D-DAY 80
80th anniversary of D-Day
Program from June 1 to 12, 2024
The 80th anniversary of D-Day is a historic anniversary. The whole of Normandy is mobilised to pay international tribute to those who reopened the gates of freedom in Europe. As it does every year, the Normandy Victory Museum is taking part in this tribute with a varied programme.
This major event, which has been certified by the Normandy Region, will be held from 1 to 12 June 2024 at the Normandy Victory Museum, both indoors and outdoors.
The programme is updated regularly. To be kept informed of updates, we invite you to subscribe to our dedicated newsletter.
Program subject to change (Updated 04/19/2024)
Table of contents
Saturday 1st June
Around 9.45 a.m.
The “La voie de la liberté” bike ride, bringing together several hundred cyclists, will stop off at the Normandy Victory Museum.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
From 8.30pm to 10pm
Show: “Mon Jour le plus long” (My longest day): columnist on Vivement dimanche and press cartoonist, Emmanuel Chaunu is well known to audiences in Normandy. In an interactive show that evolves with the audience, the caricaturist sketches his vision of the longest day.
- Where: Greenfield room
- Price and conditions: €20 / booking required
- Performance in French
Sunday 2 June
All day long
HVCA (Histoire Vivante de Cavalerie Allemande/ Living History of German Cavalry) exhibition: Presentation of German carriages and artillery
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
During the day (3 demonstrations, times to be announced)
Horse-drawn convoy by the association (Histoire Vivante de Cavalerie Allemande): parade of German and civilian carriages.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
From 10:00 a.m. to noon
Signing session: Philippe Esvelin is a member of the association Les Ecrivains combattants (The Fighting Writers) and the National World War II Glider Pilots Association. He worked for eight years on this work of more than 400 pages which relates the history of American gliders during the Second World War: Winged Commandos. It is a very detailed reference work including maps, portraits, more than 600 photos and unpublished documents.
- Where: reception hall
- Price and conditions: free/open to all – The book will be available in stores at the price of €69
In the afternoon
Presentation and demonstrations of airborne troop equipment by the ETO Group re-enactment group.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
In the evening
40s/50s concert with the Madeeson band
- Where: A10 Canteen Restaurant terrace
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
Monday 3rd June
All day long
HVCA (Histoire Vivante de Cavalerie Allemande/ Living History of German Cavalry) exhibition: Presentation of German carriages and artillery
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
From 10.00 am to 6.00 pm
Book signing: Maxime Mainguet, journalist, signs his first novel, Heure H, set in the early days of the Normandy Landings.
- Where: reception hall
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
Between 11.30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Exhibition of some sixty US military vehicles: The UNIVEM association (Union Nationale des collectionneurs de Véhicules Militaires) is organising a convoy that will stop off at the Normandy Victory Museum for a few hours.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
Between 2.30pm and 5pm
Sylvie Caillard will dedicate her brand new book: “La mode des années 40, s’habiller sans renoncer” (Fashion of the 40s, dressing without giving up).
- Where: reception hall
- Price and conditions: free / the book will be available in store
At 5 p.m.
1940s civilian fashion competition: If you would like to take part in this fashion show, please register with Séverine AVON on +33 6 26 17 29 28. Around fifteen people will be selected.
- Where: Greenfield room
- Price and conditions: free of charge / free seating on a first-come, first-served basis
Tuesday 4 June
All day long
HVCA (Histoire Vivante de Cavalerie Allemande/ Living History of German Cavalry) exhibition: Presentation of German carriages and artillery
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
9 a.m. to 10.30 a.m.
Departure of the “NOTEK” column: Display of several dozen German vehicles and departure of the convoy
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
9.30 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Raising (9.30am) and lowering (7pm) of the Belgian Army colours: The soldiers of the Special Operations Regiment (Belgian Special Forces) officially raise their national colours for the day.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Martin LONG will be signing his book : La voleuse des marais.
- Where: reception hall
- Price and conditions: free / the book will be available in our store (French or English version)
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Historian Benoit Lelandais will be on hand with a dozen re-enactors to present American uniforms and equipment.
- Where: in the museum
- Prices and conditions: admission with museum ticket
- The presentation takes place in French. The speaker is bilingual French/English.
