SAMPLE TOUR FRANCE - LUXEMBOURG - BELGIUM BATTLEFIELD TOUR - WWII OPERATION OVERLORD AND BATTLE OF THE BULGE NORMANDY - Welcome to Normandy, known for its wealth of food products and the significant role it played in European history. The name Normandy is derived from the word Northman, referring to the Scandinavian Vikings who settled here in the 10th century and later became known as Normans. The Allied invasion on June 6, 1944 and the long Battle of Normandy that followed left another permanent footprint in Normandy. The historical importance of this invasion that led to the liberation of Europe from the Nazi-German occupation can be seen and felt throughout Normandy because of the many well preserved military structures, objects, memorials and cemeteries from the Second World War. Aside from history, Normandy is also known for its many agricultural products such as dairy, apples, pears, ciders and more. 1 DEPARTURE Depart to Europe on your overnight flight. 2 ARRIVAL Arrive at the International Airport of Paris Charles de Gaulle and meet your European Tour Manager who will remain with you throughout the tour. Board your private bus and drive to Caen, Normandy. With a population of more than 100,000 inhabitants, Caen is the third largest city of Normandy and has been the stage of some of the largest events in European history. In the 11th century, William the Conquerer turned Caen into the center of ducal court and started his invasion of England from Caen. During the Battle of Normandy in WWII, Caen sustained heavy war damage, however the town still has a pretty historic center with impressive medieval buildings and structures, reminding us of the great seat of Norman power it once was. Today Caen is also a place that symbolizes the value of freedom and commemorates the high price human kind paid to regain its freedom during the horrible events of WWII. Upon arrival in Caen, visit Le Mémorial. The Memorial Museum was built on the site of the command bunker of German General W. Richter. He fought against the British and Canadian troops on what was to become D-Day in 1944. The Memorial Museum is one of the most recommended museums involving WWII as it uses film, animation, audio tools and presents original artefacts from the war. It is a place of history, reflection, and aptly brings across the joy people felt during the liberation. Welcome dinner and overnight in Caen. www.wenstravel.com | [email protected] | +31 35 54 29 333 OPERATION OVERLORD OVERLORD - code name for the Battle of Normandy, stands for the Allied liberation of Nazi-Germany who occupied Western Europe. The Normandy landings, the largest seaborne invasion in history, started on June 6, 1944 (D-Day). It involved 1200 planes, 5000 vessels and 160,000 troops. American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch. They were heavily fortified by bunkers, colossal coastal guns, batteries, mortars, artillery, and thousands of Nazi-German troops. 3 BRITISH AND CANADIAN D-DAY LANDING BEACHES After breakfast, enjoy a Tour of the British and Canadian Landing Beaches with a local guide. Start with a stop at the Pegasus Bridge to visit the museum and Café Gondrée, the first house in France that was liberated. Continue with stops at Sword and Juno Beach, to see the bunkers and memorials there. In Arromanches (Gold Beach), see the remains of the greatest engineering feature of the invasion: the prefabricated Mulberry harbor ‘B’, which was used for 10 months after D-Day. Next, continue to the gun battery at Longues-sur-Mer, defending the Gold and Omaha beaches. End the tour with a visit of Bayeux War Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth cemetery of the Second World War in France, located in the first liberated French town of importance. The cemetery contains over 4000 burials of the Second World War. The Bayeux Memorial, opposite the cemetery, bears the names of over 1800 men who died during the landings and the following months of the Battle of Normandy. Dinner and overnight in Caen. 4 AMERICAN D-DAY LANDING BEACHES Following breakfast, go on a Tour of the American Landing Beaches with a local guide. This tour will tell the facts and human stories behind the events that took place at the American Landing Beaches on June 6, 1944 (D-Day). Stop at Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc (US Army Rangers) and Utah Beach. In Sainte-Mère-Eglise (US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions), have time for lunch and to visit the church and Airborne Museum dedicated to commemorate the American paratroopers who liberated their village on D-Day. After lunch, visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer and have the option to perform at a wreath laying ceremony. Spend the remainder of the day in Bayeux, a well preserved small medieval town, known for the 11th century Bayeux Tapestry which depicts the Norman invasion of England up