Normandy and D Day Tours
 

Opinions please.

Questions please.

Well worth the time.

Have nothing to add about a tour but we did rent a car and drive there. Well worth going to see. I had expected a few Americans. There were a lot of people there and they all seemed to be speaking a different languages. It is a place that people from all over the world go to see.

You could also go to Mont St Michel.

www.battlebus.fr with tours from Bayeux gets glowing reviews on tripadvisor. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio..._Normandy.html

battlebus has a good website with lots of info. My son and I went on a one day American sites tour with them in 2004 but I will do a two day tour with them next time.

Book early as I know some posters here have found them sold out on occassion.

Another vote for Battlebus. A few years ago we had a private driver take us to the Normandy area and while it was good, it wasn't nearly as good as our tour with Battlebus. We did this one just 2 years ago, and it was myself, my mother and my 16 yr old DD. So 3 women, and we all wished we had allotted enough time for the 2 day tour it was that good!

My 21 year old grand nephew and I took the 1 day BATTLEBUS tour in May 2009. It was fabulous . The 2 days that we spent in that area was a highlight of our trip. Make sure to see the BAYEAUX TAPESTRIES while there.We did the 1 day tour and spent 1 day visiting the CAEN WAR MUSEUM and the BAYEAUX TAPESTRIES.

I have heard and read great reviews about Battlebus Tours. They are based in Bayeux.

http://www.battlebus.fr/

DH and I are taking a 2 day tour with them in June.

A wonderful response. Thank you all so much. This tour will be the highlight of our 21 day trip to Europe. I am a Viet Nam vet and my wife, is also, in as much as we were married while I was in Viet Nam. I always refer to her as a veteran too since at times it was harder on her than me. Anyway, we hold the highest respect for veterans from all over the world. I lost two uncles during this liberation of France and need to visit this very special place. Thank you again!!!

Did the 2 day American Experience tour with Battlebus and found it to be outstanding. We can't wait to go back and do the British Experience and the Canadian Experience. My husband and I both felt it was about the best money we had ever spent on a vacation. Battlebus also offers a Band of Brothers tour too, which would be interesting to go on as I have heard it is just as fascinating as the other tours.

The personal stories, the visits to places like sniper hide-outs, spots hidden behind the hedgerows, horrendous battlefield stories, and so much more are just a few of the things that I think you would never find on your own easily. Hearing these stories made the whole thing come alive.

We spent a memorable day with Francois as our personal guide (in our car)and stayed at his delightful B&B.
Highly recommended.
www.bandb-bayeux.com

We did a long half day private tour - sorry don't know the company - and it was fantastic. Prior to that day we spent a full day in the Caen Peace Museum. After that, we felt we had seen a lot and were sated.

Can't imagine doing this on our own, but I'm sure you can if you are good at directions and don't like the anecdotes and such.

Don't miss the museum.

gruezi

We spent 3-4 days touring on our own, with the Michelin Green Guide, and a couple of other guides from various museums. We enjoyed it a lot. Don't miss the Bayeux Tapestry also.

If you go to Bayeux you should also go to nearby Arromanches where one of two temporary Mulberry Harbors was constructed in relative secrecy. There is a small museum at the location of the harbor with old photos, a diarama and information about the construction and use of the harbor.
http://www.musee-arromanches.fr/accu...ex.php?lang=uk

If you have a car the following is a great way of seeing the D Day sites.
(It's from an old post.)

Good luck.
I have dug up a recent pamphlet I picked up in Normandy it may be of some interest regarding WW2 touring routes. You can do part or all of which ever you wish.
Sorry its a little long winded but it may be of some interest.

The routes are identified by sword shaped signs and totem poles scattered around the areas.
"Normandy is a veritable open air museum; the historical area of the battle of Normandy brings together all museums and places of interest and remembrance connected to D Day and the ensuing offensive in the three departments of Calvados Manche and Orne.

There are 8 itineraries in chronicle sequence clearly signposted
?Normandie Terre-Liberté?
These routes enable the visitor to discover these history packed places and follow the unfolding of the huge battle on which the outcome of the Second World War depended.

These itineraries are as follows:

OVERLORD-L?ASSAUT (OVERLORD-THE ASSAULT)
This route is designed to help discover a great many places that marked 6th June 1944 in the Anglo-Canadian sector from the right bank of the Orne estuary to Bayeux.
You will first come across Pegasus Bridge at Bénouville, and then carry on along the coast following the signs.
Juno and Gold Landing beaches as far as Arromanches and the Longues Battery. Finally reaching Bayeux the first French town to be liberated.
Distance : 72km

D-DAY-LE CHOC (D-DAY-THE ONSLOUGHT)

