Our tips, ideas for places to visit and local recommendations for discovering Normandy.
The Nid Journal
Where to stay when visiting the D-Day landing beaches in Normandy?
Planning a trip to Normandy to explore the D-Day landing beaches and wondering where to stay?
From Sword Beach to Utah Beach, including Juno Beach, Gold Beach and Omaha Beach, the D-Day sites stretch along much of the Normandy coast. Choosing the right accommodation is therefore essential to making the most of your stay.
Where to stay to visit the D-Day landing beaches?
The Côte de Nacre, between Caen and the sea, is an excellent base for exploring the area.
It is ideally placed for visiting Sword Beach, around Ouistreham and Hermanville-sur-Mer, as well as Juno Beach, which stretches from Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer to Graye-sur-Mer and includes the must-see destination of Courseulles-sur-Mer.
With a full day to explore, you can continue on to Arromanches, Gold Beach, Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc and the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer.
Staying in this area makes it easy to explore the major historic sites while enjoying the beaches, the seaside resorts of the Côte de Nacre, and the nearby city of Caen and its Mémorial.
Le Nid de Plumetot: a four-star holiday rental for 8 guests near the D-Day landing beaches
Located in Plumetot, on the Côte de Nacre, Le Nid de Plumetot is a charming, four-star stone house that sleeps up to 8 guests.
Ideally located between Caen, Courseulles-sur-Mer and Ouistreham, the house is an ideal base for exploring Sword Beach, Juno Beach and the main D-Day sites in Normandy.
Le Nid has 3 double bedrooms, a sleeping area with 2 single beds, 2 bathrooms and spacious living areas, making it comfortable for families and groups of friends.
After a day of sightseeing, it’s time to relax: enjoy the enclosed garden, terrace, barbecue, floodlit pétanque court, fireplace and games room with table football, TV, board games, toys and books.
Families with young children will also find everything they need: a cot, travel cot, high chair, baby bath, baby bouncer and child-friendly tableware.
Enjoy Normandy beyond the D-Day landing beaches
Choosing the Côte de Nacre also makes it easy to alternate days exploring history with more relaxing time by the sea.
Courseulles-sur-Mer, Ouistreham, Luc-sur-Mer, Lion-sur-Mer and the beaches of the Côte de Nacre offer plenty of options for walks and activities.
In Caen, you can explore the city’s heritage and historic centre, as well as the Mémorial de Caen, which focuses on 20th-century history, particularly the Second World War.
Le Nid de Plumetot lets you combine visits to the D-Day landing beaches with a family holiday, time by the sea and exploring Normandy, then return each evening to the peace and quiet of a country house.
Plan your stay on the D-Day landing beaches
Whether you’re visiting with family or friends, allow several days to explore the different D-Day sectors without having to rush from one site to another.
Le Nid de Plumetot welcomes up to 8 guests in the heart of the Côte de Nacre, surrounded by the Normandy countryside, the sea and iconic D-Day sites.
Check availability and book your stay directly at Le Nid de Plumetot.
The D-Day landing beaches on the UNESCO World Heritage List
This is a historic milestone for Normandy: since July 2026, the D-Day Landing Beaches, Normandy, 1944 have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
82 years after the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, this inscription recognizes the universal value of these historic sites, which over the decades have become symbols of remembrance, peace and freedom.
One more reason to discover these exceptional sites during your stay in Normandy.
Which D-Day landing beaches are listed by UNESCO?
The UNESCO World Heritage listing covers six landmark sites, spread across more than 80 kilometres of coastline between Calvados and Manche:
- Utah Beach
- Omaha Beach
- Gold Beach
- Juno Beach
- Sword Beach
- Pointe du Hoc
Together, these sites make up a single UNESCO World Heritage property.
Today, they help us understand the scale of the Allied landings on June 6, 1944, and pass on to future generations the memory of those who took part in this major event in history.
Why are the D-Day landing beaches listed by UNESCO?
The designation recognizes more than just landscapes and historic remains.
UNESCO recognizes the universal significance of the events that took place here in 1944 and what these sites represent today: the memory of those who fought, cooperation between nations, the return of freedom, as well as reconciliation and peace.
As the last eyewitnesses to the Second World War pass away, preserving these places of remembrance and sharing their stories takes on particular importance.
Juno Beach and Sword Beach, in the heart of the Côte de Nacre
Of the six sites inscribed, Juno Beach and Sword Beach are on the Côte de Nacre.
Juno Beach
Juno Beach was the sector where Canadian forces landed on June 6, 1944.
At Courseulles-sur-Mer, the Juno Beach Centre offers insight into Canada’s history and its role during the Second World War and the D-Day landings.
Sword Beach
Further east, Sword Beach was the British landing sector.
The coastline around Ouistreham offers the chance to explore several sites connected with D-Day and remember the British and French soldiers who took part in the operations.
These two sectors are easy to combine during a stay exploring the Côte de Nacre.
How to visit the D-Day landing beaches?
The D-Day sites stretch along much of the Normandy coast, so it’s best to allow several days to explore them without covering too many miles in a single day.
For example, you could spend the first day exploring Sword Beach and Juno Beach, then continue on to Gold Beach and Arromanches, before discovering Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc and, farther west, Utah Beach.
Beyond the beaches themselves, Normandy is home to many museums, memorials, military cemeteries and historic sites that help bring the events of 1944 to life.
Where to stay to visit the D-Day landing beaches on the UNESCO World Heritage List?
To explore the various sites while enjoying the sea and the Normandy countryside, the Côte de Nacre makes an ideal base.
Located in Plumetot, between Caen, Courseulles-sur-Mer and Ouistreham, Le Nid de Plumetot is ideally placed for visiting the Juno Beach and Sword Beach sectors, as well as taking day trips to the other D-Day sites.
Rated 4 stars, Le Nid de Plumetot is a holiday cottage that can accommodate up to 8 guests, ideal for a family getaway or a stay with friends.
With 3 double bedrooms, a sleeping area with 2 single beds, 2 bathrooms, an enclosed garden, a terrace and a games room, the house is a comfortable place to unwind after a day exploring Normandy’s memorial sites.
Discover Normandy’s rich history
Visiting the D-Day landing beaches means discovering peaceful landscapes while reflecting on the events that took place there.
Their inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2026 further underlines the need to preserve these sites and continue to share their history.
From Le Nid de Plumetot, set out to explore Sword Beach, Juno Beach and the D-Day landing beaches, as well as Caen, the Côte de Nacre and all the things that make Normandy so charming.
Check availability and book your stay at Le Nid de Plumetot directly.