Arromanches-les-Bains

Geography

Arromanches-les-Bains is 12 km north-east of Bayeux and 10 km west of Courseulles-sur-Mer on the coast where the Normandy landings took place on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Access to the commune is by the D514 road from Tracy-sur-Mer in the west passing through the town and continuing to Saint-Côme-de-Fresné in the east. The D87 road also goes from the town south to Ryes. The D65 road goes east to Meuvaines. About a third of the commune is the urban area of the town with the rest farmland.

History

Arromanches is remembered as a historic place of the Normandy landings and in particular as the place where a Mulberry harbour artificial port was installed. This artificial port allowed the disembarkation of 9,000 tons of materiel per day.

It was on the beach of Arromanches that, during the Invasion of Normandy immediately after D-Day, the Allies established an artificial temporary harbour to allow the unloading of heavy equipment without waiting for the conquest of deep water ports such as Le Havre or Cherbourg. Although at the centre of the Gold Beach landing zone, Arromanches was spared the brunt of the fighting on D-Day so the installation and operation of the port could proceed as quickly as possible without damaging the beach and destroying surrounding lines of communication. The port was commissioned on 14 June 1944.

This location was one of two sites chosen to establish the necessary port facilities to unload quantities of supplies and troops needed for the invasion during June 1944, the other being built further west at Omaha Beach. The British built huge floating concrete caissons which, after being towed from England, then had to be assembled to form walls and piers forming and defining the artificial port called the Mulberry harbour. These comprised pontoons linked to the land by floating roadways. One of these ports was assembled at Arromanches and even today sections of the Mulberry harbour still remain with huge concrete blocks sitting on the sand and more can be seen further out at sea.

Some key figures: by 12 June 1944 more than 300,000 men, 54,000 vehicles, 104,000 tons of supplies had been landed. During 100 days of operation of the port 2.5 million men, 500,000 vehicles, and 4 million tons of materiel were landed. The best performance of the port was in the last week of July 1944: during those seven days the traffic through Arromanches exceeded 136,000 tons or 20,000 tons per day.

Today, Arromanches is mainly a tourist town. Situated in a good location for visiting all of the battle sites and war cemeteries, there is also a museum at Arromanches with information about Operation Overlord and in particular, the Mulberry harbours.

On 21 September 2013 Bradford-based sand sculpting company Sand in Your Eye created a tribute called "The Fallen 9,000". It was a temporary sculpture project—a visual representation of 9,000 people drawn in the sand which equates the number of civilians, German forces and Allies that died during the D-day landings. It coincided with Peace Day, and was washed away with the tide at the end of the day.

Heraldry

Blazon:

Azure, an anchor of Or debruised by a mullet of Argent between two chains of Sable posed in chevron inverted broken, in chief Gules debruised by a leopard of Or armed and tongued Azure.

Administration

List of Successive Mayors

Demography

The inhabitants of the commune are known as Arromanchais or Arromanchaises in French.

|1793 |430 |1800 |363 |1806 |450 |1821 |493 |1831 |520 |1836 |534 |1841 |528 |1846 |500 |1851 |490 |1856 |502 |1861 |505 |1866 |533 |1872 |532 |1876 |544 |1881 |481 |1886 |480 |1891 |455 |1896 |444 |1901 |444 |1906 |380 |1911 |335 |1921 |273 |1926 |282 |1931 |288 |1936 |262 |1946 |282 |1954 |287 |1962 |298 |1968 |339 |1975 |355 |1982 |395 |1990 |409 |1999 |552 |2007 |609 |2012 |546 |2017 |489

Culture and heritage

Civil heritage

The commune has many buildings and sites that are registered as historical monuments:

• Houses (19th century)
• The Notre-Dame-des-Flots Monument at Rue du Calvaire (1911)
• The Grand Hotel at 22 Rue du Maréchal Joffre (20th century)
• The old Radar Station at Le Callouet (20th century)
• The Château du Petit Fontaine (1764)
• An Orientation table (20th century)
• The Artificial Harbour and Winston Churchill Harbour (20th century)
• The 6 June 1944 Museum (1954)
• A Lavoir (Public laundry) (1896)
• The Town Hall and Boys' Primary School (1884)
• The Village (Antiquity)
• Houses and Hotels (18th-20th century)

;Other sites of interest

• The Museum of the Landings
• Arromanches 360 degrees

Religious heritage

The commune has several religious buildings and sites that are registered as historical monuments:

A Presbytery at 4 avenue de l'Amiral Mountbatten (1836)

