Tourism associations and tourist offices: a local history

As July 1975 approached, a report presented Vierville-sur-Mer in its dual rural and seaside vocation. The municipality, which had 255 permanent inhabitants at the census, welcomed about two thousand vacationers during the season. The newspaper recalled more than a century of seaside development, brutally interrupted by the war and the Landing of June 6, 1944, in the area of Omaha Beach.

The reconstruction was mentioned through the mayor of 1944, Fernand Leterrier, his deputy Ygouf and the councilors of the time, then Michel Hardelay, elected three years later to succeed Leterrier. Communal buildings, farms, village houses, church, villas and second homes had been restored. The locations of the waterfront had returned, in large numbers, to a level comparable to that of the pre-war period. The text also recalled that in 1848 the maternal great-grandfather of the then mayor, Mr. de Bughas, had bought one of the first lots of the cliff. A railway engineer, this ancestor was associated with the construction of the Paris-Cherbourg line; around 1900, the customs road was in turn mentioned, but the rest of the sentence was cut.

The mayor explained that he had succeeded Michel Hardelay, who had not wanted to renew his mandate for personal reasons. He described a democratic municipal functioning, with decisions taken unanimously nine times out of ten. For major projects, the population was consulted and their opinions taken into account. His concern was about the next generation: he wanted to interest young people in communal life. An experiment of inviting them to council meetings had, according to him, failed. Nevertheless, he said he was ready to continue if young people expressed a willingness to participate, in particular by appointing delegates.

Maintain the school and welcome young people

Part of the school interview is missing. The preserved passage specified that the school could welcome students from neighboring municipalities affected by a closure, the necessary premises being available. A canteen was planned for the next school year and a longer-term children's class. Despite the uncertainty about the future, the municipality said it wanted to do everything to maintain the school.

The municipality also welcomed French or foreign groups. Two hundred German Catholic scouts were announced for the summer. Free camping enthusiasts, presented as friendly and free of their choice, benefited from few tolerance possibilities in Vierville.

Agriculture, urban planning and coastal

Asked about the resmembering, the mayor acknowledged that the dispersion of crops and grasses complicated the work of some farmers. However, he preferred amicable groupings by exchanges, in order to respect hedges, slopes and ditches. He specified that the farms were not necessarily dispersed because the professionals entrusted young people with the care of ensuring their continuity.

The land use plan was in preparation. According to him, it was necessary to consider the future extension of the village in the long term, while limiting immediate ambitions to the possibilities of roads, water and electricity. The problem of surfaces could lead to the disappearance of large agricultural parcels; only small units whose operation could not rationally use modern means were presented as capable of conversion. Fourteen individual pavilions were being completed and other projects existed.

A tourism cooperation to expand

The report highlighted the common destiny of Vierville, Saint-Laurent and Colleville, who entered together in the history of Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. The mayor believed that closer tourism cooperation would benefit these three inseparable municipalities. An intercommunal union of the beach of Omaha already existed, but its action was limited to the surveillance of the beaches of Vierville and Saint-Laurent, Colleville ensuring its own. He wanted an expansion of the union to harmonize tourism development at the level of Omaha, without questioning a merger of municipalities. Any proposal for enlargement deserves, in his eyes, a careful study.

A passage on site projects was cut; the text preserved nevertheless ensured that the landscape would be safeguarded and that the land use plan would take it into account. A second proposal was to be considered by the Council in about two weeks.

Among the current achievements, the promenade pier was to offer an advance of about fifty meters, likely to be extended. The mayor hoped that it would satisfy vacationers and fishermen. Subsidized to thirty-five percent, it was part of the tourist facilities selected by the General Council.

For the summer, Vierville announced two rallies, daily beach games, a children's club, sailing and exhibitions dedicated to painting or crafts. The sea remained the main attraction, but walks in the hinterland were also appreciated by regulars. The report concluded with the wish for a sunny summer for beach lovers as well as those who preferred the shade of the parasol.

The associations cited

A box listed the veterans and former prisoners of war, chaired by Arthur Pignolet; the agricultural union, chaired by René Lenourichel, with Jean-Claude Ygouf on the secretariat; the Friends of the beach, whose vice-presidents were Michel Hardelay and Pierre Le Gallois; the Omaha Beach water union, chaired by Michel Hardelay; the Vaumicel equestrian club, led by Hubert de Bellaigue de Bughas, reachable then at 22 41 48; the nautical club, chaired by Mrs. Voisin; the tennis club, designated CUMA and chaired by J.-P. Hausermann; and the Omaha Beach campsite, whose owner-director was Mr. Chitel, at 22 41 73.

Mayor of Vierville, Mr. de Bellaigue defended a tourist development respectful of the character of the village and its two and a half kilometers of coastline. He preferred to limit new constructions and improve the reception in existing buildings, including a few kilometers from the sea. The population, of 255 inhabitants in ordinary times according to the article, increased tenfold during the summer.

Since 1973, he himself offered guest rooms in his 16th century mansion. After the departure of his children, part of the house had become available, while the riders of the equestrian center were looking for accommodation and the municipality lacked reception capacity. Four rooms, including one of fifty square meters, now received summer visitors.

