Travelling with MM: D Day Normandy France

29 June 2026

D Day Normandy France

Day 56 Monday 29 June 2026

Today we looked at a few more sights about the D Day landings on or near the Normandy beaches of Juno and Sword. We then said goodbye to the coast and stopped to have a look at Pegasus Bridge before continuing inland to the pretty village of Beuvron en Auge. 82km later we ended the day in Cambremer.

From our parking spot last night we walked down into the pretty seaside village of Arromanches le Bains. We strolled along the beach front and read some of the numerous signs about the war, whilst we munched on our pain au chocolat and pain au raisin.

Next was Juno Beach the part of the coastline assigned to the Canadians. This stretch of shore was once home to bustling coastal villages, which blossomed into charming seaside resorts by the late 19th century. Unlike other sectors, Juno Beach was not fortified with heavy batteries; instead, it featured a series of smaller defensive positions scattered along the shoreline. These included anti-tank guns and machine guns, often installed on seawalls to create a deadly crossfire sweeping the sands.

We stopped at the memorial in Courseulles sur Mer.

Further along we had a look at the Canada House at Bernieres Sur Mer.

Company B of the Queen’s Own Rifles landed on Juno Beach at around 8:15 am. According to the regiment’s war diary, the soldiers encountered fierce enemy resistance, but soon succeeded in gaining access to the Hoffman house. Then the Canadians set up a signal station here.

The Sword Beach Landings started with the lead assault companies of the 1st South Lancashire Battalion and the 2nd East Yorkshire Battalion landing along about 1000 meters of beachfront between the sea-front villages of Ouistreham and Lion sur Mer. Designated Queen Red and Queen White Sectors, these sectors where the 8th Brigade would be landing were right opposite the German strongpoint WN 20, code named Strongpoint "Cod” on the British Army's invasion maps. It was the primary target of the East Yorkshire assault troops, but they attacked into a withering hail of German fire as the defenders emerged from their deep dugouts to man their guns. The attackers suffered badly from the German fire, especially the tanks, and even when the South Lancashire's joined the effort, it was a slow and painstaking job clearing the enemy strongpoint.

We had our last look at the English Channel and turned inland to Pegasus Bridge, which links the road crossing over the Caen Canal. It was recaptured in the early hours of the night of the 5th to the 6th of June 1944 by the British 5th Parachute Brigade. The original bridge, built in 1934, is now a war memorial and is the centrepiece of the Memorial Pegasus museum at nearby Ranville. In 1994 its replacement as well as the original were examples of a distinct sub type of bascule bridge, the "Scherzer rolling lift bascule bridge" or "rolling bridge". Bridges of this type do not pivot about a hinge point, but roll back on curved tread plates attached to the girders of the main span. This design allows a greater clearance of the waterway for a given opening angle.

We were lucky enough to be there when it was lifted up for a couple of sail boats.

Beuvron en Auge (2015) is a classified pretty village of France. We had an enjoyable stroll along its streets, admiring its beautifully restored half-timbered houses from the 17th and 18th centuries.

The Saint-Martin Church was built in the mid-17th century by the d’Harcourt family from red stone. Inside: listed interior furnishings with a rare patriotic stained-glass window and magnificent altarpieces.