Through Enemy Lines: Discovering Normandy's Bunkers and Interactive Exhibits

A strategically positioned German coastal battery, part of the Atlantic Wall, engaging the Allied fleet on D-Day before being captured by British troops the following day.
This is a series of heavy German bunker emplacements. There are four bunkers in total, with Bunker 4 being the most highly rated. Be sure to check them all out. Machine gun pillboxes and defence walls scatter the landscape as they peer down on their kill zone… the beaches of Normandy. It really gives you a feel for just how well-fortified these beaches were. 🅿️ On-site parking is available.

A museum near Omaha Beach displaying a vast collection of the Second World War artefacts, including vehicles, tanks, and cannons, covering the Allied Landings to the Liberation of Paris.
This museum will truly satisfy your appetite to see the equipment used during the landings. From US Sherman tanks to M1 Garand rifles and MG42 heavy machine guns (nicknamed Hitler's buzz saw). There are also life-sized waxwork model displays to really bring the scene to life. Much of this equipment looks like it's been dragged off the beaches and out of the hedgerows of 1944, mud and all, and preserved for us today. 🗓️ Check the opening hours before your visit. 🅿️ On-site parking is available.

A German defensive strong point overlooking Omaha Beach, heavily fortified and significant during the D-Day invasion on 6 June 1944.
Take in this breathtaking landscape one last time before lunch. Here you get a great view of Omaha Beach. Nearby you'll find a bunker position, the WN 62 monument (Widerstandsnest 62).
WN 62, overlooking the Easy Red and Fox Green sectors of Omaha Beach, was the most powerful German strong point, fiercely defended by Heinrich Severloh, 'The Beast of Omaha,' who claimed to have fired over 12,000 rounds on D-Day. 🅿️ Car parks are available nearby.

A restaurant at Hôtel Sapinière offering traditional French cuisine with regional ingredients, served in a beamed-ceiling dining room or on a terrace.
Fish galore! Take your pick from a number of fish dishes – vegetarian options available too. This is a great spot right near the beach, with ample indoor and outdoor seating. Service with a smile and lots of tasty dishes. The shellfish dishes come particularly recommended. 🗓️ Check the opening hours and book a table in advance. 🅿️ Street parking is available.

A German military cemetery, inaugurated on 21 September 1961, where 21,222 soldiers are buried, featuring a Peace Garden with over a thousand commemorative trees.
It's important not to forget the other side of the story, the other side of history. The Germans lost many men too in this conflict. Enlisted men. Conscripts, who didn't want to be there doing this job any more than the Allies did. This is a respectful and sad place, just like the Allied cemetery, and it's an important visit to gain full perspective. 🗓️ Please note that the cemetery has seasonal opening hours, but if you go in the depths of winter, you might want to avoid going there in the late afternoon, after the sun has set. 🅿️ On-site parking is available.

A historic museum offering an immersive exploration of the Normandy landings and Carentan's liberation, featuring exhibits, a flight simulator, and a 3D cinema.
Saving the best till last, this is a fantastic interactive museum. Enjoy two movies in the 3D theatre about the landings. Then move on to a flight simulation in a real C-47 Skytrain (the aircraft the 101st Airborne Division paratroopers dropped from over Normandy). You'll relive their flight, just like it was D-Day! The museum has a number of waxwork exhibitions, and lots of equipment relics, including Sherman tanks, howitzer guns, and jeeps. This museum delivers as its name suggests… it's not just a history lesson… but an experience. 🗓️ Check the opening hours and book your visit in advance. 🅿️ On-site parking is available.

A brasserie in the centre of Carentan's port, offering gourmet dishes, a south-facing terrace with boat views, and a warm atmosphere with English-speaking staff.
You've probably had enough seafood by now to grow your own set of fins. So try something different for a hearty meal. Le Contoir des Marais is a cosy restaurant in the centre of Carentan's port, serving incredible burgers, fries, and steaks. Of course, seafood options are also available, should you crave whelks, prawns, or oysters. 🗓️ Check the opening hours and book a table in advance. 🅿️ Car parks are available nearby.

A beach hut-style bar with a terrace in central Granville, serving quality food and drinks and organising regular themed events.
Stop off in the port town of Granville on the way back. It's late, all that sea air and the burger and fries are likely making you a bit sleepy. You can grab a quick coffee at La Cale. The owners are very friendly, and there's a nice terrace to sit outside and sip your coffee on if you're lucky enough to be there on a warm night. So take a quick break or get your coffee to-go before finishing the journey back home. 🅿️ Car parks are available nearby.