La Vélomaritime : d'Arromanches à Port-en-Bessin

Sleep in a Cyclo'tente at Camping des Bords de l'Aure in Bayeux. This tent structure, half wood / half canvas on a floor, has 2 single beds (also available in a single model) and is equipped with electricity (European plugs). A plus for cyclists: bikes are sheltered at the back of the hut in a bike box. A must for travelling light on the Vélomaritime.

Port-en-Bessin offers an original stopover in the heart of the first artisanal fishing port in Normandy, of which the scallop is the pride. It is ideally located in the centre of the D-Day beaches, a few kilometres from the medieval town of Bayeux. Many shops and restaurants on the quay. A 24m pontoon and a reception area for boaters are at your disposal (paying services). Contact the tourist office Quai Baron Gérard.

Nestled between two cliffs and open to both the sea and the hinterland, Port-en-Bessin has lived for a thousand years to the rythm of the tides and the coming and going of its trawlers. As Normandy's leading fishing port, the charming village combines modern facilities with ancestral know-how.

A unique collection on the Battle of Normandy. Personal objects and photographs of uniforms, donated by 250 veterans who fought in Normandy. A person and an individual story are behind each object. Boutique with a choice of World War II memorabilia.

The various phases of the Allied landing operation are presented. Explanation on how the Winston artificial harbour was built and operated from its design to its final use (3D animation, animated scale models, slide show, archive footage, etc.). Unaccompanied or guided tour in French: 1h15. Visitor aids in 19 languages. Film in 9 languages, slide show in 6 languages.

"As we have no harbour at our disposal, we shall bring ours." With these words, Winston Churchill and Lord Mountbatten made Arromanches and its artificial harbour part of the great history of the Allied landings of June 6th 1944, which were to liberate Europe and the world.

"The 100 days of Normandy" The images projected on nine screens stem from British, Canadian, German, American and French archives. On both sides of the Channel, one was preparing for this longawaited moment. Then, in spite of unfavorable weather conditions, came the morning of June 6, 1944, the fi rst step towards the liberation of Western Europe. From the landings on the 5 beaches of the Manche and Calvados departments to the tragic bombing of Le Havre on September 12, the Battle of Normandy lasted 100 days. Experience 20 minutes of pure historical intensity! To improve the visitor experience, our reception area has been fully redesigned: maps, the chronology and the outcome of the Battle of Normandy are now presented. Several British military artifacts from the Caen Mémorial collection are also on display. Film screened every 30 minutes, on the hour and at the half hour. Commentary overlooking the artificial harbour from the cinema’s terrace roof (30 minutes) during school holidays).