Ouistreham (or Ouistreham-Riva-Bella) is a seaside resort in the French province of Normandy that is notable for its large marina.[1] Ouistreham serves as a port for the city of Caen. Since the Middle Ages, Ouistreham and its harbor has been used as a trading port. And the town’s beach, the “Riva Bella”, has been a popular swimming and bathing beach since the turn of the 20th century.[2]
Ouistreham was also the scene of the D-Day landings by the British on Sword Beach,[3] the code name for the eight kilometer stretch from Ouistreham to Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer. The British were met with minimal resistance from the German forces, suffering less than 700 casualties.[4]
Besides Sword Beach, Ouistreham has a few other tourist sites including the Museum of the Atlantic Wall, the Museum of Disembarkment, and the Grand Bunker, which is an old WWII German bunker that was captured by the British in their Normandy invasion.[5] The St. Samson’s church is worth visiting as well. This is an old church that looks like a castle. It has been modified twice, once during the 12th century and another time during the 19th century. Its notable feature is its chancel, which is actually narrower than the church’s nave. It also has a façade that projects the look of a fine gable.[6]
References:
Gaudez, René, Hervé Champollion, and Angela Moyon. Tour of Normandy. Rennes: Éditions Ouest-France, 1996. ISBN: 2737317185.
“Ouistreham.” < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouistreham>
“Sword Beach.” < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_Beach>
[1] Gaudez, 31
[2] Ouistreham
[3] Id.
[4] Sword
[5] Ouistreham
[6] Gaudez, 31
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