Sainte-Mère-Église is a small town and commune of the Manche département, in the Cotentin Peninsula near the coast of Normandy, France.
History
The town's main claim to fame is that it played a significant part in the World War II Normandy landings because this village stood right in the middle of route N13, which the Germans would have most likely used on any significant counterattack on the troops landing on Utah and Omaha Beaches. In the early morning of 6 June 1944 mixed units of the US 82nd Airborne Division occupied the town, giving it the claim to being the first town liberated by the Allies just before H-Hour on D-Day. The town was the scene of a famous incident in which American paratrooper John Steele had his parachute caught on the spire of the church, and had to observe the fighting going on below for possession of the town before the Americans prevailed and he could be rescued. The incident was portrayed in the movie The Longest Day.
Sights
Modern day Sainte-Mère-Église trades heavily on its invasion history. There are many small museums and World War II-related giftshops and eating places. A dummy paratrooper hangs from the church spire, commemorating the story of John Steele.
Behind the church is a spring, reputed by pilgrims to have healing powers, dedicated to Saint Mewan (Saint Méen).
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