Visiting the D-Day landing beaches in three days

The question comes up at reception every week: where should we start? The D-Day sites are spread along 80 km of coastline, and trying to see everything in one day means seeing nothing at all.

Here is the itinerary we recommend most often. It fits into three days, starts from the campsite and brings you back there every evening. Distances are by road, not as the crow flies.

Day 1: Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery

Omaha Beach is 20 km away, a 15-minute drive. Get there early: at low tide the beach opens out into hundreds of metres of sand, and you suddenly understand what crossing that expanse meant.

The American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer is just 1 km from there, 19 km from the campsite. Allow two hours including the visitor centre. It is the busiest site in the area; the end of the day is quieter.

If you still have time, Port-en-Bessin is 22 km from the campsite. A working fishing port, the fish auction, and plenty of places for dinner without having to search.

Day 2: Pointe du Hoc, La Cambe and Isigny

Pointe du Hoc is 30 km away, 25 minutes. The ground has been left as it was: shell craters, shattered bunkers, the cliff. It is the site that makes the deepest impression on children, and the only one where you really walk.

The German war cemetery at La Cambe, 25 km away, is on the way back. It stands in sharp contrast to Colleville, with its silence and its dark headstones. Seeing it after the other one changes the whole day.

Finish in Isigny-sur-Mer, 22 km from the campsite: the caramel factory, and the AOP butter and cream. You have to come back down to earth somehow.

Day 3: Arromanches, Ver-sur-Mer and Bayeux

Arromanches is 30 km away, half an hour’s drive. At low tide, the caissons of the Mulberry harbour still rise out of the bay. The D-Day Museum explains how this harbour was towed across from England.

The British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, opened in 2021 above Gold Beach, is 34 km away. It is recent, it is quiet, and it offers the widest view of the coast in the area.

Head back via Bayeux, 18 km from the campsite, for the Museum of the Battle of Normandy and the British war cemetery just opposite. Our one-day guide to Bayeux covers the rest of the town.

What to plan for

• A full tank of fuel: the whole itinerary covers about 250 km over three days.
• Closed-toe shoes for Pointe du Hoc, as the ground is uneven.
• The tide times, essential for Omaha Beach and Arromanches. We put them up at reception.
• A picnic: the coastal villages empty out of season, and the restaurants close early.

If you are staying longer, the Caen Memorial is 46 km away and needs a full half-day. Our other ideas for days out are gathered under Our favourite places to visit, with a map and distances from the campsite.