The coast here is long, shallow and sandy, backed by low bluffs, and on the morning of 6 June 1944 it became one of the most terrible places in the history of the Second World War. Omaha was the code name given to a stretch of beach in the Allied landings in Normandy, assigned to American troops, and it was the hardest of the five beaches: the German defences on the bluffs were strong, the bombardment had missed many positions, and the tide and weather scattered the landing craft. Thousands of men were killed or wounded on the sand and the shingle in the first hours, though by evening the beachhead held.
The Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, on the bluff above the beach, holds nearly ten thousand graves in rows of white marble crosses and Stars of David, with a view over the sea, and the site is quiet and moving. Nearby, the cliff at Pointe du Hoc, where American Rangers scaled the rock under fire, still shows the craters left by the bombing. Concrete bunkers and gun emplacements remain along the coast, many covered in grass, and the museums at Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer and Bayeux tell the story in detail.
Today the beach is calm, with walkers, horse riders and families flying kites at low tide, and the contrast with its past is strange. The coast road, the D514, runs close to the shore through a string of villages, with views over the water, and is a pleasant, easy ride at moderate speed. It becomes busy in summer and especially around the anniversary in early June, when veterans, ceremonies and crowds fill the area. Respect is expected at memorials, so keep your helmet off and your voice low, and park in official areas.
Port-en-Bessin and Grandcamp-Maisy have fuel and small restaurants, but for larger choice head to Bayeux, about sixteen kilometres away, which has stations, supermarkets and hotels, and the famous medieval tapestry. Normandy offers apples in every form: cider, calvados, tarts, and creamy cheeses such as camembert and pont-l'évêque. The weather changes quickly on the coast, so pack a waterproof, and check the tides before walking on the beach.