This income contributed to the maintenance of the mansion. Mr. de Bellaigue stressed that old agricultural residences no longer always corresponded to modern exploitation methods: their transformation into bed and breakfasts or cottages could avoid their abandonment while limiting the construction of new buildings.

He also insisted on the links between visitors and residents. In his eyes, the stay in the countryside allowed city dwellers to find an art of living, to make friends and to better understand the difficulties of the rural world. Other owners were already following this path: Mr. Ringott in Amblie, Mr. Petit in Colleville, Mr. Leroy in Commes, Mr. Ver Ecke in Crépon and Mrs. Bouvier in Neuilly-la-Forêt. The article is signed Yvon Lechevestrier.

In January 1978, five young people wishing to meet and lead a common project began photographing Vierville to make a montage for the inhabitants. The work led them to study local history. Jean-Marie Oxéant, Rémi Hardelay, Didier Deboté, Évelyne and Lydie Bunouf had already gathered documents in the bulletins of the Antiquaires de Normandie, at the Bayeux library and at the town hall.

They solicited people with books, photographs or other archives to enrich their research. They wanted to present an audiovisual montage to the Viervillais and the summer visitors, but also sought technical help for the projection of the slides and the recording.

Two tracks were mentioned. A family tree starting from Guillaume de Vierville in 1165 indicated the departure of this family from France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. A branch would have reached Ohio; according to the hypothesis reported, Neil Armstrong might descend from that branch through his maternal grandmother, described as a member of the de Vierville family. The denomination does not provide the documents to establish this relationship.

An antiquarians’ bulletin also traced the existence of a port that would have disappeared in 1765. Its ruin was probably attributed to the competition of Port-en-Bessin and Grandcamp and the cost of maintenance. The Allied artificial port project of June 1944 was thus reconciled with this ancient maritime tradition.

Jean-Marie Oxéant hoped to complete the assembly for the following summer and make it an opportunity for a meeting between the inhabitants.

Residents of Vierville met to organize leisure activities in the municipality. The municipal council hosted the meeting, with the mayor Mr. Hardelay, the deputy Mr. Oxéant and Abbé Tourquetil. Several activities were planned for residents and summer visitors.

Young people were already training in football with Mr. de Moor, but the purchase or rental of a field near the village seemed necessary before forming teams. Mr. Boisnel offered to lead a table tennis section.

A montage of photographs prepared for two years was to tell the story of Vierville and the local life of the Bessin before the war. It would be presented at a friendly evening after its completion. Residents with photographs, postcards or other historical documents were invited to contact Jean-Marie Oxéant.

The summer program included a ball on the square on July 14, a car rally and a cycling rally in July. A sea festival was planned around August 15, with decorated boats and boats and water games. Volleyball tournaments with the beach club, cross and rally were also offered for August.

Mrs. de Bellaigue announced the July 13 horse festival at the Vaumicel, with polo teams, equestrian competitions and hitch competitions. The participants decided to take over the status of the former Friends of the Beach, inactive for several years, before reconstituting an office. A constituent meeting was scheduled for Friday, April 11 at 8:30 p.m. at the town hall.

This portrait of Vierville starts from the ancient form Wiarevilla, attested in 1158 according to the newspaper, and presents several etymological hypotheses: a Germanic name, Wero, the word villa designating a domain, or a lord named Vire. The municipality had 292 inhabitants in 1985 on 623 hectares. Tourism, from Easter to All Saints' Day, dominated its activity, with a summer capacity of about 3,000 people welcomed in three hotels, furnished, camping, rural or equestrian cottages and guest rooms. A German organization came camping every year with children and teenagers.

The Friends of the Beach, chaired by Mr. Delobel with Mrs. Racine as treasurer, offered table tennis, voluntary gymnastics in winter and various activities. The rally on Saturday, March 22 brought together fourteen cars, then 120 people around a buffet at the VVF in Colleville. The announced program included a cycling race with Trévières on May 1, the festivities of July 14 and a Norman day with a fair for all on August 10. Hubert de Bellaighue de Bughas ran the Vaumicel riding school. The SNSM station had a Zodiac that could intervene all year round.

Created by Daniel Trefeu and Mr. Levéel, the Landing Museum welcomed 35,000 visitors in 1985. Its hours were announced from March 22 to October 1, from 10 a.m. to noon and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., with continuous opening from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in July and August. The municipality had undergone new constructions in 1985. It maintained twelve farms, two grocery stores, a bakery, a butcher, a Monday morning market - twenty to twenty-five exhibitors in summer -, a mason, a painter, a garage-gas station and a podiatrist who made orthopedic insoles. Signered paths started from the church towards Louvières, Asnières and Saint-Laurent, and the path of the domains ran along the coast.

The newspaper listed the places of memory: the stele of the first American cemetery, the monument of the National Guard on a bunker, that of the genius on the side of the cliff, the plaque of the Rangers at the Hôtel du Casino, a stele of the 8th armored battalion and a plaque of the chemical mortar battalion on the fence of the cemetery. Jean-Marie Oxeant, mayor since 1983, had been deputy in 1979 and councilor since 1977; the average age of the council was estimated at 35 years.

