Utah Beach and Sainte-Mère-Église: D Day Museums & Memorials

Utah Beach was one of the most important sites of the D-Day landings — the westernmost beach of the Allied invasion and the starting point of the American push to liberate Normandy.  It’s the most westerly point of the landing beaches that were used on D-Day, and it’s where we started our D Day themed visit to Normandy.  This, along with Omaha, was one of the American landing beaches.  In this guide, I’ll take you through the key sites, museums, and memorials that make Utah Beach and the nearby town of Sainte-Mère-Église essential stops on any World War II itinerary in Normandy.

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Today, Utah Beach is a world away from its wartime reality. Visit at the right time of year, and the beach is peaceful and empty.  There’s a fabulous museum here – the Utah Beach Landings Museum is a super introduction to both D-Day and the beach landings here at Utah, and the nearby memorials are a poignant reminder of those who fought here.  German fortifications were heavy here, but the landings here on Utah Beach were considered to be the most successful of those on D-Day.  Casualties were low, just 197 dead and 60 missing, out of a total of 23,000, but it wasn’t all entirely plain sailing.  The objective was to secure the Cotentin Peninsula and capture Cherbourg, a vital port of the Allies.

This guide to visiting Utah Beach includes the top museums to visit – where to find them, how long you’ll need in each museum, costs, and where to park (including if it’s free or paid for).  There are details also of roadside memorials, sites of important battles, and, of course, where you should stop off for a bite to eat.

A Brief History of the Battle for Utah Beach & D-Day

Utah Beach’s role in D-Day began before dawn on June 6, 1944, when the units of the U.S. 82nd and 101st airborne were dropped inland from the landing beach.  At dawn, the U.S. 4th Infantry Division landed on this, the westernmost of the five Allied beaches. The assault was supported by intense naval and air bombardment. American troops came ashore under heavy fire, with airborne forces already fighting inland.

Despite strong currents pushing the first wave 1,800 meters (2,000 yards) off course, Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. famously declared, “We’ll start the war from right here.” That quick decision turned confusion into one of the greatest successes of the Normandy landings, opening the road toward Cherbourg and the liberation of France.

Their objective was clear: secure the beach, link up with the airborne troops dropped inland during the night, and push west to capture the Cotentin Peninsula and its crucial port of Cherbourg.  The German defenses here were still formidable — minefields, anti-tank obstacles, and fortified gun emplacements protected the dunes. But unlike Omaha, Utah Beach’s defenses were not as heavily manned, and the pre-invasion bombardment had been effective. By midday, the 4th Infantry Division had secured the beachhead and linked with elements of the 101st Airborne, who had landed overnight around Sainte-Mère-Église.

Timeline of Events:

• 05 June 1944 (Night): 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions begin parachute drops behind German lines near Sainte-Mère-Église.
• 06 June 1944, 04:30: Allied naval bombardment targets German defenses along Utah Beach.
• 06 June 1944, 06:30: First wave of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division lands two thousand yards south of the planned sector.
• 06 June 1944, 07:00: Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. decides to attack from the new position.
• 06 June 1944, 12:00: American forces secure the beachhead and link up with paratroopers inland.
• 07–10 June 1944: U.S. troops push west, clearing German strongpoints and securing Sainte-Marie-du-Mont.
• 18 June 1944: Allied forces capture Carentan, connecting Utah and Omaha Beachheads.
• 26 June 1944: Cherbourg falls to the Americans, securing the Allies’ first major port in France.

What to See at Utah Beach

Utah Beach occupies a wide, windswept curve of the Normandy coastline and is the ideal starting point for a D-Day visit, offering a glimpse into where the American landings began. As well as the beach, the area around Sainte-Marie-du-Mont is packed with well-preserved bunkers, moving memorials, and world-class museums that make the history tangible.

Here’s what to look for when you visit:

1. Utah Beach

Utah Beach is the westernmost of the five D-Day landing beaches and one of the most peaceful to visit today. The sand stretches for miles, dotted with dunes, remnants of bunkers, and scattered memorials to the men who came ashore here on June 6, 1944. It’s one of the most atmospheric WWII sites in Normandy.

