The D-Day Landing Beaches

Stretching from Sainte-Marie-du-Mont to Quinéville, the Utah sector was to be key to capturing the port of Cherbourg as soon as possible. The Utah Beach D-Day Museum takes you through events in chronological order.

Two thirds of the seaborne effort by the United States on D-Day were launched against a four-mile long beach overlooked by steep bluffs and blocked off at either end by limestone cliffs, the place they call ‘Bloody Omaha.’

The British 50th Northumbrian Division, commanded by Major-General Graham, landed on Gold Beach on D-Day. By the evening, they were on the outskirts of Bayeux, and liberated the town the next day.

On D-Day, 14 000 Canadians and 6,400 British troops landed on Juno Beach, taking heavy casualties. At Courseulles-sur-Mer, the Juno Beach Centre is the only museum entirely funded by veterans and their charities, and commemorates Canada’s unique contribution.

‘Sword’ was the code name thought up by the Allies for one of the two British sectors. Sword Beach extends west from Ouistreham to Lion-sur-Mer.

D-Day and the Battle of Normandy were predominantly fought in the départements of Calvados, Manche and Orne, and it is here that you will find the many memorials, cemeteries and museums that commemorate what happened.