Walking Normandy’s D-Day Battlefields: A 101st Airborne (3rd Battalion) Journey

Normandy Travel Blog: Exploring 101st Airborne D-Day Sites (3rd Battalion Focus)

Welcome back blog friends!

Time for another trip from the “woof”—this time returning to Normandy to explore more of the history of the 101st Airborne Division. This visit focused primarily on the 3rd Battalion, while still taking in iconic locations like Utah Beach and Pointe du Hoc.

I hope you enjoy the post—feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or reach out on Instagram or Facebook.

🚢 Day 1: Portsmouth to Caen – Ferry Travel & First Impressions

Travelled from Portsmouth to Ouistreham by ferry—still one of the most relaxed ways to cross the Channel.

👉 Travel Tip: Ferry vs Flying
Taking the ferry is often cheaper and far less stressful than flying—quicker boarding, minimal security hassle, and the option to book a cabin and arrive rested.

From Ouistreham, I headed into Caen to explore the historic centre.

Visited Château de Caen, beautifully restored after WWII bombing, with excellent views across the city.

👉 Travel Tip: Caen Castle Entry
Entry to the castle grounds is free, but individual museums inside require tickets—worth planning ahead if you’re short on time.

The castle is genuinely impressive, with sweeping views across the city that make the climb worthwhile. I spent about half an hour exploring the grounds before heading off in search of a pre-birthday dinner, luckily finding a great spot just five minutes away.

Les Touristes Cafe may sound like a typical tourist stop, but in this case it absolutely delivered. I ended up having one of the best steaks I’ve had in a long time—perfectly cooked and full of flavour. To be fair, France rarely disappoints when it comes to steak, but this one really stood out.

There's always beer....!

👉 Travel Tip: Sunday Closures

Many cafés and restaurants in Caen close on Sundays—plan meals in advance to avoid limited options.

Caen is a fascinating city shaped heavily by its wartime past. Much of it was destroyed during WWII, yet several historic churches still stand today, carefully restored and quietly reminding visitors of what once was. Near the hippodrome—about a 10-minute walk from Gare de Caen—there’s a memorial where you can still see visible damage on the column from the fighting, a small but powerful detail that brings the history into sharp focus.

After dinner, I hopped back on the tram to the Mercure Caen Centre Port de Plaisance just north of the city centre. By that point, the motivation to head back out had disappeared entirely, so dessert in the room felt like a well-earned decision.

🚆 Day 2: Carentan & Into 101st Airborne Country

After a relaxed start in Caen, I made my way to Gare de Caen to catch the train to Carentan—a key objective during the D-Day landings and central to the story of the 101st Airborne. The journey itself is straightforward and scenic, taking around 30–45 minutes depending on the service, with tickets costing roughly €25 return.

Arriving at Gare de Carentan, I was met by my friend Ian Gardner, author of Tonight We Die as Men. From there, it was a short drive (around 10 minutes) to the village of Saint-Côme-du-Mont—a location that played a critical role in the early hours and days following the airborne landings.

Staying at Le Clos Sajot (Highly Recommended)

Our base for the next few days was the excellent B&B:

• Le Clos Sajot

Run by Martine and Michel, this B&B is far more than just a place to stay—it’s an immersive historical experience. The property is located directly across the road from the field where Lt. Col. Robert Wolverton (CO of 3rd Battalion, 506th PIR) was killed on June 6th, 1944. Standing there, knowing the significance of the ground beneath your feet, really brings the history to life in a way few places can.

Michel, a former mayor of the village, is a fantastic host with deep local knowledge. His family has direct ties to the events of D-Day—his father witnessed German troop movements along the road from the hedgerows, and the nearby farmhouse (still owned by the family) served as a refuge for locals during the shelling.

A Location at the Heart of the Airborne Landings

The B&B is ideally situated for exploring key 101st Airborne sites:

• Just minutes from the main road (RN13) that was a vital German supply and movement route
• Close to Carentan, the objective that linked Utah and Omaha beachheads
• Within walking distance of several key battle locations covered in the coming days

The surrounding countryside—hedgerows, narrow lanes, and open fields—remains largely unchanged, making it easy to visualise how chaotic and disorienting the airborne drops must have been.

