Arromanches-les-Bains France

From an historical perspective, this was just an amazing tour, to see and stand and walk on the same beaches, that the invasion forces landed upon, it felt like we were walking inside a history book! Several interesting points were made that I was not aware of, ie;

• The overall invasion beaches area was approximately 45 miles in width. The idea was that by hitting France in such a wide range of locations, the Germans would not be able to centrally attack the invasion forces. Obviously, this approach worked very well.
• German strong points (aka; pill boxes & larger artillery emplacements) were scattered out on the bluffs overlooking the beaches, and were comprised of long range cannon (155mm) and shorter range cannon (100mm) designed to hit either the beaches, or the invasion force ships. All of these "strong points" were also heavily defended by German troops with machine guns and anti-armor weapons.
• The German strongpoints and pillboxes at Omaha Beach were not effectively destroyed by the pre-invasion naval and aerial bombardment on D-Day (June 6, 1944). Despite an intense bombardment by Allied warships and bombers, many of the German defenses remained largely intact when the first waves of American troops landed.
• The temporary harbors constructed by the Allies (aka; mullberry units) consisted of two locations, one in the Gold Beach British sector, and the other at the Omaha Beach American sector. The Omaha Beach temporary harbor, was destroyed in a storm shortly after D-Day, and the caissons that were not destroyed, were towed to Gold Beach, and re-used to re-build that temporary harbor.
• Many of the mulberry caissons are still sitting in the water off Gold Beach, a credit to the people that built them, for lasting over 70 years now.
• There are 9,387 soldiers buried in Colleville-sur-mer cemetery. This is a beautiful site, overlooking Omaha Beach, and the people buried there are the true heroes of WWII. There are a total of 26 American cemeteries in France (8 from WW2 and 18 from WW1), and a quick Google search will show you how well they are maintained.
• Omaha Beach was approximately 7,500 yards in width, with sheer cliffs that arise shortly after the sandy beach. Where there were not "sheer cliffs", there were 100 foot tall bluffs that were covered in heavy vegetation.
• It is entirely possible, that if the German Army main focus had not been on Russia, that the invasion would have failed. The Russian Front was eating up German soldiers and armor, at an incredible pace, and Hitler would not release to the German Commanding General (Erwin Rommel) the armored units that Rommel needed to repulse the invasion.
• There was a point in time, where the Omaha Beach American Invasion Commander (Gen. Omar Bradley), briefly considered telling Eisenhower that he was going to remove the American invasion force and retreat. This was caused by the enormous loss of American lives (2,400 dead or missing) during those first few hours, but he eventually was convinced to put ashore the second wave of the invasion forces, and the rest is history.

As can be seen by the above map, Rouen is 163 kilometers from Arromanche. Viking had arranged for a number of buses to take our tour group to the Arromanche area. Embarking on a day trip by bus from Rouen to Arromanches, France offers a delightful blend of history, picturesque landscapes, and coastal charm. As you leave the medieval city of Rouen behind, the bus journey reveals rolling countryside adorned with charming villages and lush green fields. Upon reaching Arromanches, we were transported back to a significant moment in history — the D-Day landings of World War II. We explored the remnants of Mulberry Harbor, a remarkable engineering feat!

As part of Operation Overlord, British forces landed on Gold Beach to secure a crucial foothold in German-occupied territory. The invasion involved coordinated efforts by infantry, engineers, and armored units. Despite facing challenges such as strong German defenses, the Allies successfully established a beachhead, contributing to the overall success of the Normandy landings. Today, remnants of this historic event, including bunkers and memorials, can still be explored on Gold Beach.

The Gold Beach area was more than 8 kilometers wide and included the coastal towns of La Rivière and Le Hamel. On the western end of the beach was the small port of Arromanches, and slightly west of that port was the town of Longues-sur-Mer.

The seawall at Arromanches, France, plays a vital role in protecting the picturesque coastal town from the powerful tides of the English Channel, which can vary dramatically, rising and falling up to 7 meters or more in a single day. This tidal fluctuation reveals wide stretches of sandy beach at low tide and brings the sea close to the seawall at high tide.

This was morning low tide, and the water was approximately 200 yards out from the sea wall (Celeste hiked out to the water, just to be able to say she stood in the English Channel). The height of the sea wall is because not only does the tide rise considerably, but a storm will bring the water blasting against it ! Tidal variation here ranges between 3 to 6 meters (9+ to 18+ feet) in height.

The Musée du Débarquement in Arromanches is conveniently located near the bus parking lot, making it an easy stop for visitors exploring this historic town. The museum showcases an impressive collection of military equipment from the D-Day invasion, offering a glimpse into the technology and strategy behind this pivotal moment in history.

One notable exhibit is a German 88mm gun, famously effective as both a tank killer and an anti-aircraft weapon. On the day of our visit, it proved to be a magnet for children, who excitedly climbed and played around it, giving life to this static relic of war. The museum is situated on Place du Six Juin 1944, aptly named to commemorate the Allied landings. With its prime location and engaging displays, the museum serves as a powerful reminder of the bravery and sacrifices that shaped the course of World War II.

Click here to go to their website.

After lunch, the tour bus took us to the Longues-sur-Mer Artillery Battery, six kilometers from Arromanche.

This was a World War II German artillery battery constructed near the French village of Longues-sur-Mer. The battery was sited on a 60 meter (200 foot) cliff overlooking the sea and formed a part of Germany's Atlantic Wall coastal fortifications. It was located between the Allied landing beaches of Gold and Omaha and shelled both beaches on D-Day (6 June 1944). These were 150mm large guns with a range of 20 kilometers and a rate of fire of six to eight shots per minute.

After a nice lunch at the Bar du Six Juin in Arromanches, we all piled back onto the tour buses for a stop at the Longues-sur-Mer Artillery Battery before we headed off to the Colleville-Sur-Mer cemetery.

WARNING: Our entire tour group ate lunch here, and even though Viking Cruises had given them a "head count", because Americans like to "spread out" and as we were the last people to enter the pub, we nearly did not get a seat! Moral of the story is to not be the last people to enter on these types of tours.

The Les Braves Memorial stands on Omaha Beach, a powerful tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of Allied soldiers during the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. Created by French sculptor Anilore Banon, the monument was unveiled in 2004 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the invasion.

The sculpture consists of three symbolic elements: The Wings of Hope, representing the courage that carried soldiers forward; Rise, Freedom!, symbolizing the struggle to liberate Europe; and The Wings of Fraternity, honoring the bond between nations united against tyranny. Made of stainless steel, the memorial reflects light beautifully and contrasts with the sandy beach and crashing waves.

Its placement on the exact site of the landings makes it especially poignant, encouraging reflection on the enormity of the sacrifice made here. Visitors are moved by its soaring forms and the historical weight of standing where freedom was fought for so fiercely.

NOTE: Below are some useful links where you can find even more information about the areas we have described on this page. There are of course, many other useful websites & pages, so for something specific, we would suggest using Google Search.

The following list contains links to all of our other French Destinations & Information Pages, click any link to go to that page.