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Paris to Normandy, towards the D-Day landing beaches
2 stops
2 nights
157 miles
A journey that invites you back in time, evoking the Liberation of 1944, allowing you to encounter key destinations from Paris to Normandy, as well as the men and women at the heart of the battle. Your route begins in Paris, in a Relais & Châteaux property near the Avenue des Champs-élysées. Taking in symbolic locations and historical exhibitions alike, the capital preserves this important heritage. Along the way, you will witness rare documents carefully preserved in modern museums and walk in the shadow of history in sites of profound significance, from the Arc de Triomphe to the American cemetery and beaches of Omaha. History itself beckons.
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Departure
Recommended duration : 1 night
Paris
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157 milesCar
Recommended duration : 1 night
Audrieu
Things to do, see, and discover
During your stay
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On the German side, Ouistreham
The Grand Bunker provides a unique opportunity to become immersed in June 1944 … on the German army side. Now converted into a museum, the former six-floor bunker creates a better understanding of the former defence lines and the organisation of the Atlantic Wall. Inside, the blockhouse has been recreated exactly as it was: generator room, ammunitions store, infirmary and radio transmissions room etc.
During your stay
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Films and Models at the D-Day Museum, Arromanches
Built within one of the most beautiful natural locations along the coast, the D-Day Museum opens up a fuller understanding of the incredible decision taken by Churchill and the Allies: designing a floating harbour to facilitate supplying the offensive with troops and equipment. Over 70 years after D-Day, when the tide is low, the remains of this artificial harbour still emerge from the sand spit. Models and records are complemented by Arromanches 360°, a film re-enactment of the landing shown on a circular cinema screen.
During your stay
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Facing the white crosses at Omaha Beach, Colleville-sur-Mer
White crosses as far as the eye can see … Located right above Omaha beach where one of the bloodiest battles occurred on the morning of June 6th, 1944, the American war cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer expands over 70 hectares. Managed by the American Battle Monuments Commission, the site was granted in perpetuity by France to the United States. Adjoining the cemetery and its 9,387 crosses, an interpretative centre displays a permanent exhibition on the taking of Omaha by the Allied Forces.
Itinerary suggestions