Fodor's Expert Review Omaha Beach

You won't be disappointed by the rugged terrain and windswept sand of Omaha Beach, 16 km (10 miles) northwest of Bayeux. Here you can find the Monument du Débarquement (Monument to the Normandy Landings) and the Musée-Mémorial d'Omaha Beach (€7), a large shedlike structure packed with tanks, dioramas, and archival photographs that stand silent witness to "Bloody Omaha." Nearby, in Vierville-sur-Mer, is the U.S. National Guard Monument. Throughout June 6, Allied forces battled a hailstorm of German bullets and bombs, but by the end of the day they had taken the Omaha Beach sector—suffering grievous losses in the process. In Colleville-sur-Mer, overlooking Omaha Beach, is the hilltop American Cemetery and Memorial, designed by landscape architect Markley Stevenson; you can look out to sea across the landing beach from a platform on its north side.