First Impressions

After settling in, there was time to take in the immediate surroundings, including:

• Views across the fields where paratroopers landed (or missed their drop zones entirely)
• Nearby farm buildings that played roles during the fighting
• The quiet, almost deceptive calm of the Norman countryside

It’s one of those places where the history isn’t just in museums—it’s embedded in the landscape.

A perfect setup for what would turn into an incredibly detailed and personal exploration of the 101st Airborne’s actions in Normandy.

Lemarchand farm.

Day 3:

Had a fantastic traditional French breakfast then headed out on our first walk of the tour..that was 10am.

🪖 Day 3: Battlefield Walk – Wolverton to Dead Man’s Corner

After a fantastic traditional French breakfast at Le Clos Sajot, we set out on foot around 10:00—ready for a full day tracing the actions of the 101st Airborne.

Our group included some familiar faces and a very personal connection to the history: Carol, niece of Lt. Col. Robert Wolverton, alongside Mark, Nadia, myself, and Ian Gardner.

First stop: directly across the road at Lemarchand Farm. Standing there, it’s hard to imagine the chaos of June 6th, 1944—but this ground witnessed it first hand.

Another view of Lemarchand farm.

From the farm, we crossed what was the main road to Cherbourg (RN13 during the war) and walked a short distance to the memorial marking where Lt. Col. Wolverton was killed. At the time, the field was an orchard. Accounts from survivors suggest he became entangled in a tree during the drop and was killed there, his body reportedly left by German forces for several days. It’s a sobering place, made even more poignant by Carol’s presence.

Nearby fields were used as temporary POW holding areas early on D-Day, with captured American paratroopers later confirming the events surrounding Wolverton’s death.

We continued along a rare stretch of double hedgerow to Les Droueries Manor, a key location that changed hands multiple times in the early fighting. This is also where the tragic friendly-fire incident involving Hiner occurred—another reminder of how chaotic those first hours were.

Folleville farm...

Moving back toward the main road, we passed:

• Le Férage – used as H Company’s command post
• A nearby horse training track that remains today

Returning into Saint-Côme-du-Mont, we explored the church and town square. The church, heavily damaged during the war and later restored, is known for the story of Joseph Beyrle, who landed nearby, often compared to John Steele in Sainte-Mère-Église.

Notice the battle damage...

We also stopped at the former German command post, located in a house near the church, where part of the building served as an aid station.

From there, we walked past the modern school toward Destres Farm, then on toward the quarry where German Fallschirmjäger commander Friedrich von der Heydte established his early command post. Continuing on, we reached Rampan Manor, which offered commanding views over the flooded lowlands—terrain deliberately altered by German forces to slow the Allied advance.

The final stretch took us down to Dead Man’s Corner, now home to the impressive D-Day Experience museum. Being there with Wolverton’s family added a real emotional weight to the visit. The museum itself is excellent, including the C-47 simulator used in Band of Brothers—a surprisingly immersive experience.

The museum has plenty to explore, including a C-47 mock-up used in Band of Brothers, now converted into a flight simulator. It’s a surprisingly immersive experience and definitely worth taking the time to try if you’re in the area (around €12 per person).

We wrapped up the day with a walk to Frigot Farm, where a 40mm anti-aircraft gun once dominated movement along the Douve. This was also the crash site of a C-47 carrying paratroopers from the 501st PIR—flying dangerously low before going down, killing the crew.

Field where C-47 crashed...

After lunch under a nearby tree, we continued to Le Haut Maison, where elements of 3/506 suffered heavy casualties, and then to Le Bel Esnault Château, once used as a German command post (and, interestingly, reportedly a pre-war brothel).

Our final stops were:

• Angoville-au-Plain – its church famously used as an aid station, still bearing what are believed to be bloodstains on the pews
• Drop Zone D – where standing on the ground really brings home how critical—and chaotic—these landing zones were

Over 10 miles later, we returned to the B&B around 19:00. A long, detailed, and incredibly rewarding day—rounded off perfectly with cider and a fantastic home-cooked meal from Martine.

