The Normandy Beach RacePre-1947 motorbikes and cars racing on the sand, fifteen minutes from the campsite
Every September, the beach at Riva-Bella takes on the look of 1940s American racing: two hundred metres of sand, a standing start, and pre-war machines restored with passion.
The idea came from three enthusiasts back from The Race of Gentlemen, the legendary beach race in New Jersey: do the same in France, and do it on a beach that made history. Since 2019, the Normandy Beach Race has brought together in Ouistreham Riva-Bella Harley-Davidsons, Indians, Fords and Triumphs built before 1947, a crowd dressed in period style and a rockabilly atmosphere by the water. It is one of the most photogenic motoring events in Normandy — and it is a quarter of an hour from the campsite.
The dates
Every year- Septemberover three days
- Sword BeachRiva-Bella beach
- Since 2019one edition a year
The dates and programme of each edition are published by the organiser on normandybeachrace.com. In 2025, the race was held on 19, 20 and 21 September.
The route
From the campsite- 10 kmaway
- 15 minby car
- D514along the coast
The road follows the Côte de Nacre to the port of Ouistreham, then drops down to Riva-Bella. By bike, allow about forty minutes along the coastal cycle path, never losing sight of the sea.
Useful to know
Before you go- Ticketsonline, from the organiser
- 3 dayspractice, races and car show
- Tidethe races follow the ebb
Scrutineering of the entered vehicles takes place on the Friday in front of Ouistreham town hall: it is open, free, and often the best place to get close to the machines.
What people come to see
Two hundred metres, standing start
The rules are uncompromising: cars and motorbikes must date from before 1947, with no modern modifications. So these are genuine pre-war machines — mostly American, with a few British and French — setting off two by two on the hard sand, in a sound heard nowhere else today.
Between heats you walk along the track, chat with the riders and watch adjustments being made with a spanner. The race is not an official competition: it is a demonstration, and the spirit remains hands-on.
Vintage stalls, food trucks and concerts
A village grows up around the track: stalls selling period clothing and accessories, mechanical parts, barbers, food trucks and rock’n’roll concerts at the end of the day. A good part of the crowd plays along with the costumes, which gives the whole thing the feel of a re-enactment.
The Riva-Bella car show carries the party on into the town, away from the beach: it is the most accessible part of the weekend, enjoyable with the family even if you are not a motoring enthusiast.
A beach like no other
Riva-Bella is Sword Beach: the sector where the British and Captain Kieffer’s French commandos landed on 6 June 1944. The Grand Bunker, the Kieffer memorial and the No. 4 Commando museum are a few hundred metres from the track.
Many visitors use the weekend to do both: the race in the morning, the history in the afternoon. From the campsite, it is the same road.
September, the best week of the season
The Normandy Beach Race falls in the late season, when the Côte de Nacre empties and prices come down: it is one of the best times to come. The indoor heated water park runs until the campsite closes, in early November.
Accommodation for that weekend still goes early: the event draws an international crowd, and Ouistreham has few beds. Booking in spring remains the safest option.
Frequently asked questions about the Normandy Beach Race
When does the Normandy Beach Race take place?+
Which vehicles take part in the race?+
How far away is the La Capricieuse campsite?+
Is there an admission charge?+
The other events
The Tribute Fest
Halloween at the campsite
D-Day Festival Normandy
Festival Beauregard
Bayeux Medieval Festival
Rétro Festival in Caen
All the events
Your base camp in Normandy
Five-star cottages, a heated water park and the beach fifty metres away, in Luc-sur-Mer.
Check availability