Friday: Optional Small-group trip to D-Day Beaches with Lunch
07:30 am Departure destination Caen
07:30 am Departure from Opera Garnier steps destination Caen by our air conditioned comfortable Mercedes minivan. It takes about 3 hours (240 km) to reach the Memorial of Caen.
10:30 am - 12:00 pm Visit of The Caen Memorial
10:30 am - 12:00 pm Visit of The Caen Memorial and Museum, located in the British Sword Beach sector. Caen Museum is the best World War II museum in France. You will get an overview of the battle of Normandy as well the sense of the personal lives of the people who took part in it. An excellent 19-minute film documents this battle with original historic footage.
12:00 pm Departure to Arromanches-les-Bains. It takes about 0,5 hour (30 km) on the national roads crossing beautiful countryside and small villages.
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Stop for Lunch and visit of Arromanches
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Stop for Lunch and visit of Arromanches. The way from Caen Memorial to the Arromanches-les-Bains is about 30 km and takes just half an hour. Arromanches is a small seaside town famous for its former artificial Mulberry Harbour. Located in the center of the Gold Beach landing zone it played an invaluable role in the D-Day landings. The Allies built here an artificial temporary harbour for unloading of vehicles, materials, and people. Mulberry Harbour had, by June 12, 1944, helped bring 300,000 men, 54,000 vehicles, and 104,000 tons of supplies to Europe.
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Visit of the 360 Circular Cinema
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Visit of the 360 Circular Cinema and view point over the bay of Arromanches. 14:30 Departure to the Normandy American Cemetery & Visitor Center. It is just half an hour drive (20 km).
3:00 pm - 4:20 pm Visit of the Normandy American Cemetery
3:00 pm - 4:20 pm Arrival and Visit of the Normandy American Cemetery & Visitor Center, located in Colleville-sur-Mer and overlooking Omaha Beach. It contains 9,387 U.S. soldiers, most of whom were killed during the Normandy Landings and the Wall of the Missing with the names of 1,557 soldiers missing in action. The cliffs leading down to the beaches contain the remnants of the German defences, including concrete casemates with memorials to the soldiers.
At Normandy American Cemetery you’ll see as well the semicircular memorial colonnade with the sculpture “Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves” and large maps of military operations; and the most beautiful, idyllic spot on Planet Earth.
4:20 pm Departure to Omaha Beaches. It takes just 10 minutes (5 km).
4:30 pm Arrival at Omaha Beaches
4:30 pm Arrival at Omaha Beaches. Learn about the huge sacrifice made by the 34 000 men who landed here on D-Day. Omaha Beach is the most popular travellers destination of the D-Day Beaches.
5:00 pm Departure to Paris. It takes 3,5 hours (290 km). One stop will be made at the rest area.
8:30 pm Arrival in Paris.
8:30 pm Arrival in Paris. Drop off at Opera Garner steps.