Normandy Day Trip from Paris: Guided Tour of D-Day Beaches Includes Optional Lunch

Highlights

  • Check out the fascinating models of world war planes, vehicles, and weapons at the Museum of Peace.
  • Enjoy authentic French cuisine in one of three wonderful restaurants.
  • Visit Pont du Hoc, a place where the American Rangers broke through tough German resistance after scaling 30-metre cliffs.
  • See the concrete bunkers and the artificial harbour erected at Arromanches on D-Day.

Why You Shouldn’t Miss This

On 6th June 1994, the Allied Forces landed on the fateful beaches of Normandy and Omaha. As the largest seaborne invasion in history, this was the site of one of the most hard-fought battles of the Second World War.

Opened on the 44th anniversary of the Normandy beach landings, the memorial in Caen stands as a reminder of the horrors of war. Although it mainly commemorates the Battle for Caen of World War II, it is also dedicated to conflict in the twentieth century in general. The museum is themed around the importance and fragility of peace.

The American cemetery of Saint-Laurent sits beside Omaha Beach and spans more than 70 hectares. Around 9,380 white marble headstones dot the landscape next to the memorial and the chapel.

The Juno Center is dedicated to the Canadian soldiers who fought beside the French forces between June 6th, 1944 and August 25th, 1944. With a mission to educate more people about the war and Canada’s contribution to it, the center was opened by war veterans and volunteers in 2003.

This tour takes you deep into the heart of the second world war’s grim battlefields.

Your Experience

From Paris, you will journey to the site of the D-Day landings at Normandy Beach. Soak in the picturesque French countryside from the comfort of your air-conditioned bus. After a 3-hour journey during which your guide will give you an overview of the historical significance of the Normandy beach, you will arrive at the first stop on the itinerary, the Caen Memorial. Admire the exhibits in the Museum of Peace and relive the harsh and unpredictable era of the mid-20th century. For a more immersive experience, you can watch some of the films that are showcased in the museum.

You can choose to have lunch at any one of three top-class restaurants in the Caen Memorial – The Cafe of the Memorial, La Terrasse, or Les Pommiers, which has an excellent buffet that includes mouth-watering desserts.

You will then be taken to Pont du Hoc, a portion of the coast, which is characterised by enormous cliffs, situated between the Utah and Omaha beaches. Learn about the war that raged here and how American Rangers scaled the 30-metre high cliffs to rout the German forces. Like many of the other visitors who come here, you can choose to pay homage to the soldiers who lost their lives here.

Finally, you will visit Arromanches, the artificial harbour that was used on D-Day, and the Juno Center. Here, you can find out more about the Canadian involvement in World War II. The bus will then head back to Paris and reach the drop-off point by 9 PM.

Includes

  • Entry ticket to the Memorial of Caen
  • AC coach transport from the meeting point
  • Tour guide

Excludes

  • Pick-up and drop-off services