Second World War remembered  Normandy was selected by the allies as the landing point from which to start the assault that eventually led to the end of the Second World War in Europe.  Even though the German army was expecting an attack further north in the Pas de Calais, this area was still heavily defended and there was an inevitable loss of life that is difficult to imagine.  There are many places one could visit in this area on the the coastline of the Calvados département, here is a small selection.

Le Mémorial de Caen

Location: On the NW section of Caen’s outer ring road,. Exit at Junction 7 (D22 for Creully) and follow signs.
General Information: Website - this is an excellent web-site in English and French and well worth consulting. The museum is open from 2nd Feb – end of the year. Prices are €17 (adults) and €15.50 for children over 10.
Description: This is a museum for Peace that gives an overall history of war from 1918 to the present day. It is split into many different sections starting with a journey into history in the aftermath of WW1 and then moving on to various aspects of WW2 including the French Resistance and D-Day. Sections on the world and the Cold War and the world for Peace can also be visited. The attention to detail in the exhibits and the layout of the museum is first class.
Our Recommendations: To fully appreciate all that the museum has to offer ideally takes a whole day as not only are there the many different sections to visit but there are also some  excellent films to watch. If lots of head knowledge all gets too much take time out to stroll through the lovely gardens of Peace and let children run off a bit of steam.
For the Children:  Children under 10 are free and there are special rates for families with older children.  While museums are not always the number one choice for children this one is very visual. It is also possible to buy several different guide books (in English) specially devised for children of varying ages. There is also a free crêche for children under 11 years of age.

    - American Cemetry (Omaha)
    - Arromanches 360
    - Atlantic Wall Museum
    - Caen Memorial
    - Canadian Museum (Juno)
    - Merville-Franceville Battery
    - Pegasus Bridge
    - Pointe du Hoc
    - Tour of the Battlegrounds

If you know of any other historic attractions in Normandy which are worthy of inclusion in this website, please send us your feedback.

For more pictures of the area visit the schools history website here.

And an excellent D Day site that is full of useful information.