Famous church of Sainte-Mere-Eglise in Normandy

Sainte-Mere-Eglise – Introduction

Normally speaking the village of Sainte-Mere-Eglise should mean nothing to most people. Unless you are a WWII buff or a movie buff. The movie in question is “The Longest Day” starring none other than John Wayne trying to get to Sainte-Mere-Eglise during D-Day.

The village itself nowadays consists of some 2,500 inhabitants (that is, after it merged with 4 other villages in 2016). In other words, a hole in the ground. But it was a strategic village for D-Day during World War II since it was on the main road (N13) from the invasion Utah Beach, allowing the American soldiers to penetrate that part of Normandy and head for Cherbourg.

So Allied Command decided to send in American Paratroopers to invade Sainte-Mere-Eglise and hold it until the reinforcements arrived from Utah Beach. 82nd and 101st Airborne units reenforced by Canadian, British and French troops landed in and close to Sainte-Mere-Eglise.

Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption church

Famous church with parachute hanging off tower of Sainte-Mere-Eglise in Normandy
Famous church with parachute hanging off tower of Sainte-Mere-Eglise in Normandy

One of the scenes that made the village famous in the movie was a paratrooper, John Steele, caught during his landing on the church tower and hung there for hours. John Steele survived the war and was made an honorary citizen. There is even a fancy restaurant/hotel named after him in the village; the Auberge John Steele.

The church nowadays has a effigy of John Steele, including parachute, hanging from the tower. You can see it in the foggy photo above. A closer look:

Closeup of parachute hanging off church tower of Sainte-Mere-Eglise in Normandy
Closeup of parachute hanging off church tower of Sainte-Mere-Eglise in Normandy

You can see the dummy representing John Steele hanging from his parachute.

Town Hall (Mairie) of Sainte-Mere-Eglise in Normandy
Town Hall (Mairie) of Sainte-Mere-Eglise in Normandy

Sainte-Mere-Eglise was founded in the year 1080. As far as tourist-worthiness, everything is centred around the famous episode of D-Day.

WWII Monument at Sainte-Mere-Eglise dedicated to the 82 and 101 Airborne units
WWII Monument at Sainte-Mere-Eglise dedicated to the 82 and 101 Airborne units

All over the town you will find many plaques and memorials dedicated to the bloody battle during the opening days of D-Day. The one above is dedicated to the 82nd and 101st division of the USA Airborne paratroopers. You can see the famous church in the background.

WWII Monument at Sainte-Mere-Eglise dedicated to all fighting units that liberated the town
WWII Monument at Sainte-Mere-Eglise dedicated to all fighting units that liberated the town

This memorial is dedicated to all airborne troops who helped liberate Normandy (and France) from the USA, Canada, Great Britain and France.

Walking through the town, it is not unusual to find plaques or signs with interesting information on them of what happened on that spot during D-Day:

Sign about private Clifford Maughan and what happened to him when he landed in Sainte-Mere-Eglise
Sign about private Clifford Maughan and what happened to him when he landed in Sainte-Mere-Eglise

This sign is where private Clifford A. Maughan landed, taken prisoner and then he took the Germans prisoner.

For more information if you are in the village, head on over to the Tourist Office:

Tourist Office of Sainte-Mere-Eglise
Tourist Office of Sainte-Mere-Eglise

It is small but full of information, not only of the village, but also what happened around the village and at Utah Beach. It’s located on the church square.

D-Day played a very important part in the lives and history of the village, and it shows. Wherever you go, you will find signs of the war:

Local cafe/bar with drawings of WWII in Sainte-Mere-Eglise
Local cafe/bar with drawings of WWII in Sainte-Mere-Eglise

Above is a simple village cafe/bar, but on the window you can see drawings of the US military.

US Army truck hidden in a garden in Sainte-Mere-Eglise
US Army truck hidden in a garden in Sainte-Mere-Eglise

Elsewhere a USA Army truck is hidden away behind some trees in someone’s garden.

US Airborne paratrooper on the restaurant's roof in Sainte-Mere-Eglise
US Airborne paratrooper on the restaurant’s roof in Sainte-Mere-Eglise

Above you can clearly see a “dummy’ of a USA Airborne paratrooper on the roof of this restaurant.

Needless to say, there is a museum dedicated to the Airborne soldiers who fought so valiantly during D-Day.

Entrance to the Airborne museum of Sainte-Mere-Eglise
Entrance to the Airborne museum of Sainte-Mere-Eglise

The museum, appropriately named Airborne Museum, is dedicated to the 82 and 101 Airborne division of the USA Army. The museum opened its doors in 1964.

Tank at the Airborne museum of Sainte-Mere-Eglise
Tank at the Airborne museum of Sainte-Mere-Eglise
Museum building with glider airplanes at the Airborne museum of Sainte-Mere-Eglise
Museum building with glider airplanes at the Airborne museum of Sainte-Mere-Eglise

The building itself is shaped like a parachute, and contains an actual WACO glider and a C-47 cargo airplance as used during WWII. It stands on the grounds of the house that was on fire during the invasion, its fire lighting up the skies and allowing the Germans to kill many American soldiers since they were now visible in the sky.

In total there are 5 buildings.

A special smartphone app is available to download to enhance your experience when visiting the museum.

Click here to access the Airborne Museum web site.

Conclusion

Any WWII movie or WWII war buff should visit this place. Like visiting the beaches close by, Sainte-Mere-Eglise played a very important part in the war effort.

A stroll through the small village and then a visit to the museum should be the order of the day.

Related Posts

  • 10000
    Utah Beach - WWII Landing MuseumThe Utah Beach was one of the D-Day landing beaches, this one mostly staffed with US Army soldiers. It was on the Western edge of the D-Day beaches, and the beach consisted of deep sand and dunes.   3200 soldiers died on the beach that day. To commemorate this occasion, a museum…
  • 10000
    Normandy (Upper) - WWI and WWII Memorials and RemnantsAlthough the Lower part of Normandy saw the biggest brunt of the WWII battles, with D-Day and the immediate battles that followed, the Upper part of Normandy saw its fair share of fighting. And during WWI, it was one of the battlefronts. Therefore throughout Normandy, at almost any hamlet, village,…
  • 10000
    Pointe Saint-Mathieu – Musee Memoires 39-45The Museum of the 39-45 Memories in Pointe Saint-Mathieu, Brittany is housed in a big WWII bunker. The museum is well designed and easy to see items. It's well explained and whole families will love it.
  • 10000
    Pegasus Bridge Memorial and MuseumIf there was one essential and strategic point during the invasion of Normandy, also known as D-Day, by the Allied troops, it would have been the capture of the two bridges in Benouville and the neighbouring Ranville. The two bridges were essential for the liberation of France and the rest of…
  • 10000
    Utah Beach - IntroductionThe names Omaha, Utah, Sword, Gold and Juno are names that many WWII buffs will know very well since those are the names of the landing beaches during the D-Day, the Allied invasion of German occupied Europe. 4 years of World War II lead to this massive invasion, by sea…
Scroll to Top