Arromanches-les-Bains

The seaside resort of Arromanches-les-Bains is inextricably linked with the liberation of western Europe following D-Day. Along with the staggeringly large concrete blocks remaining from the Mulberry Harbour towed over from Britain in June 1944, war museums bring the massive Allied operations here back to life. Today, Arromanches-les-Bains is a popular seaside resort.

A MOVING PLACE

The port was meant to be temporary, lasting maybe three months. It served for some five months.The Mulberry Harbour in Arromanches-les-Bains became known as Port Winston, after British wartime leader Winston Churchill, who was closely involved in its conception. A staggering 2.5 million men, 500,000 vehicles and four million tonnes of supplies arrived via Port Winston. Despite all its somber reminders of the shattering war effort, Arromanches has a good deal of charm, offering wonderful beach and cliff walks. Wandering around the town, you can also spot some intriguing memorials.

Don’t miss

D-Day Museum (Musée du Débarquement): This central museum right on the seafront focuses on the D-Day Landings and the crucial months of Allied action that followed. It goes into fascinating detail about the setting up of the Mulberry Harbour here with the help of various scaled down models. There are also some powerful videos to watch.

Arromanches 360°: Archive footage of the D-Day Landings bombards you from all sides in this circular cinema which opened for the 50th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. This footage takes you racing through the 100 days of the Battle of Normandy to liberate the region before the Allies moved on to free the rest of Europe from Nazi occupation.

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