- Stopping just one day on a cruise call, in Cherbourg or Honfleur ?
TRAVEL AGENCY “BLB TOURISME” Cruise Department provides all the services you need: a wide range of classical and original shore excursions, tailor-made tours, creative thematic trails, or exciting walking experiences as well as suitable transfers or turnarounds.
AMERICAN CEMETERY & OMAHA BEACH / Half-day tour
Board your private car or coach, head to Colleville-sur-mer and stop at the American Cemetery where more than 9,000 marble crosses stand aligned in an impressive site overlooking Omaha Beach. A memorial, inscribed with a map of the operation, and preceded by a pool stands in the central alley surrounded by trees. At the end of the afternoon, don’t miss the ceremony of the Lowering of the Colours. To the sound of a military hymn, the American flag is lowered and folded. The American cemetery is the biggest, the most well known and the most moving of the Normandy Landing cemeteries.
SAINTE-MÈRE-EGLISE & UTAH BEACH / Half-day tour
Departure from Cherbourg or Honfleur and drive to Sainte-Mère-Eglise via direct road. Located in the middle of the traditional Normandy livestock breeding area, this town brutally entered the news headlines on the night of 5-6 June 1944, the night when the American 82nd Airborne Division troops landed. Sainte-Mère-Eglise was liberated on 6th June. Guided visit of the village: just in front of the town hall, you will see the 0 Milestone, symbolising the start of the Road of Freedom. Inside the church, a modern stained-glass window features the American parachute drop. The tour continues by driving to Sainte-Marie-du-Mont and then a scenic drive along Utah Beach with a stop en route at Crisbecq Batteries. This site, erected in 1941 by the Todt Organisation, was one of the most powerful batteries in this sector. Drive back directly to your port of call.
NORMANDY LANDINGS / Full-day tour
Enjoy a full day excursion to the most important locations involved in the historic events of 1944. Leaving your port of call, begin this memorable journey with a drive to Arromanches via the landing beaches Sword, Juno and Gold.
Operation Overlord, as the D-Day landings were code-named, involved the largest military operation in history. In the early morning of June 6th, swarms of ALlied landing craft hit the Normandy beaches and tens of thousands of soldiers stormed ashore, ready to attack the German lines.
Arromanches Invasion Museum. The small seaside town of Arromanches features an important museum dedicated to the Landing operation. During your visit, view models and films that re-create the entire operation along the D-Day beaches, as well as illustrate the importance and logistics of Port Winston. A short distance off shore, remnants of the artificial port can still be seen. These war relics are a testimonial to an extraordinary industrial and maritime achievement.
Lunch in a Norman castle. Following your visit, you will proceed to an 18th century castle located near Omaha Beach, where a two-course lunch with wine will be served.
American Cemetery. After lunch, continue driving to Colleville, site of the American Cemetery. The majority of the nearly 10.000 Americans killed at Omaha Beach are buried in this 170-acre cemetery on land given to the United States by France as a token of their gratitude. Here 9.386 marble crosses and Stars of david stand in perfect alignment on a plateau above the beach. A Memorial contains the Tablets of the Missing, and a map outlines the battle sites of the Normandy Beaches. Return directly to the ship in your port of call.
- Staying 1, 2, 3 days or more in Normandy ?
BLB TOURISME France DMC organises your stays and touring holidays in Normandy. As a group or individually, enjoy our “tailor made” programs. Contact our professional team and enjoy our warm welcome, availability, creativity and quality. Our tailor-made packages include all the musts as well as unexpected treasures of Western France and especially Normandy.
A DAY ON THE ALLIED TROOPS STEPS / Full-day tour
To understand everything about the D-Day in Normandy
Our tour will first lead you to two historical sites – taken in the night from March 5 to 6 – that were essential to the success of the D-Day. In Benouville, the first one is the very famous Pegasus Bridge freed by Major John Howard and his 6D British Airborne Commando. Your guide will tell you all about the incredible achievement done by these men piloting the first gliders in History. Then you will reach the Pointe du Hoc: strategical site celebrating the ranger’s heroical fighting to destroy all kinds of German defense above the beaches.
Then you will head towards Omaha Beach “the bloody one” where you will envision the German defense organization. A stop at the American churchyard of Colleville-sur-mer before continuation to Longues-sur-mer : this step will give you the opportunity to see the infamous Atlantic Wall.
