Serving Veterans, Educators, Historians and their families for over 20 years!!!

Dog Green Beach, D-Day - H+ 5 Minutes!!!

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1 - June 2- Departure
Evening departure from Newark International Airport aboard Continental Airlines for Paris. Dinner, beverages and a continental breakfast served aboard.

Day 2 - June 3- Arrival in France
Following a morning arrival, we transfer to our motor coach and proceed to Normandy. En route we stop for a tour and visit at Monet's Home and Gardens at Giverny. Following our tour, we proceed to the nearby Moulin des Fourges Restaurant for lunch. Before continuing to Caen, we visit the HQ of FM Erwin Rommel at the La Roche Guyon, followed by arrival in Caen with hotel check in and evening at leisure. Meals: B (in flight)/L/- Hotel: Mercure Caen Centre Ville, Caen

Day 3 - June 4- Normandy: British Beaches and the Left Flank
We begin our exploration of the Normandy landings with a tour of the Allied Left Flank. We start with the Merville Battery and Pegasus Bridge, its memorial museum and the Cafe Gondree; site of the earliest landings and combat against the German defenders as British and Canadian Airborne Forces execute some of the most difficult and challenging missions of D-Day. We then continue with a tour of Sword Beach and the landings of the British 3rd "Iron" Division-with a special visit and tour of the famous Hillman Strongpoint which overlooked the beach. Finally, we visit Juno Beach and its newly opened Museum Centre commemorating the Canadian participation in Normandy and then Gold beaches before returning to our hotel in Caen. Meals: B/-/-

Day 4 - June 5-Normandy Utah Beach-Ste Mere Eglise-Pointe du Hoc-Caen
Today, we will bus to the right flank of the American sector and visit Utah Beach and its very interesting little museum at La Madeleine. On our way to Ste Mere Eglise we'll stop for a photo op at the German Crisbecq Battery at St Marcouf. The quaint little town of Ste Mere Eglise was made famous by the movie, "The Longest Day." We'll look around the town square and visit the small church where a mannequin of a paratrooper hangs from a spire to recall Private John Steele, of the 82nd Airborne Division whose parachute became fouled there very early on the morning of D-Day. Then will come a visit to the Airborne Forces Museum where a C-47 troop transport aircraft that flew in the invasion is on display and where you'll have an opportunity to walk through a rare WACO glider. We'll drive by several of the drop- and landing-zones of both the 82nd and 101st Airborne, most recently heralded in the TV series, "Band of Brothers." After lunch on our own, we'll tour Pointe du Hoc and examine the German gun positions that stood on this 100-foot-high bluff seized by troops of the 2nd Ranger Battalion in an incredible feat of bravery. Our last stop before returning to our hotel will be a short visit to the somber German military cemetery at La Cambe where 21,500 German troops are buried, including Tiger Tank "Ace" Michael Wittmann, one of Germany's highest decorated tank commanders of the war. Meals: B/-/-

Day 5 - June 6-Normandy: Omaha Beach-Normandy Cemetery-Arromanches-Bayeux
This morning, we'll head to Omaha Beach, with arrival at 0630 - the exact moment that the ramps came down and troops began storming the beaches. You will witness the same tidal conditions and walk the sands where the liberation of France began. Our tour will include the seawall, bunkers, and other German defenses along the beach, Vierville Draw near which the 29th Infantry Division landed and which was featured in both "The Longest Day " and "Saving Private Ryan," the St Laurent Draw and many of the monuments in the area. We'll drive along part of the beach where the 1st Division landed and then go up the draw to the top of the bluff to visit the beautiful Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, where we will participate in the official Anniversary ceremonies. It overlooks the landing beaches of the 1st Division and is the resting place of 9,387 Americans, including Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr, who won the Medal of Honor for his leadership on Utah Beach. Following the ceremony, we visit the newly opened American Interpretative Center located next to the cemetery.

We will then lunch, on our own, in the picturesque little fishing village of Arromanches, where the remains of one of the two artificial "Mulberry" harbors erected in the landing operation may still be seen and which will be discussed following lunch. Next, we'll tour the German coastal defense battery at Longues-sur-Mer, probably the best remaining example of such a battery in Normandy. The control bunker and four casemates still stand, with three complete and one destroyed guns inside. We will then go to the ancient town of Bayeux, which escaped with very little damage during the battle, to enjoy the world-class Battle of Normandy Museum. Our last stop of the day will be to view the incomparable Bayeux Tapestry, which commemorates William the Conqueror's victory at the battle of Hastings in 1066 and is nearly 1000 years old. We'll now return to our hotel in Caen, gathering together for dinner to commemorate the 64th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings. Meals: B/-/D

Day 6 - June 7-Normandy to Paris
After breakfast, we'll head for Paris, stopping for a tour of the historic city of Rouen. Here we will visit the site of Joan of Arc's martyrdom, as well as the world famous Cathedral. Continuing to Paris, we check into our hotel, the Mercure Tour Eiffel, with the evening will be at leisure. Meals: B/-/- Hotel: Mercure Tour Eiffel Suffren

Day 7 - June 8- Paris
In the morning we will take a driving tour of Paris, arguably the most beautiful city in the world, stopping to walk through Notre Dame and visiting Napoleon's Tomb and the World War II Gallery at the national Army Museum, both in "Les Invalides ". Among the places we'll drive by and discuss will be the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs Elysees, the Louvre, Place de la Concorde, and the Opera. The afternoon will be free to explore Paris, shop in some of the fine stores such as Galleries Lafayette, Printemps, Hermes and countless others or stroll the grand boulevards or walk along the Quays lining the River Seine and browse at the bookstalls or admire the many artists' works.This evening, we will have a farewell group dinner on one of the Bateaux Parisiens as we leisurely cruise the Seine and view the illuminated famous landmarks from the water. Meals: B/-/D

Day 8 - June 9- Paris
Day at leisure to explore Paris. This evening is at leisure to complete your packing and prepare for our departure tomorrow AM for the airport. Meals: B/-/-

Day 9 - June 10- Departure
We depart this morning for the airport for the return flight to the USA, arriving the same day.

Tour Price: $ 3,895 Based on double Occupancy
Single Supplement $ 595
Business / First Class upgrade available upon request (price subject to confirmation at time of booking)

Tour Price Includes:
* Round-trip economy class airfare from Newark to Paris
* Deluxe Hotel Accommodations
* Air-conditioned deluxe motorcoach with onboard restroom
* Meals as indicated in itinerary
* Historical Trip information packet,containing maps and other information pertaining to our tour.
* Admission fees to all sites, museums and special attractions listed
* Services of experienced Tour Directors and English-speaking local guides.