Arromanches is a French town located near the heart of the D-Day Normandy landings in WWII. The town lies along the coastal stretch that was designated as Gold Beach on D-Day, which served as the landing site for the invasion of the British troops. [1]
The sea has all but washed away any trace of the famous WWII battle that occurred years ago. A few wrecks are still visible at low tide, but every year more damage is suffered by the mulberry harbors that were built by the British and floated across the Channel to the Arromanches.[2] On land, the only remnant of the battle is a large concrete block, a section of one of the Mulberry Harbors, which lay a waste on the sand. Incidentally, Arromanches was one of the few sites selected for construction of harbors during the war. Omaha Beach, the American landing beach on D-Day, was the other site that saw a harbor built.[3]
To glean more about the famous D-Day battle, there are a few museums in Arromanches that exhibit further remains and also retell of the essential features of the battle, including information about Operation Overlord and the two Mulberry Harbors. Near Arromanches, you’ll also find various other battle sites and war cemeteries. [4]
Today, quite appropriately, Arromanches is mainly a tourist town attracting many visitors interested in learning more about the D-Day battle and curious about the Gold Beach site where a major part of the battle occurred.[5]
References:
“Arromanches.” <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arromanches>
Gaudez, René, Hervé Champollion, and Angela Moyon. Tour of Normandy. Rennes: Éditions Ouest-France, 1996. ISBN: 2737317185.
[1] Arromanches
[2] Gaudez, 30
[3] Arromanches
[4] Id.
[5] Id.
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