• Address of Utah Beach: Utah Beach, 50480 Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Normandy, France
• Cost of Utah Beach: Free
• Opening hours of Utah Beach: Open year-round, 24 hours
• How long to spend at Utah Beach: You’ll want to allocate at least 20 minutes here.
• Website: https://www.utah-beach.com
• How to get to Utah Beach: 8 miles (13 kilometres) from Sainte-Mère-Église; 12 miles (19 kilometres) from Carentan via the D913.  There’s lots of free parking at the Utah Beach Landing Museum, and this is a great place to access the beach.
• Map location of Utah Beach:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/5Aq8bXvK6itRejQh9

2. Utah Beach Landing Museum (Musée du Débarquement Utah Beach)

Built directly on the original landing site, in the location of a German bunker, this excellent museum tells the full story of the Utah landings through photos, artefacts, and personal accounts. First, though it takes you through the plan for D-Day.  The museum is a complete chronological tour through the events of D-Day.  And the Victory Beach film is a great way to get introduced to it.  You cannot miss the restored B-26 bomber at the center of the museum.

You’ll be taken through the German defenses, the Cotentin under the Occupation, the Allied strategy, D-Day at Utah Beach, the naval forces, the air forces, the land forces, the Junction, From Utah to Cherbourg, and finally the artificial harbour of Utah Beach.

There’s a section on Easy Company (Band of Brothers), just after the beach display, where you can listen to some of Dick Winter’s memories. Do not miss this part!

• Address of Utah Beach Landing Museum: Utah Beach, 50480 Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Normandy, France
• Cost of Utah Beach Landing Museum: €10 adults / €6.50 children
• Opening hours of Utah Beach Landing Museum: October to April 10:00 – 18:00, May to September 09:30 – 19:00
• How long to spend at the Utah Beach Landing Museum:  We spent 95 minutes inside the museum.
• Website: https://www.utah-beach.com
• How to get to Utah Beach Landing Museum: Located directly on Utah Beach, 8 miles (13 kilometres) from Sainte-Mère-Église.  Parking is easy and free.
• Map location of Utah Beach Landing Museum:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/7pKRdbi2pMJh1UWk9 

3. The Higgins Boat Memorial

This striking monument stands beside the museum and honours the iconic landing craft — the Higgins Boat — and the men who designed, built, and crewed them. It’s one of the most photographed memorials on the beach.   The Higgins boat, or Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel (LCVP), was used extensively during the D-Day operations.  It was named after the designer, Andrew Jackson Higgins of New Orleans, USA, with nearly 24,000 of them built; 1,089 were used in the D-Day landings.

Higgins’ boats could carry 36 men, and this memorial is a replica, overlooked by a statue of Higgins himself.  The memorial was paid for by the town of Columbus, Nebraska, the birthplace of Higgins.

• Address of the Higgins Boat Memorial: D421, Utah Beach, 50480 Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Normandy, France
• How to get to Higgins Boat Memorial: Next to the Utah Beach Museum, visible from the car park

4.  Navy Memorial at Utah Beach

Represented by three naval figures forming a continuous circle, this memorializes the American ships and members of the Navy who took part in D-Day and Operation Overlord.  You’ll find the names of the ships on the base of the monument.

5. The Frogman Monument

Known also as the Lone Sailor Monument, and just behind the Higgins Boat replica, you’ll find the Frogman monument.  The Frogmen were the predecessors of today’s US SEALS. They had one of the highest casualty rates of any of the US Armed Forces on D-Day – 52%.  175 sailors of the Naval Combat Demolition Unit landed on Utah and Omaha beaches to clear obstacles.  91 were killed.

6.  The 90^th Infantry Division Monument

The US 90^th Infantry landed here on Utah Beach.  Their route to victory took them through Bastogne, Belgium, and into the Ardennes, where they fought in the Battle of the Bulge.  They liberated the concentration camp at Flossenburg.  The memorial stone here is granite, from the quarry at Flossenburg.

7. Liberty Road Markers (Voie de la Liberté)

There are 1,147 stone markers, one at each kilometer that stretch across France and into Belgium.  You’ll find the 0-kilometer marker here at Utah Beach.  It was here that the liberating troops first landed, but there’s also another 0-kilometer marker in Saint Mere Eglise, as that was the first town to be liberated.

