La Vélomaritime : d'Arromanches à Courseulles-sur-Mer

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.

"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).

To ensure you can enjoy the beach to the full in complete safety, Saint-Côme-de-Fresné beach is patrolled by SNSM lifeguards from 3 July to 22 August 2027, from 1.15 pm to 6.30 pm. We would like to inform you that pets are not permitted in the swimming area. Outside this area, they must be kept on a lead.

Small-scale traditional biscuit making. Visits of the production workshop by appointment. Tour lasts: 25 mins. Our produce is on sale on site in the factory boutique.

The America Gold Beach Museum comprises two historic exhibition areas. The America area tells the story of the very first air mail link between the United States and France, made by the three-engined Fokker America which made a water landing at Ver-sur-Mer on the 1st of July 1927. The Gold Beach exhibition area tells the story of the painstaking preparations for the D-Day Landings by the British secret services and of the events on Gold Beach on D-Day, when the 69th Brigade made its victorious assault on the 6th of June 1944. Scale models, slide shows, photographs, personal objects and testimonies, etc. Unaccompanied tour time: 40 minutes.

Situated on the heights of Mont Fleury, overlooking the Gold Beach sector, the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer commemorates the 22,540 men and women who lost their lives under British command during the landings and throughout the Battle of Normandy. The Memorial also pays tribute to the French civilians who lost their lives that summer. It is the only site in Normandy where all these names are brought together. They are listed in chronological order on the 160 columns that form the Memorial’s central pergola. The Memorial is situated on a site covering more than 20 hectares, with breathtaking views of the beach and Mulberry Harbour at Arromanches. In 2024, King Charles III and Queen Camilla visited the Memorial and opened the Winston Churchill Centre. This visitor centre comprises two galleries, an educational area and a café serving snacks and drinks seven days a week throughout the summer. Entry to the Memorial and the Winston Churchill Centre is free. There is a charge for parking (€4.50 per day, €12 for coaches), which helps to fund the site’s upkeep. Guided tours are offered by the Gold Beach Tourist Office from June to mid-September: visit their website www.goldbeach-tourisme.fr for more information. The Memorial also offers bespoke guided tours for school groups. Please email contact@normandymemorialtrust.org to arrange a visit with your school.

Erected on the site of the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, the Winston Churchill Centre was inaugurated on June 6, 2024 by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day. The purpose of this memorial pavilion is to pass on to new generations the values of Peace, Freedom and Democracy, the legacy of the Liberators. The center comprises two galleries, an educational room, a store and a cafeteria offering a range of baguettes, cakes and hot and cold drinks. The educational room can be booked by school groups. Contact the center for more information.

Bike rentals - mountain bikes, city bikes and children's trailers. Minimum one day. Helmet and anti-theft device included.

Situated on the beach at Courseulles-sur-Mer, the Juno Beach Centre is the only Canadian museum on the D-Day beaches. Founded by Canadian veterans in 2003, this memorial pays tribute to the 45,000 Canadians who lost their lives during the Second World War, including 5,500 during the Battle of Normandy and 381 on D-Day. Visitors are welcomed by young, bilingual Canadian guides, who passionately share the history and legacy of Canadian soldiers. Combining history, immersion and emotion, the permanent exhibition traces Canada’s civilian and military war effort during the Second World War through five exhibition rooms and two films. It also offers a window onto Canada today. Artefacts, photographs, archives and personal accounts offer a moving experience, placing people at the heart of the exhibition. At the heart of this space, the ‘Explore Juno’ exhibition for young visitors invites families to discover Canada through specially adapted displays and educational digital games. New: Audio guide in six languages (FR, EN, NL, DE, IT and ES) available on your mobile for €2. Average duration of visit: 1 hour 30 minutes. The temporary exhibition ‘My Childhood, 1939–1945’ explores the daily lives of children in Normandy and Canada during the Second World War. Average duration of visit: 30 minutes. From April to October, a guided tour of the bunkers, led by a young Canadian guide, offers an insight into the evolution of the Atlantic Wall defences and the history of the Canadian landings at Juno Beach. The tour includes a command post and an observation bunker built during the German occupation. Tour duration: 45 minutes. The Juno Beach Centre combines remembrance, sustainable development and more responsible tourism.

The western beach, towards Graye-sur-Mer, is the most natural and unspoilt in Courseulles-sur-Mer. On this side, you’ll discover a landscape of dunes covered in sand plants, as well as a wide beach perfect for recharging your batteries. From here, admire the dance of the boats and trawlers and the famous wooden jetty. It is on this beach that the Courseulles-sur-Mer sailing school offers a variety of water sports: sand yachting, catamaran sailing, beach running, kayaking… Courseulles-sur-Mer forms part of the Canadian sector known as Juno Beach. It was here, on 6 June 1944, that thousands of soldiers landed to secure our freedom. The Juno Beach Centre, the only Canadian museum dedicated to the D-Day landings, recounts the civilian and military war effort of the entire population of Canada and on the various fronts during the Second World War. For everyone’s well-being, smoking is now prohibited on our beaches. In English Supervised swimming: In marked areas from July to August. station-courseulles.snsm.org/ Showers: open during the beach lifeguard season at the Graye-sur-Mer lifeguard station, 100 metres from the Croix de Lorraine. Toilets: open during the beach lifeguard season at the Graye-sur-Mer lifeguard station, 100 metres from the Croix de Lorraine. Cycling: Juno Park is located near the beach at Courseulles-sur-Mer. You can cycle there, as well as along the Voie des Français Libres, which leads to the Juno Beach Centre. Fat bikes are permitted on the beach. Access for people with disabilities: not on the beach itself, but the nearby Juno Beach Centre and Juno Park are accessible. Dogs: From 1 June to 30 September, dogs on a lead are permitted at low tide before 11.30 am and after 6.30 pm, but only on Courseulles-sur-Mer beach and in the dunes. However, they are prohibited at all times on Graye-sur-Mer beach, which begins about a hundred metres east of the Croix de Lorraine. There are no time restrictions for the rest of the year. Please remember to bring a dog waste bag! The Courseulles-sur-Mer tourist office provides these free of charge. Horses: not permitted

A site that has won numerous awards for its signage and conservation of the natural environment. As you explore the park, you’ll have the chance to follow a fun, interactive trail centred around three main themes: the D-Day landings, the seaside resort, and the local flora and fauna. From historical landmarks to fully restored vegetation, let yourself be swept away on a truly unique journey! Free entry all year round Guided tours with a Canadian guide of the beach and the remains of the Atlantic Wall, including the tunnels that housed the command post on the site in 1944. Daily from April to October. 45 mins. Tickets can be purchased at the museum or via the online ticket office. You can also try the Juno Caching game, which is free and open to all at Juno Park. Juno Caching is a 10-stage quest exploring Juno Park, combining history and biodiversity.