Beaches of the D-Day Landings, Normandy, 1944

Brief synthesis

On 6 June 1944, Operation Neptune, the first phase of Operation Overlord, conceived to open a new Western European Front during the Second World War against the forces of the Third Reich, was launched from beaches on the Normandy coast that have come to be known as the Beaches of the D-Day Landings.

Along with the military action and human sacrifice on multiple fronts in Eastern Europe, Northern Africa and the Pacific, the Normandy Landings was one of the decisive moments in the Second World War, when after years of planning, seventeen allied nations collaborated in military, logistical, political, and moral resources as part of a concerted plan to overcome a regime of conquest and genocide.

The serial property, comprising six component parts, commemorates the way years of planning and alliance-building culminated in collective, multinational, logistical and military efforts that marked the beginning of the end of the Second World War in Western Europe, ultimately contributing to the toppling of a totalitarian regime and paving the way for reconstruction, reconciliation, and a renewed commitment to collective security.

The Beaches of the D-Day Landings also embody, symbolise, and evoke memories of the immense human sacrifice made to begin to break the entrenched authoritarian regime of the Third Reich that occupied most of Europe in the mid-20th century.

The landing operations, launched on 6 June 1944, took place on five beaches (from west to east): Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, Gold Beach, Juno Beach and Sword Beach, as well as at Pointe du Hoc, the sixth amphibious assault site, constituting altogether the component parts of the serial property. Each site still bears the traces of the event.

The serial property contains many tangible attributes: the beaches themselves, the five landing sites of 6 June 1944, and an amphibious assault site; remains of the most remarkable structures illustrating the logistical efforts made to ensure the success of Operation Neptune, particularly the artificial harbour known as Mulberry B; remains of the defensive system or “Atlantic Wall” that the Allies faced; traces left by the confrontation in the landscape, deliberately preserved as a reminder of the event; memorial sites created since 1944; memorial monuments, and finally, the American Military Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, built in the immediate vicinity of Omaha Beach. They also contain intangible attributes, memories of the event to which they are intrinsically linked, having acquired strong symbolic significance.

In paying tribute to the victims of the confrontation, the Beaches of the D-Day Landings have also become a place of reconciliation between former belligerents.

Criterion (vi): The Beaches of the D-Day Landings, Normandy, 1944 are a site of memory directly and materially associated with the event known as the “Normandy Landings”, which took place in 1944 during the Second World War. Operation Neptune, launched on 6 June 1944 on the Normandy coast, was the first phase of Operation Overlord, designed to open a new front in Western Europe against the troops of the Third Reich, one of the decisive moments in the Second World War, which marked the beginning of the end of the war in Western Europe.

The Beaches of the D-Day Landings outstandingly and tangibly embody, symbolically commemorate and evoke memories of the concerted, multinational collaboration and coordination of logistical and military efforts, and the immense human sacrifice required to break an entrenched authoritarian occupation in Europe in the mid-20th century and paved the way for reconstruction, reconciliation, and a renewed commitment to collective security.

Integrity

The serial property includes all the component parts necessary to express its Outstanding Universal Value, particularly its associative value. The series incorporates the beaches themselves, as landing and amphibious assault sites on 6 June 1944; remains of the logistical facilities used for the offensive; remains of the defensive system or “Atlantic Wall” that the Allies faced; traces left by the confrontation in the landscape, deliberately preserved; commemorative sites; memorial monuments; and finally, a military cemetery that provides a representation of other military cemeteries. The individual integrity of each component part varies, but all nevertheless present a sufficient set of attributes to fully express the associative value of the serial property. The landscape integrity of the serial property, although vulnerable, can be described as satisfactory as it is adequately preserved despite pressures, including urban and tourism development on some component parts. Threats related to the natural evolution of the coastline and from facilities supporting the transition to renewable energy should also be closely monitored.

Authenticity

The serial property retains a set of attributes which authentically attest to the site of memory associated with the event known as the “Normandy Landings”. Historical knowledge of the context and course of the operation, as well as the defensive and offensive systems, is well established. This high level of knowledge contributes to the appreciation of the authenticity of the remains left behind by Operation Neptune on the beaches of Normandy. Most of the materials comprising the component parts have been affected, both by human intervention – in particular cleaning and the recovery of materials, which became unavoidable following the events – and by natural erosion. However, the remaining traces have been preserved without the need for any significant intervention to restore them. The defensive elements damaged by the fighting were deliberately preserved as they were. The authenticity of the immediate landscape setting is generally good, despite occasional alterations and some evolution due to natural and human factors. Overall, the tangible and intangible attributes of the serial property retain their ability to evoke memories of the scope and sacrifices of the confrontation, but they are vulnerable to the cumulative change that could impact on this ability.

Protection and management requirements

The entire perimeters of the serial property and its extensive buffer zone (comprising a maritime area and a terrestrial area) are protected by a wide range of measures, in particular under national legislation governed by the Heritage Code, the Environment Code and the Urban Planning Code, as well as the Littoral Law. Safeguarding and conservation of tangible and intangible attributes are also ensured by a diversity of administrative and protected-area mechanisms relating to heritage, nature, landscapes, or biodiversity, such as regulatory mechanisms (e.g. historic monuments or nature reserves); land acquisition; contractual protection (e.g. Natura 2000); and international conventions (e.g. Ramsar Convention). In addition, the maritime portion of the property, located on the foreshore and in the territorial waters, forms part of the Public Maritime Domain (DPM), which is inalienable and imprescriptible. Furthermore, underwater remains benefits from heritage status under the Maritime Cultural Property (BCM) designation, that prevents unauthorised removal. Finally, spatial organisation documents such as Territorial Coherence Schemes (SCoT) and Local Urban Plans (PLU(i)) play an important role in enhancing the protection of the serial property and ensuring that the buffer zone effectively provides an added layer of protection.

The implementation of a new governance improving the management of the serial property and its buffer zone, while respecting the responsibilities and duties of each managing body, will further enhance the protection of the serial property and its attributes. The governance system for the serial property is structured around the decision-making body (Steering Committee, which will become Property Committee), the consultative body (Territorial Conference), the expert body (Interpretation Committee) and the advisory body (International Scientific Council). The operational implementation of the management of the serial property will be entrusted to the Local Management Committees, with support from an operational task force.

Challenges related to the preservation of the serial property are addressed through a number of actions detailed in the management plan. The continuing role of the serial property in education, youth engagement, and multinational commemoration is crucial to ensure that it reflects international collaboration and responsibility.