Normandy will be in the spotlight during summer 2014

June 6, 2014, will mark the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings, a highly anticipated event in the north-west French region. This anniversary will mark the last commemoration of this historic battle to be attended by a large number of veterans and witnesses of the landings. It will also be a time of thanks, reflection, and national and international communion, in memory of the liberation of Normandy, France, and Europe.

Thus, from June 5 to August 21, 2014, Normandy will host, under the eyes of the entire world, events and ceremonies whose calendar remains unknown at this stage and which will be announced in the weeks to come. However, the Deputy Minister to the Minister of Defence announced on June 6 last year that the official ceremony will take place on June 6, 2014, on Sword Beach, which was assigned to the British Second Army during the landings. The Juno and Omaha beaches will each host binational ceremonies, for which many heads of state and spectators are expected.

What to do during your stay in Normandy?

The Normandy region will set up, during this period, facilitated access to all museums and other sites in Upper and Lower Normandy. You will therefore have the opportunity to discover under what conditions men from around the world came to fight on these beaches and how their actions led to the liberation of France and the surrender of Nazi Germany. You will walk on the land that 3 million soldiers trod 70 years previously, and where nearly 90,000 soldiers of all nationalities lost their lives.

Many museums and sites dedicated to this historic event can welcome you, including the famous Atlantic Wall Museum located in Ouistreham in the former fire direction post of the Atlantic Wall, or the Liberation Museum of Cherbourg-Octeville, located 117 metres above sea level on Mount Roule.

Many tours and circuits are also organised throughout the year by different companies, offering a choice between numerous options: half-day, full day, or two days to discover the beaches and unmissable sites of the landings in a 1943 Willys Jeep, the automotive icon of the Second World War.

Normandy is a land rich in history and cultural and artistic heritage with magnificent towns such as Bayeux, Honfleur, and places full of surprises like Mont-Saint-Michel. Each year, nearly 5 million visitors come to see the five landing beaches and discover the many museums and commemorative sites of this historic event. You can also support the Landing Beaches in their candidacy for UNESCO World Heritage via this site: www.liberte-normandie.com.

How to get to Normandy?

• By train: the stations in Caen, Le Havre, Cherbourg, Lisieux, and Bayeux are directly connected to main railway lines from Paris Saint-Lazare station.
• By plane: the airports in Cherbourg, Caen, and Deauville-Normandie are served via Air France routes.
• By car: the website of the northern France motorway network allows you to calculate your journey time from home.

Have you fallen in love with the region?

Are you attracted to the Normandy region, its magnificent landscapes, its history, and of course, its culinary specialties? Are you considering buying a seaside home to enjoy the magnificent beaches of northern France throughout the year?

Sextant France offers character properties, such as this magnificent country house with 3 bedrooms, situated on a 3500 sqm plot near Deauville,

or this charming renovated house located 400m from the sea, near Cabourg.

For more information regarding the properties offered by Sextant France, please visit our website, Sextant France, or contact us by telephone at 01.70.61.27.15.