A Monumental Cross at Rue du Calvaire (1901)

A Cemetery (1857)

The Parish Church of Saint Peter (19th century) The Church contains many items that are registered as historical objects:

• Stained glass windows (19th-20th century)
• Ciboria (19th century)
• A Paten (19th century)
• A Monstrance (19th century)
• A Chalice (19th century)
• A Box for Oil for the sick (20th century)
• An Ex-voto Painting: Fishermen in danger (19th century)
• A Painting: Saint Peter (19th century)
• A Painting: Saint Paul (19th century)
• A Cross: Christ on the Cross (19th century)
• A Table (17th century)
• 34 Pews (19th century)
• The Choir bench and wood panelling (19th century)
• A Pulpit (19th century)
• A Baptismal font (19th century)
• An Altar, Tabernacle, and Retable (19th century)
• An Altar (1976)
• An Altar (1) (18th century)
• The Furniture in the Church

Picture gallery

File:Arromanches-les-Bains_Panorama.jpg|Arromanches-les-Bains Panorama File:Arromanches.jpg|Remains of the Mulberry harbour on the beach File:Arromanches gare.jpg|Arromanches railway station around 1901 File:Ville Arromanches.JPG|View of the beach File:Hauteurs Arromanches.jpg|Arromanches town File:Falaises - Arromanches.JPG|The cliffs along the coast File:Arromanches remanescentes 01.jpg|Remains of German defences and the Mulberries in the background File:Arromanches-les-Bains, lavoir.JPG|The Lavoir (public laundry) File:Arromanches memorial 2.jpg|Arromanches memorial File:Arromanches museu do desembarque 01.jpg|The Museum of the Landings File:Britain's Mulberry Port at Arromanches A24159.jpg|Mulberry harbour in operation (1944) File:Arromanches Plaque - geograph.org.uk - 450093.jpg|Commemorative plaque File:Arromanches View from Cap Manvieux 1 90.jpg|Arromanches from Cape Manvieux File:„Whale pier“ Brueckenelement, Arromanches-les-Bains 01 09.jpg|A "whale pier" bridge element from the Mulberry harbour on display since 2004 File:The Mulberry artificial harbour at Arromanches in Normandy, June 1944. A24675.jpg|The Mulberry harbour in June 1944 File:Winston Churchill in Arromanches, France, 21 To 23 July 1944 A24832.jpg|Winston Churchill at Arromanches 21–23 July 1944 File:The Mulberry artificial harbour off Arromanches in Normandy, September 1944. BU1024.jpg|Aerial view of the Mulberry harbour in September 1944 File:ShermanArromanches.jpg|Sherman tank displayed at Arromanches File:Arromanches-les-Bains église St-Pierre.JPG|Arromanches Church File:FranceNormandieArromanchesLesBainsEglise.jpg|Church of Saint Peter File:Coucher_de_soleil_a_aromanche_(normandie).jpg|Sunset at Arromanches

Notable people linked to the commune

• Jules Carpentier, French inventor. A main street is named in his honour.
• François Carpentier, son of Jules Carpentier, French architect and mayor of the commune. He created the Museum of the Landings in Arromanches.
• Sylvie Joly owned a villa in the commune. Her father was mayor of the commune from 1947 to 1963.
• The Boisgelin family owned a large part of the commune and still have a large house.