From 12pm to 3pm
Return, exhibition and departure of the Harley bikes. The 150 bikers return for lunch and display their bikes.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
Around 5 p.m.
Return of the NOTEK column: The NOTEK column returns and displays the vehicles until the museum closes.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
At 6.30pm
Screening of the documentary “Little Black Devils”: using archive footage, eyewitness accounts and reconstructions, the film tells the story of the men of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles (3rd Canadian Infantry Division) who landed on Juno beach on 6 June 1944.
- Where: Greenfield room
- Price and conditions: €5 with reservation (on our website)
- Presentation in French and bilingual presenters (French/English) – Duration: 52 min.
Wednesday 5 June
9.30 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Raising (9.30am) and lowering (7pm) of the Belgian Army colours: The soldiers of the Special Operations Regiment (Belgian Special Forces) officially raise their national colours for the day.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
From 10 am to 7 pm
Enigma, Morse & Cartography and radio workshops: presentation of rare equipment, demonstrations and explanations by enthusiasts (Edmond Kern, Patrick Grandjean, Sylvie and Eric Kersch).
- Where: inside the museum
- Prices and conditions: admission with museum ticket
From 11.00 am to 3.30 pm
Gathering of vintage tractors and trucks: Around ten Chevrolet vehicles will be on display.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
2.00 pm to 4.30 pm
At least five American veterans will be present for several hours at the museum to share their stories and answer questions from the public (the exact number and names will be published shortly).
- Where: Greenfield room
- Price and conditions: free of charge / free seating on a first-come, first-served basis
- Testimonials and discussions in English with a bilingual presenter
From 4.30 pm to 6 pm
Lecture “The Germans in Normandy”: Historian Valentin SCHNEIDER, a specialist in the Second World War in Europe, presents the life of German soldiers in Normandy before and during the battle.
- Where: Greenfield room
- Price and conditions: free of charge / free seating on a first-come, first-served basis
- Conference in French
Thursday 6 June
All day long
Saumur tanks exhibition: you can get up close to the tanks and talk to members of the armoured museum
- Where: designated area outside the museum
- Prices and conditions: access with museum entrance ticket
Schedules to be determined
Dynamic tank demonstrations: the Musée des Blindés in Saumur (French Army) will be giving several demonstrations of working tanks.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
9.30 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Raising (9.30am) and lowering (7pm) of the Belgian Army colours: The soldiers of the Special Operations Regiment (Belgian Special Forces) officially raise their national colours for the day.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
From 10 am to 7 pm
Enigma, Morse & Cartography and radio workshops: presentation of rare equipment, demonstrations and explanations by enthusiasts (Edmond Kern, Patrick Grandjean, Sylvie and Eric Kersch).
- Where: inside the museum
- Prices and conditions: admission with museum ticket
At 4:00 p.m.
Conference “The US Air Force in Normandy“: Conference on American aviation in Normandy, by Grégory PONS, historian and author of several works on the subject.
- Where: Greenfield room
- Price and conditions: free of charge / free seating on a first-come, first-served basis
- Conference in French
Friday 7 June
All day long
Saumur tanks exhibition: you can get up close to the tanks and talk to members of the armoured museum
- Where: designated area outside the museum
- Prices and conditions: access with museum entrance ticket
Schedules to be determined
Dynamic tank demonstrations: the Musée des Blindés in Saumur (French Army) will be giving several demonstrations of working tanks.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
9.30 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Raising (9.30am) and lowering (7pm) of the Belgian Army colours: The soldiers of the Special Operations Regiment (Belgian Special Forces) officially raise their national colours for the day.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
From 10 am to 7 pm
Enigma, Morse & Cartography and radio workshops: presentation of rare equipment, demonstrations and explanations by enthusiasts (Edmond Kern, Patrick Grandjean, Sylvie and Eric Kersch).
- Where: inside the museum
- Prices and conditions: admission with museum ticket
From 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Book signing: Historian and author Benoit Rondeau will be signing several of his books before his lecture on the preparations for D-Day.
