Demolition of the old Landing Museum in Arromanches

Posted On: January 23, 2023

Through Frederic Bourgeois
Published in 23 Jan 23 at 5:06 PM

The Bessin Renaissance

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The demolition phase of the former D-Day Museum began on Monday, January 23, 2023 in Arromanches-les-Bains. ©Frédéric BOURGUÉS

The kickoff of the demolition of buildings history of D-Day Museum It has been given Monday, January 23, 2023 a Arromanches-les-Bains (Calvados). If the cold air stings the fingers of the curious who witness the scene, not without some emotion, the driver of the mechanical shovel, warm in his cabin, is having a field day. Closing the jaws of his machine on the walls, frames and other elements of this building that emerged from the ground in the 1950s, he literally devours it.

The starting signal for the demolition of the historic building of the D-Day Museum was given on Monday, January 23, 2023 in Arromanches-les-Bains. ©Frédéric BOURGUÉS

The jaws of the demolition machine devour the old Museum of the Landing. — The jaws of the demolition machine literally devour the old Museum of the Landing. ©Frédéric BOURGUÉS

Frédéric Sommier, director of the Musée du Débarquement in Arromanches, witnesses the demolition of the 1950s building, eaten first on the administrative side, the office he had occupied since 2007. — Frédéric Sommier, director of the Musée du Débarquement de Arromanches, watches the demolition of the 1950s building, first consumed by the administrative part, the office he had occupied since 2007. ©Frédéric BOURGEOIS

“It will take me two weeks to get over it,” he releases Frederic Sommier. Director of the museum since 2007, he witnessed the destruction of his office that morning. but he has the smile. the future Landing Museumwhich will be open to the public in March 2023will incorporate state-of-the-art technology to revive the artificial harbor.

Frédéric Sommier, director of the D-Day Museum, in front of the museum's historic doors from 1954, the first of its kind, imagined by the Bayeux sub-prefect Raymond Triboulet and inaugurated by the President of the Republic René Coty. — Frédéric Sommier, director of the D-Day Museum, in front of the museum’s historic doors from 1954, the first of its kind, imagined by the Bayeux sub-prefect Raymond Triboulet and inaugurated by the President of the Republic René Coty. Doors that will open the 350,000 visitors that are expected every year in the future museum. ©Frédéric BOURGUÉS

The windows on the first floor will serve as a screen (18 m long and 3 m high) on which the synthetic images that will present the operation of the artificial port superimposed on its vestiges.

By 2040, the remains of the artificial port of Arromanches will have disappeared due to erosion. But we can always show what this artificial port was like and how it worked thanks to augmented reality. This main sequence will give a spectacular side to the museum.

Frédéric Sommier, director of the Arromanches Landing Museum

Opening of the museum in mid-March 2023

A Jeep and a German mine wrapped in plastic are some of the heavy pieces that went through the building with the help of a crane in December 2022. Pieces that await the end of the layout work to find their place within the collections. ©Frédéric BOURGUÉS

The first blades were delivered on January 14, 2021 destroy the entrance to the museum, consisting of a large glass room built in 1989. In February 2022, the concrete skeleton of the future museum rose to 8.50 m high by 44 meters long and 28 m wide. From the Place du 6-Juin, this giant of concrete and glass impresses while opening up the view of what constitutes the soul of the place, the artificial port.

The surface of the museum doubles thanks to its two levels. The icing on the cake, its roof terrace will offer an impressive and unprecedented view of the artificial port.

“Inside, the future building will offer seven spaces spread over an area of 1,000 m2 on two levels.” The overall endowment is around 9.5 million euros (2.2 M € from the State, 4.1 M € from the Region and the European Regional Development Fund, 1 M € from the Department, 2 M € from the municipality (GIP) and €200,000 from private funds). money).

The elements of the historical model, made in 1956 to illustrate the construction, layout and operation of the artificial port, will be dressed in a more modern way (aluminum and glass finish). — The elements of the historical model, made in 1956 to illustrate the construction, route and operation of the artificial port, will be dressed in a more modern way (aluminum and glass finish). ©Frédéric BOURGUÉS

In this month of January 2023, the Italian teams specialized in the arrangement of museum spaces are working hard to assemble the constituent elements of this museography.

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“Skillful work carried out by the champions of the genre in Europe”, emphasizes Frédéric Sommier. “For the base, each element is tailor-made for the pieces in our collections. This part of the project will be completed by the end of January. »

In mid-February 2023, the new model of the museum will take place in the building, currently in the process of 3D printing. This is a location plan for a 28 m artificial harbor.² on which images will be projected (mapping) at the service of historical mediation.

Built the day after June 6, 1944 by British engineers, the artificial port of Arromanches allowed the disembarkation of men and equipment after the establishment of the bridgeheads on this Normandy front. But seen from the ground, its dimensions escape the observer.

“This model will allow the visitor to see the surface of the port. The artificial port of Arromanches has 500 hectares for 5 km of defense against the sea (the Fenix caissons, 2 km from the coast for the furthest, editor’s note), 1.8 km of floating causeways (the walkways that linked the piers to land, Editor’s Note). The equivalent of the port of Dover (UK, editor’s note). Or 700 soccer fields.”

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