Make history come alive with a visit to WWII sites in France. During the 1940s as Hitler fought to take over Europe, France suffered invasions, battles, mass arrests, resistance movements, spies, deportations, and prisons. Civilians and military mingled day to day when life was fraught with danger and sudden death. Visiting France today will give you the opportunity to learn more about the bravery and courage of those who fought here and of those who lived in this war-torn land. As you stand on the beaches, stroll through villages, and explore cities such as Paris and Lyon, you will find yourself changed. You will look at life and your values in a different way.
Here are some of the top WWII sites in France to consider visiting. Most of them lie within Paris or in Normandy in the area of the D-Day beaches. Choose those places that interest you most or plan a trip where you can group several of these together.
Hi there! This post may contain affiliate links. That means I earn a bit of money if you purchase products through me. This involves no extra cost to you, and it helps me maintain this blog.
Outstanding World War II sites in Paris
It may be surprising how many WWII sites in France can be found in Paris. Plaques and memorials and scenes of liberation battles are across the center of the city. Here are a few ideas to begin your historical discovery.
The Museum of the Liberation of Paris
This WW2 museum is a must-see for history buffs. Also known as the Museum of the Liberation of Paris, General Leclerc Museum, and Jean Moulin Museum, it is dedicated to the liberation of Paris and the French Resistance. It’s housed in a mansion that served as the actual headquarters of General Leclerc during the liberation of Paris.
Located in the Montparnasse area, in the 14th arrondissement, this museum gives a comprehensive look at this crucial period in Parisian and French history. The museum houses a wide range of historical artifacts, including photographs, documents, weapons, uniforms, and personal items from the World War II era. These items provide a tangible connection to the events of the time.
The Invalides
The tall, glittering gold dome that crowns the Invalides is a landmark in the center of Paris. The Eiffel Tower in the distance rises behind a front yard that’s filled with shrubs and cannon. This complex contains Napoleon Bonaparte’s tomb, artillery pieces, changing exhibits, and the Musée de l’Armée (Army Museum). Here you can explore military history, including WWII exhibits. The World War II collection includes maps, period photographs, a US Army soldier’s vest, and weaponry.
During World War II, Les Invalides, like many significant locations in Paris, was occupied by the German military. The Germans used some parts of the complex for their administrative purposes.
The Invalides also was connected to the French Resistance movement in various ways. One tour guide said Resistance members met high inside the gold dome, right over the heads of the unaware Germans below. It was also the site of several actions during the liberation of Paris in 1944, as the Resistance played a crucial role in the city’s freedom.
The Museum of the Order of the Liberation, located in the Invalides, tells the story of the Resistance during World War II.
Other World War II sights in Paris
Paris was occupied by Nazi Germany from 1940 to 1944, and the city played a significant role in the war. You just have to know where to look to see echoes of the war.
The outside walls of the Hotel de Ville in the Marais district still sport marks of bullets that flew around during the Liberation. The upscale Hotel Meurice served as the Nazi general’s headquarters. The Police Headquarters across the street from Sainte-Chapelle was the scene of fierce fighting in August 1944 and also still shows bullet impacts.
Read more about World War II sites in Paris
World War II sites in Normandy, including the D-Day Beaches
The Normandy coastline is peaceful now, with waves gently lapping at the shore. But on those terrible days in June 1944, these beaches were filled with chaos, explosions, and men suffering as Operation Overlord erupted. Operation Overlord included five separate landing zones and 160,000 American, British, and Canadian troops.
Code names for the Normandy beaches were Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. A look at a map gives a good overview of the landing beaches.
D-Day Landing Map
Map of WWII D-Day Beaches in Normandy, France
Map © Paul Hewitt, Battlefield Design – www.battlefield-design.co.uk
Americans covered Omaha and Utah, British landed at Gold and Sword, and Canadians forged ashore at Juno.
If you have an interest in WWII sites in France, you will certainly want to include a visit to the Normandy D-Day Beaches. Here’s a bit about each of the landing beaches, including a section of tall cliffs between Omaha Beach and Utah Beach known as Pointe du Hoc.
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach today is well known to those in the U.S. (especially). If you have only one day in Normandy, you may want to head right here.
Colleville-sur-Mer Cemetery
The focus of a visit to Omaha Beach today is the vast cemetery that is the final resting place of almost 10,000 American soldiers who gave their lives in the battle for Normandy. Overlooking the beach, the rows of graves attest to the price paid for liberation in one small corner of the world. It’s overwhelming to walk here.
