Back to the World War II and commemorate the sacrifice of thousands of soldiers.
In the early morning of June 6th, 1944, almost 160,000 Allied troops descended on the well-fortified Normandy beaches, setting Operation Overlord in motion. Today, the various commemorative sites along this now peaceful stretch of French coastline are a powerful reminder of the courage and sacrifice that was needed to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation. Whether you are a history buff and especially about WWII or are simply interested in the epic events of this historic moment, you cannot miss this tour experience!
Meet our driver and our tour guide at the reception of your centrally located hotel early in the morning and join this commemorating day to relive the most important day of and WWII. We will start a long drive in the very charming Normandy countryside, and you will find hard to imagine that this peaceful area once served as the violent stage for the largest amphibious invasion in history. Your expert guide will provide plenty of commentary during the drive to help you comprehend the series of events behind this historic place and moment. The first stop will be at the Pointe du Hoc, overlooking the hundred-foot-high cliffs. It was one of the Germans’ strategic fortifications along the Normandy coast, between Omaha and Utah beaches. On June 6, 1944, Colonel James Rudder and his Rangers accomplished a memorable feat of arms on the summit cliffs, pushing the Germans out. Today, Pointe du Hoc features a memorial dedicated to the heroic battle. The site remains dotted with bomb craters and German fortification remains. From here, we will drive short distance to reach Colleville-sur-Mer. We will be in the famous Omaha Beach; this is the site of a devastating battle where thousands of American soldiers lost their lives during D-Day. We will visit this six-mile long beach and we will also have the opportunity to pay our respects to the fallen at the American Cemetery. The cemetery is located on a bluff that overlooks Omaha Beach. This 170-acre site is home to 9,387 perfectly aligned white marble headstones, a memorial, chapel, and the Garden of the Missing. We will have plenty of time to explore this memorial site and to understand in its deepest meaning the sacrifice that thousands of money made on that fateful June 6th, 1944.
In the early afternoon, we will move to another emblematic place of the battle, Longues-sur-Mer. Here you will see German artillery battery constructed on a 60 m (200 ft) cliff overlooking the sea and formed a part of Germany's Atlantic Wall coastal fortifications. The battery is the only one in Normandy to retain all its original guns; it was captured on June 7th and played no further part in the Normandy campaign. We will walk around these places and, if possible, we will enter one of these bunkers. The last stop in this D-Day experience is Arromanches-les-Bains. We are now in Gold Beach, the British sector. This historic site best known for its artificial “Mulberry” port (or Wiston Churchill Port), which has been a critical success factor in the Normandy landings. From this artificial port on the sea, more than 10,000 tons of equipment were unloaded in Normandy to support Allied troops in liberating Europe from the Nazi occupation. With the expert guide, we will walk along the beach to learn about the careful preparations for Operation Overload and to explore the floating reinforced concrete "Phoenix" constructions that still stands in the water and in the sand.
At the end of the visit, we will meet our driver again and start our journey back to Paris. After this immersive day in the WWII history and historical battlefields of Normandy, you will certainly agree with us to consider this private tour as moving, emotional and memorable experience!