The American cemetery at Colleville-sur-mer (Omaha Beach)
This village of Calvados of hardly 200 inhabitants close to the landing beach of Omaha Beach
It has beautiful stone houses and a church built between the 12th and 13th centuries, Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption.
During the German occupation in World War II, its bell tower was used as an observation post for German soldiers. It was partly destroyed by the American ships, then rebuilt respecting its original aspect.
The town is also home to the Overlord Museum, but also and above all the famous American cemetery located on a hill overlooking the English Channel and Omaha Beach. Inaugurated in 1956, it covers an area of 70 hectares and houses 9,386 graves of soldiers who fell during the Battle of Normandy, a Memorial, a chapel and the Garden of the Missing.
Every day, at 4:30 pm, the visitor attends the color ceremony, a solemn and moving moment. The Colleville American Cemetery is by far the most visited D-Day tourist site in Normandy, with an average of 1 to 2 million visitors each year. The President of the United States comes in person every 5 years to preside over a tribute ceremony that attracts many curious people.
Finally, if you stay at a campsite in Colleville-sur-Mer in Calvados, you will not only have an appointment with history. You can also take the coastal paths that run along the shoreline to the Pointe du Hoc, which offers stunning panoramic views, and practice water sports such as sand yachting on the nearest sandy beach, or go to Deauville!
