Are you going to visit Normandy? Discover immediately how to visit the beaches of the Debarquement by camping-car!
What if you're going to visit the landing beaches in camper? During June 6, 1944, more than 150,000 men landed on the Norman coast between Lion-sur-Mer (Lion-sur-Mer) Sword Beach ) and Sainte-Marie-du-Mont ( Utah Beach ). In one day, 11,500 aircraft shelled Normandy and dropped more than 18,000 tons of bombs!
On the sea, nearly 7,000 warships allow their troops to land. This massive landing to fight against Nazi Germany is known to be the largest amphibious and airborne operation in history.
A travelling journey along the Norman coast allows us to go back to these tragic events that marked the turning point of the Second World War. The allied landing also marks the beginning of the bloody Battle of Normandy, which opposed nearly 4 million men.
So, if you want to go back to this dark page of history and gather on this historic site, here’s how to visit the landing beaches in camping-car!
How to park along the landing beaches with a motorhome?
Finding parking places near major tourist sites can sometimes be complicated. Rest assured: to visit the must-see sites and monuments of the landing beaches by camping-car, you will find easily where to park!
There are many parking lots free accessible by camping-cars and allowing access to the beaches. This is what to leave the camper a few hours to visit the museums and cities where the landing took place.
Here is where to park along the landing beaches, in The Channel and in le Calvados .
Parking to spend a day along the landing beaches
- The Parking of the Pegasus Memorial Museum : Avenue du Major Howard, 14 860 Ranville, free;
- Parking at Juno Beach Centre : Voie des Français Libres, 14 470 Courseulles-sur-Mer, gratuit ;
- Parking of the beach of Courseulles-sur-Mer : 63 avenue de la Combattante, gratuit ;
- Place Alfred Thomas : avenue du 6 juin, 14 150 Ouistreham, 35 € per day ;
- Parking of the Museum of Landing, 14 117 Arromanches-les-Bains : 2 € per hour from 9am to 7pm (free from 7pm to 9am),
- Parking of Longues-sur-Mer batteries : 1 road of 7 June 1944, 14 400 Longues-sur-Mer, free;
- The parking lot of the marina de Port-en-Bessin-Huppain, gratuit ;
- Parking du Ruquet, 14 710 Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer (Omaha Beach), free;
- American cemetery parking de Colleville : Route du Capitaine Joe Dawson, 14 710 Colleville-sur-Mer, gratuit ;
- The parking lot of the beach_Omaha Beach_ in Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, free;
- Parking at Pointe du Hoc, Cricqueville-en-Bessin, free;
- Parking of the German miliary cemetery de La Cambe, gratuit ;
- Camping-Car Park of Lion-sur-Mer, 11 € per day;
- Parking of the beach_Utah Beach_ : La Madeleine beach, 50 480 Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, free;
- Parking Voie de la Liberté, 50 480 Sainte-Mère-Eglise, gratuit.
As you can see, it will be easy to find where to park along the Norman coast. In addition, to visit the beaches of the disembarkation in motorhomes: the vast majority of parking spaces are free !
To spend several days on site : campsites
Are you planning to spend several days on the Norman coast? The beaches Yesstreham in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont kept their name of war as commemorations ( Omaha and Utah Beach , Juno Beach , Gold and Sword Beach , Arromanches, Pointe du Hoc...).
So you will not miss things to see and do! Museums, tanks, bunkers, canons and batteries remind anyone of the hard fighting that took place in Normandy.
