Nestled between Colleville-Montgomery and Lion-sur-mer, Hermanville-sur-mer is one of the 4 seaside resorts of Caen la mer. Witness to the great era of sea bathing but also marked by the tragic events of the Second World War, the town has kept its family and friendly soul.
The top sites to visit in Hermanville-sur-mer
Seaside villas
Along the Côte de Nacre, villas with Norman architecture follow one another. It was from the Second Empire onwards that the Normandy coast became known for its sea bathing and became a seaside destination particularly popular with Parisians. In Hermanville-sur-mer, construction came late because the dunes were public property. It was from 1882 onwards that the buildings reached the Hermanville breach, giving way today to elegant seaside villas.
The chapel of la Brèche
Built in 1954, the chapel of La Brèche replaces the chapel of the bathers destroyed by the bombardments of 1944. This modern chapel has been awarded the “Heritage of the 20th Century” label. Inside, the impressive 52m long stained glass window represents many themes, from the crucifixion to the Normandy landings.
The British War Cemetery and the remains of the war
1005 soldiers are buried in this military cemetery. The majority are British, but Canadians, Australians and French are also buried here. In the beautiful stone chapel you will find a register of the names of the soldiers here. These cemeteries illustrate the difficult progress of the Allied troops in 1944 and are now places of remembrance for all the men who gave their lives on the beaches of Normandy.
Around the Place du Cuirassé Courbet (named after the French ship scuttled off Hermanville-sur-Mer to facilitate bombing operations in June 1944), there are various monuments to the heroes of the Second World War. You can see the statue of the Norwegian Sailor, the monument to the sailors of the Royal Navy, monuments to the British troops who landed on Sword Beach in 1944 and even a Centaur tank on display a little further west of the square.