• Address of 00 Liberty Road Marker: Utah Beach entrance, Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Normandy
• How to get to  the 00 Liberty Road Marker: Visible from the main access road to the Utah Beach Museum

8. Major Richard Winters Leadership Monument

Although it’s dedicated to Major Richard “Dick” Winters of Easy Company, this bronze statue represents leadership, courage, and integrity. It honours all American officers who fought in Normandy and is an easy roadside stop for Band of Brothers aficionados.

Commander of the 101^st Airborne’s Easy Company, Dick Winters became a household name thanks in part to the HBO miniseries, Band of Brothers, where he was played by Damian Lewis.  There’s an Easy Company / Band of Brothers route that you can follow through France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.

• Address of Richard Winters Leadership Monument: D913, near Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Normandy, France
• How to get to Richard Winters Leadership Monument: 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometres) inland from Utah Beach, along the D913 roadside
• Map location of Richard Winters Monument:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/6ggnup2RwpYUB16V6 

9. Easy Company Memorial

This small but powerful stone memorial marks the area where Easy Company regrouped after the landings. It’s located close to Brecourt Manor, where Dick Winter’s successful plan to destroy a German Artillery battery was a classic example of small-unit tactics used to overcome a larger enemy.  He received the Distinguished Service Cross for his role in the Brecourt Manor Assault.  You can see this in episode 2 of Band of Brothers.  There’s also a 2010 documentary called “The Battle at Brecourt Manor”

• Address of Easy Company Memorial: Angoville-au-Plain, near Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Normandy, France
• How to get to the Easy Company Memorial: 3 miles (5 kilometres) inland from Utah Beach, en route to Sainte-Mère-Église.  Park on the side of the road. 
• Map location of Easy Company Memorial:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/QmTRBnvMvfB1jDtX8

10. Easy Company Command Post

This is just a slow drive-by rather than a specific stop, as it’s a privately owned building that’s not open to the public.  However, this is the building in which Easy Company launched the Brecourt Manor assault.  You’ll find it just along the road from the Easy Company Memorial.

11. The D-Day Experience Museum (Saint-Côme-du-Mont)

It’s a short drive inland from Utah beach, but well worth it.  And judging by the reviews, you’d think that the C-47 flight simulator is the best thing to do here.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s interesting, but I wouldn’t miss the museum.  The prep before you get to the simulator is actually more interesting than the “airborne” drop.  The experience only lasts about 5 minutes and is supposed to be the experience of flying from England to Normandy as a paratrooper, and then the experience as the (spoiler) plane crashes.  It’s somewhat cheesy, with fake smoke, flames, and a great deal more comfort, but it’s

The 3D experience is good, as is the museum, and I recommend taking the full package (option 1).  You can prebook your attendance online, which is well worth it, especially if you are traveling during the holidays.  Be aware that this museum and experiences often receive large groups, so once you’ve confirmed your dates, do book yourself in!

Don’t miss taking a look at the Cointet-element, aka the Belgian Gate or mobile tank trap, right outside the entrance to the museum.  You’ll see reference to it inside this (and other) museums in the area, and it’s fascinating to see up close.

• Address of D-Day Experience Museum: 2 Village de l’Amont, 50500 Saint-Côme-du-Mont, Normandy, France
• Cost of D-Day Experience Museum:  There are 5 different options
  • Option 1 – museum (including the flight simulator) + 3D documentary on giant screen (3D glasses provided) – 3h:
    Adults: €19.90 Children (6–17): €15.90 Family Pass (2 adults + 2 or 3 children): €65.00
  • Option 2 – museum (including the flight simulator) – 2h:
    Adults: €13.90 Children (6–17): €10.90 Family Pass (2 adults + 2 or 3 children): €45.00
  • Option 3 – museum only (without flight simulator) + 3D documentary on giant screen only (3D glasses provided) – 2h30 (available only from April to September):
    Adults: €16.90 Children (6–17): €12.90 Family Pass (2 adults + 2 or 3 children): €55.00
  • Option 4 – 3D documentary on giant screen only (3D glasses provided) – 1h:
    Adults: €9.00 Children (6–17): €7.00
  • Option 5 – museum only (without flight simulator) – 1h30 (available only from April to September):
    Adults: €9.90 Children (6–17): €7.90
• Opening hours of D-Day Experience Museum: April 1 to September 30, 09:30 to 17:30, October 1 to March 31, 10:00 to 16:30.  Closed 24, 25, 26 December, January 1^st, and for 3 weeks in January.
• How long to spend at the D-Day Experience:  We spent 3 hours here, not including the Dead Man’s Corner Museum.
• Website: https://www.dday-experience.com
• How to get to D-Day Experience Museum: 10-minute drive from Utah Beach via the D913.  There is plenty of free parking on site.
• Map location of D-Day Experience Museum:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/bUMRoZETCMW3X3ho8 

12. Dead Man’s Corner & Museum

Right next to the D-Day Experience, this smaller museum is built on the site of a house that witnessed the early fighting on June 6, 1944. The house was the headquarters of the 6^th German Parachute Infantry Regiment.  It focuses on the German perspective and what gave this crossroads its name. 

