I live in France and was in Carentan many years ago as well as more recently. The landscape - the terrain has changed quite a lot. Some of the old houses were rebuilt, but not exactly in the same place as road layouts were changed, widened, new drainage, telecoms etc all had to be accommodated. The road into town was changed quite a bit over the last 80 years, widened, scoured flatter and straightened, built upon and around and properly laid - before that, it was a compacted gravel/shingle road typical of much of the French countryside until fairly recently. The drainage ditches on either side were filled in and proper drains fitted. of course, the town itself has expanded considerably in the last 80 years too. Although the Carentan scenes were shot at the old BAE airstrip (along with most of the rest of the series) on the outskirts of Hatfield, the reconstruction was taken from original town plans, photographs and other sources as much as logic and cost would allow - it was therefore, far more accurate than a visitor to the town today might realise. The video maker was right about the house on the corner being used as a first aid post (along with the then small station waiting room). I think for those with historical curiosity and interest, little videos like this are very valuable.
The world has turned many times since these events took place and roads, houses and modern utilities have been altered to accommodate the needs of the people. So, it is not surprising that the area does not look exactly the same. I have done extensive battlefield touring on my own throughout Europe. There are several areas where the battlefield have been relatively unaffected by modern changes. In Germany, the Huertgen Forest area, especially the Kall Trail is almost exactly the same. In France, the Verdun area, save for the growth of the forests, is largely a restricted area because of all the still hidden shells. The trench lines are still clearly evident and hardly any new roads or building have been built. The same for many areas down in Italy from the Alps where many WWI battles were fought to the North Apennines. Further south, the old town of San Pietro was still largely standing in ruins and abandoned as it had been in 1944. Thanks for posting your video!
Thank you for this video my friend. My wife & I have been to Carentan several times in the last 10 years, but never quite knew where things happened for Easy. We're off there again in October, so this time we'll know where to look!
Have you visited the place where German Colonel surrendered.There is an episode on Band Of Brothers maybe the ending scene where the German Colonel surrender on that place
Where you turned left into the town with the railway line to your right is where the original level crossing was, lots of footage of half tracks and tanks crossing here after the battle The level crossing was closed off many years ago and replaced with a flyover
Well - we have to take into account that the tv series was not filmed on site but in hertfordshire england so there will certainly be huge differences.
It's easy to feel like you know this place well if you've played the Call of Duty 2 Carentan map, or the WW2 map. As far as I know the map layout and how it looked was directly taken from Band of Brothers. How authentic the Band of Brothers set was im not really sure of.
The band of brothers set was actually reconstructed using original maps from the town of carentan so it's actually more similar to the original than you think!
@VideoHistoryToday thankyou so much for posting this. In 2011 I visited the area including Carentan, St Come du Mont, Vierville , Le Grand Chemin , St Mere Eglise, Omaha and Utah. I never managed to get so close to Brecourt manor as you. Fascinating to see the real route that 506 PIR took into Carentan. Did you manage to get any footage of Hill 30, if indeed you actually went there. I was convinced I had found the correct location but I had no maps and or guides to be sure it was the right place.
as i was researching the area on google earth...i think cafe de normandie from BoB and also from CoD games is in fact bar du stade.but also there is another interesting thing:the church in carentan.the real church notre dame doesnt look like the one depicted in the show/game.but exactly same church can be found in a small village carquebut near carentan and the church is called saint ouen.maybe the show and game took that small village as inspiration for carentan with a lil bit detail changes.
So there was basically no way that there would be a building straight left of the entrance (modern cafe du stade, cafe de normandie in the BoB) and instead was open road on both sides? I'm trying to sort out fact from fiction. I think BoB also made it appear that on the right side there was a sharp 90 degree road turn (no long straight road) as well. Not having open roads on each end for a huge main road leading into town seems nonsensical except in the case of fiction
Steven Spielburg really messed up with private Blithe, He actually became a Master Sgt. and vietnam veteran and hero. Family did not sue for slander yet.
