Pointe du Hoc Landing Point - Pointe du Hoc - France


Address: Pointe du Hoc (See map)
Telephone: no telephone
Website: not available

Shop: no shop present
Restaurant/refreshments: not available
Size of the museum/site: small
Year of visit: 1999

Overall rating:

Description: Pointe du Hoc formed the scene of one of the most daring actions during D-Day, when American Rangers under the command of Colonel Rudder assaulted the German positions located at the top of the steep rocky coast. Aim of this difficult operation was to knock out the big guns at Pointe du Hoc, which could be pointed at the invasion beaches to the left and right of the site, posing a severe threat to the whole D-Day campaign. When the rangers stormed the cliffs, they discovered the big guns were missing. A patrol went down a narrow road leading south and discovered the guns 500 metres from the landing-site. Using thermite grenades, the patrol destroyed the guns' elevating and traversing mechanisms, rendering the pieces immovable.

Today, all that is left of the historic site are holes and partially destructed bunkers. The monument is simple but impressive.


Pointe du Hoc memorial.

The almost impregnable rocky coast at Pointe du Hoc.