The landing beaches

Camping Omaha Beach

Ideally located just 4 km from Omaha Beach, Camping Reine Mathilde *** is the perfect base from which to explore the D-Day landing beaches and the historic sites that marked the Second World War. These places steeped in history, the scene of Operation Overlord on 6 June 1944, stretch along almost 80 km of Normandy coastline. Between remembrance, emotion and discovery, plunge into the heart of history by visiting the various D-Day beaches, military cemeteries, museums and the remains still visible from this period that changed the course of world history.

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The Normandy landing beaches: a veritable open-air museum

Make the most of your stay in camping in Calvados for visit the Normandy landing beaches, l'one of the greatest battles of the Second World War. A brief overview of the museums, memorials, bunkers and military cemeteries to visit on the beaches of the D-DAY.

Le 6 June 1944 At dawn, under the code name "Operation Overlord", some 150,000 American, British and Canadian soldiers landed in France on the Normandy beaches...

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Visit the D-day sites

Omaha Beach, the beach of sacrifice

Just 4 km from Camping Reine Mathilde ***, Omaha Beach stretches for almost 7 km between Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes and Vierville-sur-Mer. Nicknamed "Bloody Omaha", this beach was the scene of fierce fighting on 6 June 1944. Today, this wide expanse of fine sand is dotted with commemorative monuments, including the imposing 'Les Braves' memorial erected directly on the beach. Beyond its historical dimension, Omaha Beach is also a magnificent beach where you can swim in summer. Explanatory panels line the site, helping you to understand how the operations unfolded. Don't miss the Omaha Beach information centre, which has a permanent exhibition on the D-Day landings and the events that followed.

The American Cemetery, a place of remembrance

Overlooking Omaha Beach, the Colleville-sur-Mer American Cemetery pays tribute to the American soldiers who fell in the Battle of Normandy. This solemn and moving site covers 70 hectares and contains the graves of 9,387 soldiers, marked by perfectly aligned white crosses. The memorial includes a chapel, gardens and a colonnade with engraved maps tracing military operations. The visitor centre features an immersive multimedia exhibition on Operation Overlord and the sacrifice of the soldiers. The daily ceremony to lower the colours is a particularly moving moment. Admission is free and guided tours are offered regularly in several languages.

Historic cycle tour of the D-Day landing beaches

 12 km from the campsite, the Pointe du Hoc is a rocky promontory rising 30 metres above the sea. This strategic site, stormed by the American Rangers on D-Day, still bears the spectacular scars of the bombing raids, with its huge craters and damaged bunkers. A signposted cycle route links the Camping Reine Mathilde *** to this emblematic site along the coast. The route, which is accessible to all abilities, allows you to discover several historic sites at your own pace along the way: the 1st US Infantry Division Monument at Vierville, the Ranger Monument at Pointe du Hoc, and numerous German batteries. Information panels along the route explain the strategic importance of each site. A 25km return cycle ride that combines sport, history and magnificent coastal views.

Normandy memory trip as a couple

12 km from the Camping Reine Mathilde ***, Arromanches-les-Bains is home to the remains of the "Mulberry B" artificial harbour, a technical feat that enabled more than 2.5 million men and 500,000 vehicles to land in just a few months. From the beach and cliffs, observe the Phoenix caissons still visible in the bay, silent witnesses to this incredible achievement. The Musée du Débarquement in the town centre features models, photos and archive films explaining the construction and operation of this ephemeral port. For an immersive experience, the circular cinema "Arromanches 360°", located on the cliffs, projects a spectacular film on nine screens surrounding the viewer. It's the ideal place to understand the logistical scale of the D-Day landings and share an emotional moment with your partner as they witness the ingenuity deployed to liberate Europe.

Suggested memorial routes

To make the most of your visit to the D-Day landing beaches, here are a few suggestions for tours departing from Camping Reine Mathilde ***. The "Omaha Beach" tour (1/2 day) takes you to Omaha Beach, the American Cemetery and the Omaha Beach Memorial Museum in Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer. The "Utah Beach" tour (1 day) takes you to Utah Beach, the Utah Landing Museum and Sainte-Mère-Église and its Airborne Museum. The "Gold-Juno-Sword" tour (1 day) takes you to the British and Canadian beaches, with the Landing Museum at Arromanches, the British Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer and the Juno Beach Centre at Courseulles-sur-Mer. Detailed maps and suggested itineraries are available from the campsite reception. Guided tours by minibus are also available on reservation, for a more in-depth look with a guide specialising in the period.