Visitors walk the beach Arromanches on the English Channel in northeastern France. Arromanches played
a critical role during the days following the June 6, 1944 D-Day invasion of Normandy when Allied forces
began the drive to liberate Europe from the control of Nazi Germany. While the majority of the battles took place
on neighboring beaches (code named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword), Arromanches saw little fighting.
Instead, it was the site that Allied forces targeted for construction of an artificial harbour (known as a Mulberry
harbour) to use for resupplying troops instead of having to capture and liberate an existing harbour. Allied forces
manufactured sections of the harbour in England and floated them across the channel into position.
More photos from France are in my Cities, places gallery.