Veterans and grateful citizens across the world commemorate the anniversary of D-Day each year, the decisive World War II battle that turned the tide of war toward Allied victory. On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed on Nazi-occupied beaches in Normandy, France. Hours of fierce fighting, with assistance from 130,000 aircraft and 5,000 ships, resulted in the Allies retaking the area by nightfall – and spelled the beginning of the end of Hitler’s regime. Many tour operators offer day-long tours from Paris of Normandy’s historical sites. The popular excursions include visits to several memorials on the Normandy coast, including the landing beaches and cemeteries where the heroes of D-Day rest.
Tour companies provide transportation from a central point in Paris’ tourist district to Caen in Normandy by climate-controlled motorcoach. Both Gray Line and Viator, two of the largest global tour operators, pick up customers near the Louvre and make Caen the first stop. In Normandy, the coach ferries passengers among the historical sites with frequent stops to have lunch and to visit museums, landing beaches and cemeteries.
The distance between Paris and Caen is roughly 145 miles. Tours leave early in the morning and return in the late evening, with about four hours spent in Normandy. During the drive, English-speaking professional guides narrate the history of D-Day and provide an overview of the important memorials. The guide may also lead you through the museums and outdoor sites, enriching your understanding of the momentous battle and its aftermath. The tour price includes transportation by coach, museum entrance fees and a boxed lunch, but leaving a gratuity for your guide is up to you.
The first stop on most tours is the Caen Memorial Museum of Peace, a modern cultural institute with exhibits that illustrate the story of World War II. An entire gallery is devoted to the D-Day invasion and its impact on the global war. After a break for lunch, you may visit Omaha, Juno and Gold beaches, where Allied soldiers made landfall, with a stop at the Omaha Beach Museum. Other highlights include Pointe du Hoc, a German defensive fort captured by the Allies, and the purpose-built artificial harbor at Arromanches. Finally, pay your respects to the soldiers buried at the American cemetery at Saint-Laurent, a somber but picturesque field dotted with thousands of white grave markers.
The month of June is prime time to take a tour of Normandy from Paris. Commemorative events, memorial ceremonies and other activities take place around the anniversary of the invasion. Tours run almost year-round, though some operators may suspend the itinerary in winter and restart it in the spring.
