The D-day landings & beaches of Normandy
New for November 2015 - On this very special historic weekend tour we get the opportunity to learn about the heroism, self sacrifice and tragedy that befell our forefathers as they liberated Europe from Nazi occupation during the last months of World War II.
New date - Friday 13th - Sunday 15th November 2015
We will be visiting the beaches of Normandy, to the vast expanse of Omaha Beach where thousands of young Americans fell on June 6th 1944, to the tranquil yet heartbreaking cemetery that lies above the cliffs and to it's incredibly moving D-day museum. We visit the heroic site of Pont D'Hoc and the Mulberry Harbour at Aromanches as well as the famous Pegasus Bridge, the first bit of ground in Occupied France to be liberated by the Allies. In addition to this we will visit the beautiful city of Rouen, capital of the Normandy region and site of the burning of Joan of Arc in 1431. Within it's narrow streets of timber framed houses you'll find the square where this inspirational leader and saint suffered her execution and visit the church dedicated to her, along with the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral.
Our overnight accommodation is in the historic city of Caen which, just after D-Day, found itself right in the centre of those first cautious steps our brave Allies took towards Berlin to ultimately free Europe from the Third Reich.
Day 1 - Our journey from London will take us down to the English Channel, the protective moat that has helped fight off invaders for centuries. Here we find the Battle of Britain monument to "the few" who saw off Germany's attempt to gain air superiority in 1940 thus giving the Allies a springboard to the D-day landings four years later.
Along the famous White Cliffs of Dover our guide will tell you of the Dunkirk evacuation, the aerial battles between the Luftwaffe and the Royal Air Force and how this turned the tide of the war and how this paved the way to an ultimate victory by 1945. As we cross the Channel in greater comfort than our brave soldiers would have done we can look back at the White Cliffs of Dover and learn of the deception known as Operation Bodyguard which saw the use of hundreds of boats and tanks made of cheap wood and canvass to fool the Nazi into thinking the Allies would leave to liberate France via the shortest route from Dover to Calais.
Once we arrive in Calais we take the beautiful coastline road via Boulogne down to historic Rouen for our lunch stop. Timber framed houses and pavement cafés hug the narrow streets around its majestic cathedral. In the town square Joan of Arc was burned by the English in 1441. Immerse yourself in French food and culture before we drive into Normandy crossing the estuary of the River Seine as our guide explains those first few days of liberation after the landings of June 6th 1944.
Our next stop is Caen, the first city to be liberated. The seige of Caen was a bloody affair and many citizens died in the bombardment as a result of fire from both sides. A tranquil place now with pedestrian streets lying below it's old castle walls. Our overnight stop will be here.
Day 2 - We will travel to the D-day beaches, firstly heading to Utah beach where 197 US soldiers were killed. Comparatively few compared to other sites, but this in turn lead to the liberation of the first Normandy towns. We visit the famous village of St-Mere-Eglise where the American paratroopers landed which varying success. The memorial on the church spire is to John Steele who was caught up there, hanging for two hours, pretending to be dead before he was rescued, sadly by the enemy where he was taken prisoner. A dummy and parachute hangs there today in his honour.
We then drive to Arromanches for lunch and look over Gold Beach to the remaining Mulberry Harbour that was sunk into the sand there on D-day to offload tanks and equipment. For the afternoon we visit the American cemetery at Omaha Beach where hundreds of young men lost their lives. We visit the museum and the beach itself before finishing off our tour at Point D'Hoc to learn of the sheer bravery and ultimate sacrifice in the attempt to capture this fortification.
Day 3 - Check out of our hotel and head to the final two beaches, the Canadian landing place at Juno Beach and then to Sword Beach and finally to Pegasus Bridge which was the very first part of Nazi controlled France to be liberated by paratroopers the day before the landings took place. After lunch in this now quiet little community we retrace our journey back to Calais and our ferry to England.
The tour will drop off in Canterbury & Ramsgate between 19:30-20:00, in London 21:00-21:45 and in Cambridge 23:00-23:30.
Price Includes:
- 3 days travel by executive touring coach
- Return Dover/Calais ferry crossings
- 2 nights 2* hotel accommodation in Ibis Caen City Centre. Accommodated in twin/double rooms, bed & breakfast basis. Single room upgrade available for extra £35 per person per night.
- Visit to Rouen
- Visit to St-Mere-Eglise
- Visit to Normandy American Cemetery & Visitor Centre
- Entry to Overlord Museum Omaha Beach
- Visit to Juno Beach, Sword Beach & Pegasus Bridge
- Services of a professional tour guide for the full duration of the tour
Departure Details:
- 04:15am - Cambridge Parkside, outside Police Station.
- 05:45am - London, Hammersmith Tube Station
- 06:05am - London, Great Portland Street Tube Station
- 06:20am - London, Embankment Tube Station
- 06:55am - London, Lewisham High Street, outside Police Station
- 07:05am - Ramsgate Train Station
- 07:45am - Canterbury East Train Station