to the Battle of Hastings. Dinner and overnight in Caen. www.wenstravel.com | [email protected] | +31 35 54 29 333 PARIS - Bienvenue a Paris! A bustling capital city with something going on at all times, whenever you visit. Another trait is its charm, which continues to justify its title of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The Eiffel Tower, l’Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, and lamp lit bridges spanning the Seine are enduring Parisian emblems. The word 'Parisian' is synonymous with style and fashion is the city’s forte. You will also find France’s famous and delicious cuisine in Paris, make sure to try the fresh products at patisseries (pastry shops), boulangeries (bakeries) and fromageries (cheese shops). 5 CAEN - VERSAILLES - PARIS After breakfast, transfer to Versailles on your private bus. Enjoy a visit of the Palace of Versailles. Versailles was built in the 17th century, when France was under the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King (le Roi Soleil). The grandeur of the enormous palace with its beautiful gardens was meant to project the absolute power of the French monarchy. After your visit, transfer to your Paris hotel and check into your rooms. After some time to freshen up, have dinner in Paris. Overnight at your hotel. 6 PARIS Have breakfast at your hotel. This morning, enjoy a Guided City Tour of Paris with a local guide. Admire the iconic sites of Paris, l ‘Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Place de la Concorde, Place Vendôme, Hôtel National des Invalides, Pont Alexandre III Bridge, the Musée du Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, Palais Garnier (Opéra National de Paris), Place de la Bastille, l’Ile de la Cité, la Conciergerie, the Panthéon, Champs-Elysées Avenue and the Eiffel Tower. In the afternoon, visit the Louvre Museum. The famous Louvre holds tens of thousands of art works, from different eras and by different creators. Admire Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Greek masterpieces, but also art by famous names such as Da Vinci (and his renowned Mona Lisa), Michelangelo and Rembrandt. Have dinner, then enjoy a Cruise on the River Seine. This cruise on the Seine River gives you the unique opportunity to experience the city of Paris from a different perspective, without being distracted by busy street traffic. Besides the great monuments like the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame Cathedral, you will also see new enchanting parts of the historical heart that can only be seen from the river. Overnight at your hotel in Paris. www.wenstravel.com | [email protected] | +31 35 54 29 333 LUXEMBOURG CITYCITY - Spectacularly located on a steep rock, connected by a dense network of bridges, surrounded by narrow valleys, Luxembourg City is the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The fortifications and old quarters of the Old City of Luxembourg, one of the largest fortresses of Europe until the 19th century, are a UNESCO Heritage Site due to the outstanding universal value. Today you will find a modern city with a harmonious mix of historic structures and modern architecture, decorated by beautiful landscaped green spaces. The city is one of the de facto capitals of the European Union (together with Brussels, Frankfurt, and Strasbourg) and the seat of the Court of Justice of the European Union, the Secretariat of the European Parliament and the European Investment Bank, thanks to which the population (of around 120,000 inhabitants) consists of 160 different nationalities 7 PARIS - LUXEMBOURG CITY Breakfast at your hotel. Today, transfer to Luxembourg. En route, visit the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and attend a wreath laying ceremony (optional). Within the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial in France, which covers 130.5 acres, rest the largest number of our military dead in Europe, a total of 14,246. Most of those buried here lost their lives during the Meuse Argonne Offensive of World War I. The immense array of headstones rises in long regular rows upward beyond a wide central pool to the chapel that crowns the ridge. A beautiful bronze screen separates the chapel foyer from the interior, which is decorated with stained-glass windows portraying American unit insignia; behind the altar are flags of the principal Allied nations. In the late afternoon enjoy a City Tour of Luxembourg with a local guide. There is no better place to begin exploring beautiful Luxembourg City than in its historic Old Quarter. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, the city's ancient fortifications made it one of the most important of Europe's cities. The fortress was so impregnable, it was dubbed the "Gibraltar of the North," and although the original fortress was dismantled between 1867 and 1883, its impact upon the Old Quarter is evident everywhere.