Tour Details
Duration
Full-Day
Product Type
Tour
Venues
- The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial
- Omaha Beach
- Pointe Du Hoc
- Normandy Landing Beaches
- La Cambe German War Cemetery
- Paris St Lazare Train Station
Photos & Highlights
- Join an engaging WWII historian as you travel along the D-Day beaches and understand this complex key turning point in World War II.
- Unique, personal tours for the intentional traveler.
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Tour Description
After taking the train from Paris to Caen, the capital of Lower Normandy and a target for heavy bombings during the war, you will meet your guide and driver at the Caen train station. During this 50-min drive, your guide will provide an overview and contextualization for the tour and lay out the background for the invasion.
The first stop of our Normandy day trip from Paris will be at the far end of the American sector: the Pointe du Hoc. This steep cliff, sitting 30 meters (100 feet) above the sea, was a strategic location on the German defensive Atlantic wall. It was a point of attack for the 2nd Ranger Battalion and the site of an intense two-day battle. The rough terrain, marked with shell holes and the remains of the machine gun battery, will take you back to the day of the battle and set the tone for your excursion.
After a break for lunch, you will proceed to Omaha Beach. Situated at Colleville-sur-Mer, Omaha Beach serves as the location of the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. At this moving site, you will learn about the important involvement of the American contingency in the invasion. You will also have time to independently visit the cemetery and pay homage to any particular graves or walk to the expansive beach down below.
Driving eastward, you will finally reach Arromanches, the location of the invaluable artificial port. At this site, you will learn about the careful preparations for Operation Overload and how this artificial port was installed and used to offload vehicles and supplies in the days following the invasion. Time permitting, you may also visit a German cemetery. A sombre resting place, which provides a unique context for seeing the perspective of the individual German soldier.
At the end of the tour, you will have visited the various commemorative sites along this now peaceful stretch of French coastline, powerful reminders of the courage and sacrifice that was needed to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation. Your guide and driver will drop you off at the Bayeux Train Station, where you will take the train back to Paris.
- You want to learn more about the events of 1944 and their impact on European liberation.
- If you are looking for an excursion from Paris and want us to take care of the transport details.
- If you’re already based in Normandy, refer to our Full-Day D-Day and Normandy Beaches Tour.
- Caen – A historically rich city in France, known for its impressive medieval architecture and the Memorial for Peace commemorating World War II.
- Pointe du Hoc – A stunning cliff on the Normandy coast, famous for its heroic D-Day assault during World War II.
- Omaha Beach – One of the most significant landing sites on D-Day, this sandy beach in Normandy witnessed brave Allied forces' sacrifice and triumph during the invasion.
- Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial – A solemn and moving tribute to the American soldiers who lost their lives in World War II, located in Colleville-sur-Mer overlooking Omaha Beach.
- Arromanches – A picturesque coastal town in Normandy, renowned for its artificial harbor created during the Allied invasion of Normandy, serving as a crucial logistical point in World War II.
Meeting and Ending Point
- You will meet your expert-guide at the Caen train station and end at the Bayeux train station.
- The exact meeting point and map are communicated in your confirmation email.
Transportation
- You will take the train independently from Paris to Caen between 8:15-8:45am, and then from Bayeux to Paris at around 7:00 pm. The train ride is about 2 hours each way.
- We will pre-purchase train tickets for you.
- This tour includes a car service that will pick you up at the Caen train station, will drive you to the different sites visited, and will drop you off at the Bayeux train station at the end of the tour.
Lunch
- The tour will take time for a lunch break, but you are responsible for the cost of your own lunch.
Resources
- If you are looking to learn more about Normandy prior to a visit, check out our online lectures at Context Learning.
- Read more about Normandy in our Context Stories – full of tips and tricks from a local historian
Itinerary
- The itinerary is adaptable for clients with mobility issues and we recommend booking a full-day car service from Paris instead of the train.
Wheelchair accessibility
- Most of the sites are wheelchair accessible.
- If you have mobility concerns, please contact us to discuss the best tour option for you.
For more information about Context Tours, please visit our FAQs.
Can I upgrade to first-class train tickets?
Yes. Please let us know and we will contact you to discuss pricing options.
Can we arrange a car from Paris instead of taking the train?
Yes. Please contact us about pricing options. The drive is about 2.5-3 hours each way.
I am traveling with a group of 7+ people, is it possible to book this excursion?
Yes, please reach out to us if your party includes more than 6 people. We will need to apply a fee in order to reserve a larger vehicle.
I am traveling with a group of 7+ people, is it possible to book this excursion?
Yes, please reach out to us if your party includes more than 6 people. We will need to apply a fee in order to reserve a larger vehicle.
How long is the full-day excursion?
The D-Day and Normandy Beaches Excursion from Paris is approximately 12 hours. Depending on train ticket times, clients depart by themselves from the Paris St-Lazare station between 8:15-8:45 am and arrive in Caen around 11:00 am, where the guide and driver will be waiting. Clients will return to the station around 7:00 pm, arriving in Paris around 9:00 pm.
Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.
Where You'll Start
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167 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
Everything was great. The meeting place was convenient, the structure of the tour made sense (with the lack of sunlight this late in the year, Alex did a great job of tailoring the tour and getting us on track), and Alex's patience and knowledge of everything were outstanding.
Christopher
Reviewed on:
Nov 20, 2017
Flexible to what we wanted to visit.
Aileen
Reviewed on:
Oct 27, 2017
Alexander W did a remarkable job in taking us around Normandy and explaining the invasion to us. We saw a German cemetery which was absolutely haunting when you enter it. We walked on Omaha Beach which was quite moving to all 4 of us. It was humbling to imagine what the soldiers went through at low tide being shot at. We went inside German artillery batteries which was almost other-worldly to imagine being there on D Day. Alex explained the difference between the craters from Naval shelling and aerial bombs dropped near the batteries. One is oblong, and the other is a circle. The highlight was our visit to the American Cemetery. Alex had it timed so we would arrive to see the lowering of the flag and the playing of Taps. Even though it was raining and windy, none of us had a dry eye. Very moving! We went to the border of Omaha and Gold which was interesting. Evidently, Alex's father, a British Commando landed at Gold. It was along day, but well worth it. My only recommendation is to have the driver join us for lunch. I think Jean Pierre should have been included. We would have paid for his lunch, and I feel most folks would too. I would also recommend that folks get a sandwich at the nice restaurant we ate at for lunch, to take away for the train trip to Paris. The restaurant across from the Bayeux station is not very good. We did not arrive in Paris until after 9PM, so a nice sandwich to have on the train would have been nice. We did not get to our hotel until 10PM, and there is no food service on the train.
John
Reviewed on:
Oct 17, 2017
