Autour de Sword Beach

1,005 graves.

Located between Colleville Montgomery, Ouistreham and St Aubin d'Arquenay, and stretching over 75 hectares, the great wealth of the Bois du Caprice resides in the many natural environments it comprises. The "pilgrims' path" that meanders through the wood offers a step-by-step discovery of this wooded area (car park near the stadium of Ouistreham).

The bridges of Ranville and Bénouville were recaptured in the early hours of the night of the 5th to the 6th of June 1944 by the British 5th Parachute Brigade, whose emblem was Pegasus. The bridge over the canal was renamed Pegasus Bridge in memory of this great military feat. Free access to the site, visit free of charge.

The Pegasus Memorial Museum, located between Caen and the sea, tells the story of when the very first liberators from the British 6th Airborne Division landed on Norman soil on the night of the 5th to the 6th of June 1944. Period documents, films and objects. Guided tours of the museum, of Pegasus Bridge and of the reproduction of a WWII glider. Guided tour in French or English lasts: 1h30. Novelty: you can now access all museum information on your smartphone via QR Codes on the panels inside the museum grounds. Available in 10 languages: French, English, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Danish and Czech.

Established inside a former Atlantic Wall firing command post, this museum presents a reproduction of what the post looked like back in 1944. On the top level, the telemetry post overlooks the entire Orne estuary. Unaccompanied tour time: 1h15.

Set off and conquer the town’s red and white guardian: Ouistreham lighthouse! Take a deep breath and defy the 171 steps of its spiral staircase. Your efforts will be duly rewarded. From a height of 38 metres, marvel in the 360° panorama over the town and the horizon - as far as the eye can see. Make sure you take home a panoramic picture. And don’t forget, you can see them, but the boats out at sea can also see you, from 16 nautical miles away! You’ll probably see the Mont Saint-Michel or the Normandy - the Brittany Ferries car ferries that link Ouistreham Riva-Bella with Portsmouth - pass by. Open on Saturdays and Sundays from 2.30 to 6pm in July and August. Unaccompanied tour: €3