The ancient heritage included the church and its medieval bell tower, the 16th century Vaumicel mansion, the 18th century Vierville Castle and the ruins of an older tower. The text recalled the tradition that Father Henry Edgwarth, who had accompanied Louis XVI on the scaffold, was said to have found refuge in a turret during the Terror. He still mentioned the ruins of Than's mansion, the castle of the Isles known by the postcards of Daniel Trefeu, the castle of Saint-Sever inhabited by Mrs. de Mons, the fortified farm of Lormel and the barn buildings of Crépigny.

Regarding this last property, the article evoked a Protestant family and its descendants established in the United States, Germany and Switzerland, then recalled the arrival of Vierville's descendants from the United States to marry there. He concluded with the affirmation of a Vierville origin of the first man who walked on the Moon, without providing any justification in this cut. The photographs, from Prigent, show in particular Mrs. de Mons, 90 years old, and a restaurant fresco.

This ancient presentation describes Vierville as a family resort appreciated since the beginning of the century. On one side, the sandy beach welcomes swimming and rest; on the other, the rocks attract fishermen of mussels, bouquets and crabs. The village would go, according to the article, from two hundred and fifty inhabitants out of season to three thousand people in summer.

Camping, hotels, restaurants, food shops and Monday market made the stay easier. A monitored area reassured families. In case of less favorable weather at the beach, the Friends of the beach offered games, petanque, table tennis, scrabble and rallies. The vacationers could also participate in their organization to meet the inhabitants.

The Vaumicel offered horseback riding on the beach or in the countryside. Tennis and marked paths completed the activities. Heritage lovers were invited to discover the castle of Vierville and the fortified farms of Ormel and Crestigny, then the Museum of the Landing.

The initiative union was then on the waterfront promenade, facing the monument. The article insisted on the loyalty of summer visitors to this neighboring commune of Colleville and Saint-Laurent.

Bernard Mathy, a young retiree living in Vierville opposite Omaha Beach, had created a personal site to share his favorites in the region. One of his four sons, Julien, had introduced him to computer science and the Internet. Equipped for about a year, he quickly wanted to make known what was touching him around Omaha.

Before his retirement, four years earlier, he mainly frequented the house built by his grandfather at the beginning of the century, with a large bay window open to the sea. Having become a more regular resident, he observed visitors who, like him in the past, discovered little of the interior. His site wanted to give them ideas to start again by getting to know the region better.

The address presented, perso.wanadoo.fr/lasource, brought together choices between Port-en-Bessin, Isigny, Trévières and Bernesq. Pages on the Landing completed the whole: Bernard Mathy was personally interested in it and attended many commemorative ceremonies.

The section of popular places did not copy guides. To talk about the merchants of the Port-en-Bessin market, restaurants, Isigny caramels and other local products, he collected the information himself. He sometimes had to explain the selfless nature of his approach. Those interested were then happy to have a worldwide showcase; a butcher from Port had even printed and displayed the page in his shop.

Put online in 1997, the site had only counted its connections since July 1998. On the Wednesday before the report, La Renaissance was the 1,843th visitor. A tourist site, Enjoy France, had referenced it a few weeks earlier.

The exchanges went beyond the simple counter: Bernard Mathy received many emails, including a request from Singapore on the best route from London to Omaha. He sometimes directed correspondents to travel agencies.

He wanted to make the site more lively by announcing demonstrations, such as the Perriots jumping in July, while maintaining his freedom of choice. He did not want to become a simple mailbox and intended to check the information before publishing it. The report is signed T. H.

Asnières, Colleville, Formigny, Louvières, Saint-Laurent, Trévières and Vierville have grouped together in the SIVOM of the beaches of Omaha to jointly develop beach and country tourism. An initiative union had been officially created two months earlier. In the absence of a clean room, he occupied the game room on Vierville beach, marked by a large "I".

Between four and thirty people showed up every day to get documentation, rental addresses and hotel reservations. Two people recruited under the TUC system were on duty from July to September. The office brought together two delegates from each municipality and had updated the accommodation lists for the entire territory.

A leaflet was in preparation. Mr. Delobel explained that he preferred to wait for good photographs rather than publish in a hurry in July, too late to launch the season. The document was to be ready at the beginning of the following year. The balance sheet would also make it possible to decide on the modalities of a permanence, possibly half-time.

Alain Racine, twenty-four, a cinema decorator, created a fifteen-hole mini golf course on the former children's club ground, at the foot of the campsite descent and facing the sea. His parents were known in local associations.

This activity completed the Norman festivals, beach games, petanque and rallies of the Friends of the Beach, as well as the next reopening of the nautical club for sailing and windsurfing.

The minigolf was open on weekends, then had to operate every day from June to September from 9 a.m. The lighting would allow you to play until 10 p.m. in July and August. The first fifteen days of opening during the Easter holidays had attracted tourists and locals. The course cost fifteen francs. Alain Racine also offered bicycle rental.

The Friends of the Beach and the initiative union of seven municipalities — Saint-Laurent, Colleville, Louvières, Asnières, Formigny, Vierville and Trévières — sought to strengthen the tourist reception. The restart of the sailing club, the creation of a minigolf and the management of a tennis course built by the municipality gave, according to the article, encouraging results.

