D-Day Tour Options

[Pet Nit Noy]

Someone asked about D-Day tours on the British board. If I answer the question there, most folks embarking at Le Havre won't spot this useful list of possibilities. I'm not specifically recommending any of these; you'll have to do your own due diligence. Still, it will help anyone who finds that Overlord, the biggest name tour provider, is fully booked.

 

FWIW, this list is the one our hotel gave us. (We're doing a land vacation to Normandy and Paris).

 

DDAY HISTORIAN

Licence n°2008/25/0000513

SARL BATTLEBUS

LE HAUT MONCEL

14230 ISIGNY SUR MER

Phone +33 2 31 22 28 82

Port. +33 6 72 02 50 74

http://www.ddayhistorian.com

 

D-DAY TOURS & NST

Licence n°2005/25/0000176

6 RUE SAINT JEAN

14400 BAYEUX

Phone +33 2 31 51 70 52

Fax +33 2 31 51 74 74

http://www.normandywebguide.com

 

OVERLORDTOUR

Licence n°2003/22/0000240

14400 BAYEUX

Port. +33 6 70 21 43 42

http://www.overlordtour.com

 

VICTORY TOURS

Licence n°2007/25/0000315

CHÂTEAU DE LIGNEROLLES

14490 PLANQUERY

Phone +33 2 31 51 98 14

Port. +33 6 36 28 01 51

http://www.victorytours.com

 

NORMANDY TRAVEL

Claire Lesourd

+33 6 22 83 10 42

+33 6 22 83 10 42

claire.aebt@yahoo.fr

http://www.normandy-travel.net

[bethohio3]

Thank you. I've contacted the guides you've listed here and hope to find one with availability.

 

 

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[Got2Cruise]

We were on a river cruise last summer and visited the D Day landing beaches with a guide. These guides are more like historians than tour guide. Certain details in the landscape, the narrative of the chain of events of the longest day, all come to life. You will be very glad you booked a guide

[bconley351]

While on a land vacation we went to the DDay Museum in Caen and picked up a tour from there. It was a lovely day. Our guide was a young woman whose grandfather had been in the resistance during WWII. Since we covered all of the must sees for Americans, and we had no Canadians with us, our guide also took us to the German cemetery.

[Turtles06]

I would like to suggest that anyone visiting the D-Day sites watch (or re-watch) "The Longest Day" beforehand. Yes, it's an old, corny movie, but the history is great and you'll really appreciate things more, even with a guide. (In fact, our guide from Overlord Tours asked if anyone had seen it!)

[bethohio3]

Thanks, Turtles. I picked it from the library. I've never seen it and I think it'll give me some great pre-trip history information. Wish I remembered everything I learned in school--and wish I'd learned more than I was willing to pay attention to.

 

 

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[stubbornoldowl]

Would these tours be available from Cherbourg as well as Le Havre?

[ylojerseygirl]

we are doing the overlord tour in May, my mom did it last year and loved it.

[bunzini]

Looking at the two DDay tours offered by Celebrity. One includes the Bayeau Tapestry, the other does not. Anyone have an opinion on which would be the better tour?

[Pet Nit Noy]

Looking at the two DDay tours offered by Celebrity. One includes the Bayeau Tapestry, the other does not. Anyone have an opinion on which would be the better tour?

 

 

I hope that both the tours you're considering are full-day tours because a half-day visit isn't adequate to visit the D-Day beaches much less adding a stop in Bayeux at the tapestry museum.

 

The tapestry is a very detailed work of art that shows the everyday life people and soldiers from the eleventh century, specifically leading up to the 1066 French invasion -- and conquest -- of England. You'll move along the tapestry on a moving walkway. Independent admission includes the use of an audio guide that explains what you're seeing at any time. Independent admission also allows you ride on the moving walkway over and over until you're satisfied, but I doubt this will be the case with a ship-sponsored tour.

