[Big D]

Hi Darrin,

Carentan is a central sort of area for events and parts markets in Normandy during the celebrations and I’ve stayed in the centre of town there a few times. It is a neat little town and the people there are great. There are parades there involving current military from the US, Germany, Belgium. France etc.

You will probably find now though that accommodation anywhere around there was booked some time ago. I had a quick look at accommodation recently and you’d have to cast the net a bit wider – around 30kms out of Carentan there were a few places still available. This is still pretty handy but you won’t get the feel of things happening around you all the time. I’d be inclined to take what you can get now as the accommodation will slowly dry up as it gets closer to the time.

The big military parts markets are at Carentan, St Mere Eglise, Vierville sur Mer, Ecausseville and St Marie du Mont. There were others but I'd have to try and recall the names. There should be a schedule of dates for those military markets out soon.

Some places I’d recommend are Dead Man’s Corner Museum, St. Come Du Mont, the American Cemetery at Colleville- Sur-Mer, the German Cemetery at La Cambe, Pegasus Bridge and Pointe du Hoc. The list goes on….

Good luck with the planning.