Orientation

The Americans who landed at the westernmost beaches—code-named Utah and Omaha—witnessed the bloodiest battles. Voie de la Liberté (Liberty Rd.) follows the US Army’s advance to Bastogne, Belgium. British troops landed in the east at Gold and Sword, and Canadians landed at Juno. In the center, between Omaha and Gold, lies Arromanches, where the Allies hastily constructed one of two crucial offshore ports. Bayeux makes the best base for the western and central beaches (Utah, Omaha, and Gold) and is home to companies that offer great guided tours, but Caen has better access by bus to Juno and Sword.
 The best way to see the sights is undoubtedly by car—not only can you get farther and go at your own pace, but you’ll also have the opportunity to stop at any of the countless museums along the route. Even with a car, it is extremely difficult to get to all of the sights in a single day, as the beaches span over 50 mi. For a quick visit, it’s best to focus on a single beach or a group of neighboring beaches; if you are careful with your bus connections, Juno and Sword Beaches can both be visited in one day, as can Utah and Omaha. Bus Verts is by far the cheapest way to get around and offers many interesting routes, especially from July through August, when service expands. Numerous companies offer guided minibus tours of the major sights. These tours, typically geared toward visitors from a particular country involved in the D-Day Invasion, are pricey but educational—quality ranges widely among different tour guide seven within the same company, so it’s a bit of a gamble. Call in advance to reserve. For the budget-conscious and physically fit, biking to the beaches is a viable option, though cyclists will only be able to visit a limited number of sites. Walking from beach to beach is practically impossible.