Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

The Allied invasion of Normandy in June of 1944 was the largest seaborne invasion ever attempted and marked the beginning of the Allies' incursions into German-occupied Western Europe, turning the tide of war and eventually leading to the Allied victory.

This powerful full-day tour explores several key sites from those crucial days of WWII. You'll begin by boarding your motorcoach for the scenic drive to the small village of Sainte-Mère-Église, which played a dramatic role in the Normandy landings. Located along the route, this town was a necessary place for the Allies to occupy in order to prevent the Germans from attacking the incoming troops. Early in the morning of June 6, 1944, American paratroopers descended into the town. One, John Steele, got his parachute hooked on the spire of the town's medieval church and hung there for several hours, feigning death, before the Germans took him prisoner. (This, and his later escape from the Germans, was depicted by actor Red Buttons in the film The Longest Day.) There were many casualties before the Americans finally occupied the town.

Next, you'll stop in Arromanches, where a guide will take you through the D-Day Museum, which opened in 1954, the first to commemorate the Normandy campaign. Full of informative and thoughtful exhibits, the museum overlooks the former location – and remains - of Mulberry Harbour - a temporary harbor developed by the British to facilitate the massive influx of cargo needed by the Allies to support the invasion. After the tour, you will have time to browse the gift shop before a refreshing lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch, it is a short drive to the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, the first American cemetery in Europe in WWII. American flags fly poignantly over this final resting place for over 10,000 American soldiers, located on a cliff overlooking Omaha Beach. The Visitors' Center here features exhibits that further explore the historical significance of the Battle of Normandy and honor the memory of the "Greatest Generation".

Your final stop is Pointe du Hoc, a dramatic 100-foot cliff overlooking the English Channel and the highest point between Utah and Omaha Beaches. Here, the Germans had built six fortified gun emplacements as part of the Atlantic Wall; the Allies scaled the cliff in a daring attack that secured the location, necessary in order for the Allied landings to proceed. Many of the original cliff-face fortifications are still here, as are a memorial and museum dedicated to the battle.

Finally, you'll re-board your motorcoach for the drive back to port after this inspiring and moving reminder of the heroism shown and the human costs paid by so many young soldiers in World War II.