Colleville-sur-Mer (, literally ''Colleville on Sea'') is a
commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
in the
Calvados
Calvados (, , ) is a brandy from Normandy in France, made from apples or pears, or from apples with pears.
History In France
Apple orchards and brewers are mentioned as far back as the 8th century by Charlemagne. The first known record of Nor ...
department in
Normandie region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...
in northwestern
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
.
History
It was originally a farm owned by a certain ''Koli'', a Scandinavian settler in the Middle Ages. It shares the same etymology as the other
Colleville in Normandy. During the conquest of England by
William the Conqueror
William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first House of Normandy, Norman List of English monarchs#House of Norman ...
or following it, Gilbert de Colleville was given lands in England, it was from this Knight that the modern
de Colville/Colvin/(Calvin in France,) family would develop, also including Clan Colville in Scotland and the Barony de Colville, of Castle Bytham in England.
The beach next to the coastal village was one of the principal
beachheads during the
Normandy landings
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and ...
on 6 June 1944, designated
Omaha Beach.
Population
Sights
*
Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial
The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial (french: Cimetière américain de Colleville-sur-Mer) is a World War II cemetery and memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, that honors American troops who died in Europe during World War II. ...
is located in Colleville-sur-Mer.
* Notre-Dame de l'Assomption de Colleville: dated to the 12th or 13th century, a historical monument since 1840.
*
Overlord Museum
The Overlord Museum is a museum which focuses on the Allied landings in Normandy with Operation Overlord and the subsequent development of the Second World War. It is located in Colleville-sur-Mer in the Calvados department of the Normandy reg ...
is located in Colleville-sur-Mer.
See also
*
Colleville-Montgomery
*
Communes of the Calvados department
References
External links
''American D-Day: Omaha Beach, Utah Beach & Pointe du Hoc''– Film taken from a low flying propeller plane. British Tours.
How to visit Colleville-sur-Mer in one day from Paris.
Communes of Calvados (department)
Calvados communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia
Populated coastal places in France
{{Calvados-geo-stub