The D-Day landings and their immediate aftermath covered a huge swath of Normandy from the coast inland so you need to be mobile to see much of 1944's legacy
In very rough terms the area of the Normandy invasion stretched 85 miles from Cherbourg eastwards to Ouistreham and inland to a depth of 20 miles. This was an area of 1,700 sq miles and gives an indication of the size of the invasion and its associated logistics and, now, means that there's a lot of ground to cover when visiting battlefields and memorials.
That 1,700 sq miles also doesn't include the area of the further fighting in Normandy through July to August 1944, so if you're going to visit you need to be mobile. If you're a military vehicle enthusiast what better way to visit than using one from World War Two? Timingwise, a visit around the date of the June 6 anniversary of the Operation Overlord landings can‘t be beaten.
A useful website for planning tours is the Normandy tourism site, containing a calendar of events and giving ideas of places to visit (en.normandie-tourisme.fr/partners/d-day-festival-normandy). This details the D-Day Festival Normandy that takes place along the entire coastline of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, from Pegasus Bridge to Sainte-Mère-Eglise, including Ouistreham, Arromanches, Pointe du Hoc and the five iconic beaches. Including parachuting, parades, concerts, historical re-enactments, fireworks and exhibitions, the festival generally offers nearly 100 popular events.