🌊 Day 4: Utah Beach Sector & La Barquette

Another excellent breakfast (including proper pain perdu) set us up for a slightly shorter—but no less interesting—day.

Michel dropped us along the road toward Utah Beach, near the site where a Lancaster bomber crashed after a mission over Pointe du Hoc. The crash site has been excavated, though the remains of the crew were never recovered.

We walked along the Pénème Road, cutting across farmland toward the River Douve. Following the river, we passed:

• The location of the wartime footbridge and ferry
• Positions where elements of 3/506 gathered under fire
• The site of a German 88mm gun that regularly shelled Allied troops

Continuing toward Carentan, we reached the remains of the original road bridge—one of the battalion’s key objectives. Destroyed during the fighting (likely triggered by bombing), its concrete base still stands. We stopped here for lunch, enjoying the sunshine in a place that once saw intense combat.

Next stop: La Barquette Locks, another D-Day objective. While important, many historians argue too many men were committed to holding the locks for limited tactical gain—especially given that the Germans had already used them to flood the surrounding terrain.

From there, we made our way back to the B&B. Shorter distance—around 8–9 miles—but with the heat, it felt just as demanding. Thankfully, Martine’s ice creams at the end of the day were perfectly timed.

 

🪖 Day 5: Pointe du Hoc, Carentan & Bloody Gulch

The final day of the tour began with a drive to Pointe du Hoc, site of the famous assault by the 2nd Ranger Battalion under James Rudder.

Despite the fact the guns had already been moved inland, the site remains one of the most striking in Normandy. The bomb craters, shattered bunkers, and sheer cliffs are largely untouched—giving a real sense of the scale and difficulty of the assault.

From there, we drove to Carentan, parking near the port and walking along the canal. After lunch by the lock (next to an original Bailey bridge still in use), we explored the town square—site of the Silver Star ceremonies, one of which was tragically hit by German mortar fire, killing several civilians

Relaxing in the sun...

Higgins boat...

Our final major stop was Bloody Gulch, just outside Carentan. This was the site of a fierce German counterattack against elements of the 506th PIR. The battle is portrayed in Band of Brothers, particularly through the experience of Albert Blithe. Walking the ground, it’s clear how exposed and vulnerable the Allied positions were.

Sadly, the site is under threat from industrial expansion, so it was important to see it while it still exists in its current form.

In the photos above, you’ll notice a 60mm mortar shell that my friend Ian Gardner had discovered just a month earlier—still awaiting safe removal and disposal at the time of our visit.

After leaving Carentan, we continued on to Utah Beach to visit the Utah Beach D-Day Museum. The museum has been established for over 20 years and, while it remains an important site, it does feel like it could benefit from a refresh. In particular, I found some of the interpretations relating to the 101st Airborne to be questionable or oversimplified, which detracted slightly from an otherwise significant historical location.

🪖 Final Thoughts: Normandy Battlefield Tour & the 101st Airborne Experience

Finishing this trip through Normandy, it’s clear just how much depth there is beyond the well-known landing beaches. Even around familiar areas like Carentan and Saint-Côme-du-Mont, each return visit adds another layer of understanding to what unfolded here in June 1944.

Walking the ground where the 101st Airborne operated—from hedgerow fighting positions and drop zones to key objectives like Bloody Gulch and the approaches to Utah Beach—brings home how fragmented and chaotic the battle really was. Maps and books help, but the terrain itself is what ties everything together.

Even after multiple visits, Normandy continues to deliver new insights. It’s not just about the major landmarks; it’s about connecting the smaller sites, the villages, and the overlooked fields that shaped the outcome of D-Day and the push inland.

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🙏 Acknowledgements: Ian Gardner & Battlefield Context

A special thanks to Ian Gardner for his time, expertise, and insight throughout the trip. Having someone who can interpret the ground in real time and link it directly to individual units and personal stories adds enormous value to the experience.

It transforms the visit from sightseeing into understanding—helping connect terrain, timeline, and testimony in a way that’s hard to replicate alone.