Omaha beach is overlooked by bluffs which rise to 150 feet and command the beaches. These naturally strong defensive positions had been skillfully fortified by the Germans with concrete gun emplacements, anti-tank guns and machine guns. Allied bombing left these largely undamaged, and since there was no cover on the beach, this tranquil strand of beach became a killing field. The US 1st Infantry Division had the most difficult landing of the whole Allied assault on D-Day. Within a mile to the rear of the beach lay the fortified villages of Colleville-sur-Mer, Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer and Vierville-sur-Mer
28. Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer
Overlooking Omaha Beach, this 172.5 acre cemetery contains the graves of 9,387 American soldiers. The rows of perfectly aligned headstones against the immaculate, emerald green lawn convey an unforgettable feeling of peace and tranquility. The beaches can be viewed from the bluffs above, and there is a path down to the beach.
14710 Colleville-sur-Mer, Tel 02 31 51 62 00
Monument, Colleville-sur-Mer
29. 1st Infantry Division Monument, Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer
A monument dedicated to the “Big Red One”, the US 1st Infantry Division, is located on the sea front, within walking distance from the American cemetery. Other monuments in the area include the 5th Engineer Special Brigade Memorial, and plaques commemorating the American armoured vehicles that passed through here.
30. Musée Memorial d’Omaha Beach (Omaha Beach Memorial Museum), Saint Laurent-sur-Mer
Located in Saint Laurent-sur-Mer on Omaha Beach, this museum has a fine collection of uniforms, weapons, personal objects and vehicles. Dioramas, photos, and maps together with a film featuring veterans’ testimonies explain the landings at Omaha Beach and at Pointe du Hoc. A landing ship, Sherman tank and “Long Tom” 155 mm gun are on display outside.
“les Moulins" - Avenue de la Libération 14710 Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, Tel. 02 31 21 97 44
31. Musée D-Day Omaha (Omaha D-Day Museum), Vierville-sur-Mer
This museum is devoted to the landing on Omaha Beach. Various equipment is displayed including: vehicles, weapons, radios, and engineer equipment.
Omaha Beach, Musée Omaha, Route de Grandcamp-Maisy - 14710 Vierville-sur-Mer (02 31 21 71 80).
Bunker, Colleville-sur-Mer
32. Site de Vierville-sur-Mer
Monuments here include the 29th US Infantry Division stele, National Guard monument, 6th Engineer Special Brigade stele, 29th DI Engineer plate, 81st CM battalion and 110th FA bat. Plates, 5th Rangers Battalion plate, 58th Armored Field Battalion stele, Boundary Marker in memory of the 58the Artillery Battalion.
Along the coastal road, 500 meters from Les Moulins a monument is situated in the place of the First American Cemetery in Normandy on Omaha beach. The soldiers interred there were later moved to the military cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer. The beach's desolation makes it a powerful site to imagine soldiers battling on the sand, completely vulnerable to German artillery.
Pointe-du-Hoc Bomb Craters
Monument, Pointe-du-Hoc
33. La Pointe du Hoc
La Pointe du Hoc, a rocky headland towering over the beaches, has become a symbol of the courage of American troops. Here, Germans had placed bunkers and artillery. The positions were bombed, shelled and then attacked by 225 US Rangers, who scaled the 35-metre rock wall, besieged the bunkers and finally took them, only to find there were no guns at all. The guns had been dismantled and hidden in an orchard inland. Only 90 rangers were still standing at the summit. Today, bomb and shell craters remain.
There is a monument in memory of the 2nd Rangers Battalion, who assaulted and captured La Pointe du Hoc battery. The memorial is built on a control firing casemate where bodies of the soldiers still lie under the ruins.
34. Musée des Rangers – Batterie de Maisy (Rangers Museum), Grandcamp Maisy
This museum recalls the history of the American Rangers unit, who assaulted La Pointe du Hoc on the D-Day. Uniforms and equipment displays revive the actions of the American Rangers.
14450 Grandcamp-Maisy, Tel. 02 31 92 33 51
35. Musée des Batteries de Maisy – (Rangers objective), Grandcamp Maisy
This outdoor German group of artillery batteries and HQ has been preserved and is camouflaged in over 14 hectares of land close to Grandcamp Maisy. The site covered the Omaha Sector and opened fire at Omaha Beach and Pointe du Hoc on the morning of D-day. The US 5th and 2nd Rangers attacked the site on the 9th of June 1944 and after heavy fighting they captured the position. It is the largest German position in the invasion area and has original field guns, Landing craft and other D-day objects on display. American Rangers monument is on the site.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about D-Day beaches
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in D-Day beaches - updated Apr 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount D-Day beaches hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
D-Day beaches Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
