On the morning of 6 June 1944 the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division landed here, between Courseulles-sur-Mer and Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, in the middle of the five Normandy landing beaches. Rough seas delayed the first wave, so the troops arrived after the naval bombardment had lifted and the German defenders had recovered. The fighting on the sea wall and in the seaside villages was fierce, and Canadian casualties that day were heavy, but by evening the division had pushed further inland than any other Allied force. Today the beach is a long, quiet strand of sand, with low dunes, villas with shuttered windows, and a few concrete bunkers still half-buried at the water's edge.
The Juno Beach Centre at Courseulles, opened in 2003, tells the Canadian story with clarity and warmth, and the guides are often young Canadians on summer placements. A short walk away, a bunker preserved from the Atlantic Wall stands behind the dunes, and the villages along the shore keep their wartime stories in street names and small memorials. Courseulles is also known for its oysters and whelks, which are sold from stalls near the harbour, and a plate of them with a glass of Normandy cider is a good lunch.
The coast road is gentle and flat, running between the villages along the English Channel, with long views of the sea and a hedge-lined landscape inland. It gets busy in July and August, with cars and cyclists, and the best time to ride is early morning or late in the day. Surfaces are generally good. For something more varied, the Bocage inland offers narrow lanes with high banks and farmland. Rain can come in from the sea quickly, so carry a waterproof layer.
Courseulles-sur-Mer has about four thousand people and has fuel and bakeries, while Douvres-la-Délivrande, six kilometres inland, is a bit larger and has supermarkets. Arromanches and its remains of the Mulberry artificial harbour lie to the east along the coast and make an easy second stop. Bring something to read, take your time, and let the quiet of the beach sink in. It rewards people who arrive without a schedule.