With so many World War Two sites, D-Day landing beaches, monuments, and museums across Normandy, it can be difficult to know where to begin. The history here is powerful and deeply moving, offering an experience that is both humbling and important to explore during your stay. To help you explore with ease, we have created a considered family itinerary covering the key sites across the region. For a more personal experience, we also offer fully guided tours tailored to your interests.
D-Day and Normandy are closely intertwined, and the history here still holds deep meaning for those who live in the region. These sites mark the beginning of the liberation of Europe during World War Two, and today they stand as both a celebration of that turning point and a place of remembrance for those who lost their lives in the summer of 1944.
With so many important locations to visit, it can be difficult to plan your time effectively. To help, we have created a thoughtful three-day itinerary designed with families in mind, allowing you to experience the most meaningful sites without feeling rushed. This can be adapted to suit your interests, pace, and the needs of your group.
The Normandy beaches are divided into five iconic landing zones, named by military code: Utah and Omaha in the west, where the Americans landed, and to the east, Gold and Sword for the British, with Juno as the Canadian sector in between.
Begin at Pegasus Bridge, not a beach, but the first part of France to be liberated. Just after midnight on 6 June 1944, three gliders carrying troops from the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry landed with precision and captured the bridge over the Caen Ship Canal intact. Now known as Pegasus Bridge, the nearby memorial museum tells the story of these airborne liberators.
A short drive away is the Commonwealth War Cemetery at Ranville, where more than 2,000 men are buried beside a village church still marked with bullet holes from the fighting.
Continue to Juno Beach, where the Canadian landings made significant progress on D-Day. The Juno Beach Centre captures this often overlooked contribution through well-designed exhibitions and a digital tour, particularly engaging for younger visitors. Located beside the beach and German bunkers, it also offers a chance to pause by the sea.
After lunch, head towards Crépon, passing through Ver-sur-Mer, where the Normandy Memorial stands. Nearby, a roadside monument tells the story of Sergeant Major Stan Hollis of the Green Howards, the only man awarded the Victoria Cross on D-Day itself.
A short drive brings you to the clifftop cinema above Arromanches les Bains. Here, a powerful 360-degree film experience uses surround sound and original news footage to tell the story of Normandy in just 20 minutes, leaving a lasting impression on all ages.
Continue to Longues-sur-Mer, where the gun battery remains in remarkable condition despite heavy bombardment by the RAF before being silenced by the Royal Navy. You can explore the original gun casemates and climb through the site, including the forward observation bunker perched on the cliff edge, famously used in the film The Longest Day.
Return to Arromanches to end the day with a drink as the sun sets over the remains of the Mulberry Harbour. This extraordinary artificial port was towed across the Channel at just 1 mph, and its concrete structures still stand as a striking reminder of the ingenuity behind the landings. The full story can be explored further in the seafront museum.
Of the 156,000 troops who landed on D-Day, around 73,000 were American, led by Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D Eisenhower. Their objective was the western sector, including the vital port of Cherbourg.
Begin at Sainte Mère Église, where thousands of American paratroopers landed in the early hours of D-Day. A fire in the town lit up the sky, leaving many exposed as they descended. One of the most well-known stories is that of John Steele, who became caught on the church tower and survived by pretending to be dead. Today, a replica parachutist still hangs from the church, while the Airborne Museum across the square offers interactive displays and a tablet-guided experience.
Around thirty minutes away, Utah Beach offers a striking contrast, where landings largely went to plan. The museum, built into the sand near a former German bunker, features landing craft, including a Higgins Boat and a B-26 Marauder bomber. Nearby, at Saint Côme du Mont, the D-Day Experience brings history to life with a simulated flight in a C47 aircraft, recreating the airborne assault.
Omaha Beach tells a far more sobering story. Known as Bloody Omaha, it was the site of devastating losses as heavily defended German positions resisted the assault. Today, the wide stretch of sand is peaceful, yet powerful. Above it lies the American Cemetery, where nearly 10,000 soldiers are buried, including stories that inspired Saving Private Ryan. As evening falls, the ‘Taps’ ceremony lowers the flags in a moving tribute to those who lost their lives.
End the day in Bayeux at the main British Cemetery, where over 4,000 Commonwealth soldiers and 466 German soldiers are laid to rest. Among them is Victoria Cross recipient Sidney Bates, making this a place of quiet reflection and remembrance.
Begin the day in Caen, the regional capital, which was heavily bombed in 1944. The Memorial Museum offers a powerful account of the war from the French perspective, highlighting the immense civilian losses alongside the military history.
Continue around an hour south to the Falaise Pocket, where some of the fiercest fighting of the Normandy campaign took place. German forces were trapped in a narrow strip of countryside, and up to 10,000 soldiers lost their lives here. At the Memorial Montormel Museum, overlooking what is now a शांत valley, you gain a clear sense of the scale and intensity of the battle, including the often overlooked role of horses in the German war effort.
