MEMORY LANE
This 40 km circular trail takes round thirteen sites which were critical points in the battle for the liberation of the Carentan Sector. Here, American and German paratroopers fought pitched battles over several days.
On 6 June 1944, 20.000 American paratroopers jumped onto several drop zones in a triangle between Carentan, Sainte-Mère-Eglise and Utah Beach. Their main mission was to protect the troops that had landed on the beach, and to capture Carentan as quickly as possible.
The town stands on the borders of Manche and Calvados, in the middle of a marsh. With direct access to the sea via a channel, it forms a natural barrier between the two D Day beaches of Utah and Omaha. It was imperative to capture them as quickly as possible, to allow the two beaches to merge to form one single front. It was only on 12 June, following a bloody battle, that the mission was accomplished.
You can do this round trip at any time, at your own speed and in your own vehicle. The map and the GPS data will allow you to navigate for yourself without difficulty in our Norman countryside.
Throughout your tour, you will be able to observe the rich heritage and natural beauty of our little villages in the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin.
Approximate duration of the tour: 3 hours.
Download GPS data
Walk in the footsteps of the 101th Airborne:
