Six collections to understand 6 June.

The Essential Museums

A museum circuit from west to east: the Airborne Museum at Sainte-Mère-Église, the Utah Beach museum, the Overlord Museum, the Arromanches 360 circular cinema, the Juno Beach Centre and the Pegasus Memorial.

stops
6
Duration
2 days
Distance
110 km
Time on site
9h
Time on the road
1h40

Suggested timings

Indicative timings for a 9:00am start by car, lunch break included. Adjust them to each site's opening hours.

Departure 09:00End of day 20:40
  1. 1
    Airborne Museum
    Stop 01 • Sainte-Mère-Église
    09:00 – 10:30Visit 1h30

    Airborne Museum

    Europe's largest museum dedicated to the US airborne troops.

    Visit →
  2. 2
    Utah Beach Landing Museum
    Stop 02 • Sainte-Marie-du-Mont
    10:43 – 12:13Visit 1h30Drive 13 min

    Utah Beach Landing Museum

    A B-26 Marauder bomber at the heart of a museum built into a German bunker.

    Visit →
  3. 3
    Overlord Museum
    Stop 03 • Colleville-sur-Mer
    13:44 – 15:14Visit 1h30Drive 31 min

    Overlord Museum

    Tanks, half-tracks and reconstructed scenes, next door to the American Cemetery.

    Visit →
  4. 4
    Arromanches 360 Circular Cinema
    Stop 04 • Arromanches-les-Bains
    15:34 – 17:04Visit 1h30Drive 20 min

    Arromanches 360 Circular Cinema

    A 360° immersive film on the 100 days of the Battle of Normandy.

    Visit →
  5. 5
    Juno Beach Centre
    Stop 05 • Courseulles-sur-Mer
    17:19 – 18:49Visit 1h30Drive 15 min

    Juno Beach Centre

    The Canadian D-Day museum, Canada's only national memorial in Normandy.

    Visit →
  6. 6
    Pegasus Memorial Museum
    Stop 06 • Ranville
    19:10 – 20:40Visit 1h30Drive 21 min

    Pegasus Memorial Museum

    The original Pegasus bridge and a full-scale Horsa glider replica.

    Visit →

Practical tips

Suggested start

Set off around 9:00am: most sites open between 9:00 and 10:00 and crowds are still light early on.

Booking

Book museums and guided tours online, especially from June to September and during school holidays.

What to bring

Walking shoes, a windproof layer and water: much of the route is outdoors and often exposed.

Getting around

A car is essential between the beaches: public transport is scarce and sites lie 15 to 40 km apart.

Respecting the sites

Cemeteries and memorials are places of remembrance: dress respectfully, keep quiet, and do not picnic on site.

Tides

Check tide times before walking onto Omaha or Utah: at low tide the foreshore extends several hundred metres.

Where to eat

Plan lunch in Sainte-Mère-Église, Arromanches or Port-en-Bessin; there are few options between remote sites.