Small Group Guided D-Day Tour and Mémorial de Caen Museum
Description
The D-Day Tour by the Mémorial de Caen is an unforgettable one-day trip for visitors staying in Normandy or in Paris. You benefit from the services of an expert guide throughout the day. The day starts with a guided visit of the Mémorial de Caen museum, then lunch at the lovely Les Pommiers restaurant at the Mémorial de Caen and an afternoon tour of key WWII D-Day sites. The Mémorial de Caen offers visitors the opportunity to take a historical journey through the 20th century, discovering major events from the end of the First World War to the fall of the Berlin Wall. It has a whole section covering D-Day and is the only museum in Normandy to relate the intensity of the Invasion that followed and explain its preparation in both enemy camps. During D-Day guided tour you will learn the story of a day that changed the course of history. This takes place in an air-conditioned 9-seater mini-van.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Mémorial de Caen offers visitors the opportunity to take an unforgettable historical journey through the 20th century, discovering major events from the end of the First World War to the fall of the Berlin Wall. It has a whole section covering D-Day and is the only museum in Normandy to relate the intensity of the Invasion that followed and explain its preparation in both enemy camps. Your will visit with your expert guide.
In World War II, Pointe du Hoc was the location of a series of German bunkers and machine gun posts. Prior to the invasion of Normandy, the German army fortified the area with concrete casemates and gun pits. On D-Day, the United States Army Provisional Ranger Group attacked and captured Pointe du Hoc after scaling the cliffs. United States generals including Dwight D. Eisenhower had determined that the place housed artillery that could slow down nearby beach attacks. (Wikipedia)
Omaha Beach was one of five beach landing sectors designated for the amphibious assault component of Operation Overlord during the Second World War. On June 6, 1944, the Allies invaded German-occupied France with the Normandy landings. "Omaha" refers to an 8-kilometer (5 mi) section of the coast of Normandy, France, facing the English Channel, from east of Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes to west of Vierville-sur-Mer on the right bank of the Douve River estuary. Landings here were necessary to link the British landings to the east at Gold with the American landing to the west at Utah, thus providing a continuous lodgement on the Normandy coast of the Bay of the Seine. Taking Omaha was to be the responsibility of United States Army troops, with sea transport, mine sweeping, and a naval bombardment force provided predominantly by the United States Navy and Coast Guard, with contributions from the British, Canadian and Free French navies. (Wikipedia)
The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is a World War II cemetery and memorial that honors American troops who died in Europe during World War II. A memorial in the cemetery includes maps and details of the Normandy landings and military operations that followed. At the memorial's center is Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves, a bronze statue. The cemetery also includes two flag poles where, at different times, people gather to watch the American flags being lowered and folded. The cemetery, which was dedicated in 1956, is the most visited cemetery of those maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC), with one million visitors a year. In 2007, the ABMC opened a visitor center at the cemetery, relating the global significance and meaning of Operation Overlord. (Wikipedia)
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The tour is not suitable for children under 3 years old
- If you are taking the train from Paris, you will need to make your own travel arrangements and buy your own train ticket. You should aim to arrive in Caen by 9am
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Reviews(238)
My husband and I took this tour on 27 May with Oliver as our guide. The Memorial de Caen Museum was the perfect introduction and setup for our later excursions to D-Day sites. Oliver was pleasant, accommodating and very knowledgeable and he chose exhibits to concentrate on that wove together the story of the lead-up to WWII. From the museum, we rode in a comfortable van to Point-du-Hoc where we were able to see and explore a casemate built by German forces. Oliver made us understand the issues encountered by the American soldiers who had to scale cliffs from the beach in order to take out the German guns. Next we traveled to Omaha Beach and again, Oliver’s telling of the experiences of the men who came ashore there made the scene come to life. We really understood the courage and determination required of those soldiers. Our final stop was the American Cemetery at Colville-sur-Mer. We arrived in time to observe the moving ceremony where ‘Taps’ is played and the American flag is lowered. This was a tour that we will not soon forget.
Very nice visiting experience in this memorial which is really very complete. Photos, videos and models are very well done.
A glimpse of history that includes not only the 2 GM - it starts from the history of Western and Eastern totalisms passing through all the great events of World War II, including the Shoah and ending with the Cold War. Multimedia museum with unreleased footage...inside an RAF Typhoon from 2 GM and a Soviet Union MIG 21 from the Cold War period
My guide Oliver is very knowledgeable. He articulates all the D-Day details clearly. He shared interesting stories and anecdotes in the cemetery that a tourist won’t find in a guide book. Oliver is from England, so non-Francophone needn’t worry.
The guided tour of the beaches of Omaha Beach and Pointe du Hoc as well as the American cemetery was a real pleasure with our guide Pierre-Antoine. Anecdotes that only a guide can tell you about soldiers' lives. Possible exchange with questions. An experience we recommend. Another day visit the Memorial. Moving, rewarding. Do not hesitate!
Beautiful excursion to the landing beaches with Antoine and Patrick. Very rewarding experience...
Excellent guided tour of Caen Museum. We are British so great to have an excellent guide called Oliver Green who was so knowledgeable. It really brought the experience of what happened in WW2 vividly alive. Thanks.
We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and especially the Museum; however, coming from Paris by train, it is an exceptionally long day. Viator used to have tours departing from Paris in a van and it was less complicated than having to take trains from different cities. However, just speaking of the tour, it was extremely informative, well planned and we enjoyed it. We learned more about World War II and the guides were very knowledgeable, nice and answered all our questions. I have used Viator in all my trips to Paris and will do so again.
This was such a special day in our trip. Our guide Mel was fantastic, and knew SO much about various aspects of WWII, we learnt a lot. It was such a privilege to go on this full day tour of the memorial museum, the D-Day beaches and then the cemetery. While it was a big day, it was completely worth it. We will remember this forever! Thank you so much 😊
We had the best guide, unfortunately i don't remember her name but she was from Germany and now living in Caen. She was so polite and really made the tour interesting and relaxing.
