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Many of Normandy’s beaches are famouse for the D-Day landings and Utah, Gold, Omaha, Sword and Juno beaches are known for their WWII involvement as much as for their golden sands. The Cherbourg Peninsula offers miles of sandy beaches – we have included Carteret beach and the Baie d’Ecalgrain here – whilst Trouville beach further along the coast and its fashionable neighbour Deauville are equally delightful. Whether you’re planning a bucket and spade, beach holiday or visiting the many WWII sites, don’t forget to click on the accommodation links to access the Holiday France Direct™ selection of holiday properties in Normandy.
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Normandy holiday accommodation near Utah Beach » |
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Utah Beach stretches for approximately 30km south from the resort town of St-Vaast. Utah Beach is the westernmost of the main invasion beaches and entered history on June 6th 1944 through its involvement in the D-Day landings. Utah Beach is located close to the port of Cherbourg and is easily accessible from Caen. With Brittany Ferries offering crossings from Portsmouth to both Cherbourg and Caen/Ouistreham, Utah Beach is easily accessible. |
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Normandy holiday accommodation near Gold Beach » |
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Gold Beach is situated close to historic Bayeux, home of the Bayeux Tapestry and Caen/Ouistreham.
At Arromanches an artificial Mulberry harbour, “Port Winston”, protected the World War II landings of some half a million men and a quarter of a million vehicles. Two of these huge concrete structures were built in Britain; they were then submerged in |
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rivers away from the sight of German aircraft, and towed across the English Channel at 6kph as the invasion began.
The long sweeping sandy beaches and history make Gold Beach a haven for families and a must visit. There are fantastic windsurfing opportunities with windsurf hire available in Arromanches. |
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Normandy holiday accommodation near Omaha Beach » |
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Omaha Beach incorporates the beaches of St-Laurent, Colleville-sur-Mer and Vierville-sur-Mer. Omaha Beach is famous for being the first beach assaulted in the D-Day landings of June 6th 1944. It was here at Omaha Beach that the fiercest of fighting took place. The Pointe du Hoc remains dotted with German bunkers, and shell holes are visible in the cliffs. Omaha Beach and its surroundings offer a fantastic insight into a key location of World War II. You may like to visit the St-Laurent Military Cemetery and pay tribute to the people who gave their lives. |
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The sheer history of Omaha Beach is reason enough to pay it a visit. |
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Normandy holiday accommodation near Sword Beach » |
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Sword Beach includes the beaches of Colleville-Montgomery, Lion-sur-Mer and St-Aubin. It is the beach which saw both French and English troops land on its shores on D-Day 1944. The long stretch of sand at Sword Beach extends to Ouistreham, Brittany Ferries’ arrival port from Portsmouth, giving a perfect opportunity to explore these historic sands. |
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Normandy holiday accommodation near Juno Beach » |
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Situated in between Gold and Sword Beaches, Juno Beach is sometimes referred to as the Canadian beach, due to the Canadian 3rd Division capturing the beach on D-Day June 6th1944. Juno Beach stretches from Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer in the east to Courseulles-sur-Mer in the west. Situated close to Caen/Ouistreham and easily accessible from the other D-Day beaches such as Omaha and Utah, Juno Beach’s history as well as family-friendly sands make for an interesting and enjoyable visit. |
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Normandy holiday accommodation near Carteret » |
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The beaches at Carteret have beautiful dunes and are probably some of the best sweeps of sands in Normandy. A holiday in Normandy with Holiday France Direct™ would allow the perfect opportunity to enjoy the beauty and exclusivity of Carteret’s beaches.
Carteret itself is a charming resort and fishing port, with good shops, restaurants and market. Its yacht harbour has some 300 moorings |
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Whilst staying in Carteret, you could take a day trip to Jersey which is just 13 miles away. |
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Normandy holiday accommodation near Trouville » |
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Trouville has lots of busy pedestrian streets with a really good selection of restaurants and shops set back from the fine golden beach and features a classic wooden promenade.
A popular year-round destination, Trouville also has a daily fish market and an excellent large typical French market twice a week on Wednesday and Sunday mornings. Trouville is famous for its many restaurants, terrace cafes and grills where you |
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can enjoy freshly caught seafood. This delightful town is also very popular for its Aquarium and Nautical Centre.
A seaside resort for many years, Trouville still has superb villas and a lively casino. Relaxation, super beach, good food and sea festivals are just a few reasons to choose Trouville as your next holiday destination. |
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Normandy holiday accommodation near Houlgate » |
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Houlgate is situated 15km west of Deauville and Trouville and is just as glamorous and sophisticated as its neighbours with its long straight beach lined with picturesque Victorian-style villas.
Houlgate’s shops are conveniently located mostly on one street, the rue des Bains, 50m back from the beach. |
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Houlgate is considered as one of the most relaxed of the local resorts, making it ideal if you are looking for a peaceful family break in Normandy - perfect for relaxing and paddling or perhaps playing a round of mini golf. Another plus is Houlgate’s location close to the picturesque harbour town of Honfleur. |
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Normandy holiday accommodation near Cap de la Hague » |
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Situated on the north-western tip of Normandy why not explore the unspoiled sandy beaches and rugged headlands around Cap de la Hague and Baie d’Ecalgrain. Cap de la Hague features a German war bunker, which once housed mobile searchlight equipment, used to aid gun emplacements at Auderville during World War II. Cap de la Hague is located just west of Cherbourg, arrival port for Brittany Ferries’ services from Portsmouth and Poole. |
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Normandy holiday accommodation near St-Germain-Sur-Ay » |
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St-Germain-sur-Ay is situated in the Basse Normandie region of France close to the harbour towns of Carteret and Portbail. There is good shopping in St-Germain-sur-Ay, and boat trips to Jersey are within driving distance, as is historical Coutances.
St-Germain-sur-Ay offers an incredible fine white sandy beach, with
warm waters making it perfect for families.
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There are a good number of local markets within the area with St-Germain-sur-Ay’s taking place on Thursday and Sunday mornings in season.
The surrounding area is known as Le Havre de St-Germain-sur-Ay and is one of the most stunning areas of Contentin’s west coast. Unaltered by buildings due to marshlands, the area is still used for sheep grazing. Here the Corps de Garde, an old lookout post that is now used as a chapel, guards the entrance to the ocean. Being within driving distance of Cherbourg also accentuates St-Germain-sur-Ay’s accessibility and should be considered as part of anyone’s visit to Normandy. |
Copyright: Holiday France Direct 2008 |
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