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Church of Sainte-Mère-Église, Sainte-Mere-Eglise

Religious Site · Hidden Gem · Tourist Spot
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Church of Sainte-Mère-Église is perhaps the most famous D-Day village. Street panels around the town explain the operations of the US paratroopers. In the square, a parachute effigy still dangles from the church, commemorating what happened to John Steele when his parachute snagged on the spire. Inside the church is a stained-glass window featuring the Virgin and child, surrounded by paratroopers. Monuments in the area include the 82nd Airborne plate, 505th Parachute regiment stele, and Sainte-Mère-Église liberators stele. Take the guesswork out of planning a Sainte-Mere-Eglise vacation by using our trip itinerary maker.
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Church of Sainte-Mère-Église reviews

TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
754 reviews
Google
4.6
TripAdvisor
  • This town was on our D Day Normandy tour and is famous for the Paratrooper who landed on the church room . Very French looking town with square and good cafes etc . 
    This town was on our D Day Normandy tour and is famous for the Paratrooper who landed on the church room . Very French looking town with square and good cafes etc .  more »
  • This is a quaint French village with a history of events from D-day when the 82nd Airborne Division landed by parachute into the town and surrounding area to liberate it. Lots of shops, bakeries... 
    This is a quaint French village with a history of events from D-day when the 82nd Airborne Division landed by parachute into the town and surrounding area to liberate it. Lots of shops, bakeries...  more »
  • I saw the story on film about the paratrooper stuck on the church roof on D-Day so just had to visit. Well worth it and a beautiful little church too. 
    I saw the story on film about the paratrooper stuck on the church roof on D-Day so just had to visit. Well worth it and a beautiful little church too.  more »
Google
  • Beautiful monument and surrounding area. Visited here as part of the 75th anniversary of the d-day invasion (1944-2019). Incredible opportunity to share an experience with Americans, Canadians, French, Dutch, and Belgians. Although the area was quite busy, it was a wonderful time. I highly recommend visiting to take in the history and sacrifice of our nation(s) heroes.
  • Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die, Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die, Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die, He ain't gonna jump no more!
  • When in Normandy be sure to spend some time in the small villages, especially Ste. Mere Eglise. Several cafes and shops in addition to the church and museum. If you don't know by now, let me fill you in, this is the church in the movie Longest Day. I believe there were several paratroopers that landed on this church, one died, one escaped out of his chute and the third one remained and played dead until they made him a prisoner of war. Another unlucky paratrooper landed inside a burning building, poor guy, so go the stories. To this day there is still a parachute w/a dummy hanging on the steeple, but he's facing the plaza so everyone can see him but he actually was hanging on the opposite side away from the plaza. We were here with a tour group and this is definitely worth the visit.
  • If you are touring the WWII sights in the area you should definitely stop here. Our guide took us, a beautiful little church with an interesting history of the d day invasion.
  • A lovely little church to visit and see the visible scars from the invasion. We were able to gain entry via the side door.

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