Excursion D-day: a tribute to heroes tour at Honfleur

Take a day to visit and honor the fallen D-Day soldiers and be reminded of the somber history of Omaha Beach on this full-day excursion.

Departing the pier, drive 1.75 hours to Arromanches, for a visit to the Arromanches Landing Museum, dedicated to the largest landing operation in history on June 6, 1944, when the Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy to attack the German lines. At the museum exhibits, see films and models that re-create the entire operation along the D-Day beaches, and illustrate the logistical importance of Port Winston.

Next, proceed to lunch accompanied by wine at a castle in the Norman countryside.

Proceed to the American Cemetery, specifically the Coleville-Saint-Laurent, where the majority of the nearly 10,000 American soldiers killed at Omaha Beach are buried.

The American Cemetery is located on 170 acres (69 hectares) of land given to the United States by France as a token of her gratitude. Here, 9,386 marble crosses and Stars of David are aligned on a plateau above the beach in a striking, sobering display. A memorial contains the Tablets of the Missing, and a map outlines the battle sites of the Normandy beaches. Observe a small ceremony in honor of these freedom fighters.

Spend some time on Omaha Beach "the bloody one", before moving to your last stop, La Pointe du Hoc, famous site of the "Longest day'' movie. 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. This 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 day. During your visit, you will discover an artillery battery, complete with its firing command post, casemates, and shelters.

After the visit, drive back to Honfleur.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Arromanches Landing Museum, American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, La Pointe du Hoc, Lunch at a castle restaurant.

Note

Please note: There is at least four hours of driving involved on this tour, including drive time between sites. This tour requires little walking. Casual dress code and comfortable walking shoes are recommended.