GR®223 - Carentan - Utah Beach

On this 19 km stage, you’ll cross the marshes and the Domaine de Beauguillot to arrive at the famous Utah Beach. This section is flat, with asphalt, earth and sand underfoot.
As you leave Carentan, visit the nearby Maison du Parc to discover the Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin Regional Nature Park. This discovery centre will help you to find out more about this protected area while you stroll around and watch the birds in their natural habitat. Next, you’ll take small roads through the wetlands, marshes and dunes of the Beauguillot nature reserve. This site is home to many different bird species (35 000 waterfowl in winter), which you can watch from the observatories. Then carry on walking for several kilometres before reaching the dunes and discovering Utah Beach. Here, on the morning of 6 June 1944, 23 000 American soldiers landed from the sea and headed towards Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. An artificial harbour, built in 10 days, was used to deliver 1 000 tonnes of material every day. Today, nothing is left of it.
The stage ends at the Musée du Débarquement in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. You’ll discover a large collection of artefacts and accounts of the D-Day landing there on 6 June. A real bombardier aircraft, two flight simulators and a landing craft are also exhibited in the museum.