Jean-Pierre Delobel, head of the committee and the initiative union, believed that the simple passage of tourists was not enough: they had to be offered activities to encourage them to stay, including playful and cultural proposals in bad weather.

The Omaha Beach Yachting Club had ceased its activity three years earlier. Thanks to the tenacity of the president, named Viejot in the cut, the treasurer Mr. Soudon and the municipality, he had just restarted. The Optimists had made their first outing a week earlier. Two qualified instructors, Ronan and Pierre, welcomed about twenty students a day.

Since Easter, a fifteen-hole mini-golf course, hosted by Alain Racine, a young resident of Vierville, was open near the pier from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Bicycles could be rented next door, by the hour, half a day, a day or a week to explore the countryside.

The Friends of the Beach also managed the tennis club. The cards were available at Mr. Delobel's campsite or bazaar. For a person outside the municipality, the printed rates were two hundred francs per year, one hundred and sixty francs per month, eighty francs per week or forty-five francs per hour. The initiative union then informed visitors every day from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Syndicat intercommunal des plages d'Omaha, or SIPO, operated as an initiative union. He sought to promote the reception of vacationers on the coast as well as in the interior of Bessin, through leaflets, accommodation lists and participation in tourist magazines.

Its general assembly met on a Wednesday evening at the town hall of Vierville, under the chairmanship of Jean-Pierre Delobel. The six member municipalities were represented by their delegates: Mr. Delobel and Mrs. Demoor for Vierville, Mr. André for Saint-Laurent, Mrs. Cuillandre for Asnières, Mr. Gromelon for Louvières, Mrs. Lamy and Mr. Leroux for Formigny, and Mr. Richard for Trévières.

The collector, Mr. Caillebotte, presented a balanced budget of 23,000 francs, with a closing surplus of 17,000 francs. The per capita participation remained set at 5.80 francs. Jean-Pierre Delobel retained the presidency and Ms. Cuillandre was elected vice-president.

The ten thousand leaflets published two years earlier, in French and English, had been distributed. A new edition presenting the beaches of Omaha and green tourism was planned. The SIPO also wanted to bring together the accommodation options - furnished, cottages, hotels and campsites - in a list distributed by the delegates of the municipalities. Another list was to make the leisure activities of the region known to the vacationers.

The union had participated in the publication of a brochure and a leaflet on the Bessin. Finally, its managers wanted to involve professionals, including hoteliers and landlords, more in their activities and organize an information meeting for them.

After two years of interruption, a tourist reception point had reopened on July 7 in Vierville, in a communal premises by the sea. This recovery was carried out under the impetus of the Isigny tourist office, which was preparing its evolution towards an intercantonal structure. Christine Deligny provided the reception alone, whose closure was scheduled for September 4.

The first assessment gave hope for nearly 2,000 visitors over the season. In July, 842 people showed up, about as many as during the first twenty days of August. Among them, the French were the most numerous in July, with 410 people, ahead of the Germans, 164, then the English, Dutch, Spanish, Belgian and Italians, Americans and a Greek visitor.

The requests mainly focused on the landing beaches and accommodation, including bed and breakfasts and campsites. Many visitors were also looking for pins and souvenirs of the region; Christine only had the pins of the SNSM. His exhibition on the history of Vierville also attracted attention.

The municipality had decided to open a tourist office, run during the summer by Mélanie Buhours. Mayor Jean-Marie Oxéant wanted to better inform visitors in order to transform the passages into stays.

Jacqueline Blanc, departmental president, was pleased with the creation of the department's fifty-second office. The one in Vierville had to work with local professionals and the ADTLB to promote the activities of the Bessin. Its location between the American cemetery and the Pointe du Hoc was presented as an asset for the development of the coast.

One Tuesday, tourism professionals in Omaha and local elected officials discovered the premises of the new Vierville tourist office and its manager, Mélanie Buhours. Open for a week, well located and supported by signage from the municipality's providers, the office had to give visitors the desire to come, stay and return.

Mayor Jean-Marie Oxéant and Jacqueline Blanc, departmental president of the tourist offices, stressed the necessary quality of the reception. The establishment announced an opening from July 1 to August 31, Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., as well as Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

After the visit, a meeting in the party hall presented its operation. Elected officials, traders and association leaders sat on the board of directors. A municipal subsidy and contributions, of two hundred francs for professionals and fifty for support, provided his resources.

Cooperation with neighboring offices and as many municipalities as possible was to help to face a season announced as gloomy, especially with fewer English customers. The display of the weather and tide coefficients, as well as the subscription to local newspapers to know cinemas and events, were suggested. The office could book tourist circuits, but would not yet offer currency exchange, especially on Sundays when post offices were closed. A buffet of local products brought together the participants.

Meeting at the town hall on a Saturday evening, the general assembly of the tourist office heard the assessment of the 1996 season. The office included Jean-Marie Oxéant, President, P. Ygouf, Vice-President, Ms. Y. Legallois, treasurer, and Mrs. S. Legallois, secretary; Mrs. M. Buhours was welcoming.

The office had received 2,021 visitors: 103 from the opening of June 25, 896 in July and 1,022 in August. In July, the French, Dutch and Germans accounted for 70% of the attendance; the order evolved in August, with the English occupying fourth place.