Visit the peaceful Reflecting Pool. The tall, dark sculpture is called “Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves.”
The Monument of the Brave at Omaha Beach
At the far west end of Omaha Beach, in Vierville-sur-Mer, you’ll find an imposing sculpture called The Brave. The artist, Anilore Banon, said he created this to honor the courage of the men – sons, husbands, and fathers – who faced danger and often sacrificed themselves in the hope of freeing the French people. These “wings of hope” remind us all to stand strong for freedom and to speak up against all forms of inhumanity.
Pointe du Hoc
Pointe du Hoc lies between what was Omaha Beach and Utah Beach in the Allied invasion of France known as Operation Overlord. This site was a German stronghold that U.S. Army Rangers scaled on D-Day. Allies worried that German guns on the bluffs here would wreak havoc on the troops landing on Omaha and Utah.
What’s so amazing for anyone visiting Pointe du Hoc today is that the scarred land remains much as it was on June 6, 1944. You can walk into the German Bunkers. You can view the gun emplacements. Bomb craters dot the land. You can look east toward Omaha Beach and know it is right on the other side of the distant promontory.
Today, Pointe du Hoc is preserved as a memorial to the sacrifices made during the D-Day landings.
Read more about Pointe du Hoc
Utah Beach
Utah Beach today is a windswept, wide swath of beach bordered by grassy dunes that wave in the breeze. It’s hard to believe this was the site of a major battle of World War II. Utah Beach is at the west (south) end of the string of 5 D-Day beaches.
A visit to Utah Beach in Normandy can include the beach itself, an iconic cafe, a large museum, and a drive through the farmlands where paratroopers landed in preparation for the assault on the beach. There’s a haunted farm, countless memorials, and buildings still pockmarked with bullet holes.
The Utah Beach Landing Museum offers an outstanding collection of World War II items, large and small. In one section you can look through windows onto the beach. There’s also a hangar to display aircraft.
Sword Beach
Sword Beach and Utah Beach lay at the east and west ends of Operation Overlord. Paratroopers dropped behind the beaches in the middle of the night to prepare for the invasion from the English Channel. The idea was to hem in the Germans from either side. So, it’s important to go behind the shore when visiting these two beaches.
Pegasus Bridge sits over the Caen Canal just a few miles inland from Sword Beach. This bridge was a crucial Allied objective. Gliders of British troops landed just after midnight on the canal banks. The British eventually pushed the Germans off the bridge and held on until the troops landing on the shore broke through to relieve them.
Be sure to walk a block from the bridge to the Pegasus Memorial Museum. Not only are artifacts and information found inside, but also the museum has the original bridge outside on the lawn. You can also see tanks and planes involved in the battle.
Juno Beach
This section of coastline was one of the most heavily defended on D-Day. In the first wave of men ashore, half were injured or killed. The Canadians fought on bravely and eventually captured more towns and land than any other battalions involved in the invasion.
Gold Beach and the Mulberry Harbors
Gold Beach, in the middle of the five beaches, included the fishing town of Arromanches. This was the site of an amazing feat of engineering that resulted in a working port just days after D-Day. Cement pontoons towed across the Channel formed the based of the operations. In the summer of 1944, 500,000 vehicles and four million tons of materiel came ashore in Arromanches. Of the original 115 pontoons, 20 survive despite the pounding of the rough waters.
Plan to spend time at the excellent Arromanches Museum. Here you will learn more about Mulberry harbors and the fighting in this area.
Read more about Sword, Juno, and Gold Beaches
Inland from the D-Day Beaches
The goal of paratroopers landing behind the beaches and of the troops landing on the beaches themselves was to move inland and take French land and villages and cities back from the occupying Germans.
Here are a few amazing places to see as you move inland from the beaches in your discovery of WWII sites in France.
Sainte Mère Église
Sainte-Mère-Église was one of the first French towns liberated by Allied forces. American paratroopers landed in the town and the surrounding area in the early hours of June 6, 1944.
One American, John Steele, got caught on the church building, was shot, but somehow survived the night and lived. A memorial parachutist hangs on the church 80 years later.
The Airborne Museum
The Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mère-Église is dedicated to the memory of the Allied paratroopers who landed in this area in the early hours of D-Day. The museum sits in the heart of the historic town and occupies different pavillons where you can see different airborne displays.
My favorite building displays a C-47 aircraft and glider.
