WWII & D-Day War Cemeteries and Memorials in Normandy

✔ Calm La Manche base · ✔ Major cemeteries as realistic day trips
✔ Space for reflection, not rushing · ✔ Balanced perspectives across nations
✔ Evenings spent quietly processing the day — not stuck in traffic

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First published: October 2025

Last updated: January 2026

Normandy is home to some of the most moving and significant war cemeteries and memorials from World War II. These are not places you “tick off”, but places you slow down for. From vast military cemeteries overlooking the beaches to small, deeply personal resistance burial grounds inland, the region offers countless opportunities for remembrance — all realistically accessible from our gîte in La Manche.

Whether you’re planning a family holiday in Normandy, a focused WWII historical tour, or simply looking to understand the story behind the landscapes you’re walking through, this guide is an essential starting point for visiting a military cemetery in Normandy without rushing, crowd-dodging gymnastics, or emotional overload.

Practical note from the local angle: all the sites below are accessible from our self-catering accommodation in Normandy and work particularly well for short stays. Most are within 90 minutes by car, meaning you can visit thoughtfully, return to calm countryside, and not finish the day frazzled in a car park queue. We also provide EV charging information and route tips in our welcome booklet — because reflection is best done without range anxiety.

As you explore, you’ll notice that Normandy’s war cemeteries are spread across coastal areas, market towns, and rural villages rather than concentrated in one location. Each reflects a different phase of the landings and the wider campaign. Visiting more than one offers perspective: different nations, different experiences, the same weight of loss.

🇺🇸 Normandy American Cemetery (Colleville-sur-Mer)

Allied – United States

Overlooking Omaha Beach, the Normandy American Cemetery contains 9,387 white crosses and Stars of David arranged in precise rows facing the sea. It is visually striking, emotionally heavy, and often the first cemetery visitors encounter.

The visitor centre provides context through personal stories, photographs, and artefacts, while the outdoor grounds invite quiet walking and reflection. Many recognise the site from the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan, but standing here in person is a far more grounded experience than any film portrayal.

📍 Distance from our gîte: approx. 1 hr 30 min drive

🇬🇧 British Normandy Memorial (Ver-sur-Mer)

Allied – United Kingdom

This striking memorial honours over 22,000 British servicemen and women who lost their lives during the Normandy campaign. Located near Gold Beach, it looks out over the sea rather than back toward the battlefield — a deliberate and powerful design choice.

The memorial includes a wall listing the names of those who died on 6 June 1944, as well as tributes to local French civilians. Architecturally modern but emotionally restrained, it is one of the most thoughtfully designed memorials in Normandy.

📍 Distance: approx. 1 hr 15 min drive

🇬🇧 Bayeux War Cemetery

Allied – United Kingdom and Commonwealth

Close to the Bayeux Tapestry and the Normandy Battle Museum, this is the largest Commonwealth cemetery in France. More than 4,600 graves are laid out here, along with a memorial to nearly 1,800 soldiers with no known grave.

Despite its size, the cemetery feels calm and intimate, helped by its careful landscaping and the steady rhythm of headstones. It is an excellent stop for a quieter, less emotionally overwhelming visit.

📍 Distance: approx. 1 hr drive

🇩🇪 German War Cemeteries – La Cambe & Marigny

Axis – Germany

The German war cemeteries offer a different, necessary perspective. La Cambe is the final resting place of more than 21,000 German soldiers, marked by flat stones and centred around a large grassy mound. Oak trees planted for peace surround the site, reinforcing its reflective tone.

Marigny cemetery, just 25 minutes from our gîte, holds 11,169 graves of soldiers who died during the Battle of Saint-Lô. Set within rural bocage countryside, it is quieter and less visited than La Cambe, but deeply atmospheric. Many guests are surprised by how moving they find this stop.

