The D-Day landing beaches stretch along the Channel coast of the Manche and Calvados départements, from Utah Beach to Sword Beach, with the Pointe du Hoc between Utah and Omaha. The beaches, the Pointe du Hoc and the American cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer are free; the museums charge admission (from €9 at the Juno Beach Centre to €20.80 at the Mémorial de Caen, full price in 2026). Since July 2026, these sites have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This page brings together, sector by sector, the official hours and prices of the main sites, a table of daylight and weather, and one important change: the pre-registration planned at the American cemetery from summer 2027.
For the rest of the region, read our guide to visiting Normandy, from Rouen to Mont-Saint-Michel.
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D-Day Landing Beaches: key facts
- UNESCO listing: « The D-Day Landing Beaches, Normandy, 1944 » inscribed in July 2026 (48th session of the World Heritage Committee, Busan): Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword and the Pointe du Hoc — checked on 24 October 2026 on normandie-tourisme.fr
- American cemetery (Colleville-sur-Mer): 9 am to 5 pm every day except 25 December and 1 January, last entry 4:30 pm, free and no reservation required at present — checked on 24 October 2026 on abmc.gov
- Pointe du Hoc: 9 am to 5 pm from April to September; 9 am to 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm to 5 pm from October to March; free — checked on 24 October 2026 on abmc.gov
- Museums (full price 2026): Utah Beach €10, Arromanches €12.90, Juno Beach Centre €9, Mémorial de Caen €20.80.
- Coming up: compulsory pre-registration at the American cemetery for visits from summer 2027, according to the ABMC.
- Attendance: more than 5.9 million visits to Normandy’s memorial sites in 2025, according to Normandie Tourisme.
The beaches and sites, from west to east
| Sector | Département | Official sites cited here | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Beach | Manche | Utah Beach Landing Museum (Sainte-Marie-du-Mont) | Paid |
| Pointe du Hoc | Calvados | Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument (ABMC, Cricqueville-en-Bessin) | Free |
| Omaha Beach | Calvados | Normandy American Cemetery (ABMC, Colleville-sur-Mer) | Free |
| Gold Beach | Calvados | Arromanches Landing Museum, remains of the Mulberry B artificial harbor | Paid |
| Juno Beach | Calvados | Juno Beach Centre (Courseulles-sur-Mer) | Paid |
| Sword Beach | Calvados | Beach (the Mémorial de Caen, inland, covers the whole battle) | Beach free |
Opening hours and prices of the main sites
| Site | Hours (as of 24 October 2026) | Full price | Length of visit given by the site |
|---|---|---|---|
| American cemetery (Colleville) | 9 am – 5 pm, every day except 25 Dec and 1 Jan; last entry 4:30 pm | Free | — |
| Pointe du Hoc | 9 am – 5 pm (April-Sept.); 9 am – 12:30 pm and 1:30 – 5 pm (Oct.-March); visitor center closes 30 min earlier | Free | — |
| Utah Beach museum | 10 am – 6 pm (October-April); 9:30 am – 7 pm (May-September); ticket office closes 1 hour before; closed 16 November to 14 December | €10 (student €7.50, ages 6-15 €6.50) | — |
| Arromanches museum | October 9:30 am – 5:30 pm; November-December 10 am – 5 pm; May-August 9 am – 7 pm; closed 24, 25, 31 Dec and 1 Jan | €12.90 (ages 6-18 and students €8.30) | 1½ hours |
| Juno Beach Centre | May-August 9:30 am – 7 pm; March-April and Sept.-Oct. 9:30 am – 6 pm; Feb., Nov., Dec. 10 am – 5 pm; closed in January | €9 (museum + bunkers €13.50) | — |
| Mémorial de Caen | 1 April – 30 Sept. 2026: 9 am – 7 pm; closed 4, 18, 25 Nov. and 2, 9, 16 Dec. 2026; ticket office closes 1 hour 15 minutes before | €20.80 (ages 10-18 €18.50) | 4 hours on average |
A few official discounts worth knowing: at the Arromanches museum, an adult ticket from the Airborne Museum gives €1 off, and vice versa; the Juno Beach Centre offers a « low carbon » rate (€6) to visitors who arrive by bicycle and a family package; the Mémorial de Caen sells a family pass for €53. Several museums also mention the free Explore Normandy Pass, which gives discounts at more than 60 sites according to the Arromanches museum.