The hours from Monday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., seemed to meet the needs. However, the hostess suggested replacing Sunday morning hours, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a later closing on weekdays, at 6:30 p.m., to respond to accommodation searches. An opening from June 15 to September 15 was decided, with the aim of welcoming the public during the big spring weekends.

The financial balance was sound, but only 46 professionals had paid their contribution of 200 F. The Assembly wanted to convince more for 1997. The projects included signage of Vierville's membership in Omaha Beach, signs indicating the office and the emergency station, and a suggestion box. Information had to be taken for a temporary ATM and better exchange opportunities. Intercantonal work with the DDJS was also envisaged for the sports and cultural activities of young people.

After three months of opening and a closure on September 15, the Vierville tourist office has taken stock of its second season. At the request of Mayor Jean-Marie Oxéant, the hostess, Miss Tuny, presented results deemed rather satisfactory.

Overall attendance increased from 2,021 people in 1996 to 1,997 in 1997. The decrease mainly concerned the French, numbering 933 compared to 1,285 the previous year, while foreign visitors were more numerous.

The published list mentions 130 British, 194 Germans, 238 Dutch, 66 Italians, 70 Belgians, six Spaniards, eight Swiss, two Luxembourgers, five Swedes, two Czechs, two Poles, forty-seven Americans, nine Japanese and two Australians. Attracted first by the Landing, tourists were also interested in the hinterland, its preserved character and coastal trails.

The office cooperated with its neighbors on the coast and from the interior as well as with the ADTLB, Pays d'accueil touristique du Bessin, to make the region known, facilitate stays and make you want to come back. Applications received for the following year were presented as an encouraging sign.

The Vierville tourist office held its general meeting on a Friday, under the chairmanship of Jean-Marie Oxéant, in the presence of Mr. Mouquier, Mayor of Saint-Laurent. The president recalled his missions: welcoming visitors to Omaha, providing reliable information, facilitating accommodation proposals and cooperating with other structures in the sector.

The office had received 3,200 people during the 2000 season, a slight increase. Almost half had come in August and the French represented 70% of the total. Among a dozen foreign nationalities, Dutch and English preceded Americans, Germans and Italians. Mélanie Buhours had provided the permanences and the balance sheet; the mayor thanked her for the quality of her welcome. Ms. Chitel presented balanced accounts, financed by grants and contributions.

The assembly wanted to go further, by associating the duty to the historical site with other activities related to the sea, the coast and Norman history. Several perspectives were mentioned: creation of an information point near the American cemetery of Colleville by the Intercom; improvement of the illumination of the church of Vierville in the ADTLB circuit; project to expand the museum with acquisition of three elements of the floating port of Arromanches; return of a nautical activity thanks to an agreement with Eolia. Paragliding was also considered.

Jean-Marie Oxéant, also mayor, wanted to distinguish municipal and associative management. Ms. Hamel was therefore elected president. Despite an initial lack of volunteers, all positions were filled: Mr. Guesdon vice-president, Ms. Chitel treasurer, Mr. Leroux secretary, and Messrs. d'Hérouville, Ygouf, Oxéant and Chedal-Langlay members.

The tourist office had planned a discovery of fishing on foot on the beach of Vierville. The coefficient and schedule of the tide were favorable, the equipment was ready and the mayor, Jean-Marie Oxéant, had to guide the participants.

However, a thunderstorm prevented the exit. Postponed to Wednesday, the animation finally benefited from favorable weather. Other fans were then able to join the group for this discovery of the coast with the mayor.

For the sixtieth anniversary of the Landing, the Bessin Tourist Reception Country offered special editions of "Mon village se raconte", giving the floor to witnesses of the events. A visit organized on a Saturday afternoon concerned the three municipalities of Omaha Beach: Vierville-sur-Mer, Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer and Colleville-sur-Mer.

About fifty people had first found themselves in the parking lot of the church of Vierville. The mayor, Jean-Marie Oxéant, presented the village during the German Occupation and the first hours of the Liberation. He recalled the significant damage suffered by his heritage during the bombings of June 6 and 7, 1944. Several testimonies accompanied the stages in the village.

The group then went to Saint-Laurent, near the Monument Signal, where Mayor Raymond Mouquet continued the explanations. The visit ended in Colleville with its mayor, Patrick Thomines. The article highlighted the emotion aroused by this collective reading of history.

The program of the Omaha Beach Tourist Office announced a Castles, Mansions and Delicacies meeting at Vierville Castle on Monday, August 8, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This heritage aperitif cost 9.50 euros per adult and five euros for those under thirteen, by reservation.

In the Au fil de l'eau series, a free fishing trip on foot was planned in Vierville on Wednesday, August 17, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., with explanations and practice. Participants had to bring their equipment and book.

The second edition of Omaha Festiv, a rock festival, was scheduled for Friday, August 12 at 7:30 p.m. in Vierville. The price was six euros, five in pre-sale at the office and at the Leclerc de Bayeux, free of charge for children under ten.

