Celebrating the day of freedom!D- day celebrations.

Normandy will forever be marked by the D-Day Landings and the Battle of Normandy that led to the liberation of France and Europe. 2024 marks the 80th Anniversary of this historic event, and with it, a momentous occasion to celebrate peace, liberty and reconciliation. A rich and unprecedented programme of events is put together to bring the memory of this tragic period of world history to life, all while emphasizing the spirit of hope.

THE MEMORY LIVES ON

On 6th June 1944, and during the long summer which followed, soldiers from the world over came to fight in Normandy to defeat Nazism and to re-establish Freedom. Normandy will bear the scars of the moment in history forever, and every year we remember and pay tribute to the veterans from America, Britain, Canada, Belgium, Denmark, Holland, Norway, Poland, Australia, France and their brothers in arms, to those many heroes who lost their lives here during that summer, and are at rest in the cemeteries to be found throughout the area. It is often forgotten that the people of Normandy also paid a heavy price in those terrible battles. Each anniversary year is the occasion to pay tribute to the fallen and to the veterans who will come to attend the commemorative events and celebrations organized in Normandy. Lest we forget.

AN IMPORTANT ANNIVERSARY

In 2024, Normandy honours the memory of these events and the men and women who came from all over the world to liberate us. A regional mobilisation takes place to celebrate this major ten-year anniversary. It is the perfect occasion for visitors to discover, or rediscover, the main memorial sites, the cemeteries, the key places and the museums which bear witness to this tragic period of time. These important places are today imbued with fundamental and universal values such as Reconciliation, Peace and Freedom. Our hope is that your visit will present a special moment for you to share with your loved ones.

THE INTERNATIONAL CEREMONY

It’s official:

The official international ceremony will take place on Thursday 6 June 2024 on Omaha Beach at 3.30pm. 25 heads of state, veterans and officials will commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day (by invitation only).

On this day, please take note that for security reasons many beaches and sectors will be cordoned off with no access to visitors, vehicles etc (see map below).

Other ceremonies include the following:

5th June: International Ceremony in tribute to the civilian victims, Saint-Lô

6th June: Franco-American Ceremony in Colleville-sur-Mer at 12.30pm

6th June: Franco-Canadian Ceremony in Courseulles-sur-Mer, at 11am

7th June: Ceremony with American President Joe Biden in Cherbourg

7th June: Bayeux Liberation Ceremony with President Macron in Bayeux

Restricted Traffic Zone on 6th June:

Important information: Due to the organisation of the official ceremonies and the presence of many Heads of State, a large section of the coast stretching from Caen to four of the D-Day Landing Beaches will be cordoned off on Thursday 6th June from 6am to 10pm.
If you are staying within the Restricted Traffic Zone, or if you have an invitation for the official ceremonies on 6th June, you can apply for a pass by sending an email to this address: dday80@calvados.gouv.fr

The only beach which will be fully open to visitors on 6th June is Utah Beach (Sainte-Marie-du-Mont / Sainte-Mère-Église). Please be aware that this area will be very crowded.

It will still be possible to access the city of Caen, but once again, please be aware however that the roads will be very congested.

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