The Road to Liberty — Airborne Sector
A journey through the Norman bocage to the symbolic sites of the American airborne operation: Sainte-Mère-Église, Utah Beach and Pointe du Hoc.
Suggested timings
Indicative timings for a 9:00am start by car, lunch break included. Adjust them to each site's opening hours.
- Drive13 min • 13 km
- Drive17 min • 18 km
- 1
Stop 01 • Sainte-Mère-Église09:00 – 10:00Visit 1hSainte-Mère-Église
The first village liberated by the 82nd Airborne paratroopers.
Visit → - 2
Stop 02 • Sainte-Marie-du-Mont10:13 – 10:58Visit 45 minDrive 13 minUtah Beach
The westernmost landing, the launchpad toward Cherbourg's liberation.
Visit → - 3
Stop 03 • Cricqueville-en-Bessin11:15 – 11:55Visit 40 minDrive 17 minPointe du Hoc
The cliff stormed by Colonel Rudder's Rangers.
Visit →
Practical tips
Set off around 9:00am: most sites open between 9:00 and 10:00 and crowds are still light early on.
Book museums and guided tours online, especially from June to September and during school holidays.
Walking shoes, a windproof layer and water: much of the route is outdoors and often exposed.
A car is essential between the beaches: public transport is scarce and sites lie 15 to 40 km apart.
Cemeteries and memorials are places of remembrance: dress respectfully, keep quiet, and do not picnic on site.
Check tide times before walking onto Omaha or Utah: at low tide the foreshore extends several hundred metres.
Plan lunch in Sainte-Mère-Église, Arromanches or Port-en-Bessin; there are few options between remote sites.