Titchfield (southern England), testimony of Philippe Kieffer: "Towards the beginning of May, I took part in a secret meeting and, for the first time, I learned, in front of a truncated and unnamed staff map, the role assigned to No. 4 Commando and in particular to that of the French Battalion incorporated into this Commando.

On your way, a stele facing the sea marks the memory of three Kieffer commandos who fell on this beach on 6 June 1944. There are many commemorative steles along your route.

Take the time to discover them along the way.

The Atlantic Wall is a 4400km long defensive system stretching from the coast of Norway to the south of France, via the Spanish border. These German Army defensive sites were spotted by the Allies to facilitate preparations for the landings. On Colleville-Montgomery beach, the defences were named Wn18, "Skate".

The R612 just after the war, still covered in sand. A French 7.5 cm gun (Field Kannon) captured by the German army. It was very old (1890s) and would have struggled to fire on the landing craft until they slowed down to reach the beach. Today, the bunker has been converted into a guest house.

In 1922, on the initiative of a Parisian teacher, Henri Duchêne, a holiday camp was set up for 840 children from Paris to help them discover the joys of the seaside. Since 1882, Colleville has even had a railway station linking Ouistreham to Luc-sur-mer. The Duchêne colony helped Colleville-plage to flourish.

In the summer of 1769, on the orders of the minister of the King of France Louis XV, a geographer was inspecting the Normandy coast.The French fleet, the Royale" as it was known, regularly clashed with the ships of the English fleet in the Channel. After the 7 Years' War (1756 to 1763), the State decided to develop its coastal defences.

However, the defence of this part of the coast remained of considerable importance. This is why, in 1779, the construction of three fortifications, known as "redoubts", was undertaken on Merville, Ouistreham and Colleville-sur-Orne. The latter was designed for 30 men and cannons capable of firing up to 1,300 metres away.

In the summer of 1944, Colleville was liberated, but the destruction in the town was extensive. The seafront was unrecognisable, with not a single house left standing - everything had to be rebuilt. The people of Colleville wanted to make a fresh start and thank their British liberators. So in 1946, the small town changed its name to Colleville-Montgomery.

On Saint-Vigor's day, Colleville celebrates the Sunday after 14 July. This day is dedicated to many events: remembrance of those who died for France, family reunions, a brass band and torchlight procession and the evening ball.

The festivities continue on Monday in Colleville-Plage, with organised games and races. A truly happy occasion for young and old alike.

The first school can be dated back to January 1681. Instruction was provided by the parish priest and vicar. But knowing how to read and write was not essential for parents at the time, as most of the inhabitants were farmers or stockbreeders. On the eve of the French Revolution, the registers show that many inhabitants still signed their names with a cross.

The oldest part of Colleville church dates back to the end of the 11th century. Romanesque art is still very much in evidence, with numerous archivolts (decorative moulded bands).

A chapel, Notre-Dame des vœux, has adjoined the choir of the church since the 13th century. It features stained glass windows depicting scenes from the childhood of Jesus.

The manor house known as "Le Château", in the rue Grande, dates back to the 18th century and was owned by one of Louis XVI's physicians. It was in 1789, with the beginnings of the reform of the French Monarchy, that the small commune took the name of Colleville-sur-Orne. In 1836, Colleville had a population of 765, 258 of whom (80% women) worked in the lace industry in Colleville.