American cemetery: pre-registration arrives in 2027
The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), which manages the cemetery, announces that a pre-registration system will be in place at the end of 2026 for reservations from summer 2027. All visitors will have to register, individuals included; admission will remain free; families of buried soldiers will still be able to come on the date of their choice. In 2026, entry requires no reservation. Follow the Visiting Normandy American Cemetery page before setting your date. The path that led down from the cemetery to the beach has been closed to the public since 2016; there is public beach access nearby. The lowering of the colors ceremony takes place one hour before closing.
Tickets, guided tours and passes: how to book
The museums sell tickets on site and online. Agencies also offer full-day guided tours from Bayeux, Caen or Paris, with or without admissions included. Before booking, check which sites are included (the cemetery and the Pointe du Hoc are free: they do not justify a surcharge), whether museum admissions are included, and the guide’s language. The ABMC offers guided tours and asks groups to contact it in advance.
Weather and daylight
The coast has an oceanic climate. The table combines the Météo-France normals for Caen-Carpiquet, the nearest reference station, with sunrise and sunset times over Omaha Beach. It includes an exclusive calculation: the average number of rainy days over a one-week stay.
| Month | Max | Rain | Rainy days | Over 7 days | Sun (h) | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8.3 °C (47 °F) | 63.1 mm (2.5 in) | 11.6 | 2.6 | 70 | 08:53 | 17:32 | 8 h 38 |
| February | 9.1 °C (48 °F) | 52.8 mm (2.1 in) | 11.2 | 2.8 | 90 | 08:13 | 18:22 | 10 h 09 |
| March | 11.7 °C (53 °F) | 49.7 mm (2.0 in) | 10.0 | 2.3 | 130 | 07:17 | 19:08 | 11 h 50 |
| April | 14.4 °C (58 °F) | 53.4 mm (2.1 in) | 10.0 | 2.3 | 179 | 07:12 | 20:55 | 13 h 43 |
| May | 17.4 °C (63 °F) | 59.4 mm (2.3 in) | 9.5 | 2.1 | 203 | 06:20 | 21:40 | 15 h 20 |
| June | 20.5 °C (69 °F) | 58.0 mm (2.3 in) | 8.6 | 2.0 | 213 | 05:56 | 22:11 | 16 h 14 |
| July | 22.9 °C (73 °F) | 51.1 mm (2.0 in) | 8.0 | 1.8 | 218 | 06:13 | 22:04 | 15 h 51 |
| August | 23.2 °C (74 °F) | 59.6 mm (2.3 in) | 8.3 | 1.9 | 205 | 06:54 | 21:20 | 14 h 26 |
| September | 20.4 °C (69 °F) | 54.3 mm (2.1 in) | 9.1 | 2.1 | 171 | 07:39 | 20:17 | 12 h 38 |
| October | 16.2 °C (61 °F) | 78.9 mm (3.1 in) | 12.2 | 2.8 | 117 | 08:23 | 19:13 | 10 h 50 |
| November | 11.8 °C (53 °F) | 78.7 mm (3.1 in) | 13.4 | 3.1 | 82 | 08:13 | 17:21 | 9 h 08 |
| December | 8.8 °C (48 °F) | 81.3 mm (3.2 in) | 14.2 | 3.2 | 67 | 08:52 | 17:04 | 8 h 12 |
What the figures say: from May to August, it rains on average about two days a week and sunshine exceeds 200 hours a month (peak in July). In December, the day lasts about 8 h 12: with sites closing at 5 pm, a winter day allows two or three visits at most. October, November and December are the wettest months in Caen.
As for crowds, Normandie Tourisme says the memorial sites peak during the major 6 June anniversaries. Ceremonies change every year: check the official program before booking accommodation in early June.
