Normandy Landing Beaches
NEWSFRONT: "The Longest Day" "D-Day Plus 65 Years"

"D-Day Plus 65 Years" tour to Normandy & Brittany. While not a focused military tour of the Normandy invasion beaches, this tour includes some important historic sites of Normandy an Brittany. A visit to the Caen Peace Memorial and American Military Cemetery at Omaha Beach where the gallant 10,000 are so gloriously laid to rest. Military retirees and their family members  will greatly appreciate this tour, but it is not exclusively for past or present military. It is diverse in showcasing Normandy & Brittany via landscapes and architecture as well as World War II battle sites.

$2290.00 excluding airfare, 10 hotel nights; 22 meals in France.

Day 1 - Fly Boston-Paris, drinks, dinner, in-flight film; small breakfast collation pre-arrival

Day 2 - Land in Paris. Travel by private motor coach down the Seine to Rouen; walk through the Normandy Capital including a visit to the place where Joan of Arc was martyred. Tour Joan's memorial church, followed by a typical Norman luncheon and a tour of the Cathedral of Rouen, painted 53 times by Monet. Rest, free time, this afternoon before a welcome dinner and overnight in Rouen. L, D

Day 3 - Ride this morning through Normandy to Caen, cradle of the Norman Dynasty. Visit the Caen Peace Memorial to experience the history of both World Wars and the epic D-Day battles. View the stimulating historical film depicting the hour-by-hour Allied and German struggle "Operation Overlord" on the Normandy beaches. Following lunch in Caen, visit the 1^st-century Abbaye aux Hommes and Abbaye aux Dames commissioned by William the Conqueror and his wife Matilda. Check-in at the Caen Hotel IBIS; dinner & overnight. B,L,D

Day 4 -Take a minibus guided tour in English from the Caen Peace Memorial to the Normandy landing beaches, returning to Caen for lunch followed by a free afternoon and evening. Overnight at the Caen Hotel IBIS; dinner on your own using free time in Caen. B,L

Day 5 - Today's motor coach excursion is to view the Bayeux Tapestry showing the events of the 1066 Battle of Hastings where William the conqueror gained control of England. It stretches 200 feet; portions date from the 11th century. Later, visit Notre Dame Cathedral and freely explore town before continuing to our Hotel Mercure Omaha Beach for check-in, dinner & overnight. B,D

Day 6 - Excursion to Honfleur - Normans are known for their love of good food. Local specialties include Rouen duck and lamb from the salt meadows of Mt. St. Michel. One discovery is the famous apple brandy of the region: Calvados. After lunch, visit one of the esteemed Calvados distilleries and sip smooth, warming brandy. Explore the historic port town, Honfleur; dine at your preference among the restaurants along the quay with scenic harbor views. Overnight at Mercure Hotel Omaha Beach. B,L

Day 7 - "The Longest Day", June 6, 1944, is remembered at ceremonies commemorating this emotional and historic panoply of battle below the Norman cliffs. Our D-Day is devoted to the American Battlefield commemoration after which we return to the Hotel Omaha Beach for a final Normandy overnight. B,L,D

Day 8 - Depart the Hotel Omaha Beach this morning for Rennes, Capital of Brittany, visiting the tidal island of Mont-St-Michel en route. The first church was built in the 8th century. More buildings were added over time until Mont-St-Michel with its abbey spire became the renown trademark of French tourism posters. It has been a prison, monastery and fortress...a must-see in France. Spend the night at Rennes Hotel Mercure. Dinner included at one of Rennes' noted restaurants. B,L,D

Day 9 - Dinan/Rance River Cruise/St-Malo - Discover Dinan a perfectly preserved Medieval town high above the Ranee Valley. After a walking tour, embark on a luncheon boat cruise along the Ranee River to St-Malo, a stunning fortified city with a swashbuckling past where the corsairs sailed out to capture enemy ships for their king. Dinner on your own and overnight on our last night at Rennes. B,L

Day 10 - After breakfast, depart Rennes for Paris, stopping at Chartres for a guided walking tour of the city's architectural gems including the 12m-century Chartres Cathedral and a visit to the International Center for Stained-Glass Art. Special lunch included before continuing to Paris, arriving at our 4-star Hotel Concorde Montparnasse. Dinner is at your leisure in Paris. B,L

Day 11 - Paris! You may choose to explore fabled City of Light along the Seine, perhaps aboard a double-decker bus, or wander the springtime streets, taking in the Eiffel Tower, Arch de Triomphe, Les Invalides, Louvre Museum...everything. Overnight at the Hotel Concorde Montparnasse. B

Day 12 - Transfer to Air France at Charles de Gaulle Airport for a return to Boston. On your trans-Atlantic crossing, lunch, movie and a pre-landing snack are included.

Airfares available on request and from any departure point

Escorted tour subject to a minimum of 15 participants, if not reached, tour can be customized.

Price on request.