Colleville-sur-Mer (, literally ''Colleville on Sea'') is a
commune in the
Calvados department in
Normandie region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
in northwestern
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
.
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 the Conqueror (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), sometimes called William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England (as William I), reigning from 1066 until his death. A descendant of Rollo, he was D ...
or following it, Gilbert de Colleville was given lands in Devon England, it was from this Knight that the modern
de Colville/Colvin 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 6 June 1944 of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War. Codenamed Operation Neptune and ...
on 6 June 1944, designated
Omaha Beach.
Population
Sights
*
Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial 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 is located in Colleville-sur-Mer.
See also
*
Colleville-Montgomery
*
Communes of the Calvados department
The following is a list of the 526 Communes of France, communes of the Calvados (department), Calvados Departments of France, department of France.
The communes cooperate in the following Communes of France#Intercommunality, intercommunalities ...
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
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