We will be in Normandy in late July and would like to do a good 1/2 day tour of the beaches. I have 3 young boys ages 8, 11, & 12 and while they really enjoy DDay stuff, they're like most boys that with limited attention spans. So the more interactive the better.
Anyone have a good recommendation for the best tour company to use? I'd like to register before we get there to ensure we have it locked down and paid for in advance.
Thanks
I took a full-day Overlord tour and really enjoyed it. I know that company offers at least one half-day tour. You might want to pack snacks. You can't eat in the vehicle, but having something available during the stops might keep the youngsters happier. There's a good bit of walking around so I don't think they'll be bored.
The tours utilize vans, not big buses, so seats are limited. For a group of 4 or 5 you should definitely get this locked down in advance.
While a half day will give a quick introduction, I'm not sure a half day tour will do justice to a place of such historical significance. You might want to try to work a full day into your itinerary. Just offering food for thought.
Thanks for the advice. Does anyone recall the names of the tour companies?
I agree with TC--try for a full day. Just driving from beach to beach almost uses up a half day. A good guide and staying on the move should keep their attention.
If your boys are mature enough, you can show them clips from Band of Brothers, many on Youtube,, before you go. Also "Saving Private Ryan" and "The Longest Day".
I HIGHLY recommend Alan Bryson of http://firstnormandybattlefieldtours.com/
Rick Steves also recommends him in his France guidebook. Alan is a walking talking engaging history buff with no dead time. I don't see your boys getting bored.
Overlord and Dale Booth Tours are the names that come up frequently in this forum. Tripadvisor.com and the Trip Reports section of this website are good sources for reviews of these tours. My family of 4 took a two-day private tour with Dale Booth. There were lots of stops and chances to walk around, We saw museums at Utah Beach and at the American Cemetery during the tour.
ta,
I'd suggest Overlord Tour as they offer half-day tours and provide transportation. Many of the other tours are considerably more expensive, and may not be suitable for children with a "limited attention span". It's a good idea to pre-book the tour well in advance.
We are heading to Bayeux in early July with a 2-year-old and a 7-year-old. We booked 1.5 days with Magali Desquesne to tour the D-Day beaches. Here is her website: https://www.dday4you.com/
She offers options to either join you in your vehicle, if you will have one, or to have her brother drive his van. We can't comment yet on the quality of Magali's tours, but we have read great reviews and it looks like she has been recommended in the 2017 RS France guide. We chose her because of her interest in working with families, and presumably experience with handling kids with limited attention spans. So far, we have had several email exchanges with her and she has been very pleasant and prompt in her replies.
We took a terrific 1/2 day tour with Sylvain Kast. He is very personable, knowledgeable and easy to work with. Sylvain tailored the tour to some of our specific interests. I'm confident that he would relate well to your children and provide all of you with a memorable experience. http://www.d-day-experience-tours.com/tours/
We took an Overlord Tour last week (2 adults). Personally, we would have objected to steering the tour toward young children just because we were in the minority as Barbra suggested above.
We were 7 adults in a van with a driver. The tour and guide were excellent, but it was not geared toward children.
My personal view is that they are too young for this tour, and you would be better served by booking a private tour that could be geared toward your family.
This article may help.
https://themomedit.com/2016/08/normandy-beaches-with-kids/
Hi I would agree if you can swing it do a private tour. Our kids (teenagers) enjoyed the tour we had when we were there two years ago but I think much younger & it would have been very hard for them to keep up & they would have lost interest along the way. It is an amazing place and was a highlight of our trip. Enjoy
