The beautiful fishing town of Portbail on the western Cotentin coast is famous for its 13 arch bridge which takes you from the old town out to the port and estuary where you’ll also find some stunning beaches.
In the shadow of the Eglise Notre Dame next to the bridge you’ll also find a legacy of the Atlantikwall, a now almost completely buried Torbruk where a heavy machine gun would have been positioned.
Portbail suffered terribly during the liberation of the Cotentin peninsula by US forces as the German occupiers fought to defend the area which was heavily used as a troop supply station and port.
It wasn’t until the end of June when the village and port were captured, by that time much of the area had been decimated by artillery fire and aerial bombing.
On November 11, 1948, the town of Portbail was awarded the Croix de Guerre with a bronze star with the citation: “The village was two thirds destroyed during the battle for the liberation of Normandy. The population accepted this sacrifice with bravery and selflessness.”