Utah Beach
Stretching from Sainte-Marie-du-Mont to Quineville in the heart of the Manche département, Utah Beach is the most westerly of all the beaches involved in the June 1944 landings. You’ll find it to the north of the Parc Naturel Régional des Marais du Bessin et du Cotentin, close to our D-Day beach campsite.
D-Day at Utah Beach
It was at the very last minute that the Allied commander added theUtah Beach assault to the plan, in order to ensure a Plan B should Calvados fail. On June 6, 1944, the operation began while it was still dark. Paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st American Airborne Divisions took Sainte-Marie-Église at 4 a.m. to prevent the army from being trapped between the beach and the marshy areas.
Roads, bridges and railroads were immediately taken under control, including the Nationale 13 between Cherbourg and Paris, as well as other strategic locations. The German shelters were then effectively bombarded, before the amphibious assault at 6.30 am.
The 4th infantry division and 2 tank squadrons reach the beach and attack the German positions. A fortunate navigational error allowed the men to disembark 2 kilometers south of the planned location, in a lightly defended area.
Because of the marshes, German defenses were weak and the landing on Utah Beach was a resounding success. Less than an hour after the arrival of the first troops, engineering units destroyed the beach defences and then the anti-tank wall to allow the troops to advance inland. Only 197 American soldiers were wounded or killed on Utah Beach on June 6, 1944.
What to see around Utah Beach
Throughout the region, several sites and museums are dedicated to the D-Day landings.
The Utah Beach Landing Museum in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont
Built on the exact site of the D-Day landings, this superb museum tells the story of the events of June 6, 1944 in chronological order, with numerous objects, vehicles and eyewitness accounts. In summer, the museum is open from 9.30am to 7pm. Adults pay €8, children (aged 6 to 15) €5.
The Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mère-Eglise
This spectacular museum brings to life the airborne troops’ Operation Neptune on June 6, 1944, from preparation to combat. Timetables vary according to the season. During the summer, theAirborne Museum is open from 10am to 7pm. Children aged 6 to 16 pay €6 admission. Over 16, the cost is €9.90.
The World War II Museum in Quineville
North of Utah Beach, this must-see museum plunges visitors into daily life during theOccupation of the 1940s. Admission for adults is €7, and €5.50 for children aged 6 to 12. The museum is open daily from 10am to 7pm.
The Crisbecq battery at Saint-Marcouf
This unique immersive museum features a complex of 22 German blockhouses linked by tunnels and trenches. The Crisbecq battery is a real village that plunges us into the daily life of the German army before D-Day. The museum is open daily from 10am to 6pm (7pm in summer). Admission costs €10 per adult, €6 per child (aged 6 to 14). A reduced rate of €9 is also available.
Also worth visiting near Utah Beach
History buffs will be spoilt for choice between the LCVP Higgins Boat, the D-Day Experience Museum, the famous Azzeville Battery, the open-air museum at Sainte-Marie-Église, the German military cemetery at Organes, the airship hangar at Écausseville and the Normandy Victory Museum in Carentan-les-Marais.
Utah Beach, a must-see in Normandy, is 72km northwest of the 4-star L’Escapade campsite in Cahagnolles, a 50-minute drive. During your camping holiday in Calvados, don’t miss a visit to Utah Beach and its many exceptional sites and museums.
