La voie de la Liberté Markers

This route that navigates through western Europe was inaugurated in 1947. The route is marked by distinctive, specially designed, commemorative mileposts.

The route starts in France, on Utah beach, and ends in Bastogne, Belgium (passing briefly though Luxembourg). It’s around 712 miles long (1,146 kilometers) long. The mileposts along the route are known as “bornes.” It follows the approximate route that General Patton’s 3rd Army took during the Liberation of France. 

On the top of each borne are 48 white stars along a blue band, indicating the 48 states that made up the United States at the time. Each borne also depicts a bright red torch of Liberty with the flame blowing eastward.

The distance designation on the “bornes” are sometimes confusing. At Utah Beach the kilometer distance is given as 00 but at St Mere Église it is given as 0. This may be due to the fact that the original start point was revised, or simply because they are so close.