References

References

1. (13 September 2022). "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises.
2. [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Arromanches-les-Bains/@49.3344668,-0.6150633,1495m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x480a55dae15101c5:0x40c14484fbcfd00?hl=en Google Maps]
3. [http://www.arromanches-museum.com/accueil/index.php?lang=uk Arromanches D-Day Museum homepage]
4. [http://thefallen9000.info/ The Fallen 9000 info page]
5. [http://www.francegenweb.org/mairesgenweb/chercher.php List of Mayors of France] {{in lang. fr
6. [https://www.habitants.fr/calvados-14 Le nom des habitants du 14 - Calvados], habitants.fr
7. {{Cassini-Ehess. 1368. Arromanches-les-Bains
8. [https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-14021#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE
9. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA00121719. IA00121719 House at 11 Rue de l'Abreuvoir {{Mérimée. IA00121720. IA00121720 House at 2 Rue de la Batterie {{Mérimée. IA00121720. IA00121720 Villa les Tourelles at 7 Rue de la Batterie{{Camera {{Mérimée. IA00121723. IA00121723 Le Norval House at 16-18 Rue Charles Laurent {{Mérimée. IA00121722. IA00121722 House at 7-9 Rue Charles Laurent{{Camera {{Mérimée. IA00121724. IA00121724 Villa Graziella at 25 Rue du Colonel René Michel {{Mérimée. IA00121725. IA00121725 House at 33 Rue du Colonel René Michel {{Mérimée. IA00121727. IA00121727 Chalet Maurice at 26 Boulevard Gilbert Longuet{{Camera {{Mérimée. IA00121726. IA00121726 Villa les Embruns at 8 Quai du Général Leclerc {{Mérimée. IA00121728. IA00121728 House at 11 Rue du Maréchal Foch {{Mérimée. IA00121729. IA00121729 Villa le Manoir at 18 Rue du Maréchal Foch{{Mérimée. IA00121710. IA00121710 Les Trois Chalets at 21-25 Rue du Maréchal Foch {{Mérimée. IA00121730. IA00121730 Villa d'Arromanches at 28 Rue du Maréchal Foch{{Camera {{Mérimée. IA00121732. IA00121732 Fisherman's House at 28 Rue du Petit Fontaine {{Mérimée. IA00121731. IA00121731 House at 8 Rue du Petit Fontaine {{in lang. fr
10. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA00121714. IA00121714 Notre-Dame-des-Flots Monument at Rue du Calvaire {{in lang. fr
11. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA00121733. IA00121733 Grand Hotel {{in lang. fr
12. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. PA14000009. PA14000009 Radar Station {{in lang. fr
13. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA00121736. IA00121736 Château du Petit Fontaine {{in lang. fr
14. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA00121735. IA00121735 Orientation Table {{in lang. fr
15. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA00121734. IA00121734 Artificial Harbour and Winston Churchill Harbour {{in lang. fr{{Camera
16. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA00121717. IA00121717 6 June 1944 Museum {{in lang. fr{{Camera
17. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA00121716. IA00121716 Lavoir {{in lang. fr
18. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA00121715. IA00121715 Town Hall and Boys' Primary School {{in lang. fr
19. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA00121709. IA00121709 Village {{in lang. fr{{Camera
20. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA00121708. IA00121708 Houses and Hotels {{in lang. fr{{Camera
21. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA00121718. IA00121718 Presbytery at 4 avenue de l'Amiral Mountbatten {{in lang. fr
22. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA00121712. IA00121712 Monumental Cross at Rue du Calvaire {{in lang. fr
23. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA00121713. IA00121713 Cemetery {{in lang. fr
24. Ministry of Culture, Mérimée {{Mérimée. IA00121711. IA00121711 Parish Church of Saint Peter {{in lang. fr
25. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14005208. IM14005208 Samaritan at the well and Nazareth Workshop {{Palissy. IM14005201. IM14005201 Virgin at Prayer and Saint Joseph {{Palissy. IM14001180. IM14001180 Prayers and offerings by Sailors to the Virgin{{in lang. fr{{Camera
26. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001199. IM14001199 Ciborium for the sick {{Palissy. IM14001198. IM14001198 Ciborium (1) {{Palissy. IM14001197. IM14001197 Ciborium (2){{in lang. fr{{Camera
27. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001196. IM14001196 Paten {{in lang. fr
28. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001195. IM14001195 Monstrance {{in lang. fr
29. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001194. IM14001194 Chalice {{in lang. fr
30. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001193. IM14001193 Box for Oil for the sick {{in lang. fr
31. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001192. IM14001192 Ex-voto Painting: Fishermen in danger {{in lang. fr{{Camera
32. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001191. IM14001191 Painting: Saint Peter {{in lang. fr{{Camera
33. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001190. IM14001190 Painting: Saint Paul {{in lang. fr{{Camera
34. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001189. IM14001189 Cross: Christ on the Cross {{in lang. fr
35. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001188. IM14001188 Table {{in lang. fr
36. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001187. IM14001187 34 Pews {{in lang. fr
37. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001186. IM14001186 Choir bench and wood panelling {{in lang. fr
38. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001185. IM14001185 Pulpit {{in lang. fr
39. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001184. IM14001184 Baptismal font {{in lang. fr
40. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001183. IM14001183 Altar, Tabernacle, and Retable {{in lang. fr
41. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001182. IM14001182 Altar {{in lang. fr
42. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001181. IM14001181 Altar (1) {{in lang. fr
43. Ministry of Culture, Palissy {{Palissy. IM14001179. IM14001179 Furmniture in the Church {{in lang. fr