Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial

The Basics

Visit the cemetary to see the grid of thousands of graves that mark the soldiers’ final resting places. After paying your respects, you can walk to the reflecting pool and the chapel, which have maps that detail the events of D-Day.

After visiting the memorial, head to the edge of the bluffs to look out over Omaha Beach to see the narrow strip of sand where the soldiers landed. The nearby visitor center displays items the soldiers carried with them—from ammunition to good luck charms—as well as first-hand accounts recorded by veterans.

Things To Know Before You Go

• The cemetery and memorial are free to visit.

• This land is considered US soil and was ceded to the Americans after the war.

• Please remember that this is a memorial site and dress (and act) accordingly.

• The museum is wheelchair-friendly.

• Due to the large number of visitors who come to this site every year, you must apply in advance if you want to do a special tour or hold a wreath-laying ceremony.

How To Get There

The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is located in Colleville-sur-Mer, about a 30-minute drive from Bayeaux and roughly a 3-hour drive from Paris. You can reach Bayeux from Paris by train (from Gare Saint-Lazare), then take a taxi or tour bus to the memorial. Travel by rail takes about 3 hours.

When To Get There

The memorial is open every day, all year round, from morning to evening, with slightly extended hours from April 15 to September 15. Come early in the day to avoid crowds. Normandy’s peak tourist season is in July and August, during school holidays. The site is also crowded around the anniversary of the D-Day landing (June 6th), when the site hosts numerous memorial ceremonies.

Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach has been featured in numerous movies and documentaries about D-Day. After paying your respects at the American cemetery, head down to the beach to follow in the footsteps of the Allied soldiers who landed here. You can also take a guided tour of the five D-Day beaches—code named Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno, and Sword. Many tours include other nearby battlefields, such as Pointe du Hoc and Pegasus Bridge.

Ways to explore

Visit the cemetery to see the rows of thousands of white crosses (and around 150 stars of David) that mark the soldiers’ final resting places. After paying your respects, walk to the reflecting pool and the chapel, where maps detail the D-Day events. Then head to the edge of the bluffs to look out over Omaha Beach and see where the soldiers landed. The nearby visitor center displays items the soldiers carried—from ammunition to good luck charms—as well as first-hand accounts recorded by veterans. Tours run from Normandy towns and cities, such as Bayeux, as well as from Paris.

Accessibility

The site is largely accessible, with accessible parking and flat paths between the main sections. Note that some unpaved paths may be more difficult to navigate.

Age limits

None

What to pack

Umbrella, flowers if you’re coming to visit a particular grave (leave glass containers behind)

What to wear

Comfortable shoes, weather- and season-appropriate clothing (including a sun hat or raincoat)

Not allowed

Eating or drinking (apart from bottled water), sitting or lying on the grass, smoking

Amenities

There are restrooms on-site, but you’ll need to visit a nearby town for food.

Address 

The cemetery is located in Colleville-sur-Mer, about a 30-minute drive from Bayeux and roughly a 3.5-hour drive from Paris. You can get there by car, a combination of train and taxi, or on a tour.

Driving

From Paris, head northwest on the A13 motorway. In the town of Caen, take the N13 all the way through Bayeux, and the E46 northwest until you turn off to the coast.

Public transportation

You can reach Bayeux by train from Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris. From Bayeux station, you can take a taxi or tour bus to the memorial. Travel by rail takes about three hours.

Best times to visit

The site is open from 9am until 5pm. Visit earlier in the day if you can, as day-trippers from Paris tend to arrive later. Last admission is 30 minutes before closing.

Best days to visit

The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is open daily, except on December 25 and January 1.

Best months to visit

Normandy’s peak tourist season is in July and August, during European school summer holidays. The site is most crowded around the anniversary of the D-Day landing (June 6).

Special events

June 6 is the anniversary of the D-Day landings in 1944, and the site hosts numerous memorial ceremonies. Larger-scale events are held in jubilee years, the last of which was in 2024.