Sainte-Mère-Église

The liberation of Europe from German occupation began in spectacular fashion for the inhabitants of Sainte-Mère-Eglise. A misdrop brought paratroops raining down onto the village square, their chutes lit by the light of a house fire! Private John Steele would be the most famous of them all, left dangling from the pinnacle of the church tower.

THAT VILLAGE, THAT TOWER, THAT GUY...

A small and quiet rural community, Saint-Mère-Eglise was of great importance as it straddled all communications to Cherbourg. While nearly 13,000 American paratroops were being dropped under a full moon into the confusion of the surrounding countryside, famously one company was dropped, at about 1:45am, onto the village square and cattle market of this now world-famous village.

In and around Sainte-Mère-église

• Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mère-Eglise
• Utah Beach D-Day Museum
• Crisbecq Battery Museum
• Azeville Battery
• Cotentin Farm and Museum
• Cotentin and Bessin Marshes Regional Natural Park