Experience Normandy’s Newest D-Day Attractions Ahead of the Milestone 80th Anniversary
24.05.2024 - 07:55
/ breakingtravelnews.com
/ Winston Churchill
This year marks a milestone anniversary for D-Day, and whether you’re a regular visitor or new to the area 2024 is a great time to visit. To mark the occasion, Normandy is putting on a huge variety of events across the region, but the beaches are the place to be to experience some of the newest additions to the area’s D-Day attractions, so why not sail across the Channel with DFDS and explore them for yourself.
Kayaking around the Mulberry Harbour in Arromanches-les-Bains
Remains and ruins from WWII are commonplace across Europe, but a select few have remained largely out of reach for decades. For those who want to get up close to a piece of WWII history and don’t mind getting their feet wet, this is an unmissable experience. One of the most extraordinary military construction projects of all time and the brainchild of Winston Churchill himself, the Mulberry Harbours were floated in piece by piece and installed immediately after D-Day to provide an access point for ships and supplies in this newly liberated area of France. Today, the remains of the harbours and other D-Day landmarks are clearly visible jutting out of the sea, and undoubtedly the best way to see them is by kayak. This exhilarating excursion takes visitors to within touching distance of the harbour remains, and even close enough to paddle through these enormous structures. An unforgettable experience for the adventurous explorer!
Standing with Giants Art Installation, British Normandy Memorial
Ideally located in a peaceful spot looking out over Sword Beach and framed by the lush green fields and colourful meadows of the beautiful Normandy countryside in Ver-sur-Mer stands the British Normandy Memorial. Three years after its unveiling, the 80th is the first milestone D-Day anniversary to be commemorated here, and a special installation named “Standing With Giants” has been commissioned especially for the occasion. Designed and constructed using recycled materials by Oxfordshire artist Dan Barton and a group of dedicated volunteers, 1,475 silhouettes will stand at the site, each representing a soldier under British command who died during the assault on the 6th June 1944. The silhouettes can be seen at the memorial until the 31st August – the day after the Battle of Normandy ended in 1944.
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Airborne Museum, Saint-Mère-Église
Since US parachutist John Greene landed on the village church, his parachute tangled in the steeple, Saint-Mère-Église has become a centre of pilgrimage for those interested in the planes and parachutists of D-Day. A lifesize model of Greene dangles from the steeple today, commemorating this famous moment. Directly opposite is the Airborne Museum, which has the most comprehensive collection of