In particular, there’s a focus on Major Von der Heydte, the commander of the Germans.  He participated in campaigns in Poland in 1939, then France in 1940.  He fought in Crete in May 1941, then from June 1942 in North Africa until 1943, but also fought in Russia.  After being wounded in a plane crash in September 1943 in Italy, he was in Normandy, here in this house, at Dead Man’s Corner, and made it his command post.

There are lots of historical artifacts, and a superb view down the main road to Carentan.  Admission is included in your ticket to the D-Day experience.

There’s a smallish room upstairs that focuses on an American soldier, Raymond Geddes, who was treated here.  It’ll take you at least 20 minutes to listen to the film about him, but you won’t regret it.

• Address of Dead Man’s Corner & Museum: 2 Village de l’Amont, 50500 Saint-Côme-du-Mont, Normandy, France
• Cost of Dead Man’s Corner & Museum: Included with D-Day Experience Museum ticket
• Opening hours of Dead Man’s Corner & Museum: (same as D-Day Experience Museum)
• How long to spend at Dead Man’s Corner Museum:   We spent 60 minutes in Dead Man’s Corner Museum.
• Website: https://www.dday-experience.com
• How to get to Dead Man’s Corner & Museum: Adjacent to the D-Day Experience Museum
• Map location of Dead Man’s Corner:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/bUMRoZETCMW3X3ho8 

13. The Normandy Victory Museum

At some point in your visit to Normandy, you’re likely to be a little “museum’ed out”.  And it was here that my sister-in-law thought, maybe she’d take a break and just chill out in the sun outside.  She was extremely glad she didn’t, because this is a truly superb museum.  I truly believe you can learn something from each and every one of the museums here; they all approach the historic events from a different perspective.

This museum goes well beyond the landings to cover the entire Normandy campaign. There are extensive dioramas, restored vehicles, and personal artefacts that tell the story of life during and after D-Day. It’s one of the most underrated museums in the region.  It’s only been open since 2017 and focuses a lot of attention on what’s generally known as the Battle of the Hedges.

Hedges, hedgerows, or “Bocage” here in Normandy are typical of the Normandy landscape.  Dense networks of hedges, sunken lanes, and small fields with earth-packed stone walls made it particularly difficult for the Allies to move troops and armoured vehicles here.  It is a fascinating explanation of how the Allies dealt with the issue and the way in which they did that. 

There are opportunities here (if you’re visiting during high season) to ride in jeeps, tanks, and also sit inside them within the museum.  There’s also an escape room experience – the Secret of the 3 Bunkers and rides available in vintage Dodge vehicles (depending on the season)

• Address of the Normandy Victory Museum: Parc d’Activités Airville, 50500 Catz, Normandy, France
• Cost of the Normandy Victory Museum: €9.90 adults / €6.50 children
• Opening hours of the Normandy Victory Museum: Depends on the season (and day of the week too, check the website, but expect the museum to be closed midweek in November and December and most of January.
• How long to spend at the Normandy Victory Museum:   We spent 100 minutes in the Normandy Victory Museum.
• Website: https://www.normandy-victory-museum.fr
• How to get to the Normandy Victory Museum: 20-minute drive from Utah Beach via Carentan.  There are lots of free parking spaces on site.
• Map location of the Normandy Victory Museum:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/m2jRwhaCn7scY8a96

What to see in Sainte-Mère-Église

Sainte-Mère-Église was the first town in France liberated by Allied forces on D-Day. Paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions dropped into and around the town in the early hours of June 6, 1944, securing key crossroads that helped the landings succeed at Utah Beach. Today, the town square still centers on those events, and two unmissable sites — the Airborne Museum and the church — preserve that history.