Created in 2010 for the five years of the Omaha Beach Tourist Office, Omaha Festi'v was to offer every summer a public musical event anchored in the territory. Its second edition was announced for Friday, August 12, from 7:30 p.m. to midnight, in Vierville.

Red Rooster was to open the evening as part of a musical springboard. The Le Havre group Fenouil et les fines herbes offered French songs mixing waltz, ska, folk, blues and reggae. Skanka, also a fan of genre mixing, had already played alongside Rude Boy System, Mouss & Hakim and Têtes Raides. The headliner, The Lanskies, arrived after passages at the Vieilles Charrues, Beauregard and the Transmusicales, with new titles.

The site, rue du Hamel aux Prêtres, was scheduled to open at 6:30 p.m. Admission was announced at €6 per adult or €5 in pre-sale at the tourist office and at Leclerc, with free admission for children under ten. Free parking, snack bar, rotisserie and sandwich shop were provided on site.

On Friday, August 12, from 7:30 p.m. to midnight, the second edition of Omaha Festiv offered four groups in Vierville. Born in 2010 for the fifth anniversary of the Omaha Beach tourist office, the festival wanted to become a unifying summer event, representative of the territory and open to all.

Red Rooster, a Bayeusan formation, was to open the evening as a musical springboard. Fenouil et les Fines Herbes, from Le Havre, offered French songs mixing waltz, ska, folk, blues and reggae. His press kit claimed themes taken from mood, the garden, daily life, love, the bistro or politics, in a raging atmosphere.

Skanka, who has already worked alongside Rude Boy System, Mouss and Hakim or Têtes Raides, mixed committed or dreamlike texts with festive music. His mentioned influences ranged from the Mano Negra to the Ruda Salska, the Phaze and the Black Béruriers. Electric guitars, trombone, trumpet and saxophone carried the energy of its eight musicians, attached to sharing with the public.

The Anglo-Norman headliner The Lanskies arrived with new titles after the Vieilles Charrues, Beauregard and the Transmusicales. The rue du Hamel-aux-Prêtres site opened at 6:30 p.m., with free parking and catering. Admission cost six euros, five in pre-sale at the office or at Leclerc, and was free for children under ten years old.

One Friday night, the public responded to the Omaha Beach tourist office to listen to four groups during the second edition of Omaha Festiv. On the heights of Vierville, facing the sea, the festival wanted to become an important appointment of the intermunicipal calendar and respond to the curiosity of a public who loves novelties.

The evening opened with Red Rooster, a young group that the springboard allowed to play despite its lack of notoriety. Three regional formations succeeded him, between rock, pop and softer melodies, always rhythmic. Fennel and the Fine Herbs particularly attracted attention; The Lanskies finished in great energy.

Antoine de Bellaigue wanted a program open to forms of pop-rock, addressing young people while promoting meetings between generations and family conviviality. He thanked the forty volunteers for their availability and dedication, essential to the event. He hoped that the Normans, of origin or adoption, would gradually appropriate this festival.

To finance the edition of Omaha Festi'v announced on Saturday, August 9, 2014 in Vierville, the Omaha Beach tourist office was launching a campaign on Ulule. The goal was to raise €800 before July 4, with a minimum contribution of €5.

The counterparties planned were graduated: the Omaha level at €5; bronze at €15, with an entrance and a poster; platinum at €30, with two starters, two posters, two drinks and a surprise; money at €40, adding two slices of fries; gold at €50, also allowing you to attend the balances and take a photo with the musicians; VIP at €100, with an additional meal in the boxes.

The information was then available at 02 31 51 39 52 and 07 86 27 00 17, as well as on fr.ulule.com.

The Heritage Foundation and the General Council of Calvados announced the first departmental edition of Pierres en Lumières for Saturday, May 19, from 9 p.m. to one o'clock in the morning, at the same time as the Museum Night. Already present in the Orne since 2009 and the Manche since 2011, the operation was to mobilize nearly seventy municipalities, associations and owners of Calvados. The nighttime entertainment was free and open to all.

Electric lighting, candles and torches could reveal churches, mansions, washhouses, mills or dovecotes; tales, concerts and exhibitions also offered a symbolic spotlight. Thierry Aveline de Rossignol, regional delegate of the Foundation, highlighted the magic of monuments transformed by lighting and that of local mobilization.

In Asnelles, the barn with tithes of the 14th and 15th centuries, under restoration, had to be illuminated. At 9:30 p.m., Pascal Hébert, Alain Lange, Alain Scribe and Gérard Pouchain would talk about the story in four voices. From 10 p.m., an outdoor projection would present pastels and inks by André Ricair from the 1930s-1950s on Asnelles, Tracy-sur-Mer, Arromanches, Saint-Côme-du-Fresné and Meuvaines, with historical readings.

In Bayeux, the Augustine Chapel, owned by the hospital center since the Revolution and consecrated in 1704, would reveal its remarkable furniture in an interior illuminated with music. Usually closed for work, it would be visible from a secure reception area. At Molay-Littry, the village of the Mine would offer from 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. commented visits of thirty to forty minutes of the town hall and the chapel of the Mineurs, with an illuminated square and coordination with the museum.