- Where: reception hall
- Price and conditions: Free (books available for purchase in the museum shop)
From 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Conference “Preparing for D-Day”: Benoit Rondeau looks back at the long and meticulous preparations for D-Day by the Allies
- Where: Greenfield room
- Price and conditions: Free / free seating on a first-come, first-served basis
- Conference in French
From 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Conference “Influencers and the duty to remember”: Romain from Militarymachine.fr, Jordan from Passion militaria and Yan from Good Morning Army will look back on their journey as influencers on social networks. How can you share your passion for military history while preserving the duty of memory on the internet?
- Where: Greenfield room
- Price and conditions: Free / free seating on a first-come, first-served basis
- Conference in French
at 7 p.m.
US Army Orchestra: around twenty American soldiers will be present for a military music concert. This performance will be preceded by a speech given by a US army official and an overview of the museum will take place (the type of aircraft will be revealed to you later)
- Where: A10 Canteen terrace
- Prices and conditions: Free / open to all
In the evening
Swing Melodies Orchestra concert
- Where: A10 Canteen Restaurant terrace
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
Saturday 8 June
All day long
Saumur tanks exhibition: you can get up close to the tanks and talk to members of the armoured museum
- Where: designated area outside the museum
- Prices and conditions: access with museum entrance ticket
Schedules to be determined
Dynamic tank demonstrations: the Musée des Blindés in Saumur (French Army) will be giving several demonstrations of working tanks.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
9.30 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Raising (9.30am) and lowering (7pm) of the Belgian Army colours: The soldiers of the Special Operations Regiment (Belgian Special Forces) officially raise their national colours for the day.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
From 10.00 am to 6.00 pm
Signing session: Scriptwriter Jean-Blaise DJIAN signs the various volumes of the must-have Normandie Juin 44 comic strip series.
- Where: reception hall
- Price and conditions: Free (books available for purchase in the museum shop)
From 10 am to 7 pm
Enigma, Morse & Cartography and radio workshops: presentation of rare equipment, demonstrations and explanations by enthusiasts (Edmond Kern, Patrick Grandjean, Sylvie and Eric Kersch).
- Where: inside the museum
- Prices and conditions: admission with museum ticket
Sunday 9 June
All day long
Saumur tanks exhibition: you can get up close to the tanks and talk to members of the armoured museum
- Where: designated area outside the museum
- Prices and conditions: access with museum entrance ticket
Schedules to be determined
Dynamic tank demonstrations: the Musée des Blindés in Saumur (French Army) will be giving several demonstrations of working tanks.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
9.30 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Raising (9.30am) and lowering (7pm) of the Belgian Army colours: The soldiers of the Special Operations Regiment (Belgian Special Forces) officially raise their national colours for the day.
- Where: Outside the museum
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
From 10 am to 7 pm
Enigma, Morse & Cartography and radio workshops: presentation of rare equipment, demonstrations and explanations by enthusiasts (Edmond Kern, Patrick Grandjean, Sylvie and Eric Kersch).
- Where: inside the museum
- Prices and conditions: admission with museum ticket
From 4pm to 5pm
Concert by the Dutch group Band of Brothers – Music from WWII: covers of the main Anglo-Saxon songs of the 1940s
- Where: A10 Canteen Restaurant terrace
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
In the afternoon
40s/50s concert with the Madeeson band
- Where: A10 Canteen Restaurant terrace
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
In the evening
Swing Melodies Orchestra Concert
- Where: A10 Canteen Restaurant terrace
- Price and conditions: free/open to all
From 10 to 12 June 2024
Ongoing programming
A number of events are in the pipeline for the remaining three days, and details will be announced shortly.
The final programme is now largely set. A few other events may be added, and any missing items will be confirmed shortly. Sign up to receive email updates.
Tours in DODGE
For a few days, our guided tours in DODGE will be adapted to the event by offering a route created for the occasion: the D-DAY Special (if you are interested, book quickly, many slots are already full).
Catering on site
Throughout this period, the A10 Canteen, a brasserie restaurant, is open next to the museum. Reservations strongly advised on +33 2 33 54 51 83.
The DDAY 80 ticket is valid for twelve days
The DDAY 80 ticket is a skip-the-line ticket valid from June 1 to June 12, 2024. Between these two dates, you can enter and leave the museum as many times as you like!
Of course, you can always buy our traditional one-day ticket.
Some memories of previous editions
Photo credits Gregory Oswald and NVM
