D-Day 80 Tour: The UK to Belgium 2024

After breakfast this morning, we will take a tour of London on a restored 1940’s Double Decker Bus, exploring the city through the lens of the Second World War. We will enjoy stops at the Imperial War Museum and the National Army Museum, where we will get the chance to explore new Exhibitions that are being especially organised for the 2019 D-Day 75 Remembrance. This evening, we enjoy a Pub Night Dinner in one of our favourite local London pubs. (B, D)

Accommodation: Copthorne Tara Hotel in Kensington or similar – London

After our breakfast, we check-out of our London hotel, before  travelling down to Portsmouth to continue the D-Day Story, including the Canadian story in the months leading up to D-Day. We will stop to visit the Canadian Military Cemetery and Memorial to the Missing at Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey before travelling on to Portsmouth  to visit the newly reopened D-Day Museum. Enjoy lunch and some additional time to explore the historic port city. Choose the option to take in some shopping, or head up the Spinnaker Tower. You also have the option to visit the Dockyards to explore the HMS Victory or the shipwreck of the Mary Rose (optional). In the early evening, we regroup to head over to our hotel in Southampton for our dinner & overnight. (B, D)

Accommodation: Moxy Hotel or similar – Southampton

An early start this morning, as we embark on our ferry crossing to Le Havre. During the crossing, we’ll discuss the crossing of the channel – the largest amphibious assault in history began 80 years ago. Upon arrival we will then make our way to our hotel for some rest and relaxation before enjoying our first dinner together in France. (B, D)

Accommodation: Novotel Centre or similar – Le Havre

Today marks 80 years since the D-Day invasion began in the opening of the Battle of Normandy. Our entire day today will be left open in anticipation of the ceremonial events to be hosted by Veteran Affairs Canada and French Authorities. All Commemorative Events are TBD at this time – Travellers will be notified of all updates related to today’s itinerary. Seating at today’s events is not guaranteed to all — if you have difficulty with mobility please let us know ahead of time. This evening after the commemorations are through, we will enjoy dinner in Le Havre together. (B, D)

Accommodation: Novotel Centre or similar – Le Havre

Today we continue our orientation of the D-Day Normandy invasion. We will begin with a visit to Pegasus Bridge where the 6th British Airborne landed, captured and liberated the first house in Europe, the Café Gondree. Today, we explore the Juno Beach Center, dedicated to the 3rd Division landings as well as Canada’s full involvement during World War II. Before heading back for dinner, we will visit the Queens’ Own Rifles House, the first house liberated by Canadian forces when they stormed the beaches at Juno on June 6th, 1944. We will also visit the Canadian Memorial Garden in the Abbaye des Ardenne and Verrieres Ridge, where the Black Watch suffered severe casualties in “Operation Spring”. Our day will end with a solemn sunset visit to the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian Military Cemetery. (B, D)

Accommodation: Novotel Centre or similar – Le Havre

Today we will explore the American & British sectors of the beaches, including visits to the Mulberry Harbors in Arromanches before continuing to La Chaos, the German offshore battery, which even 75 years later, sits relatively intact. We continue further still, to Omaha Beach to discover the appalling difficulties required for the Americans landing on Bloody Omaha. We will finish our day with a visit to Pointe du Hoc where the cratered landscape of the German battery, taken by the US Rangers in 1944, can be observed. We return to Le Havre for our dinner and overnight. (B, D)

Accommodation: Novotel Centre or similar – Le Havre

Saying our farewells to the Normandy region, we head east along the French coast to the seaside resort town of Dieppe. Here we visit the Dieppe Canadian Cemetery before travelling to the Green Beach at Pourville. We will also view the main landing beaches of Red and White on the Dieppe seafront. Lastly, we explore the Blue Beach at Puys, to view the gun emplacements on the cliff tops, which, on Aug 19, 1942, were responsible for such terrible Canadian casualties. Later, we will continue our journey to Amiens for our hotel check-in, dinner, and overnight. (B, D)

Accommodation: Campanile Gilsy or similar – Amiens

Our day will be spent exploring the Somme – shifting our focus from the Second World War to the First, with visits to the Memorial to the Missing at Thiepval, as well the preserved battlefield memorial park at Beaumont Hamel – dedicated to the Royal Newfoundland and Labrador Regiment who lost so many men on that first day of battle. After enjoying a locally made picnic lunch at the Old Blighty Cafe we will continue on to view the Lochnagar Crater, among one of the largest craters on the battlefields of the Western Front. After lunch, we continue on to Vimy Ridge Memorial Park. It was on Hill 145, on April 1917, that Canada truly became a nation in the eyes of the world. Its troops combined and stormed Vimy Ridge after all other allied forces had failed to do so. We will tour the tunnels, trenches and memorial, as well as the new interpretation centre, which opened in Spring 2017 for the 100th Anniversary. This evening, we continue to the historic city of Kortrijk, where we will enjoy our dinner and overnight. (B,D)

Accommodation: Parkhotel or similar – Kortrijk

Today we will take the full day to explore the Ypres Salient Battlefields. We begin our introduction with a visit to Essex Farm, the place where John McCrae wrote the famous poem “In Flanders Fields”. We then head north to visit the Tyne Cot Commonwealth Cemetery – the largest Commonwealth Cemetery, of any conflict, in the world. We will also discuss the Battle of Passchendaele, with visits to the Crest Farm Memorial, in Passendale. We continue further to explore the German Cemetery of Langemark, and the ‘Brooding Soldier’ at St Julien, to commemorate the first gas attacks against the 1st Canadian Corps in 1915. Lastly, we take a visit to the Hooghe Crater, and Hill 62 – a small area of the original battlefield and part of the Canadian Front Line. We finish our orientations today in the medieval city of Ypres, also known as the ‘City of Peace’ with an early group meal in the heart of Ypres’ Grote Markt. Tonight, at 8PM, we will witness the iconic and historic Last Post Ceremony, at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, led by the Ieper Fire Department & the Last Post Association. This daily act of homage is among the most memorable acts of remembrance that we will witness on our tour. After the ceremony is through, we will head back to our hotel to prepare for tomorrow’s departure. (B,D)

Accommodation: Parkhotel or similar – Kortrijk

This morning after an early breakfast we transfer to Brussels’ International Airport for your flight home… unless extending your stay. Ask us about extensions in Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam. (B)