 

Both D-Day invasion tours will likely focus on the American beaches (perhaps only one given time constraints) and when I say beaches I mean only the beaches. Your guide might talk about the efforts to deceive and weaken the Germans before the invasion, but mostly you'll learn about the action on the beaches. Technically, the Normandy Invasion lasted for weeks as the Allied Armies made a slow advance to re-take the whole of Normandy. There are people -- obviously not cruisers -- who spend a week focusing on all the events of the Normandy invasion. At the other extreme would be a half-day visit. To me, a half day's visit seems like it would be more frustrating than satisfying, but your mileage may vary.

 

Both of these destinations are super, super important in the span of world history.

 

No matter what you decide, please watch the old film The Longest Day. It takes some effort to watch. It's long and the actors portraying the French are French/speak French. Ditto for the Germans. When the foreigners are on the screen English speakers will have to read sub-titles. Still, it's worth the effort since it will give you wonderful background and you'll get the most out of a brief visit.

 

I'm going to ask a question that you don't appear to have considered: Have you looked at forming your own small group tour or joining an existing small group tour? With a small group to keep together, you'll be able to spend more time at each site. Small groups are also less frustrating -- less chance that there's a shopper in the group who will throw the large group's schedule off while he/she buys souvenirs -- less time wasted while 40 people use the facilities at a rest stop. Go to your roll call and see what's doing with you Normandy port of call. The private tour guides who would handle your small group are super experienced with cruise ship groups and know how to get you back to the ship on time.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Pet Nit Noy

[Turtles06]

Looking at the two DDay tours offered by Celebrity. One includes the Bayeau Tapestry, the other does not. Anyone have an opinion on which would be the better tour?

 

I want to strongly second the advice offered above by Pet Nit Noy to consider a private tour with a small group. You will see and learn SO much more than with a huge group on a ship's tour. We used Overlord Tours two years ago out of Le Havre for a full day tour (8 people total) that was just fantastic.

 

I'll also second the advice to watch (or re-watch) The Longest Day. It's dated and a bit cheesy, but the history is terrific and you'll get a lot more out of what you see of the D-Day sites if you watch it first.

 

In terms of your specific question, it's hard to give any advice without knowing the length of the two tours and what else is on each itinerary. In order to see the Bayeux Tapestry, you have to give up something else.* The question is what. And only you can make that choice, depending on what you particularly are interested in seeing. My spouse and I were very keen on spending our entire day on the D-Day sites, so that's what we did. You may have different priorities/interests.

 

*(And keep in mind that with a ship's tour, there are so many people that everything takes longer. So you are giving up more.)

 

Whatever you decide, have a great trip. Normandy is fascinating and beautiful.

[bunzini]

Thank you both for your posts, I appreciate your comments. Judging by your suggestions, I think we are going to forego the tapestry to spend more time at the DDay sights. I typically do arrange for independent tours and have arranged some for our cruise already. Honestly, I was a bit 'put off' that Overland wanted all the money up front. I am well aware that they are a good company and are number 1 on trip advisor. Paying a deposit is different than paying ahead and hoping that all goes well. I do not want to buy extra insurance to pay for my excursions too. A lot of things can happen between now and then-even when we were in Russia, we did not have to prepay our excursion. So honestly, I gave up and decided to go with the ship's tours.

[bunzini]

Also, thanks so much for the suggestion to watch, "The Longest Day." I will definately rent it (or find it on netflix).

[Pet Nit Noy]

Thank you both for your posts, I appreciate your comments. Judging by your suggestions, I think we are going to forego the tapestry to spend more time at the DDay sights. I typically do arrange for independent tours and have arranged some for our cruise already. Honestly, I was a bit 'put off' that Overland wanted all the money up front. I am well aware that they are a good company and are number 1 on trip advisor. Paying a deposit is different than paying ahead and hoping that all goes well. I do not want to buy extra insurance to pay for my excursions too. A lot of things can happen between now and then-even when we were in Russia, we did not have to prepay our excursion. So honestly, I gave up and decided to go with the ship's tours.

 

Assuming you'll be touring as part of a small group, the risk is split among more participants than just you. The significance of the D-Day sites make this a destination where I'd want the best experience possible, and Overlord is in a position to deliver. I'd encourage you to reconsider your conclusion about taking the ship's tour.

