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.
Alain, up at the Landing Beaches in France - This was such a rich, densely-packed
day for us our brains were bursting by the end from so much information coming in
from Alain and so many thoughts to consider. As is typical on private walks, your own
family’s interests and experiences are the jumping off point, and themes pursuant to
those personal interests and backgrounds begin to emerge.
Our family had viewed “The Longest Day” three days before our tour, and it was fantastic -
particularly for our kids - for Alain to be able to use the images from this epic docudrama as a starting
place and fodder for color commentary throughout the day. What emerged for us quickly in
our hours-long examination and discussion of the events of D-Day was the question, “Did the
Allies win the battle, or did the Germans lose it?”
Alain’s personal passion for the subject (He is the proud grandson of a member of the French
Resistance), obvious scholarship, and now experience leading tours (in English, French, and German,
which means that he has now had the marvelous opportunity to add reflections of veterans he’s guided
around from both sides of the war to his understanding), all combined to give us what we felt was a deep,
balanced picture of the events and the issues, and their impact on the war. The logistics
of the day - the train tickets, the trains themselves, the minivan - were all perfect. What
a memorable day.
Jenny
Reviewed on:
Jul 30, 2015
Alex is a very good docent. What made our time with him so special was his knowledge of the area, and it was clear that he has a deep understanding of the entire history of the region. It was also particularly special that his father had a unique role in the D-Day landing. Alex has an engaging personality, and he responded well to our request that he direct his focus to our 14-year-old son.
Wendy
Reviewed on:
Jul 15, 2015
A great trip. The docent was very capable and knowledgeable, though some thought his presentation style a bit slow. Others thought it was perfect. Including the German cemetery was a big plus.
Paul
Reviewed on:
May 30, 2015