Whilst the video is good, and the information passable, the presenter needs to brush up on his French! The last 's' in any french word (particularly names) is always silent. So Auvers becomes 'Eau'ver(s). I don't mean to be critical but this is just a hobby-horse of mine!
Unliked. Just because you can’t understand that it’s roughly almost 80 years. Things change. Obviously the landscape and leveling of roads changed. BOB got it right. And you got it wrong in the sense that you said they got it wrong.
@@liltoaster7308 I live in the area where Crossroads episode actually took place and I can assure you the BoB production team did an excellent job in capturing the scenes at that moment in time on each location. It's scary how close they captured the locations same goes for Eindhoven, Nuenen etc.
@@evanr9945 I was specifically referring to the Carentan episode in my original comment, so my mistake for not clarifying. Since they shot on location for some scenes, especially in the Holland episodes they did get a lot right as far as the set for different places. Other areas like almost the entirety of the Bastogne episodes and part of the Normandy episode were filmed indoors. They also redecorated a few of the same villages over to like like different places. I agree though, the attention to detail is generally stunning and spot on.
I live in France and was in Carentan many years ago as well as more recently. The landscape - the terrain has changed quite a lot. Some of the old houses were rebuilt, but not exactly in the same place as road layouts were changed, widened, new drainage, telecoms etc all had to be accommodated. The road into town was changed quite a bit over the last 80 years, widened, scoured flatter and straightened, built upon and around and properly laid - before that, it was a compacted gravel/shingle road typical of much of the French countryside until fairly recently. The drainage ditches on either side were filled in and proper drains fitted. of course, the town itself has expanded considerably in the last 80 years too.
Although the Carentan scenes were shot at the old BAE airstrip (along with most of the rest of the series) on the outskirts of Hatfield, the reconstruction was taken from original town plans, photographs and other sources as much as logic and cost would allow - it was therefore, far more accurate than a visitor to the town today might realise. The video maker was right about the house on the corner being used as a first aid post (along with the then small station waiting room). I think for those with historical curiosity and interest, little videos like this are very valuable.
Awesome, thanks, and I really mean THANKS
The world has turned many times since these events took place and roads, houses and modern utilities have been altered to accommodate the needs of the people. So, it is not surprising that the area does not look exactly the same. I have done extensive battlefield touring on my own throughout Europe. There are several areas where the battlefield have been relatively unaffected by modern changes. In Germany, the Huertgen Forest area, especially the Kall Trail is almost exactly the same. In France, the Verdun area, save for the growth of the forests, is largely a restricted area because of all the still hidden shells. The trench lines are still clearly evident and hardly any new roads or building have been built. The same for many areas down in Italy from the Alps where many WWI battles were fought to the North Apennines. Further south, the old town of San Pietro was still largely standing in ruins and abandoned as it had been in 1944. Thanks for posting your video!
Valuable information, and most eloquently stated. Much obliged!
Thank you for this video my friend. My wife & I have been to Carentan several times in the last 10 years, but never quite knew where things happened for Easy. We're off there again in October, so this time we'll know where to look!
Have you visited the place where German Colonel surrendered.There is an episode on Band Of Brothers maybe the ending scene where the German Colonel surrender on that place
The first aid post was the green painted frontage a few doors along from the house on the corner. I was there last weekend. Great vid btw.
hi richard can i ask how you know the green painted building was the aid station ? im ging there sat 18 sept 2021 thank you barry
It is at the crossing of Boulevard de Cotentin and Route d'Auvers (D903)
Where you turned left into the town with the railway line to your right is where the original level crossing was, lots of footage of half tracks and tanks crossing here after the battle
The level crossing was closed off many years ago and replaced with a flyover
Well - we have to take into account that the tv series was not filmed on site but in hertfordshire england so there will certainly be huge differences.
But the producers reconstructed the town based on historic town plans
The roundabout you were looking down on from the bridge was the place where Carwood Lipton was wounded
It's easy to feel like you know this place well if you've played the Call of Duty 2 Carentan map, or the WW2 map. As far as I know the map layout and how it looked was directly taken from Band of Brothers. How authentic the Band of Brothers set was im not really sure of.
