Battlefields of World War II: 65th Anniversary of D-Day Normandy Invasions

DAY 1
USA – PARIS

Depart from Washington Dulles Airport.  Your evening trans-Atlantic flight will take you overnight to Paris, the “City of Lights.”  In flight meals will be served.

DAY 2
ARRIVAL IN PARIS – CAEN

Breakfast will be served before landing in Paris.  Upon arrival in Paris, after clearing customs formalities, you will be met by your professional tour manager who will be with you for the entire length of the tour.  You will board your deluxe motorcoach for the drive to Caen on the west coast of France.  Along the way you will make a stop at Giverny, home of Monet, the famous painter.  You will also stop at Mantes-la-Jolies (Pretty Mantes) where German General Rommel made his headquarters during WW II.  Later this afternoon, you will arrive in Caen in time to freshen up before your welcoming dinner.

DAY 3
CAEN – NORMANDY BEACHES

Breakfast at your hotel.  A full day of history is in store for you as you head out of Caen this morning and travel first to the famous Normandy Beaches.  You will travel along the Normandy coast visiting Sword, Juno and Gold Beaches where British and Canadian forces landed.  At Arromanches you can still see remains of the temporary cement docks placed before the war.  By mid-morning you will continue to visit the Omaha Beach.   In between Omaha and Utah Beach is the cliff top location of Pointe-du-Hoc where Lieutenant Colonel James Earl Rudder and his Rangers scaled them under enemy fire.  After a stop here, you will continue to Utah Beach where you can walk the beach and visit the museum.  Your last stop before returning to Caen will be St. Mere Eglise, the first town liberated by allied soldiers.  Before the 6:30 AM battle of D-Day began, Airborne Rangers parachuted into the small town of St. Mere Eglise around midnight.  One paratrooper, Bob M., had his parachute caught on the spire of the church.  He hung in his harness until daybreak when he was finally spotted by German soldiers, who shot him as he dangled from the steeple.  A statue of Bob M. dangling from the steeple can still be seen today as an eternal memorial.  Return to Caen for your overnight.  Dinner tonight is on your own at many restaurants close to the hotel.

DAY 4
CAEN – PARIS

Following breakfast it’s time to drive to Paris where in the afternoon you will be given a sightseeing tour.  The city of the Can--Can, boulevardiers and artists looks as lively as its reputation.  Your sightseeing tour shows you the spice of its life: the Opera, Place de la Concorde, Champs--Elysees, les Invalides and Notre Dame Cathedral.  Tonight you will have dinner at your hotel followed by a romantic Seine River Cruise.  Return to your hotel for overnight.

DAY 5
PARIS – REIMS

Breakfast at your hotel.  This morning you will drive northeast towards Reims and eventually on the scenic Champagne Route.  The history of Reims goes back more than two thousand years.  Destroyed at 80% during the First World War, the city was rebuilt, mostly thanks to American foundations.  Three decades later, Reims becomes General Eisenhower’s headquarters where the official German surrender was signed on May 7th, 1945.  You will visit the Surrender Room which has been kept as it was then.  Your sightseeing of Reims will also include the famous Notre dame Cathedral.  If time permits you will be treated to a Champagne Tasting at one on of the many Champagne Cellars in Reims.  Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

DAY 6
REIMS – VERDUN – LUXEMBOURG CITY

Following breakfast you will depart for Luxembourg City with a stop and visit at Verdun.  The Battle of Verdun is considered the greatest and lengthiest in world history. Never before or since has there been such a lengthy battle, involving so many men, situated on such a tiny piece of land. The battle, which lasted from 21 February 1916 until 19 December 1916 caused over an estimated 700,000 casualties (dead, wounded and missing). The battlefield was not even a square ten kilometers. From a strategic point of view there can be no justification for these atrocious losses. The battle degenerated into a matter of prestige of two nations literally for the sake of fighting.  You will visit the Ossuary, containing the bones of 130,000 unidentified soldiers and civilians who died during the war. 

Following your visit, you will continue to Luxembourg City.  You will visit the American Cemetery where General Patton is buried and facing his more than 5,000 fallen soldiers.  The Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial, 50.5 acres in extent, is situated in a beautiful wooded area. The cemetery was established on December 29, 1944 by the 609th Quartermaster Company of the U.S. Third Army while Allied Forces were stemming the enemy's desperate Ardennes Offensive, one of the critical battles of World War II.

The city of Luxembourg served as headquarters for General George S. Patton's U.S. Third Army. Not far from the cemetery entrance stands the white stone chapel, set on a wide circular platform surrounded by woods. It is embellished with sculpture in bronze and stone, a stained-glass window with American unit insignia, and a mosaic ceiling. Flanking the chapel at a lower level are two large stone pylons upon which are maps made of various inlaid granites, with inscriptions recalling the achievements of the American armed forces in this region. On the same pylons are inscribed the names of 371 of the missing. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified.  Sloping gently downhill from the memorial is the burial area containing 5,076 of our military dead, many of whom lost their lives in the "Battle of the Bulge" and in the advance to the Rhine. Their headstones follow graceful curves; trees, fountains and flower beds contribute to the dignity of the ensemble.  Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Luxembourg City.

