The British D-Day Story - Normandy & Honfleur

Ferry to Calais and on to our hotel in Caen, where we stay on a bed and breakfast basis.

Accompanied by our expert battlefield guide, we begin at Pegasus Bridge, renamed in honour of the British 6^th Airborne Division and their emblem, the winged horse Pegasus. Captured in the early hours of D-Day by glider troops, its seizure was crucial to protecting the eastern flank of the landings and preventing German reinforcements from reaching the coast.

Next, we visit the British Normandy Memorial, overlooking Gold Beach. Inaugurated on the 75^th anniversary of D-Day, it honours over 22,000 servicemen and women under British command who lost their lives in the summer of 1944. At its heart stands an evocative sculpture by David Williams-Ellis. We allow around an hour here for visitors to explore the site (a 10-minute walk each way for well-abled visitors) and search for the names of loved ones.

We continue to the British and Commonwealth landing sites at Gold and Sword Beaches, where our guide brings the events of June 6^th 1944, to life. Finally, we visit the D-Day Museum, where original artefacts, testimonies, and immersive displays offer a deeper understanding of this pivotal moment in history.

Please note: this excursion may not be suitable for those with walking difficulties.

Our day starts with a visit to Honfleur, one of the most picturesque fishing ports in France and a favourite haunt for artists. The quaint harbour is lined with narrow, slate-fronted houses while the Old Town boasts narrow cobbled streets and half-timbered buildings with art galleries, boutiques and traditional craft shops.

We continue on to the fashionable seaside resort of Trouville-sur-Mer. This charming town is renowned for its glamorous villas and beautiful beach as well as a casino. It is also home to a vibrant fishing port with a lively fish market and plenty of small cafés and restaurants selling fresh seafood.

We begin our journey home with a stop in Le Touquet, once part of the Atlantic Wall and the focus of Operation Starkey, a failed Allied deception in 1943. On D-Day, the town was heavily bombed, with over 2,000 bombs dropped, tragically killing 55 people, including the mayor. Today, Le Touquet is a peaceful seaside resort. We have free time to explore and have lunch at your leisure, before we continue to Calais for our return ferry home.