the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions, who played a crucial role in the early stages of the D-Day landings. You can also see full-size gliders and many military artifacts. We were moved by the poignant testimonies and archival films.

👉 Also read: Itinerary and good addresses in Sainte-Mère-Église.

🕒 Visit Duration: Allow at least 2 hours of your day for a complete exploration of the museum and its various pavilions.

💶 Price: 11.5€ per adult (17 years and older)

We meet Flo and Dylan from WW2 Veteran's Memories at Pointe du Hoc this afternoon. This iconic Normandy landing site was strategically important because it overlooks the beaches of Utah and Omaha. On D-Day, American rangers of the 2nd elite battalion landed here to climb this 30-meter cliff to neutralize the Germans in a merciless battle.

After this visit, we board their Willys Jeeps for the rest of the tour. We drive down Omaha Beach and pass the imposing Monument 'Les Braves' before reaching the American Cemetery.

After this visit, we climb aboard their Jeeps Willys for the rest of the tour. We descend along Omaha Beach and pass in front of the imposing monument 'The Brave' before joining the American Cemetery.

It's under the gentle light of late afternoon, we tread the immaculate lawn where nearly 10,000 American soldiers rest. Did you know that there was a difference between the graves of Christian and Jewish soldiers? Indeed, the graves of Jewish soldiers are marked by a marble stele, but instead of a cross, one finds a Star of David.

We end the tour by arriving at a magnificent viewpoint over Omaha Beach: the WN 60 point. It's a must-see spot to watch the sunset over one of the longest beaches in Normandy.

This site is familiar to us, as it was the first stop we made during our road trip in the Channel region.

To end this day with more poetry, we dine at the Le petit Jardin restaurant, awarded a Gault&Millau prize. We fell in love with the friendly atmosphere, a glasshouse in the heart of nature, which is actually the former orangery of the Château de la Chenevière. On the menu, bistro-style dishes made with local (some from their permaculture vegetable garden) and seasonal products.

We begin this second day on the Normandy landings trail with a guided electric bike tour with Petite Reine Normandie. Departing from Bayeux, we cycle the 20 km to Arromanches, passing through the Norman countryside, the Bayeux British Cemetery and the German Batteries of Longues-sur-mer.

An outdoor activity where we combined sports (well, with electric assistance, we're well-aided) and historical stories. Thanks again to Hugo who enthusiastically shared the history of his native region.

👉 Also read: Itinerary and good addresses in Arromanches

Renovated for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the Landing Museum is the one we preferred of our stay. The information presented is clear, concise and accompanied by 3D models or archive films. It allows for an easy understanding of the construction of the artificial port and the key events of the Normandy landings.