📍 Distances: La Cambe – approx. 1 hr 30 min drive · Marigny – approx. 25 min drive

🇬🇧 Ranville Military Cemetery

Allied – United Kingdom

Ranville was one of the first villages liberated on 6 June 1944. Its military cemetery contains 2,560 graves, many of them British paratroopers involved in Operation Pegasus.

Located beside the village church, this is a quiet, almost residential-feeling cemetery. It rarely feels crowded, making it an especially good stop if you’re seeking space and silence rather than scale.

📍 Distance: approx. 1 hr 30 min drive

🇨🇦 Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery

Allied – Canada

Near Juno Beach, the Canadian War Cemetery at Bény-sur-Mer contains more than 2,000 graves, many of soldiers killed on D-Day or during the push inland toward Caen.

The grounds are beautifully maintained, shaded, and peaceful, with Canadian flags flying quietly overhead. It’s a reflective place that often feels less hurried than some of the larger coastal sites.

📍 Distance: approx. 1 hr 30 min drive

🇵🇱 Polish Cemetery at Grainville-Langannerie

Allied – Poland

This is the only Polish military cemetery in France and holds 696 graves of soldiers from the 1st Polish Armoured Division who fell during the Battle of the Falaise Pocket.

Often overlooked in mainstream itineraries, it provides an important reminder of the multinational nature of the Normandy campaign — and how many stories sit just outside the usual narrative.

📍 Distance: approx. 1 hr 30 min drive

🇫🇷 Resistance Cemetery at Gateys

Allied – French Resistance

Near Saint-Nicolas-des-Bois, this small cemetery honours young members of the French Resistance killed in August 1944. It is modest, personal, and emotionally raw.

Many visitors stumble across it almost by accident. Those who do rarely forget it.

📍 Distance: approx. 1 hr 40 min drive

🏛️ Pegasus Memorial Museum (Bénouville)

Dedicated to the 6th British Airborne Division, this museum houses a replica of Pegasus Bridge, gliders, equipment, and uniforms. The surrounding area allows visitors to walk the actual battle sites nearby, making this a useful pairing of museum context and landscape.

📍 Distance: approx. 1 hr 40 min drive

🏛️ Memorial Museum of Caen

The most comprehensive WWII museum in Normandy, covering the rise of Nazism, the Occupation, the Resistance, D-Day, the Holocaust, and the Cold War. It provides essential background for understanding the cemeteries and memorials elsewhere in the region.

📍 Distance: approx. 1 hr 20 min drive

🏛️ Airborne Museum – Sainte-Mère-Église

Opposite the famous church with the paratrooper hanging from the steeple, this museum honours the US airborne divisions involved in the landings. Exhibits include gliders, a C-47 aircraft, and immersive storytelling that works well alongside visits to nearby cemeteries.

📍 Distance: approx. 1 hr drive

🏛️ Utah Beach Landing Museum

Located directly on the beach, this museum recounts the amphibious landings and naval operations at Utah. Outside, the beach remains wide, open, and deceptively peaceful — a powerful contrast to the events it witnessed.

📍 Distance: approx. 1 hr drive

🕊️ Memorials at Omaha Beach & Knotted Gun Sculpture

Omaha Beach is lined with memorials, including the sculpture Les Braves and the Knotted Gun, a symbol of peace and non-violence. Nearby, the Omaha Beach Memorial Museum adds further context, but many visitors find the beach itself the most affecting element.

📍 Distance: approx. 1 hr 30 min drive

🌿 In Summary

Each of these cemeteries and memorials offers a pause — not just from tourist crowds, but from the pace of modern travel. Staying in La Manche allows you to approach them thoughtfully, without rushing or emotional overload.

From our gîte, you are well placed to explore Normandy’s war cemeteries and memorials at your own pace, whether you’re tracing family history, studying WWII, or simply paying your respects. Sometimes the most meaningful days are the quiet ones — followed by a cup of tea, a deep breath, and a moment to let it all settle.

Ready to explore Normandy?