DAY 7
LUXEMBOURG CITY – AACHEN

Breakfast at your hotel.  Today your tour begins with a stop and visit at Mardasson Museum located 2 kilometers outside of Bastogne. This fascinating museum is the work of one man, Mr. Guy Franz Arend, who founded the first version of the museum after visitors to Bastogne had made remarks that they regretted the absence of an historical museum I the city.  You will then continue to Bastogne for lunch on your own before continuing to Aachen via St. Vith and Spa.  Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

DAY 8
AACHEN
Breakfast at your hotel.  Today will be spent visiting the Battle of the Bulge sites. For the U.S. Army, the battle incorporated more troops and engaged more enemy troops than any conflict before that time. The German objectives ultimately were unrealized. In the wake of the defeat, many experienced German units were left severely depleted of men and equipment, as German survivors retreated to the defenses of the Siegfried Line. The Battle of the Bulge was the bloodiest of the battles that U.S. forces experienced in World War II; the 19,000 American dead were unsurpassed by those of any other engagement[ German Col. Peiper entered Stavelot on the 18th of December but encountered fierce resistance by the American defenders. Unable to defeat the American force in the area, he left a smaller support force in town and headed for the bridge at Trois-Ponts with the bulk of his forces, but by the time he reached it, the retreating U.S. engineers had already destroyed it. Peiper pulled off and headed for the village of La Gleize and from there on to Stoumont. There, as Peiper approached, the American engineers blew up the bridge, and the American troops were entrenched and ready to fight a bitter battle.

Peiper's troops were cut off from the main German force and supplies when the Americans recaptured the poorly defended Stavelot on 19 December. As their situation in Stoumont was becoming hopeless, Peiper decided to pull back to La Gleize where he set up his defenses waiting for the German relief force. Since no relief force was able to penetrate the Allied line, on 23 December Peiper decided to break through back to the German lines. The men of the Kampfgruppe were forced to abandon their vehicles and heavy equipment, although most of the unit was able to escape.  At the end of this most historical day, you will return to Aachen for dinner and overnight.

DAY 9
AACHEN – FRANKFURT

Following breakfast, you will drive along the Rhine River to Cologne.  You will have a tour of the city, beginning with a visit to Cologne's most impressive Cathedral, said to be the world's greatest example of Gothic architecture, and it dominates the entire area.  Cologne's incomparable monuments and art treasures in its museum symbolize episodes in 2000 years of cultural history.  Nowadays, the lively city scene, the beautiful parks and green belts and the inimitable shopping area will explain the city's popularity.  Following your visit, you will continue south to Remagen, site of the Remagen Bridge which was destroyed by the Germans in March of 1945 in order to prevent American troops from crossing the Rhine to the other side.  Time permitting, you may wish to visit the Peace Museum located in the towers Remagen Rhine site.  You then continue your journey to Boppard where you will be embarking on your Rhine Cruise.  Cruising along the historic stream, you pass charming small villages shadowed by knights' castles high on crags, and vineyards sloping down over terraces.  You round the Lorelei cliff and continue to Oberwesel.  Here you will be met by your motorcoach and driver for the short trip to Frankfurt.  Enjoy a Farewell Dinner tonight in preparation for the return flight home tomorrow.

DAY 10
FRANKFURT – USA

Today you bid farewell to as your motorcoach transfers you to the airport for your return flight to Washington Dulles, taking with you so many wonderful memories of your tour.

General Tour Information

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SALES CONTACT INFORMATION

Philippe Dandino
Value Holidays
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Skokie, IL  60076
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TERMS & CONDITIONS

TRANSPORTATION
Trans-Atlantic air transportation is included from Washington Dulles  to Paris and from Frankfurt to Washington Dulles, and is subject to all restrictions, cancellation policies, increases, etc., which may be imposed by the carrier in the future.  B) Surface transportation by special, private, deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach.

HOTELS
Twin bedded rooms with private bath and/or shower in superior tourist class hotels, such as, the Mercure Caen Center in Caen, the Mercure Suffren in Paris, the Mercure Alpha in Luxembourg, the Novotel in Aachen and the Mercure Neu Isenburg in Frankfurt area (or similar).
 
MEALS
House breakfast, 1 lunch and 5 dinners will be provided.

TOUR DIRECTOR
A professional, English speaking Tour Director will assist your tour throughout.

TRANSFERS
Transfers effected by tours motorcoach between transportation terminals and hotels, and vice versa.  Handling of passengers' luggage is included (one suitcase per person).  No responsibility is incurred for loss or damage to passengers' belongings or baggage.  It is recommended to carry baggage insurance available through Value Holidays.

TIPS AND TAXES
Hotel service charges, state and local taxes, tips to baggage porters and other hotel staff are included.  Tips to Tour Manager and Driver are not included.

EXCHANGE RATES
This quotation is based on rates of exchange in effect as of November 11th, 2008.  All rates are subject to adjustment based on foreign currency fluctuations.

NOT INCLUDED IN TOUR PRICE
Passport, health documents, U.S. and Customs Users air taxes, and fuel surcharges (currently $298), personal and/or baggage insurance, airport taxes (where levied), excess baggage, all meals not previously mentioned, all items of a personal nature, beverages, including coffee and tea (except at breakfast), wines liquors, soft drinks, etc., tips to your driver and the Local Guides.

DEPOSIT AND CANCELLATION POLICY
A $300.00 per person deposit is required to hold a reservation.  This deposit will be refunded less a $100.00 handling fee in case of cancellation, provided we are advised no later than 90 days prior to departure.  After that time, a cancellation fee of $300.00 will apply.  Final payment is due at 60 days prior to departure.  No refund will be made for cancellations 59 days prior to departure. Payment by credit card is subject to a 3% processing fee.

TOUR PRICE
Tour price from Washington Dulles, IAD based on the above terms and conditions is $2998 per person.  Air fare from home gateways is not included. Single supplement is $593.