Escape in Normandy

Arrival at Paris airport. Transfer on your own to Saint-Lazare railway station to take the train to Bayeux. Meet with your English-speaking driver in Bayeux train station then transfer to your hotel to check in. Discover Bayeux, one of the rare cities of Normandy which has preserved an intact historic center. Surrounding the Cathedral are several protected ancient memorials. This vast perimeter is classified as a “conservation area”. If time permits, we suggest ending your day with a visit to the Bayeux Museum to see the world-famous tapestry, depicting the epic adventure of William the Conqueror in 1066 AD. Overnight in Bayeux.

Start your day by remembering those who gave their lives for the liberation of France. Depart on a half-day tour to Normandy’s Omaha Beach (+$), where you’ll follow in the footsteps of the US troops during World War II. The best introduction for D-Day is to visit Pointe du Hoc. The German battery, attacked by the U.S Rangers, will put you right in the atmosphere: the beach, the cliff, the bunkers, and the bomb craters. Continue to Omaha Beach, witness to the most vicious fighting of World War II, and depicted in the opening scenes of Steven Spielberg’s film, “Saving Private Ryan”. Approximately 34,000 soldiers from the 1st, 2nd and 29th Infantry Divisions landed on this beach on D-Day, trying to breach the anti-tank and anti-landing craft obstacles. Just over a mile west along the beach from Omaha is the American Military Cemetery, where the graves of 9,386 American soldiers can be found. This immense place of memory and reflection will amaze you with its calmness and serenity. You can see the graves of some of the 307 unknown soldiers, or visit the resting places of the more famous, such as the Niland brothers, the inspiration for Spielberg’s film. Then, embark on an afternoon tour, focusing on WWII history of Juno Beach (+$), the Canadian landing site during D-Day on June 6, 1944. Spanning about nine miles and four villages, the two most important of which are Courseulles and Bernières, where your guide will show you several monuments to the Canadian troops and detail some interesting stories of their war efforts. We suggest a visit to the Juno Beach Center, the only Canadian-specific museum in Normandy. The Canadian cemetery, located only a few miles away, is a real tribute to those who sacrificed their own lives for the freedom of others. Wrap up your tour with a visit to the Abbey d’Ardenne outside of Caen, a solemn site where Canadian prisoners of war were executed by Nazi soldiers, forever recognized with a memorial in the garden of the Abbey. Return to Bayeux for the night.

Breakfast at the hotel, then set out on a full day excursion to one of the most visited sites in all of France - the majestic Mont Saint Michel (+$), classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mecca of western spirituality, the Mont Saint Michel invites you in an outstanding spiritual experience in a magical atmosphere. Dating to the year 708 AD, the abbey of Mont Saint Michel was one of the major pilgrimage destinations in medieval Christendom. The architecture is stunning, the location magical, and the village, one of the quaintest in the country. The final stretch of your nearly 2.5h drive through historic Normandy will be like that of a mirage, approaching the fairytalelike Mont Saint Michel, which, from a distance, seems to be floating almost in mid-air. On arrival, you’ll visit the Gothic and Norman Romanesque abbey, which towers over 260 feet high over the village. You can climb the stone steps to the monastery, roam through the vertical maze of chambers, and take in the beautiful light and surrounding scenery. Lose yourself in the charm of this medieval village before returning to Bayeux at the end of the day.

After breakfast, meet your private car driver in the hotel lobby and transfer to Bayeux train station for your train ride back to Paris.