The seaside town of Arromanches-les-Bains was liberated on D-Day, 6 June 1944. It became a crucial location and a logistical hub for the Allies during the battle of Normandy and the push to liberate northwest Europe. Much can still be seen of the German defensive positions, as well as the remains of the Mulberry Harbour.
While planning the invasion of Normandy (Operation Overlord), the Allied Command considered it necessary to have deep-water ports to land reinforcements and logistical supplies to the continent.
However, the Canadian assault against Dieppe on 19 August 1942 had shown how thoroughly the German command had fortified the ports. They could not be captured without significant loss of lives, and in the process the port facilities would more than likely be busted and reduced to ruins.
The solution found by the Allied staff was to manufacture the components for two artificial ports in Britain, to be towed across the Channel and assembled on site. One of them was planned off the American sector of Omaha, (Vierville-sur-Mer), and was codenamed ‘Mulberry A’. The second, ‘Mulberry B’ was planned at Arromanches-les-Bains off Gold sector, a British landing zone. The villages needed to be secured on D-Day by units of the British 50th Infantry Division that landed to the east on Jig Sector, Gold Beach, around Asnelles.
The themed route starts with views across to the east on to Jig Sector. This position was referred to as Wiederstandnest 42 (WN42) which was a resistance nest that formed part of the ‘Atlantic Wall’ defence line. Along the walk you will pass through three individual WN positions and see the concrete casemates at points which formed part of the German defences against an Allied invasion.
Along the route you will see many memorials linked to the liberation of Arromanches-les-Bains and the construction of the Mulberry Harbour. These include the D-Day 75 Garden close to the 360 Cinema, a Sherman Tank, and several around the promenade area of the town.
The Arromanches 360 Cinema offers an immersive visitor experience bringing to life the archive footage captured during the battle of Normandy along with comparisons of today’s landscape.
The Musée du Débarquement, refurbished in 2023, tells the story of the Mulberry Harbour and the logistical feat that was undertaken by the Allies in 1944. Within the museum are many original artefacts.
The remains of the Mulberry Harbour are visible around the beach area and at sea. This is a lasting testament to the civilian engineers and designers who created the harbour.
