The Beaches of Omaha
More about Les Braves
I was interested in the origins of this sculpture, so here is some data that I got from this article at Les Braves Memorial of Omaha Beach.
Les Braves is a war memorial that is located on the shores of Omaha Beach in the village of St. Laurent-sur-Mer in Normandy, France and commemorates the fallen American soldiers, of World War ll who have lost their lives on the beaches of Normandy, June 6th 1944.
The memorial represents three elements: The Wings of Hope, Rise Freedom, and the Wings Of Fraternity. French sculptor Anilore Banon, created the monument in 2004, commissioned by the French government to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the D-Day Invasion Of Normandy. In the center, there are seven stainless steel columns and a group of five columns that curve upwards, two columns stand upright, with the tallest reaching 30 feet. Stainless steel wings gracefully stand on both sides.
Intended only as a temporary art piece, the sculpture still stands on the shores of Omaha Beach widely due to public interest and petition. The sculpture has been described as a blend of art and nature and has been able to withstand the forces of nature surprisingly well.
Daily Photo – The Beaches of Omaha
I woke up with quite a hangover here in Omaha beach. We had spent the previous evening at Mont Saint Michel doing a rather significant amount of wine-drinking and taking photos. I still can’t believe my photos there turned out so well. Anyway, we drove overnight to Omaha beach. The bus just kind of rocked me to sleep… and then when it finally stops, I know we are at a new location! So I dusted myself off and jumped outside with my camera to see this amazing sculpture.
