Top Normandy Day Trips - page 2

From the cruise port at La Havre, France, this Normandy full-day excursion made stops at the German Military Cemetery at La Cambre, Omaha Beach, The American Cemetery, and Pointe du Hoc. Viator contracted with local provider Vexperio for this incredible experience. Based on the time in port of our cruise ship, they coordinated pick up, the time at each of the stops, made a delicious sack lunch, and got us back to the ship an hour before "all aboard". I found the German Cemetery to be very interesting and was glad we made this stop. Omaha Beach - the primary reason for choosing this excursion was because Viator / Vexperio allocated an hour for us to spend actually on the sands of Omaha Beach - something that I have wanted to do for year - to pay my respects to the brave soldiers who gave their lives during D-Day which pushed WWII toward its conclusion. Our ship's excursion did not allow actual time on the beach but rather a "photo shoot" - this, and cost, were the reasons for selection Viator / Vexperio. The American Cemetery - hallowed grounds, for sure. There are 9,389 souls buried there with their crosses / Stars of David perfectly aligned. The grounds were immaculate. Viking had a tour that had a special wreath ceremony. They played the Star Spangled Banner - awesome feeling during that. But then Taps were played. Oh my, that brough tears to my eyes. One can look down on Omaha Beach from the Cemetery getting a perspective of what the Germans saw during the invasion. This was an awesome stop on this excurion. We then had a lunch break briefly stopping at a war museum / gift shop. The last stop was at Pointe du Hoc. I had never heard the story of this place and was very impressed. It is a 35 meter cliff overlooking the English channel and the far side of Utah Beach (can't see Omaha beach from here). While I didn't think this was as impressive as the first three stops, I'm glad the tour stopped here. Our guide, Ash, was outstanding. He is a second-year PhD (molecular biology!!) student who lives in Paris and drives to Le Havre once or twice a month to lead tour groups. His knowledge was amazing. At each stop he gathered the group to share shared relevant historical background and facts about the location that made them all the most meaningful and enjoyable. He answered all of my questions thoughtfully and politely. Well done, Ash! Our drive, Sahid, was outstanding. Kudos to him for a job well done. Yes. Yes. Yes!! We highly recommend this excursion to everyone who wants to actually step foot on Omaha Beach and see these other sites.

Remy was knowledgeable and provided detailed descriptions of Gold Beach and German bunkers on the 2 hour British Beach tour. He was very friendly and engaging. He made the whole experience enjoyable and informative. The sidecar motorcycle ride was a unique experience. I would highly recommend this tour for D-Day enthusiasts.

We had a wonderful experience on our tour. Our guide Pauline was a wealth of knowledge and extremely kind and accommodating. Everything was so organized and seamless. We learned so much and she welcomed any questions along the way. She even stopped at a grocery for us to grab some food for the train on our way home.

It was a very informative half day tour for those who are short on time in the area. Laurent provided us with an amazing insight on the area and you can tell he knows his subject well and is passionate about it. Laurent made sure the tour schedule was kept and was so helpful to ensure we were able to catch our train back to Paris in time, with just 10 minutes to soare. Merci beaucoup Laurent! Nous avons bien apprecie!

Loved our guide Gwendahl. He did such a good job covering the centuries of history at Mont Saint Michel in a succinct, comprehensible and amusing way. During our tour of the Mont, he pointed out important and sometimes easy to miss details, deepening our understanding and making our experience that much richer. Highly recommend!

Excellent tour. It was brief for those that unfortunately cannot spend more than 1/2 day. It was a 2 1/2 hour train ride from Paris and Charles had us for about 4 1/2 hours. He is an excellent guide and knows a lot of history. We are so glad we came. We got an air-conditioned van and went to Long Sur Mer (point du Hoc was closed), then we went to Omaha Beach to the American cemetery. Charles even dropped us off at the train station.

This trip was incredible. The van was comfortable and clean. The service was efficient. The countryside and beaches of Normandy were beautiful. The physical experience of visiting a place we had read about in history books was very meaningful. Best of all, our guide, Rayan, was absolutely wonderful. He was so knowledgeable about the history of D-Day and answered all of our questions. He also gave suggestions for a delicious lunch. We highly recommend using this service and look forward to seeing Rayan again one day.

Outstanding tour. Emanuel was a wonderful guide. So passionate and knowledgeable. Our group spanned from children as young as 9 to grandparents in their 80s. Emanuel crafted a tour that was perfect for everyone. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone.