Private D-Day Normandy Tour from Cherbourg Cruise Terminal
Description
Meet your guide as you get off your ship for your shore excursion from Cherbourg and get comfortable in our vehicle for an outstanding day packed with emotion and history in the footsteps of the American soldiers who liberated France in 1944. I always adapt the content of the tours to my guests if need be, as well as the lay-out of the itinerary, to make the most of our time together. It is possible to change the sites proposed here for others in the same area. This private tour covers the main operations and objectives of the American troops on D-Day. It is the perfect tour for a first visit to the landing beaches. A guided tour of the D-Day beaches in Normandy becomes something far more powerful than just visiting historic sites when it’s led by a local expert guide. What makes it truly unique is the human depth they bring to the landscape. Strictly private tour for your group only.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We will leave Cherbourg and start our drive towards our first destination. Expect an hour drive.
Omaha is the most famous of the five beaches of 6 June 1944. The U.S. divisions involved lost some 4700 men, who were either killed, wounded or missing. It was the highest rate of D-Day losses in any of the five landing zones, and soon the beach was dubbed ‘Bloody Omaha’. The two U.S. infantry divisions which landed from 06:30 onwards (the 1st Division on the eastern half of the beach and the 29th division on the western half) experienced critical moments. The first two assault waves were decimated within a few minutes.
The Normandy American Cemetery, sited on a bluff high above the coast, is one of the world’s best-known military memorials. These hallowed grounds preserve the remains of nearly 9,400 Americans who died during the Allied liberation of France. Three Medal of Honor recipients rest here.
Located between Omaha Beach and Utah Beach, Pointe du Hoc is one of the key heritage sites along the D-Day Landing beaches in Normandy. Pointe du Hoc, a strategic element of the Atlantic Wall, was stormed by Colonel Rudder's Rangers on the morning of the 6th of June 1944 - D-Day. it proved to be one of the toughest battles to be fought during the Normandy Landings: of the 225 Rangers that began the assault, only 90 were still fit to continue their fight for France's Liberation. The scars of the battle can still be seen to this very day. During your visit, you will discover an artillery battery, complete with its firing command post, casemates, shelters.
Utah Beach was the first beach to be stormed by the Allies on the morning of 6 June 1944. It was chosen to establish a beachhead in the Cotentin region in order to capture the town of Cherbourg and its deep water port. At the end of the day, more than 23,000 American soldiers landed to fight a titanic battle and liberate France. A lunch break will be planned as well.
A small and quiet rural community, Saint-Mère-Eglise was of great importance as it straddled all communications to Cherbourg. While nearly 13,000 American paratroops were being dropped under a full moon into the confusion of the surrounding countryside, famously one company was dropped, at about 1:45am, onto the village square and cattle market of this now world-famous village.
After the visit of the DDay sites, we will make our way back to Cherbourg. The drive will be about 45 minutes.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We will define together the time and place of the pickup before the tour.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(1)
Words really cannot describe how amazing this day was. Yves is knowledgeable and passionate about the history of this area. As a private tour he is able to tailor the discussion around our questions and interests. If you are trying to decide if this is worth it the answer is yes!! If on a cruise stop this is far above the tours you will be able to book. The car is comfortable and roomy for several tho we were just a group of 3. Dominique is also an excellent communicator prior to the tour and we felt confident throughout that we had booked the right tour! We want to return to do even more and we will definitely book with Yves again!!
Our tour Guide Dominique is very knowledgeable of the D-Day invasion of Normandy. We felt a bit rushed but we only had the few hours and she made sure we got to see everything. I highly recommend this tour. My entire family enjoyed learning about the history of D-Day. We were in awe of the sacrifices that were made on that day.