In Tracy-sur-Mer, the stained glass windows of Saint-Martin would be illuminated. Redone in 1960 by Adeline Hébert-Stevens after the war, they represented Saint Martin and the Landing. In Sainte-Croix-sur-Mer, the church of the Exaltation-de-la-Sainte-Croix, from the 12th century, would present its 16th century baptismal font, its 13th century portal and the tomb of Abbé Gillette embedded in the wall of the sacristy built in 1841. Church, yew and stained glass windows would be illuminated. A visit by Mr. Brunet, professor emeritus of geography in Caen, was scheduled at 9 p.m., then a Georgian recital of Tsitsinatela at 9:30 p.m.

In Sommervieu, the church of Saint-Pierre, with its choir from the late 13th century, its nave rebuilt in the 18th century and its bell tower-porch from 1756, would host three mini-choir concerts in Soulles between 8:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. In Vaux-sur-Aure, the Argouges mansion, a medieval and Renaissance ensemble on RD 153 between Bayeux and Port-en-Bessin, would offer outdoor illuminations, a presentation by the owners and an exhibition by Solène Eloy.

In Vierville, a circuit accessible to all of about three kilometers combined torches and history: appointment at 9 p.m. at the church parking lot, departure at 9:15 p.m. to the castle, exterior and ground floor visit from 9:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., exterior discovery of the Vaumicel at 10:15 p.m., then return to the Saint-André church at 11 p.m.

In Villiers-le-Sec, a thirty-to forty-five-minute walk between popular songs and fantastic tales connected St. Lawrence Church, the castle gate and the bread oven, from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. An arrowed course, marked with lights, and a glass of friendship completed the meeting.

The ADTLB also offered about thirty-five illuminated monuments, visible only from the outside: the castles of Fontaine-Henry and Creully; the Rançonnière and the church of Crépon; the churches of Saint-Côme-de-Fresné and Vaux-sur-Aure; the castle of Maisons; the castle of Vaulaville and the church of Tour-en-Bessin; the churches of Mosles, Surrain and Formigny; the chapel of Saint-Louis and the monument of the battle of Formigny; the churches of Asnières, Louvières and Vierville; the castle of Vierville; the church and the washhouse of Écrammeville; the castle and the church of Colombières; the churches of Bricqueville and Trévières; the castle of Englesqueville-la-Percée; the farm of the farm of Géfosse-Fontenay; the town hall of Isigny;

The Heritage Foundation and the General Council of Calvados proposed, on Saturday, May 19, 2012, an edition of "Pierres en lumières" designed to discover the department's heritage in a different way. In Vierville-sur-Mer, the municipality and the tourist office of Omaha Beach announced a night walk with torchlights, from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

The appointment was set at 9 p.m. in the church parking lot, with free parking. At 9:15 p.m., a welcome and a historic presentation of the town were to precede the departure to the Château de Vierville. The visit to its exteriors, from 9:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., was accompanied by comments and anecdotes from the owner, Jean-Paul Hausermann.

At 10:15 p.m., participants had to cross the park to reach the Vaumicel mansion, whose exteriors were presented by Antoine de Bellaigue. The return to the starting point was announced at 11 p.m., with a visit to the Saint-André church.

This tour of about three kilometers, open to all, was free and without reservation. Participants could bring torches.

Despite humid weather, more than a hundred people participated on a Saturday evening in a visit proposed by the municipality and the tourist office as part of Pierres en Lumières. The public was first welcomed at the church, where Jean-Marie Oxéant presented the history of Vierville.

Armed with torches, the visitors then toured the village: Château de Vierville, crossing the park to the mansion of Thaon, then mansion du Vaumicel. In each property, the owners welcomed them and told the story of the place. The evening ended around midnight with the delivery of a booklet devoted to the residences and the church. The report announced the intention to renew this formula the following year.

One Tuesday afternoon, the Omaha Beach Tourist Office offered a family fishing trip hosted by Jacques Héleine. The children from the recreation center joined the group.

For more than two hours, young and old learned environmentally friendly behaviors, fishing techniques, appropriate equipment and shell sizes to be respected. They discovered marine fauna and flora in a joyful atmosphere.

The article recalls that this activity takes place at low tide, with high tides discovering a larger area. It evokes a harvest of shellfish and crustaceans intended for consumption: this ancient story describes the exit, without informing about the current health authorizations. A new session was announced for Tuesday, July 31.

Omaha Festiv announced on a Saturday evening its third edition on the heights of the beach, with the ambition to pay tribute to American culture through rock. Antoine de Bellaigue, president of the tourist office and organizer, recalled the preparation carried out for several months by the team, elected officials and volunteers of the intercommunality, especially for the younger generations.

The festival was to contribute to local entertainment, attractiveness and economy. The organizers announced a renewed program compared to the previous two editions.

At 7:30 p.m., Drytown Project, a rock band from Caen founded in 2008, was due to open. Around 8:30 p.m., the six musicians of Patchamama would mix ska, reggae, world, electronic rap and folk in a mixed French song. At 9:50 p.m., Plastic Riot, a trio previously named Avatar since 2008 and renamed in February, would offer synthesizer, percussion and punk energy, between influences from Gang of Four and Cure.

