Things to see and do in Sainte Mère Église during your camping holiday in Normandy
An emblematic place
Close to the campsite
50 km from the campsite, Sainte Mère Église is famous for being the first town in France to be liberated on June 6, 1944 during the Battle of Normandy. Others will tell you it’s Bayeux. Today, Sainte Mère Église is a major tourist attraction on the Cotentin Bay, just a 40-minute drive from Grand Large ****, Normandy’s seaside campsite!
From the campsite, visit Sainte Mère Église, a village at the heart of the Battle of Normandy!
It was around 11pm on June 5, 1944, when a violent fire broke out in a building opposite the village church. German soldiers swarmed in while firefighters tried to bring the blaze under control. Little did they know that in a few hours’ time, the biggest amphibious and airborne operation in history was about to take place…
It was in this very special situation that American paratroopers were dropped over Sainte Mère Église on the night of June 5-6, 1944, with the aim of creating an airborne bridgehead behind Utah Beach. The Germans, already on the scene because of the fire, shot down the helpless paratroopers before they even touched down…
The story of John Steele, the suspended parachutist from Holy Mother Church
One of the soldiers parachuted over Sainte Mère Eglise, John Steele, was wounded in the foot by a bullet, but hung on the church steeple for two hours. On the ground, the fighting rages on and turns against the allies. At the end of hostilities, a German soldier spots the parachutist. The GI is treated and then taken prisoner. He managed to escape 3 days later and was evacuated to a hospital in England. Today, a mannequin of John Steele with his parachute is enthroned on the steeple of the church of Sainte Mère Église.
The Airborne Museum: the epic story of the American paratroopers of D DAY
During your Normandy camping trip, take advantage of your stopover in Saint Mère Eglise to visit the Airborne Museum, dedicated to the American paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions who landed on Normandy soil on the night of June 6, 1944. Located right on the Normandy landing beaches, the Airborne Museum is the 3rd most visited site in La Manche, and a must for any camping vacation on the Battle of Normandy circuit! The Airborne Museum invites you to experience the Normandy Landings through a spectacular and realistic museography. Campers will have the privilege of discovering some remarkable collections: over 10,000 items, including the only WACO glider in France, an authentic Dakota C-47 aircraft that took part in the airdrop operations, a Sherman M4 A4 75 tank, as well as life-like reconstructions with mannequins in uniform, archive images, films and testimonials from American veterans…
The “International Peace March” from Sainte Mère Église to camp and hike in Normandy
Every year in May, the parish of Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix in Sainte Mère Église organizes an “international march for peace” to open the week commemorating the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. Over 800 walkers from the USA, UK, Australia, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands took part in the historic Normandy bocage. A date that hiking-loving campers will be sure to mark in their diaries for their camping vacations in Normandy!
A must: Sainte Mère Église’s June 6th commemorations
Every year, Sainte Mère Église puts itself on American time and organizes the June 6 commemorations, which feature a wide range of events: parachute drops, military vehicle displays, concerts by American brass bands and a Liberty banquet attended by veterans and paratroopers. Here’s an original idea for a camping vacation in Normandy!
Gourmet vacations in Normandy: the local produce and crafts market in Sainte Mère Église
Every Tuesday afternoon in July, stroll along the aisles of this picturesque market held in the church square of Ste Mère Eglise. Campers will be able to discover Normandy products and specialities, as well as the creations of local craftsmen who will be delighted to show you their skills. Ideal for bringing back from your Normandy vacation the tasty Biscuits de Sainte-Mère-Eglise, parachute-shaped shortbread, or Petits-Paras, soft cakes flavoured with almonds!
Your camping accommodation in Normandy, the starting point for your visit to Sainte Mère Eglise!
If you’d like to discover Normandy in complete freedom, and more specifically Saint Mère Eglise and the Cotentin Bay, discover our mobile homes and camping pitches in Normandy with direct access to the beach! In season, enjoy swimming in our heated indoor pool, and take advantage of the many services, entertainment and leisure activities offered by a 4-star campsite where calm, rest and relaxation are the order of the day!