The most striking thing that you’ll notice as you arrive in Sainte-Mère-Église’s town square is the church and the effigy of John Steel, tangled up in his parachute and dangling from the roof.  More on that shortly, but your first stop here should be the museum; it’s one of the best in the area, and it’s usually busy.

1. The Airborne Museum

The Airborne Museum tells the story of the American paratroopers who landed across Normandy on D-Day. As such, one of the buildings that it is located in (on a single site) is designed like an open parachute.  This is the story of the 101^st Airborne and the 82^nd Airborne, who dropped here.

As you enter, you’ll be given a free “Histopad”, which you point at various signs throughout the exhibits to get specific stories and information.  I found it didn’t work too well here (but the Histopad at Colditz Castle is truly superb!). 

There are now 8 areas on the site, and they’re numbered 1-8. It’s logical to go through them in that order, although 5 is an outside exhibition area that you can pass through quickly, 7 is a temporary exhibition center, and 8 is a snack bar, so you can miss it if you don’t need to snack!

The Airborne Museum has a combination of informational boards, historical artifacts, and experiences.  So you can put on a parachute pack and take a photo, you can read about the personal experiences of those who jumped in June 1944.  There’s a C-47 aircraft here and an original WACO C-4 glider.

The museum has been here since 1964 and has had updates over the years, and it’s superb.

• Address of the Airborne Museum: 14 Rue Eisenhower, 50480 Sainte-Mère-Église, Normandy, France
• Cost of the Airborne Museum: €9.90 adults / €6 children / €7.50 students
• Opening hours of the Airborne Museum: February–December 09:30–18:30 (closed January)
• How long to spend at the Airborne Museum:   We spent 100 minutes in the Airborne Museum.
• Website: https://www.airborne-museum.org
• How to get to the Airborne Museum: Located on the main square opposite the church in Sainte-Mère-Église; 8 miles (13 kilometres) from Utah Beach.  There’s no free parking here, so you’ll need to pay to park at the machine in the town square. You’ll need your car license plate to pay for the ticket.
• Map location of the Airborne Museum:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/eFScbNM8QeRcxSgY6

2 Sainte-Mère-Église Church

The church in Sainte-Mère-Église became famous when paratrooper John Steele’s parachute caught on the steeple during the D-Day drops. Steele played dead, but was eventually captured by the Germans, from whom he managed to escape to rejoin the fight.  An effigy of Steele still hangs from the tower, a permanent tribute to that extraordinary night. Inside, stained-glass windows show paratroopers alongside saints, reflecting the town’s gratitude to its liberators.  John Steele’s story is told (along with hundreds of others) in the movie the Longest Day.

• Address of Sainte-Mère-Église Church: Place de l’Église, 50480 Sainte-Mère-Église, Normandy, France
• Cost of Sainte-Mère-Église Church: Free
• Opening hours of Sainte-Mère-Église Church: Daily 08:00–19:00
• Website: https://www.sainte-mere-eglise.info
• How to get to Sainte-Mère-Église Church: Central square of Sainte-Mère-Église, opposite the Airborne Museum; 8 miles (13 kilometres) from Utah Beach.  Parking in the town square, outside the church.  It is NOT free. 

Recommended Itinerary and Route for Visiting Utah Beach & Sainte-Mère-Église

Utah Beach and Sainte-Mère-Église are just a short drive apart, making them ideal to visit in a single day, depending on how long you spend at each location and in each museum. This route follows the story of D-Day from sea to sky — beginning where the 4th Infantry Division landed and ending in the first town liberated by the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions.

If you’d rather let someone else handle the logistics, several local operators run D-Day tours from Bayeux and Carentan that include Utah Beach, the Airborne Museum, and Sainte-Mère-Église.  Otherwise, here’s a great itinerary to follow.

Begin your day at Utah Beach, walking the sand and exploring the surviving German bunkers before the tour groups arrive. Then head into the Utah Beach Museum, which brings the entire operation to life with its mix of artefacts, vehicles, and veteran stories.

After the museum, take time to visit the Higgins Boat Memorial, the Liberty Road Markers, and the cluster of unit memorials nearby (4th Infantry, 90th Infantry, and U.S. Navy). Each gives context to the men who came ashore here.

