Normandy American Cemetery 2026: Hours, Tours & Tips

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The Normandy American Cemetery covers 172.5 acres (70 ha) and is run by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), which also looks after Pointe du Hoc. About one million people visit each year.

Here is what to know before you go: hours, the free guided tours, the flag lowering, the graves people come to find, how to locate a relative, the rules and how long to allow.

The quick answer

Open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM, last admission 4:30 PM, closed December 25 and January 1. Entry and parking are free. Free guided tours in English run at 11 AM and 2 PM from April to September and at 2 PM from October to March. Allow 1 to 2 hours; organised tours give it 1 hour to 1 hour 15.

Long rows of white marble crosses on a lawn under tall pines — Nearly 9,400 burials, in rows that run towards the sea.

What are the Normandy American Cemetery opening hours?

9 AM to 5 PM every day of the year except December 25 and January 1, with last admission at 4:30 PM.

The hours do not change with the season, so a late-afternoon arrival is the main risk: the sidecar operator warns it may not be able to get in after 4 PM. Tours that end their day here, like the most booked tour from Paris, have to arrive before the 4:30 PM cut-off.

Is it free to visit?

Yes: entry, parking and the ABMC's guided tours are all free.

Pointe du Hoc, also run by the ABMC, is free as well, so on a tour you are paying for transport, the guide and any museum or lunch. What that adds up to: what D-Day tours really cost.

A stone memorial colonnade reflected in a long pool with water lilies, lined by clipped trees — The reflecting pool in front of the memorial.

What is in the visitor center?

Exhibits and films on the landings and on some of the men buried here, plus toilets: it is the natural place to start.

Twenty to thirty minutes inside gives you the context before you walk out to the memorial and the rows. If the Overlord Museum is closed, the minivan tour from Paris may visit the visitor center instead.

The longest cemetery stop from Paris: 1 hour 15 with a guided visit.

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When are the free guided tours and the flag lowering?

Free tours in English run at 11 AM and 2 PM from April 1 to September 30, and at 2 PM from October 1 to March 31; the flag is lowered with Taps near closing time.

Organised tours arrive at set times, so do not count on catching either. ABMC staff can also escort family members to a grave, help with photographs and give a personal tour; contact the cemetery ahead if you can.

White crosses on a lawn, with small American and French flags planted at the foot of one — Small American and French flags left at a headstone.

Which notable graves can you visit?

Theodore Roosevelt Jr., a Medal of Honor recipient, lies next to his brother Quentin; two of the Niland brothers, whose story inspired Saving Private Ryan, are also buried here.

Three Medal of Honor recipients rest in the cemetery, and 45 sets of brothers lie side by side. Also here is Major Thomas D. Howie of the 116th Infantry, 29th Division, known as the Major of St-Lô, killed on July 17, 1944.

A white marble cross engraved Thomas D. Howie, Maj 116 Inf 29 Div, Virginia, July 17 1944, with a yellow rose at its foot — The grave of Major Thomas D. Howie, the Major of St-Lô.

How do you find a relative's grave?

Search the name in the ABMC's online database at abmc.gov before you go: it lists every burial and every name on the Walls of the Missing.

Note the plot, row and grave number, and tell your guide when you book, not on the day. On site, ABMC staff can escort you to the grave. Flowers are welcome, but not in glass containers, and nothing should be left on or against a headstone.

A long curved stone wall inscribed with names beside a garden path and trees — The Walls of the Missing carry nearly 1,600 names.

Looking for one grave? A group of eight makes it easier to ask for the time.

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What are the rules at the cemetery?

Treat it as the war grave it is: speak quietly, dress respectfully, keep off the headstones and stand still while Taps plays.

No sitting or lying on the grass, and no climbing on the monuments.
No running or cycling.
No food or drinks except water.
Photos and video are fine if they are respectful.
Beachwear belongs on the sand below, not here.

A bronze statue of a young man with arms raised, in front of a curved stone colonnade — The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves, a 22-foot bronze at the heart of the memorial.

How long do you need at the cemetery?

One to two hours: an hour covers the visitor center, the memorial and a walk along the rows; allow more to find a grave or join a free tour.

From Paris, the most booked coach tour gives the cemetery 1 hour 15, the longest stop of its day; the minivan, budget and Bayeux tours give 1 hour. The Le Havre shore excursion's listing allows about 2 hours.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the Normandy American Cemetery open on Sundays and holidays?

Yes, every day except December 25 and January 1, from 9 AM to 5 PM with last admission at 4:30 PM.

Can you bring flowers to a grave?

Yes. The ABMC asks visitors not to use glass containers and not to leave anything on or against a headstone.

Is the Saving Private Ryan family buried there?

The film was inspired by the Niland brothers, and two of them are buried in the cemetery.

How many soldiers are buried at the Normandy American Cemetery?

Nearly 9,400, according to the ABMC, with nearly 1,600 more names on the Walls of the Missing.

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Choose your D-Day tour

Free cancellation on every option (24 hours ahead on most tours, 6 days on a few; see each listing). Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.