The band of brothers set was actually reconstructed using original maps from the town of carentan so it's actually more similar to the original than you think!
landscapes have changed over te years
What strikes me is how after seven decades, there is very few reminders of what occurred there. Asa visitor I would definitely need a guide..
you should do the same thing with Brothers In Arms locations
That’s real. I thought they were fictional ?
@VideoHistoryToday thankyou so much for posting this.
In 2011 I visited the area including Carentan, St Come du Mont, Vierville , Le Grand Chemin , St Mere Eglise, Omaha and Utah.
I never managed to get so close to Brecourt manor as you.
Fascinating to see the real route that 506 PIR took into Carentan.
Did you manage to get any footage of Hill 30, if indeed you actually went there.
I was convinced I had found the correct location but I had no maps and or guides to be sure it was the right place.
Good job! Thanks for posting.
as i was researching the area on google earth...i think cafe de normandie from BoB and also from CoD games is in fact bar du stade.but also there is another interesting thing:the church in carentan.the real church notre dame doesnt look like the one depicted in the show/game.but exactly same church can be found in a small village carquebut near carentan and the church is called saint ouen.maybe the show and game took that small village as inspiration for carentan with a lil bit detail changes.
Would be nice to see a comparison of old vs new landscape
I looking for the house where tipper Get injurid,any help?
Excellent video...I followed it through using Google street maps too...thank you for the information.
So there was basically no way that there would be a building straight left of the entrance (modern cafe du stade, cafe de normandie in the BoB) and instead was open road on both sides? I'm trying to sort out fact from fiction. I think BoB also made it appear that on the right side there was a sharp 90 degree road turn (no long straight road) as well. Not having open roads on each end for a huge main road leading into town seems nonsensical except in the case of fiction
Beautiful area!
:50 Deja Vous
The ambush is still by the book / West point . - Cheers
You're thinking of Brecourt Manor Assault. Carentan wasn't an ambush, the German's were expecting an American attack on the town.
Steven Spielburg really messed up with private Blithe, He actually became a Master Sgt. and vietnam veteran and hero. Family did not sue for slander yet.
They also screwed up the year he died.
You're complaining but spreading false Informations yourself.
He fought in Korea, not Vietnam.
lol @Vietnam.
France is beautiful...
Whilst the video is good, and the information passable, the presenter needs to brush up on his French! The last 's' in any french word (particularly names) is always silent. So Auvers becomes 'Eau'ver(s). I don't mean to be critical but this is just a hobby-horse of mine!
You sound like my missus, she hates people murdering her language. Now pronounce the French for frog ...
Carentan or Carentaaan
Is that the part at the start when they go to rush in
Yes
I was just there w my daughter and that is NOT where the attack started. We found the exact spot and house they they met resistance. This is b/s.
Unliked. Just because you can’t understand that it’s roughly almost 80 years. Things change. Obviously the landscape and leveling of roads changed. BOB got it right. And you got it wrong in the sense that you said they got it wrong.
It's a docu-drama based on real life, not real life itself! I'm sure it wasn't as accurate as you think it is.
@@liltoaster7308 I live in the area where Crossroads episode actually took place and I can assure you the BoB production team did an excellent job in capturing the scenes at that moment in time on each location. It's scary how close they captured the locations same goes for Eindhoven, Nuenen etc.
@@evanr9945 I was specifically referring to the Carentan episode in my original comment, so my mistake for not clarifying. Since they shot on location for some scenes, especially in the Holland episodes they did get a lot right as far as the set for different places. Other areas like almost the entirety of the Bastogne episodes and part of the Normandy episode were filmed indoors. They also redecorated a few of the same villages over to like like different places. I agree though, the attention to detail is generally stunning and spot on.
nerds.
@@ikigai47 by default, if checking vids like these you are some sort of nerd.
Nerd.