L’Ultra D-Day Trail : entre défi sportif, commémoration et valorisation patrimoniale des plages du Débarquement de Normandie

An innovative sporting event, the Ultra D-Day Trail, successfully merged athletic challenge with commemorative and patrimonial valorization of Normandy's D-Day landing beaches. Held in June 2014 to mark the 70th anniversary of the landings, this race transformed the coastline into both a sporting arena and a memorial space, leveraging symbols, athlete performances, and messages of peace to foster cross-national exchange. The study analyzed press coverage, social media content, and accounts from participants and spectators, demonstrating how effective communication and media engagement can drive an original process of patrimonialization for these historically significant sites.

Dutheil, F., & Lemonnier, J.-M. (2022). L’Ultra D-Day Trail : entre défi sportif, commémoration et valorisation patrimoniale des plages du Débarquement de Normandie. Loisir et Société / Society and Leisure, 45(1), 30–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/07053436.2022.2053322