[Turtles06]

Honestly, I was a bit 'put off' that Overland wanted all the money up front. I am well aware that they are a good company and are number 1 on trip advisor. Paying a deposit is different than paying ahead and hoping that all goes well. I do not want to buy extra insurance to pay for my excursions too. A lot of things can happen between now and then-even when we were in Russia, we did not have to prepay our excursion. So honestly, I gave up and decided to go with the ship's tours.

 

Are you absolutely correct about having to pay in advance? If so, that has definitely changed in two years. What they wanted from us was a credit card to secure the tour in case no one showed up (assuming the ship had actually docked); but the card was not charged and we paid cash the day of the tour. I just had a quick look at their FAQ (link here, see no. 12), and it does not appear that things have changed -- this says you give a credit card to secure the tour, but "final payment" is due in cash on the day of the tour.

 

http://www.overlordtour.com/overlordtour-faq.html#12

 

I was the person who organized this tour for 8 of us on our Roll Call. It was still a bit worrying to have my credit card on the hook for all that money, as I've read horror stories of other pax not showing up, etc. (and of course someone could be sick the day of). At the suggestion of another in the group, everyone gave me their cash for the tour the day we embarked; had someone not done this, we had time to find someone else, or, worst case scenario, cancel the tour without penalty. (There wasn't a 50% penalty then for cancelling within 7-14 days, and our sail date was more than 7 days prior to the tour.) Obviously, you need to figure out if you have those options, but it does not appear that you actually have to pay for the tour in advance.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Turtles06

[CintiPam]

Thank you both for your posts, I appreciate your comments. Judging by your suggestions, I think we are going to forego the tapestry to spend more time at the DDay sights. I typically do arrange for independent tours and have arranged some for our cruise already. Honestly, I was a bit 'put off' that Overland wanted all the money up front. I am well aware that they are a good company and are number 1 on trip advisor. Paying a deposit is different than paying ahead and hoping that all goes well. I do not want to buy extra insurance to pay for my excursions too. A lot of things can happen between now and then-even when we were in Russia, we did not have to prepay our excursion. So honestly, I gave up and decided to go with the ship's tours.

 

I am sorry that you have made this decision. Overlord does a fabulous job and there is no way that a large ship's tour will come close to that experience. Please reconsider your decision.

Edited May 4, 2014 by CintiPam

[travelgrandpa]

Did you find that any of these tours left from the port of LeHavre. That seems to be a problem. Thank you.

[Pet Nit Noy]

Did you find that any of these tours left from the port of LeHavre. That seems to be a problem. Thank you.

 

If the "you" you're asking is Pet Nit Noy, I did not visit Normandy as a port call on a cruise. My husband and I spend four days in Normandy prior to a week in Paris as part of independent travel.

 

Sorry, I don't know which of the companies on the list I posted will work with cruise passengers arriving in Le Havre.

 

The superb tour guide we hired did not. All his tours begin in Bayeux, where we stayed, or I believe, the nearby town of Caen.

[Pet Nit Noy]

Honestly, I was a bit 'put off' that Overland wanted all the money up front. I am well aware that they are a good company and are number 1 on trip advisor.

 

Not quite sure where you got your information about Overlord -- not Overland's -- reputation on Trip Advisor. If you go to TripAdvisor look for Bayeux activities and type in Overlord, you'll see that it comes up rated #7. Six tour companies have higher ratings.

 

This only restates a post I shared earlier. Folks do not need get distressed if they are unable to book Overlord's services. There are other good guides available. The bigger problem is whether or not those other guides will work with cruise passengers out of Le Havre.

[susiecreamchs]

We recently toured with Normandy44. Our guide, Magali, was wonderful. We had a group of eight and all learned so much from her. She had pictures and told us stories that made the history real. She is ranked #8 on Trip Advisor, but that is because she has only 38 reviews. She doesn't have anything about picking up at the port on her website, but she does pick up at Le Havre. I definitely recommend her!

http://normandy44-tours.com/index.php