Here are some campsites where to go if you wish to stay several days along the beaches of the landing by camping-car :
- Camping Omaha Beach : rue de la Hérode, 14 170 Vierville-sur-Mer, from 51 € per week ;
- Camping Port’land : chemin de Castel, 14 520 Port-en-Bessin-Huppain, from 48 € per day;
- CLe Cormoran : 2 rue Le Cormoran, 50 480 Sainte-Mère-Eglise, 9 € per day;
- Camping Sandaya Côte de Nacre : 17, rue du Général James Moulton, 14 750 Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, 22 € per day;
- Camping La Capricieuse : 2 rue Brummel, 14 530 Luc-sur-Mer, from 28 € per day;
- Robinson : 24 Route d’Omaha Beach, 14 710 Colleville-sur-Mer, 10 € to 15 € per day;
- Camping Utah Beach : La Madeleine, 50 480 Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, 35 € per day;
- The Hypo Camp : 60 Route d’Omaha Beach, 14 520 Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes, 15,80 € per day;
- The Bay of Veys : Les Parquets, 50 480 Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, 28 € per day;
- Camping de Sainte-Mère-Eglise : 8 rue 505E Airborne, 50 480 Sainte-Mère-Eglise, 20 € a day.
The landing beaches are very well equipped with outdoor hotel facilities! It will not be difficult to find it, but it is advisable to find it book in advance your location. This region of the Côte de Nacre is very busy, especially in the summer.
- Rent a camper to visit the landing beaches
Camping-car areas along the landing beaches
Are you looking for a spot to sleep for the night? Visiting the landing beaches by camping-car can take several days!
Especially if you would then like to make an expanded route to discover the cities and villages impacted by the Battle of Normandy (Sainte-Mère-Eglise, Caen , Bayeux, Saint-Lô, Valognes, Cherbourg ...).
Here are some service areas for motorhomes along the Norman coast.
Yesstreham service area
Located at 40 boulevard maritime, 14 150 Ouistreham, this area is affordable but affordable: 10 € for two adults a day. Add 2 € for parking and terminal service. Parking is possible 24 hours a day and the area has 45 places on a flat, concrete parking lot.
The services available are access to water, garbage, toilet drain and waste water. Ideally located, it will allow to visit the city center and the beach Yesstreham On foot, without worrying about parking.
Service area of Colleville-Montgoméry
This area is located 5 rue de la Cète au Roy in Colleville-Montgomery and only 3 kilometers from the beach Sword Beach . Close to the centre, you will be ideally located to visit the village.
The area offers access to the parking lot + terminal service for 5 € per night, with water, trash, toilet drain and waste water. Nearby is the famous Pegasus Bridge (Benouville pont), the first bridge released by the British during June 6, 1944.
360° Arromanches
On this area of 9 Mountbatten Avenue in Arromanches-les-Bains, you have to pay 8 € to access the parking, waste water drain and drinking water.
Installed on a flat and tarmaced parking, it offers a superb sea view. It is on this long beach that the British install the famous artificial port of Arromanches, named Port Mulberry . This port, a technical prowess for the time, allowed to land between 9,000 and 22,000 tons of equipment a day during the Battle of Normandy.
This, without waiting for the capture of the ports in deep waters of Cherbourg or Havre . Parking on the area is unlimited (24 hours a day): from which to visit the city centre and the many museums of the city (Museum of the Disembarkation, Arromanches 360°, Museum of the Freezers).
Port-en-Bessin-Huppain area
The area of Port-en-Bessin-Huppain is located on 17th Street on 11th November, close to the centre and the fishing port. Port-en-Bessin is known for being the network head of a submarine pipeline system.
Long 120 kilometers, they were used to fuel the armies allied in Normandy from the England (more known as the military code "PLUTO Operation"). The price of the area is 12,80 € for parking and water, a picnic table, trash and waste water drain.
Grandcamp-Maisy service area
Located between the beaches Utah Beach and d Omaha Beach , this service area can be a good step in your discovery of the landing beaches. Pointe du Hoc is 5 kilometres away: this little course is sadly famous for the heavy losses suffered by the American army on June 6, 1944.
For only 13 € per night, it will provide access to parking, water, electricity and wastewater drain. It allows you to visit this small fishing town, as well as the martyr site of Pointe du Hoc.
The site was preserved as a result of the allied attack. The result is a lunar landscape enamelled with impressive holes of bombs and vestiges of blockhauss bombed.
How and where to rent a motorhome France ?
Would you like to explore the landing beaches in camping-car, but you don't have a vehicle? Now it is very simple to rent these vehicles between individuals, especially in France. Many platforms allow this type of rental, online, as Yescapa For example.