Before leaving the coast, stop at the Richard Winters Leadership Monument on the D913 — a key site for Band of Brothers fans — and the Easy Company Memorial near Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, where the 101st Airborne regrouped after D-Day.

Drive inland to Saint-Côme-du-Mont (around 10 minutes). Visit the D-Day Experience Museum and Dead Man’s Corner. There’s a snack bar in the parking lot here, or visit a local boulangerie and get a picnic if the weather is good.  If you lunch early, then Le Roosevelt Café at Utah Beach is a popular spot decorated with enough WWII memorabilia to look like a museum itself!

Spend the afternoon in Sainte-Mère-Église, the first town liberated on D-Day. Start at the Airborne Museum, which combines authentic aircraft with immersive displays of the paratroopers’ mission. Then cross the square to the Sainte-Mère-Église Church, still marked by the effigy of paratrooper John Steele hanging from its steeple.

If time allows, stop at the Normandy Victory Museum in Catz on your return — it’s a short detour that expands the story from D-Day to the full Normandy campaign.

Suggested One-Day Itinerary for Utah Beach & Sainte-Mère-Église:

• 09:30 – Arrive at Utah Beach. Walk along the dunes, explore the preserved German bunkers, and take in the atmosphere before it gets busy.
• 10:00 – Visit the Utah Beach Museum next door. Allow about 90 minutes to explore the landing craft, vehicles, and veteran interviews.
• 11:30 – Stop at the Higgins Boat Memorial, the Liberty Road Markers, and the nearby 4th Infantry, 90th Infantry, and U.S. Navy Memorials before leaving the beach.
• 12:15 – Drive inland on the D913 and pause at the Richard Winters Leadership Monument, then the Easy Company Memorial near Sainte-Marie-du-Mont.
• 13:00 – Picnic Lunch
• 13:30 – Visit the D-Day Experience Museum and Dead Man’s Corner. The paratrooper flight simulator and immersive displays make this stop a highlight—allow 3 hours for a full experience.
• 16:30 – Continue 10 minutes north to Sainte-Mère-Église. Spend an hour at the Airborne Museum, then walk across the square to the Sainte-Mère-Église Church, where an effigy of paratrooper John Steele still hangs from the steeple.

If you still have time, drive back via Catz and visit the Normandy Victory Museum, which covers the wider Normandy campaign.  You *may* need to juggle the museums depending on how long you spend in each, and visit the Normandy Victory Museum on another day.

Books to Read about Utah Beach and World War II

A few good books can make your visit to Utah Beach even more meaningful. Whether you want a detailed military account, a personal story, or a broader overview of D-Day, these titles are worth reading before or after your trip. Many are available in the museum gift shops across Normandy, or online if you’d rather prepare before you go.

D-Day: June 6, 1944 by Stephen E. Ambrose – A definitive and very readable account of the entire invasion, packed with first-hand stories from soldiers who landed at Utah and Omaha.

Utah Beach to Cherbourg (6 June–27 June 1944) by Roland G. Ruppenthal – Part of the U.S. Army’s official history series, this book gives a detailed, factual record of the fighting that followed the landings.

Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose – The story of Easy Company from their training in the U.S. through D-Day and beyond; essential for anyone interested in the 101st Airborne and Sainte-Mère-Église. It is an amazing book, that you’ll want to re-read again and again. Get yours here.

The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan – A gripping classic that weaves together accounts from both sides of the Normandy invasion. A fabulous read get it here.

Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters by Dick Winters and Cole C. Kingseed – A personal and honest look at leadership, courage, and the human side of war.

Movies and Documentaries About Utah Beach and World War II

If you’d like to understand the landings at Utah Beach before you visit, or relive them afterward, these films and documentaries capture the scale, emotion, and human stories behind D-Day. Many are available to stream or can be found in museum gift shops throughout Normandy.

• The Longest Day (1962) – The classic black-and-white war film that recreates the events of D-Day from both Allied and German perspectives. Parts were filmed on the actual Normandy beaches, including Utah.
• Saving Private Ryan (1998) – While centred on the Omaha landings, the film’s opening sequence remains the most realistic portrayal of the chaos and bravery of D-Day.
• Band of Brothers (2001) – The HBO miniseries following Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, from training to the landings near Sainte-Mère-Église and beyond. Essential viewing for visitors to Utah Beach.
• D-Day 6.6.44 (1994) – A well-paced documentary that uses archive footage and interviews with surviving veterans to tell the full story of the Normandy invasion.