Le Cambe German Cemetery
The German War Cemetery at La Cambe is one of the largest German WWII cemeteries in France, located near Omaha Beach. La Cambe serves as the final resting place for over 21,000 German soldiers who fought and died during the Battle of Normandy.
You will notice quite a different atmosphere here than that of Allied cemeteries. La Cambe’s crosses are made of dark stone rather than gleaming white. This lends a solemn tone to your visit.
A historian told my tour group that after World War I, Germans were made to use darker stones to mark their soldiers’ graves. This “rule” carried over to World War II. German cemeteries are full of gray.
Caen Memorial Museum
The Caen Memorial Museum is one of France’s premier WWII museums, located in the city of Caen in Normandy. It’s known for its immersive and comprehensive exhibits on World War II, the D-Day landings, and the Battle of Normandy in the summer of 1944. This museum also covers themes of war, peace, and human rights.
Pro tip: If you or your traveling companions aren’t familiar with the basics of Operation Overlord on June 6, 1944, a visit to this museum is invaluable. You will see and experience exhibits that will enrich your time at the beaches.
It is a large museum, so if your time is limited, head to the sections that interest you most. You can study the map before your visit.
The charming town of Bayeux
This town, largely untouched by the war even though it is just a few miles from the beach, features winding cobblestone streets, a placid river, waterwheels, flowers, and quaint shops. Bayeux makes an excellent base for explorations of the D-Day Beaches.
On the edge of Bayeux are 2 war-related places I highly recommend.
The Bayeux War Cemetery is a large, beautiful cemetery for Commonwealth soldiers who died in France in World War II, mostly in this Normandy area. More than 4,000 men rest here, and you can visit and honor their memory.
The Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy is directly across the street from the cemetery. It presents the events of the battle for Normandy in chronological order, starting with the D-Day landings and continuing on through the summer of 1944.
Read more about visiting Bayeux
And a bit farther from Paris — Lyon
Just a two-hour train ride from Paris, Lyon is worth a visit if you are in search of World War II sites. It served as a base for the Resistance in France.
The Resistance Museum in Lyon
The Resistance and Deportation History Centre museum preserves the history of the French Resistance and the deportation of Jews and other groups during World War II.
The museum features a collection of artifacts, photographs, documents, and personal accounts that illustrate the experiences of Resistance fighters, deportees, and victims of the war. The exhibits cover a wide range of topics, including the Nazi occupation of France, the formation of the Resistance, the role of women in the Resistance, and the deportation and extermination of Jews, homosexuals, and other groups.
Note that the exhibits are in French. You can follow along even if you speak only English. The photographs and chronological order of exhibits is visitor-friendly.
The intriguing traboules
And for a really fascinating activity, explore the traboules of Lyon. The traboules are a network of hidden passageways and courtyards that are a distinctive feature of Lyon’s architecture. They were originally created in the 4th century as a way for residents to easily transport water from the Saône River to their homes.
Over time, the traboules evolved into a network of secret passages that served a variety of purposes, including transporting goods and people, and providing a means of escape during times of conflict.
Even though the Germans occupied the city, they apparently never discovered the many traboules.
So there you have some of the premier WWII sites in France. As you visit these and delve into the history of each place, you will likely want to explore more and more. You’ll find yourself reading, researching, and mapping out more places to see firsthand. I have a list going myself. You just may find yourself hooked on discovering more about this country that is not only beautiful but so rich in its contributions to culture and freedom.
Where to stay when visiting WWII sites in Paris
Paris offers hundreds of hotels. It’s sometimes overwhelming to start looking for a place to stay. Here are a few suggestions for lovely hotels near some of the sites mentioned. With the excellent Paris Metro system, you will be able to arrive wherever you like with just a little planning.
Near the Invalides: The Hotel de Varenne is exquisitely decorated and includes an inviting patio. You can walk from here to the Invalides as well as the Rodin Museum. (7th arrondissement)
Book your stay at the elegant Hotel de Varenne around the corner from the Rodin Museum.
Near the Pantheon: Hotel des Grand Hommes and (right next door) the Hotel les Dames du Pantheon. Both of these elegant hotels are across the street from the Pantheon. From my balcony room at the Grand Hommes I watched the sun rise on the iconic Pantheon. (5th arrondissement)
Book your stay at the Hotel des Grand Hommes and enjoy a view of the stately Pantheon out your window.
