Normandy is known throughout the world as the location where the allies made their historic invasion, thus ushering the beginning of the end of World War II. It is also home to centuries of arts, culture and natural beauty. This history and culture tour will explore both aspects of this beautiful region of France.
The events of June 6, 1944, continue to inspire long after the guns have fallen silent. The largest invasion in history, on the isolated Normandy coast, drastically altered the conduct of the war and demonstrated the unflinching resolve of freedom-loving peoples. This D-Day tour will bring the Cohens and Solits to the beaches, cliffs and fields; and villages, towns and cities where the Greatest Generation made their most indelible mark. From British glidermen at Pegasus Bridge, to the American infantrymen assaulting the beaches at Bloody Omaha; from American paratroopers jumping behind enemy lines at Ste Mere Eglise and Brecourt Manor to the Rangers climbing the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc to the building of the artificial harbors at Arromanches. And so many other iconic sites. This Normandy tour unfolds over seven days and six nights with stories of all the allied participants as well as those of the German defenders. The rich, verdant farmland, the quaint villages and the dramatic cliffs and coasts create an incredibly memorable backdrop for this Normandy, France, tour.
Normandy is also home to so many iconic arts and cultural monuments – from Monet’s gardens at Giverny (the home of Impressionism) to the Bayeux Tapestry that tells the tale of the Normand Conquest of England, from the seaside towns that shaped the views of artists and authors (like Flaubert’s Madame Bovary) to the abbeys and castles that shaped nations. We will visit two World Heritage treasure sites – William the Conqueror’s Bayeux Tapestry, and the gorgeous Chartres Cathedral.
The itinerary is unique for a visit to Normandy in that it incorporates a wealth of art and culture along with history. This trip will allow both the art-lovers and history-lovers to experience amazing sites and scenes and access stories that both will find fascinating, inspiring and enriching.