Don’t miss any of the films and documentaries offered inside the museums; they are great introductions and combine real footage, eyewitness testimony, and photographs of the men who landed here.

Where to Eat near Utah Beach

There are some great places to eat in and near Utah Beach and Sainte-Mère-Église, from small, family-run cafés to historic inns that welcome WWII enthusiasts from around the world. Most are within a 10–15 minute drive of the beach and museums.

Le Roosevelt Café, Utah Beach

Right next to the Utah Beach Museum, this small café is packed with wartime memorabilia and photos of visiting veterans. It’s the perfect stop for lunch or coffee before exploring the beach. The menu is simple — burgers, salads, and crepes — but the atmosphere makes it special.

• Address: Utah Beach, Sainte-Marie-du-Mont
• Website: https://leroosevelt.fr
• Price range: €10–€20 per person

Auberge Le John Steele, Sainte-Mère-Église

Named after the famous paratrooper, this auberge sits just off the main square. It’s known for its warm hospitality, hearty Normandy dishes, and local cider. A great choice if you’re visiting the Airborne Museum or staying overnight nearby.  Accommodation is also available here.

• Address: 8 Rue Eisenhower, Sainte-Mère-Église
• Website: https://aubergelejohnsteele.fr
• Price range: €15–€30 per person

However, you’ll find that exploring the Utah Beach area can be a long and packed day.  I recommend, if the weather is good, picking up some picnic items (this Boulangerie en route to Utah Beach has amazing baguettes, sandwiches, and tartes –perfect for an alfresco lunch between explorations).

Where to Stay to Visit Utah Beach

There’s plenty of accommodation in the area, so you’ll need to decide on your route first, and then pick accommodation that supports it and your style of travel.  Here are some great options.

La Suite, Sainte-Mère-Église: A small, friendly guesthouse in the heart of town, steps from the Airborne Museum and church. It’s quaint and lovely, and the owners are known for their warm welcome and local knowledge.  Book a room early.

Auberge du John Steel: Right in the heart of Sainte-Mère-Église, this is a glorious place to stay and eat, meaning you’re right on site for the Airborne and exploring the area around Utah Beach.  It’s popular, so get your reservation in early.

Carentan Camping and Hotels: If you prefer to stay closer to transport connections, Carentan offers several small hotels and a well-equipped campsite. It’s about a 20-minute drive from Utah Beach and a good base for visiting all the Normandy landing beaches.  You can see your options here.

WWII Sites around the World

We can’t claim to have visited every single WWII site around the world, but we’ve explored quite a few of them, admittedly we haven’t written about them all, but here are our guides to those that we have documented.

• Dunkirk & Operation Dynamo (France): What to see, how to visit.
• Utah Beach and the Normandy Landings (France): Where to stay, what not to miss.
• Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery (France): What to see
• Kanchanaburi and the Death Railway in Thailand: What to see
• Hellfire Pass the the Building of the Death Railway (Thailand): Here’s what to see
• Thanbyuzayat Thai Burma Death Railway (Myanmar): How to get there and what to see
• The Sandakan Memorial, Borneo: (Malaysia): What happened here, why to visit.
• Sandakan to Ranau: the Death Marches (Malaysia): What happened here
• Penang: Malaysia & WWII: Exploring the War Museum.
• Labuan Island: Exploring WWII (Malaysia): Here’s what to see
• Kota Bharu: Did WWII in Asia start here?
• Nagasaki: (Japan): The peace park, the hypocenter and what to see here.
• Hiroshima: The bomb dome and peace park (Japan): What to see

Final Words on Visiting Utah Beach and Sainte-Mère-Église

We’d been planning to visit the Normandy Beaches for years, and finally stepping onto Utah Beach, the first of the landing beaches we visited, sent a shiver down my spine.  The history here feels touchable, close, and tangible.  It is almost impossible to imagine what this now peaceful beach was like on 6 June 1944, but the museums of the area do a great job to help.  Visiting Utah Beach alongside Sainte-Mère-Église gives a complete picture of D-Day’s western flank — from the seaborne landings to the airborne operations that secured the inland roads. Between the museums, the monuments, and the towns that still remember their liberators, this corner of Normandy remains one of the most evocative WWII destinations in Europe.

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