Near the Museum of the Liberation of Paris: Hotel Serotel Lutece is in the Latin Quarter, not exactly near the museum. But it is within comfortable walking distance. You can also walk from here to the Pantheon, Notre Dame, and Sainte-Chapelle. Not only is this a comfortable, attractive hotel, but I also found the staff here to be extra helpful with directions and information. (5th arrondissement)
Book your stay at the cozy Hotel Serotel Lutece in a walkable neighborhood near metro stations, shops, and restaurants.
Central to wherever you want to go: Hotel Moliere, themed on the French poet, is a delightful hotel near the Louvre. It is surprisingly affordable for this pricey area. You can walk or take the Metro to any sites you would like to visit. (1st arrondissement)
Book your stay at Hotel Moliere near the Louvre and the lovely Tuileries Garden.
Getting to the D-Day Beaches from Paris
You have several options if you are traveling from Paris to the D-Day Beaches.
By train, journey either to Caen or Bayeux. Trains leave from the Paris Saint-Lazare station. The trip is about two to two-and-a-half hours.
Book your train tickets with Trainline for easy and reliable service
If you drive from Paris to Bayeux or Caen, allow about 3 hours. Take A13 to Caen or A13 and A84 to Bayeux.
I can recommend car rentals from Auto Europe.
The easiest way to get from Paris to Bayeux is to train to Caen, then rent a car. The car rentals are conveniently right across the street from the train station in Caen. Then drive about 20 minutes to Bayeux. Driving in Paris can be crazy. I made the mistake of renting a car in the city. I actually went around the Arc de Triomphe in a circle several times before finding the right exit street. And I haven’t wanted to repeat that adventure!
Where to Stay When Visiting the Five D-Day Beaches
To stay near the D-Day Beaches, you can stay in Bayeux as your base. Bayeux is a charming town in Normandy, France, known for its well-preserved medieval architecture and its famous Bayeux Tapestry. It’s also the closest town to Omaha Beach. You will love the town, the food, and the people.
When staying in Bayeux, you have various accommodation options ranging from hotels to guesthouses and bed-and-breakfasts. You may want to opt for a hotel in the city center. That way, you are close to the sights as well as plenty of dining and shopping choices.
My favorite hotel is the Hotel Churchill. It’s in a historic building in the heart of the town. It offers comfortable and well-equipped rooms, with amenities like free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and private bathrooms. Some rooms may offer views of the city or the courtyard. And the hotel has a bar and lounge area where guests can relax and unwind. A tasty breakfast is served in a pleasant room. I found the front desk staff to be very helpful with planning your day and finding a restaurant for dinner.
Book the elegant Hotel Churchill — the perfect base for exploring the D-Day Beaches.
Another base for exploring the beaches is the town of Sainte Mère Église, which is a few miles inland from Utah Beach. Famous for the paratrooper hanging on the cathedral, this is a charming small town with cafes and restaurants. Here are two hotel options:
Hotel Sainte-Mère: One option in the center of Sainte Mère Église is Hotel Sainte-Mère. This hotel features modern amenities, an upscale restaurant, and easy access to local attractions.
Book your stay at the delightful Hotel Sainte-Mere for your trip to the D-Day Beaches.
Auberge John Steele: This inn is named after the famous paratrooper John Steele, whose parachute got caught on the church steeple during the D-Day invasion. It’s a unique place to stay with a historical theme. A restaurant is also in the hotel.
Do You Want to Book a Tour?
You can visit the D-Day beaches on your own. This is not difficult if you have a car. Or you may opt for a tour instead. I have visited the beaches both with and without tours. If it’s your first visit, a tour may give you lots of information and stories of the war that you wouldn’t otherwise get.
If you are coming as a day trip from Paris or wanting the enriched experience of a tour guide, here are good options.
Overlord Tour: Overlord Tour is one of the most highly regarded D-Day tour operators in the region. They offer small group tours with knowledgeable guides who provide detailed historical information about the events of D-Day. I went on the British Beaches tour and found the guide to be knowledgeable and engaging. I toured on a shuttle with seven other people. We enjoyed conversing about WWII. It was a totally positive experience.
D-Day Battle Tours: D-Day Battle Tours is the company I toured with in a WWII-era Jeep. While my tour was in the Utah Beach area, this company also offers guided tours of Omaha Beach. My guide Monica kept up a running commentary as we drove along the Normandy lanes. You can choose from private and public tours. I can highly recommend this company.
And consider booking a tour with respected Viator tours.
PIN IT FOR TRAVEL PLANNING
