Colleville-sur-Mer - Omaha Beach Tours

Colleville-sur-Mer is the village above the eastern end of Omaha Beach, and the ground it sits on carries more weight than its size suggests: the Normandy American Cemetery lies within the commune, on the bluff the U.S. 1st Infantry Division fought up on June 6, 1944.

Our tourNormandy D-Day Tour from Paris: the day ends at the cemetery here

From Bayeux17 km, about 20 minutes by car on the D514

AdmissionCemetery free; Overlord Museum €9.90, €7.50 ages 7 to 15

OpenCemetery daily 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:30; museum from 10:00 daily, closed January 4 to February 12

By train / busBayeux station, then Nomad bus 120 to the cemetery stop, about 40 minutes

Time neededTwo hours for the cemetery and the bluff; 90 minutes more for the museum

The short version

Colleville-sur-Mer holds the Normandy American Cemetery and the WN62 strongpoint on the bluff above the Easy Red and Fox Green sectors of Omaha Beach.
The cemetery is free, daily 9:00 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:30, closed December 25 and January 1; the path from the cemetery down to the beach has been closed since 2016, with public beach access nearby.
The Overlord Museum at the cemetery roundabout charges €9.90 (€7.50 for ages 7 to 15), opens at 10:00 every day, and closes from January 4 to February 12.
Our Normandy D-Day Tour from Paris ends its day at the cemetery here; the private Normandy D-Day tour adds time on the bluff at WN62 if you ask for it.
From Bayeux it is 20 minutes by car on the D514, or about 40 minutes on Nomad bus 120 to the cemetery gate.

What Happened Here

The Colleville draw, exit E-3, was one of the fortified routes off Omaha Beach, covered by German strongpoints including WN62 on the bluff, one of the most lethal positions of the morning. Troops of the 1st Infantry Division fought through the draw and took the village during June 6. Two days later, the U.S. First Army opened its temporary cemetery on the plateau above the beach, the ground that became the permanent Normandy American Cemetery.

LinkParis saysColleville is where our day ends. We time the cemetery for the flag lowering and Taps when the schedule allows, and the drive back to Bayeux takes twenty minutes, in time for the Paris train.John Romano, founder

About LinkParis

Visiting Colleville Today

The cemetery is the reason visitors come, and the village around it stays quiet. The remains of WN62 sit on the bluff between the cemetery and the beach, marked and walkable. At the cemetery access roundabout, the Overlord Museum holds the region’s best armor collection; our Overlord Museum guide on NormandyDDayTours.com covers hours and prices. Beach access at the base of the bluff puts you on the sand of the Easy Red and Fox Green sectors.

Getting There

Colleville-sur-Mer sits 20 minutes from Bayeux on the D514 coastal road, with free parking at the cemetery visitor center. Our Tours to Omaha Beach page compares the guided and self-drive ways to build the day. For visitors based in Bayeux, the D-Day Tour from Bayeux covers the same ground from the station at 9:00 a.m.

Timing the Visit

The cemetery is best at the end of the day. Groups thin out after 4 p.m., the flag lowering closes the grounds, and from April 15 to September 15 the gates stay open until 6, an hour later than in winter. The Overlord Museum at the roundabout opens at 10 every day, so a morning there and the cemetery after lunch also works for a self-drive day.

The walk from the cemetery to WN62 on the bluff takes ten minutes and the strongpoint is marked; the old path from the overlook down to the sand has been closed since 2016, so reach the beach by the public access road from the village instead.

Last entry to the cemetery is 30 minutes before closing, and the visitor center closes with the grounds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Colleville-sur-Mer known for?
The Normandy American Cemetery stands within the commune, on the bluff above the eastern end of Omaha Beach where the U.S. 1st Infantry Division fought ashore on June 6, 1944.

Can you walk from the cemetery to Omaha Beach?
A path descends the bluff from the cemetery overlook toward the beach; check current access at the visitor center, as sections close at times. The sand below is the Easy Red and Fox Green sector of the landing.

What was WN62?
Widerstandsnest 62 was the German strongpoint on the Colleville bluff covering the E-3 draw, one of the deadliest positions above Omaha Beach on June 6. Its remains sit between the cemetery and the beach and can be walked today.