Suggested itinerary
- Utah Beach: the Landing Museum on the edge of La Madeleine beach.
- Pointe du Hoc: stay on the marked path; the ground, left almost untouched since 1944, is pitted with craters (ABMC).
- Omaha Beach and the American cemetery: plan to arrive before 4:30 pm, the last entry time.
- Arromanches: the Landing Museum and the remains of the Mulberry B harbor, included in the UNESCO perimeter.
- Juno Beach: the Juno Beach Centre, guided tour of the bunkers from April to October.
- Caen: the Mémorial, for an overview of the Second World War (about four hours according to the museum).
The order and number of days depend on your starting point and interests; the sites publish no travel times between them. Bayeux and Port-en-Bessin are cited by the ABMC as places to stay near the cemetery.
Getting there
- By car: the ABMC gives the route as the A13 toward Caen, then the N13 toward Bayeux. Note: a section of the A13 will be closed from 16 November 2026 to August 2027, according to the ABMC; plan another route or take the train.
- By train: the ABMC mentions trains between Paris Saint-Lazare and Bayeux (about three hours according to the ABMC), then taxis or tours; as local public transport is irregular, it advises arranging your round trip to the cemetery in advance.
- Accessibility: ask each site; the Pointe du Hoc, a construction site at the time of our check, has very uneven ground.
Rules and common mistakes
- Arriving at the cemetery after 4:30 pm: entry closes 30 minutes before 5 pm.
- Forgetting that the cemetery is a burial ground: the ABMC asks for respectful, quiet behavior.
- Planning to reach the beach by the old cemetery path: it has been closed since 2016.
- Leaving the path at the Pointe du Hoc: craters and unstable ground.
- Visiting the Juno Beach museum in January: it is closed.
- Ignoring the pre-registration announced for 2027 at the American cemetery.
What to see nearby
Extend your trip with Honfleur, Deauville or Étretat to the east, and Mont-Saint-Michel to the southwest. Our Normandy guide gives month-by-month normals for the whole region.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to pay to visit the D-Day beaches?
No. The beaches, the Pointe du Hoc and the American cemetery are free. The museums charge admission: €10 at Utah Beach, €12.90 at Arromanches, €9 at the Juno Beach Centre and €20.80 at the Mémorial de Caen (full price 2026).
Do you need to book for the American cemetery at Colleville?
Not in 2026. The ABMC plans compulsory pre-registration for all visitors from summer 2027, with reservations opening at the end of 2026. Admission will remain free.
What are the five D-Day beaches?
Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. With the Pointe du Hoc, they form the property inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2026.
What are the American cemetery’s opening hours?
From 9 am to 5 pm every day except 25 December and 1 January, with last entry at 4:30 pm.
When should you visit the D-Day beaches?
From May to September for the long days and the museums’ extended hours; in winter, short days and closures limit the number of visits per day. In early June, the commemorations attract large crowds.
Can you visit the D-Day beaches without a car?
Yes, with an organized tour; the ABMC points out that local public transport is irregular and advises booking your transport from Bayeux or Paris.
Our sources
- American Battle Monuments Commission (abmc.gov): pages « Plan your visit to Normandy American Cemetery », « Visiting Normandy American Cemetery » and « Plan your visit to Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument », consulted on 24 October 2026
- Normandie Tourisme: « The D-Day Landing Beaches on the UNESCO World Heritage List », consulted on 24 October 2026
- Mémorial de Caen (memorial-caen.fr), Utah Beach Landing Museum (utah-beach.com), Arromanches Landing Museum (musee-arromanches.fr), Juno Beach Centre (junobeach.org): hours and prices, consulted on 24 October 2026
- Météo-France: Caen-Carpiquet climate sheet (14137001), 1991-2020 statistics
- Coordinates of Omaha Beach: Wikipedia article « Omaha Beach »
- Sunrise, sunset and rainy days over 7 days: Destination de Voyage calculation, NOAA solar algorithm, Europe/Paris time zone, coordinates of Omaha Beach, on the 15th of each month (year 2027)
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026. Prices, hours and access rules may change: check the official website before you go.