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Le Mémorial at Caen
One attraction that is critical to an
understanding of D-Day is Le Mémorial (A Memorial for Peace) in Caen.
The taking of Caen was
a D-Day objective of the Allied Forces, but fierce German resistance marked
the start of the Battle for Caen, a major, month-long conflict for control
of the city. Caen was bombed and attacked numerous times during this
period, but the German soldiers refused to evacuate or surrender as
controlling Caen was regarded as vital to their battle strategy.
During the prolonged battle, the city suffered almost total destruction, in
addition to thousands of civilian casualties. It was this savage
experience that prompted the citizens of Caen to build a memorial for peace.
Opened
in 1988, the Memorial provides a thorough overview of WWII presented in a
tasteful and thought provoking manner. The displays and dioramas are
authentic and highly detailed. The sequence of the displays and the path
through the museum help convey the feeling of impending war, declaration of
war and the enormous burden of fighting World War II. In addition to
providing a remembrance of this epic invasion, the museum is a celebration
of the return of peace to France. A substantial wing of the Memorial is
dedicated to peace and a Nobel Peace Prize gallery. In addition, there is an
International Park dedicated in tribute to the soldiers who fought for
France’s freedom in World War II.
Le Memorial in Caen, France
Le Memorial is located on the outskirts of Caen and the route leading to it
is poorly marked. When arriving from Paris on the A-13 motorway or from
Rennes on the A-84 motorway, take the north bypass (Périphérique nord) exit
No 7. The museum is a popular attraction and parking is limited. If you are
staying in Caen, consider taking bus No. 2 from the town center to Le
Memorial. Details on Le Memorial can be found at this
site
Once you have finished touring Caen (there
are a number of attractions beside Le Memorial), head north towards D-79
and connect to D-514 to visit Arromanches. Arromanches, a good place to
start your tour of the Invasion Beaches. If you are interested in seeing
the British and Canadian invasion beaches, head north from Caen on D-514 for
a tour of Gold, Juno and Sword Beaches and proceed along D-514 to
Arromanches when finished.
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Visiting Le Memorial is
especially helpful if you have not had time to read-up on D-Day.
If you have had the time, visiting Le Memorial will be a wonderful
supplement to what you already know. |
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Arromanches
At Arromanches you can see the remnants of
“Port Winston”, an artificial harbor built in England and floated to this
bay, where it was sunk and functioned as a port during the Normandy
invasion. Assembled over several days, this harbor was one of the main
supply ports through August of 1944. The engineering needed to
complete this task was complex. Before your visit, read the concise and
informative history of Port Winston at this
site
Remnants of the invasion supply harbor in Arromanches
Only remnants of the artificial harbor remain today. However, the
small
but interesting Musée du Debarquement at Place du 6 Juin chronicles its
construction at Arromanches and should be included in your visit. Arromanches 360, another attraction, features a short film of
the invasion that places you in the middle of the action, as you are
surrounded by nine screens (at Chemin du Calvaire – BP 9 Arromanches).
Next, head west to Longues-sur-Mer where you can visit one of the best preserved
German gun emplacements on the Normandy coast.
If you have not yet made reservations for a hotel, there is an information
office across from the museum at the Place du 6 Juin whose staff will help you find accommodations.
Authentic chateaus are a great place to find a room with real French
ambiance.
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Longues-sur-Mer
Longues-sur-Mer, approximately 3 miles west
of Arromanches, on secondary road D-514, is the site of fortified German gun
emplacements that bombarded the invasion ships on the morning of June 6,
1944. The cannons at Longues-sur-Mer were positioned so that they could
shell the beaches at Omaha or Gold. Several of the 152mm cannons still survive
and this is the only site in the area that includes its original weaponry.
In addition, a ranging station (to observe the invaders and send targeting
coordinates to the gunners) sits near the front of the cliff.
The German Guns at Longues-sur-Mer were a considerable threat to the
invasion forces on D-Day.
One of the more impressive aspects of this site was the amount of concrete
poured to protect the guns from bombardments by the Allied Forces. The
construction served the Germans well, as Longues-sur-Mer survived several
major bombardments. On D-Day the cannons at Longues-sur-Mer were involved in a
major
battle with several cruisers in the Channel. The next day, the British
captured the site without a fight.
Continue to the
next page for the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer and Pointe du Hoc
If you need information about another travel destination, try
our
Destination Guide Index
or Googling ThereArePlaces.
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A ranging station at Longues-sur-Mer, built
to detect troop movement and direct artillery to stop them.
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