Starting out from Bayeux, this route covers the entire length of the Omaha sector as far as Carentan. Taking in places like Colleville-Sur Mer and Points du Hoc, it gives an idea of the violence of the battle and the scale of the American casualties, which earned the Omaha beach the nickname ?Bloody Omaha?
The route then follows the hard fought advance of the American troops towards the town of Saint Lo badly scarred by intensive bombing raids and then through marshlands to Carentan where the link up took place with the troops coming ashore from Utah beach.
Distance :130km

OBJECTIF-UN PORT (OBJECTIVE-A PORT)
From Carentan to Cherbourg, this route lets you relive the parachute drop by the American 82nd and 101st airborne divisions around Saint-Mere Eglise and the landing on Utah beach at St Marie-du-mont. Moving on to Cherbourg, a vital base for importing the equipment and supplies required for the operation to succeed.
Distance :95km

L?AFFRONTEMENT (THE CONFRONTATION)
Starting out at Bénouville this completes the ?Overlord-L?assaut? route and follows the extremely difficult advance and consolidation of the beachhead by the British and Canadian troops. Between Caen, not liberated until 9th July, and Vire in early August, strategic towns like Caumont-L?eventé and St Martin des Besaces would be wiped out under Allied artillery fire and air attacks during ?operation bluecoat? (breakthrough in the Bocage) with the aim of supporting the American offensive in the West .
Distance :207km

COBRA-LA PERCEE (COBRA-THE BREAKOUT)
From Cherbourg to Avranches, you will follow the difficult progress of the Allied tanks under General Patton as far as the tremendous breakout at Avranches, which was not liberated until 31st July.
The towns of La Haye-du-puits, Périers and Coutances, and the battlefields of Mont Castre, la chapelle-en-juger and Roncey show with what extreme difficulty the fighting forces contrived to get around the German defences entrenched in Normandy.
Distance :174km

LA CONTRE ATTAQUE (THE COUNTER ATTACK)
The decisive phase of the Battle of Normandy took place with the wide sweep from Avranches to Mortain, where a deadly counteroffensive put paid to German hopes of halting the Allied advance.
From Mortain, the route then takes you to Alencon along either side of which Anglo-Canadian forces, to the North, and American forces to the South would gradually close the jaws on the German divisions.
Distance :209km

L?ENCERCLEMENT (THE ENCIRCLEMENT)
This itinary, from Alencon to L?aingle, gives an idea of how the trap designed to encircle the German forces closed in from the south. After following the progress of the French 2nd Armoured Div and American units moving northwards, you can discover the place where the bloody and decisive and decisive battles were fought for the Falaise-Chambois pocket. Before going on to L?aingle, whose liberation opened the road to the Seine for the Allied Armies.
Distance :162km

LE DENOUEMENT (THE OUTCOME)
This circuit covers the phase in which the Allied offensives converged towards what would be the most decisive battlefield of the whole Normandy campaign, the Falaise pocket. It follows in the footsteps of the British, Canadian and Polish Armies, heading due south in operation ?Totalize? to meet American and French (2nd Armoured) troops who had achieved a breakthrough towards Alencon and were moving North to encircle the German army as it withdrew following its failure at Mortain.
Distance: 128km"

Muck

Battlebus offers an outstanding tour. My husband is a history teacher who also happens to be WWII buff. He was blown away by the knowledge of the guide. Even I, whose interest was initially only moderate, thoroughly enjoyed it. I would highly recommend it.

I have taken two tours with Overlord Tours.. The owner, Alain is very passionate about the history and really knows his stuff.. I highly recommend his full day Omaha/Utah tour..

Whatever you do.. I would take a guided tour rather than just go around on your own.. I would have missed so much if I had not taken a guided tour.. Have a great trip!

kamaoleman- If you will be in Paris you should also check out Musee de l'Armee. Weaponry and artifacts from the middle ages all the way to current times are on display. There is a vast collection of medieval body armor, cannon with gargoyle style faces, intricately decorated guns of all eras, Napoleon's dog and pony are stuffed and on display and a collection of items from WWII including a motorcycle that folds up and fits in a suitcase.
Ann Marie

Let me present yet another option, which isn't to say that the tours aren't great, just that you can decide what will work best for you. We toured on our own for two days with a D-Day audio guide. It was very interesting and easy to follow, with the added bonus that we could spend as much time as we wanted at each stop and were not bound by a tour timetable. Several times we listened to the explanation of a site, walked around, and then listened to it again. It was a great, and extremely affordable, way to get a good feel for more than 29 different sites.

I'm sure I could dig up the details if you are interested.

--Annie

Thank you Annie, Amwosu and all the rest of you!!!. I wish we had more time for Normandy. Unfortunately, we only have 4 days in France and only 1 day in Normandy. I was in the 2/34th armor, 25th. inf. division in Viet Nam. I was on an M-48 tank. I love these marvelous machines and look forward to seeing the sites in Normandy. I plan to tour Europe next year with my cousin, also a Viet Nam vet and will make another trip to this special place.
Thanks again for your time.