Cobra 44 Commemorative Festival – 2023 Edition

22 and 23 July 2023 at the Normandy Victory Museum

Historical

re-enactment

camp

22 and 23 July 2023

During the two days

Nearly a hundred re-enactors from various groups were present. They set up their tents, equipment and vehicles in various locations, and offered the public a wide range of demonstrations and role-playing in connection with Operation Cobra: a commander’s post, an engineer’s workshop, a women’s camp… Uniforms, accessories and equipment evoked the companies that were present. Several of these groups also offered activities inside the museum.

Free admission

Browsing by date

Saturday, July 22nd

Sunday, July 23rd

The associations that attended

Your questions

Saturday 22 July 2023

All day long

10am to 6pm: Model exhibition by the C’Mafig association | Location: outdoor barracks – Free and open to all

10am to 6pm: “Caill’Art” vintage photo studio – come and have your photo taken by a vintage photo specialist | Location: to be confirmed – (prices: see on site)

10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: comic book signing (Normandie Juin 44 and Super Soldat collections) by JB Djian and Djay | Location: in the museum hall – Free and open to all

10am to 6pm: entertainment in the Jean Gabin exhibition by the DFL Normandie re-enactment group | Location: in the museum – Admission charge included in entrance ticket

10 a.m. to 7 p.m: demonstration of the ENIGMA machine by Edmond Kern (renowned specialist) | Location: in the museum – Admission fee included in admission ticket

Hour by hour

11am, 3pm and 5pm: tours in a Dodge COBRA SPECIAL! A guided tour offered exclusively for this festival will take you on the trail of Operation COBRA in the bocage, with diversions along the way | Paying activity: info and booking here

11am and 5.30pm: armoured vehicle demonstrations: Sherman tank – Half-Track – AM M8 | Location: outside the museum – Free and open to all

1.30 pm: parade of military vehicles and re-enactors through Carentan: departs from the Normandy Victory Museum at 1.30 pm, stops at the port of Carentan, returns to the museum at 2.30 pm | Free and open to all

2pm to 4pm: signing session for historical works by Christophe Prime, including his latest book “S.A.S Les indomptables 1941-1945” | Location: in the museum hall / Free and open to all

3pm: “Words from veterans of the Battle of the Hedges” During his travels in the United States, Florent Plana met hundreds of veterans, photographing and interviewing them. He wants to share with you these intimate and emotional encounters, which have sometimes allowed their voices to be heard. The focus will be on the Battle of the Hedges. A lively lecture, not to be missed! | Location: Greenfield Hall – Free, subject to availability

3.30pm: guided visit by Patrick Fissot, history teacher and co-founder of the museum (1hr30) | Location: in the museum – Admission fee included in the entrance ticket

3.30 pm to 5.30 pm “Living museum”: re-enactors bring scenes to life in the museum | Location: in the museum – Admission fee included in the entrance ticket

4pm: conference by Christophe Prime, historian, on the S.A.S (Special Air Service) and their role in July 1944 | Location: Greenfield Hall – Free subject to availability of seats

6.30pm: Concert by Swing Melodies Orchestra

Sunday, July 23rd

All day long

10am to 6pm: Model exhibition by the C’Mafig association | Location: outdoor barracks – Free and open to all

10am to 6pm: “Caill’Art” vintage photo studio – come and have your photo taken by a vintage photo specialist | Location: to be confirmed – (prices: see on site)

10 a.m. to 7 p.m: demonstration of the ENIGMA machine by Edmond Kern (renowned specialist) | Location: in the museum – Admission fee included in admission ticket

Hour by hour

11am and 2pm: armored vehicle demonstrations: Sherman tank – Half-Track – AM M8 | Location: outside the museum – Free and open to all.

11am, 3pm and 5pm: Dodge tours COBRA SPECIAL A guided tour offered exclusively for this festival will take you in the footsteps of Operation COBRA in the bocage, with entertainment along the way | Paying activity: information and booking here

3.30pm: guided visit by Patrick Fissot, history teacher and co-founder of the museum (1hr30) | Location: in the museum – Admission fee included in the entrance ticket

3.30 pm to 5.30 pm “Living museum”: re-enactors bring scenes to life in the museum | Location: in the museum – Admission fee included in the entrance ticket

Associations that keep the camp alive

ETO Group – Facebook
Front Line Issue – Facebook
Mayenne – WW2 – Facebook
39th Infantry Transportation Detachment – Facebook
DER FJ – Facebook
300th Engineer Combat Battalion – Facebook
DFL Normandie – Facebook
35th Sante Fe Group – Facebook

Questions you may have

+ Is there a charge for these events?

Outdoor: the events are free of charge.

Indoors (museum, Gabin exhibition): you need to buy a museum admission fee ticket at the usual rate. We recommend that you order your skip-the-line tickets online, which will allow you to have priority at the cash desk.

Most of the conferences in the Greenfield Room are free, but places are limited and will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis (museum ambassadors can contact us to reserve their places).

+ Does the Jean Gabin exhibition have a fee?

The exhibition Jean Gabin, “La guerre, c’est pas du cinéma” is accessible with a entrance ticket to the museum.

+ I have a museum ambassador card, what are my privileges?

Of course, with your ambassador card, you can enter the museum as many times as you like. As you are used to by now, your seats are reserved in the first rows of the conferences and events taking place in the hall. Other benefits may be available. We will let you know by e-mail

Join the ambassador program?