How does it work?
- At first, you have to choose the motorhome in your city (For example Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse, Paris, Montpellier or Marseille).
- Be careful choose unlimited mileage, to check the number of beds available and if travel abroad is possible.
- Do your work online rental request and share your travel information (dates, rental options, mileage, etc.) to the owner.
- If your request is accepted and after payment, you will have access to the owner's contact information to organize a First meeting.
- Day J, present your driver's license and pour bail.
- One. status of premises is executed and a lease is signed between the two parties. You'll have to sign it as soon as you get back from Normandy, and once done, the tour is played!
- Rent a motorhome in France to explore the landing beaches
Ideas of itineraries along the landing beaches
You don't know where to start to travel along the beaches of the disembarkation in camper? Here are our ideas of itineraries to be made along the Norman coast.
Visit the landing beaches in camping-car on a weekend
- Day 1 Caen (Memorial of Caen and Downtown), Ranville and Bénouville (Pegasus Bridge and Memorial, British Military Cemetery), Ouistreham (Museum of the Atlantic Wall, Commando Museum No. 4 (25 km, 30 minutes);
- Day 2 : Lion-sur-Mer (Sword Beach), Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer (Cape Romain Natural Reserve), Courseulles-sur-Mer (Juno Beach) with the Juno Beach Centre (20 km, 40 minutes);
- Day 3 : Ver-sur-Mer (Gold Beach : Musée America Gold Beach, British Normandy Memorial), Arromanches-les-Bains (Arromanches 360°, Memorial Royal Engineers, Musée du Débarquement, Port Mulberry, Liberators Museum – Normandy 1944), Bayeux, Colleville-sur-Mer (Overlord Museum Beach, American Cemetery of Colleville, blockhauss WN 62), Sainte-Marie-du-
- Rent a camper to visit the landing beaches
Visit the landing beaches on a one-week camper
Here is a race route from Caen for 7 days in camper. After seeing most of the museums, go to the discovery of the deadly cities by the Battle of the Haies during the summer of 1944:
- Day 1 : Caen, Longues-sur-Mer (German slaughterhouses), Bayeux, Port-en-Bessin-Huppain (city centre and port, Museum of Underwater wrecks of the Disembarkation (45 km, 45 minutes);
- Day 2 : Colleville-sur-Mer (Overlord Museum, Colleville American Cemetery, Blockhouses WN 62), Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer (Omaha Beach: Beach and Monument Signal, Omaha Beach Memorial Museum), Vierville-sur-Mer (D-Day Omaha Museum, blockhauss WN 73), Vierville-sur-Mer (15 km, 20 minutes);
- Day 3 : Criqueville-en-Bessin (site and cliffs of Pointe du Hoc), Grandcamp-Maisy (Maisy Battery German, La Cambe German military cemetery, Isigny-sur-Mer (Baie des Veys, Musée de la Bataille des Haies), Carentan (port, Musée D-Day Experience), (40 km, 45 minutes);
- Day 4 : Sainte-Marie-du-Mont (Utah Beach): Notre-Dame Church, Beauguillot National Natural Reserve, Utah Beach Landing Museum, Utah Beach Monument, Saint-Marcouf, Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue (and Tatihou Island), (40 km, 45 minutes);
- Day 5 : Barfleur, Gatteville-le-Phare, Cherbourg-en-Cotentin (40 km, 50 minutes);
- Day 6 : Valognes, Sainte-Mère-Eglise, La Haye-du-Puits, Agon-Coutainville (95 km, 1h30);
- Day 7 : Coutances, Saint-Lô, Villedieu-les-Poêles-Rouffigny, Granville (120 km, 2h20).
In a week, you will have enough time to visit the Debarquement beaches on a camping-car. But since you travel for several days, you can also enjoy the beaches of the Cotentin (Montmartin-sur-Mer, Hauteville-sur-Mer, Lingreville-sur-Mer, Regnéville-sur-Mer, etc.).
If you have time, push to Mont-Saint-Michel . A flagship monument in the region, this is one of the most visited sites in France!
Loading comments ...