Relive the D-Day landings at Arromanches in 1944

The ARROMANCHES 1944 application aims to renew memorial tourism by offering an augmented reality reading of the Arromanches site, complementing the offerings of local museums. The app also encourages visitors to move between the various tourist sites in the region, immersing them in history.

Geolocated narratives bring to life the Canadian landings on Juno Beach and the artificial harbor created to supply the troops. Augmented reality makes it possible to get as close as possible to the reality of the time. The image adapts to the visitor's location, allowing him or her to turn 360° and relive history.

The application is available in English, French and German. It is suitable for the deaf and hard-of-hearing (LSF), the blind and partially-sighted, and people with reduced mobility.

ARROMANCHES 1944 is the fruit of a major local mobilization (Normandy Region, Calvados Department, Communauté de Communes, communes), with the scientific support of the museums (Arromanches, Juno Beach Centre, Caen Peace Memorial) and the work of theBiplan agencyand Polymorphe Designand the OHRIZON and the University of Caen Normandie.

ARROMANCHES 1944 has received numerous awards, including the Ulysse Prize for Tourism Innovation awarded by the World Tourism Organization in 2014.

The importance of Arromanches in the Normandy Landings

A few days after the Allied landings on June 14, 1944, the seaside resort of Arromanches-les-Bains became the site of an artificial port for transporting supplies needed for combat. This is one of the finest examples of military and logistical engineering of the Second World War.

Faced with the deterioration of historic monuments and the dwindling number of surviving veterans, the Communauté de Communes Bessin, Seulles et Mer sought innovative ways to maintain tourist interest after 2014 and preserve our historical heritage. This led to the development of the ARROMANCHES 1944 application, which combines augmented reality, 3D and GPS to promote the historic sites of the D-Day landings.

The ARROMANCHES 1944 app is based on a geolocated itinerary linking Juno Beach to the port of Arromanches, via Gold Beach. Using their smartphone or tablet, tourists can watch a re-enactment of the D-Day landings at the very spot where they took place, depending on their location. Film, sound and visual effects are combined to bring to life the history of the region and the port of Arromanches as it was at the time.

Particular attention was paid to the user experience of the ARROMANCHES 1944 application. Historians helped to validate the reconstructions of the artificial port of Arromanches, and technical adjustments were made to ensure maximum immersion.

The ARROMANCHES 1944 app was launched at the end of 2013 and has already won the Ulysse Prize for Tourism Innovation awarded by the World Tourism Organization. A major communications campaign is planned this year to celebrate the 70th anniversary of D-Day, and five million visitors are expected throughout the Normandy region.

"ARROMANCHES 1944 is an innovative tool for discovering and preserving the historical heritage of the D-Day landings in Normandy." Jean-Louis de Mourgues, Chairman.

Thanks to the ARROMANCHES 1944 application and augmented reality, visitors can relive the D-Day landings as if they were there in June 1944. This immersive experience links the past with the present, preserving the memory of this major historical event. ARROMANCHES 1944 is an innovative example of how new technologies and augmented reality can be used to promote memorial tourism and preserve historical heritage.