The D-Day Experience Museum
The D-Day Experience at Saint-Côme-du-Mont, just north of Carentan, combines two museums and a flight simulator built into a genuine C-47. The site centers on Dead Man’s Corner, the crossroads house that served as the command post of the German 6th Parachute Regiment under Major von der Heydte and then of American officers of the 101st Airborne in the fighting of June 6 to 8, 1944.
The short version
- The D-Day Experience at Saint-Côme-du-Mont combines the Dead Man’s Corner house, a museum told from the paratrooper’s side, and a flight simulator built into a C-47 that flew on D-Day night.
- Adult tickets cost €13.90 for the museums and simulator or €19.90 with the 3D cinema; children 6 to 17 pay €10.90 and €15.90, under 6 free.
- The site opens daily, with the ticket office 9:30 to 17:30 from April to September and 10:00 to 16:30 from October to March, and closes January 6 to 31.
- Our scheduled tours do not stop here; a private Normandy D-Day tour can add it with the Band of Brothers sites, and you plan the route with your guide before the trip.
- The nearest scheduled stop is Sainte-Mère-Église, ten minutes north, first on our Normandy D-Day Tour.
What You Will See
The Dead Man’s Corner house holds German and American airborne artifacts tied directly to the crossroads battle; its historic stairs and tight rooms stay as they were, so wheelchairs cannot pass. The main museum across the site tells the campaign from the American paratrooper’s side and is fully accessible. The simulator uses a real 1943 Dakota that flew the drops on the night of June 5 to 6, 1944; a holographic briefing precedes the flight. A 3D cinema rounds out the larger option. Plan two hours for the museums and simulator, three with the cinema.
Hours and Tickets
The site opens daily, with the ticket office open 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from April to September and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from October to March, and closes on December 24, 25, and 31, January 1, and from January 6 to 31. Tickets come in two options: both museums with the simulator for 13.90€ (children 6 to 17 pay 10.90€), or both museums with the simulator and the 3D cinema for 19.90€ (children 15.90€), with family passes at 45€ and 65€ for two adults and two or three children. Children under 6 enter free but cannot ride the simulator. Book ahead in summer and September; details at dday-experience.com.
Getting There
Saint-Côme-du-Mont sits on the old Carentan road, 10 minutes south of Sainte-Mère-Église and 20 minutes from Utah Beach. The site is a natural fit for Band of Brothers itineraries. Our guide to the ten best D-Day museums in Normandy covers the wider region. A private LinkParis.com Normandy D-Day tour can add the D-Day Experience and the Band of Brothers sites to the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dead Man’s Corner?
Dead Man’s Corner is the crossroads house at Saint-Côme-du-Mont that served as the German 6th Parachute Regiment’s command post and then passed to the American 101st Airborne in the fight for Carentan. The name comes from a knocked-out American tank whose commander remained visible at the crossroads for days.
Is the C-47 simulator a real aircraft?
Yes. The simulator is built into a Douglas C-47 constructed in 1943 that flew the airborne drops over Normandy on the night of June 5 to 6, 1944.
What are the opening hours?
The site opens daily, with the ticket office open 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from April to September and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from October to March; it closes from January 6 to 31. Book ahead for summer and September visits.
How long does a visit take?
Plan about two hours for both museums and the simulator, or three hours if you add the 3D cinema.
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