Around 11 p.m., the Spaniards of Muyayo Rif, trained in 2000 and presented as a headliner of the new Barcelona scene, would close the evening. The Hamel-aux-Prêtres site opened at 6:30 p.m., with concerts until midnight, free parking and catering. Admission cost eight euros and was free for children under ten years old.

Created in August 2010 by the elected officials of the Intercom de Trévières and the tourist office, Omaha Festiv paid tribute to American culture through rock. Antoine de Bellaigue, president of the office and organizer, emphasized several months of joint preparation with elected officials and volunteers, particularly focused on the younger generations.

The objectives were to diversify the image of a territory marked by 1944, to make it attractive, to support the economy and to federate local actors. Communication, stage, food and drinks solicited companies in the sector; quality also required the use of professionals. Attendance increased among residents as well as tourists.

The third edition announced a program from 7:30 p.m. to midnight. Drytown Project, a rock band formed in Caen in 2008, was scheduled to open at 7:30 p.m. Patchamama would follow around 8:30 p.m.: six musicians with an average age of twenty years mixing ska, reggae, world, rap, electronics and folk, with thoughtful texts and a mixed-raced French song, dancing and open to meetings.

Around 9:50 p.m., Plastic Riot was to take the stage. This trio, formed in 2008 under the name Avatar and renamed in February, added synthesizer and percussion to a punk energy. The presentation brought his tracks closer to the groove of Gang of Four and the coldness of Cure.

The headliner Muyayo Rif was scheduled around 11 p.m. Founded in Spain in 2000, this group of the new Barcelona scene was presented as powerful, energetic, optimistic and joyful.

The Hamel-aux-Prêtres site opened at 6:30 p.m., with free parking and catering. The announced prices were eight euros on site, five in pre-sale until the evening of August 9 at the office, at the Leclerc Center or on Ticketnet, and free for children under ten years old.

Created in August 2010 by the elected officials of the Intercom de Trévières and the tourist office, Omaha Festiv paid tribute to American culture through rock. Antoine de Bellaigue, president of the office and organizer, emphasized several months of joint preparation with elected officials and volunteers, particularly focused on the younger generations.

The objectives were to diversify the image of a territory marked by 1944, to make it attractive, to support the economy and to federate local actors. Communication, stage, food and drinks solicited companies in the sector; quality also required the use of professionals. Attendance increased among residents as well as tourists.

The third edition announced a program from 7:30 p.m. to midnight. Drytown Project, a rock band formed in Caen in 2008, was scheduled to open at 7:30 p.m. Patchamama would follow around 8:30 p.m.: six musicians with an average age of twenty years mixing ska, reggae, world, rap, electronics and folk, with thoughtful texts and a mixed-raced French song, dancing and open to meetings.

Around 9:50 p.m., Plastic Riot was to take the stage. This trio, formed in 2008 under the name Avatar and renamed in February, added synthesizer and percussion to a punk energy. The presentation brought his tracks closer to the groove of Gang of Four and the coldness of Cure.

The headliner Muyayo Rif was scheduled around 11 p.m. Founded in Spain in 2000, this group of the new Barcelona scene was presented as powerful, energetic, optimistic and joyful.

The Hamel-aux-Prêtres site opened at 6:30 p.m., with free parking and catering. The announced prices were eight euros on site, five in pre-sale until the evening of August 9 at the office, at the Leclerc Center or on Ticketnet, and free for children under ten years old.

One Saturday evening, at the Hamel-aux-Prêtres overlooking Omaha Beach, the public flocked to the Omaha Festiv grand marquee. The third edition, devoted to American culture through rock, welcomed about a thousand people throughout the evening.

The organization, described as very professional, accompanied four groups: Drytown Project in the opening, then Patchamama, Plastic Riot and the Barcelonas of Muyayo Rif as the headliner. Standing or sitting in the large landscaped field, all generations met around rock, ska, rap, reggae, funk and folk. Patchamama mixed these influences with electronic touches in cosmopolitan music.

The Omaha Beach Tourist Office and the Vierville UFCV offered residents and holidaymakers a free program of family activities in July and August.

A big outdoor game was announced in Vierville on Wednesday, July 17, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Two fishing outings on foot were to follow, on Wednesdays, July 24 and August 7, with an appointment at 5 p.m. in the parking lot of the Hotel du Casino. A treasure hunt was scheduled for Wednesday, July 31 at 2:30 p.m., from the Trévières market square. Finally, a sand castle competition was scheduled for Friday, August 16 at 10 a.m. on Vierville beach.

For seaside outings, participants had to bring shovels, bugs, rakes and boots. The information was given to the Saint-Laurent information point or at 07 88 52 84 59.

The Omaha Beach Tourist Office offered heritage discoveries on Monday evenings, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The program included the Château de Vaulaville, from the 18th century, in Tour-en-Bessin on July 15; a gourmet walk in Asnières on July 22; the mansion of Than, presented as from the 18th century, in Vierville on July 29; another gourmet walk in Rubercy on August 5; and the Beau Moulin de Trévières, dated from the 11th-17th centuries, on August 12.

Participants were to meet at 6:15 p.m. in the church parking lot of the place visited. The announced rate was seven euros per person and three euros for children aged seven to thirteen, by reservation at the Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer information point.