Free lunch in Arromanches, small seaside resort keeping the remains of the Mulberry artificial harbor.
In the afternoon, visit of the D-Day Museum: you will understand thanks to the very clear model-replicas the importance of this artificial harbor, definitely one of the most extraordinary industrial and marine feat of WWII. Gold and Juno Beach on the way back. A short stop at Courseulles-sur-mer, to give you some time to salute the Lorraine cross commemorationg General De Gaulle landing.
Then drive back to your departing spot.
IN THE STEPS OF PRIVATE RYAN / Full-day tour
Arrive in Caen in the morning, welcome by your guide. Drive to Sainte-Mère-Eglise through the marshes, pause café and visit the new Utah Beach D-Day Museum.Built on the very beach where the first American troops landed on June 6, 1944,it recounts the story of D-Day in 10 sequences, from the preparation of the landing, to the final outcome and success. This comprehensive chronological journey immerses you in the history of the landing through a rich collection of objects, vehicles, materials, and oral histories. Lunch in Utah Beach. Visit Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery. End of the tour by the end of the afternoon.
MARINE ASSAULT OPERATION / 3-day tour
DAY 1 : MEMORIAL OF CAEN
Arrival in Caen : Sightseeing tour towards the town to admire the monuments built by William the Conqueror : the castle, Men Abbey and Women Abbey, all miraculously spared by the bombings of allied troops. Stopover and visit of the Memorial Museum : an overview of the History since 1918 to understand how the operations of the Landing in Normandy were made possible. Transfer to your hotel. Welcoming aperitif. Dinner and accomodation.
DAY 2 : LANDING BEACHES / AMERICAN ZONE
Visit of Saint-Mère-Eglise, first village to be delivered in France, followed by a commemorative stroll on Utah Beach. Located in the middle of the traditional Normandy livestock breeding area, the region entered the news headlines on the night of 5-6 June 1944; the night when the American 82nd Airborne Division troops landed. Lunch time. In the afternoon, discovery of the Pointe du Hoc, strategic site overlooking bloody Omaha Beach, immortalized by the movie “Saving Private Ryan”. Afetrwards, contemplation at the American Cemetery of Colleville-sur-mer. Dinner and accomodation.
DAY 3 : ARROMANCHES AND THE ANGLO-CANADIAN ZONE
First you will depart towards Arromanches to evoke the operation “Mulberry Port”, an extraordinary industrial and maritime prowess, guaranteeing the ultimate vistory. In Courseulles-sur-mer, hail the Cross of Lorraine marking the landing of General de Gaulle and then join the well-known “Pegasus Bridge” freed by British gliders. Lunch time. return to your region.
AFTER THE BATTLE… / 4-day tour (including visits, transport, lunch, dinner and accomodation)
DAY 1 : Arrive in Caen in the end of the morning. Lunch in Caen. Visit of Caen, skilfully rebuilt after WWII.
DAY 2 : Departure to Bayeux and visit of the Bayeux Tapestry and the cathedral in the morning. Lunch in Bayeux. Visit of the “Musée Mémorial de la Bataille de Normandie” and Bayeux old center.
DAY 3 : Departure to the “Côte Fleurie“. Visit Honfleur, view on the Normandy Bridge. Coastal road to Deauville and Trouville. Lunch on the port in Trouville. Costal road to the Orne Estuary. Visit Pegasus Bridge. Visit the Great Bunker in Ouistreham. Return to the hotel for dinner. After dinner : evening walk with your guide in the old streets of Caen.
DAY 4 : Visit the Memorial de Caen “A museum for Peace”. Lunch at the Memorial. Deaprture from Caen after lunch.
End of our services.
Information : Please contact us to organize commemorative ceremonies and lay a floral spray.
BLB Tourisme provides all the services you need:
- Coach transfers, rental cars or private cars with driver
- Guided sightseeing tours, escorts and assistance
- Thematic gourmet trails and tastings
- Entrance fees for museums, gardens, leisure parks or exhibition centers
- Traditional, thematic or gourmet restaurants,
- Exhilarating evenings,
- Comfortable accommodation.
The rigorous selection of BLB Tourisme suppliers and the leading of our group tours by our own escorts guarantee the follow up of our production
Leave a Reply