Multi-generational WWII trip

sunflowertraveler,
You sound well-organized. My only question is whether the cost of two half-day tours in Normandy would be considerably more expensive than one full-day tour. If so, and if that is not acceptable, could arrangements be altered to have one full-day tour? Perhaps, going to Bayeux the afternoon of day 2, staying 2 nights there and heading back to Paris in the morning of day 4. Or seeing the Bayeux tapestry, cathedral and museum the morning of day 4 and returning to Paris, as planned before, in the PM. This cuts into Paris time on day 2, so you may prefer to keep to your original plan.
Just a thought.

Is there any possibility you could extend your trip by a day or two? I'd suggest spending at least two nights in Bayeux, so that you can tour some of the sights there as well such as the famous Bayeux Tapestry or the excellent Museum there. That would also provide the opportunity for a full day tour.

This sounds like a very rushed trip. On your “acclimate” day in Paris, you might consider taking the train to Bayeux in the evening. Then you can do a full day tour of Normandy the next day. I would then spend another day in Bayeux. Then take the train all the way to Metz. Stopping over in Paris again just seems like a hassle with so many people and such little time. I would group your Paris days all together at the end of the trip. Hopefully you’ll have 3 nights in Paris, at least.

This is a part of the world I know pretty well, and I'd consider a slightly different itinerary. And, as already pointed out, you need to add some time to this trip. I say this because you're looking at losing the equivalent of two days (minimum) traveling between your three primary destinations.

My experience is such that you will need full days for any tours of the Normandy sites. And two days is a minimum of time. This will probably need to be extended depending on when you plan to visit, especially if you aim at the week around the D-Day anniversary, due to the crowds.

Second, there is very little WWII "scenery" within Metz or Saarbrucken. Most of the battles for these cities took place outside the perimeter and, while there are places where monuments and such are placed, in many cases the cities have grown to cover the historic battlefields. For instance, the most prominent marker inside the Metz city limits is the one just outside the cathedral St Etienne thats shows the date the city was surrendered. If you can find an old copy of the British publication "After the Battle" for these cities they are a great reference, but even then the data and pictures they have are now 35-40 years old and can be difficult to use.

One thing you will probably note, especially away from Normandy, is that WWII is much less visible than either WWI or the 1870-1871 wars. That's because there was more direct French involvement in both of those conflicts in and around the area stretching from Paris to Saarbrucken.

I'd seriously consider a linear itinerary, either starting or ending via Frankfurt, with the other terminus at Paris. I say this because it would eliminate backtracking and the consequent loss of time to travel; it being faster to get from Frankfurt to Saarbrucken than from there to Paris. There's no need to fly in and out of the same airport.

The advantage of flying into Frankfurt becomes even more viable when you consider this allows you to eliminate days in Paris, as you can easily get from Frankfurt to Saarbrucken the day you arrive if you want to add another 2.5 hours travel. And Saarbrucken, or Frankfurt, will be considerably less expensive than Paris to overnight in. If any of your crew have to spend time in Paris it would be best to do so before, or after, the main objectives are completed.

Getting back to the WWII sites around Saarbrucken and Metz, there are places still visible, but you will require a car to find them. The Westwall (Siegfried Line) fortifications, as well as the French Maginot line ones are not easily reached via public transport, and in many cases will require some trekking. You can spend days looking for these; I have.

There's a bit more I could add, but this should give you some idea as to options. By all means, I highly recommend visiting Metz and Saarbrucken, but be aware that both of these cities offer much more history than that of WWII. Metz is one of my favorite places to visit, and between there and Saarbrucken, just outside St Avold, is the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial‎, where some of the men your grandfather knew ended up. https://www.abmc.gov/Lorraine

"Metz is one of my favourite places to visit." Ditto. Super convenient and practical from Paris.

On the topic of WW1 numerous towns around Metz and in this area of Lorraine are worth visiting in terms of seeking out

and tracking down the French and German military cemeteries, sometimes together too as well as separate.

Buses located in the PEM side of the Metz Ville train station, opposite from the Campanile hotel , go by the back roads to Verdun, from which evidence of the 1870 war can be seen.

I concur with the others' comments about half-day tours. Although Bayeux is a very nice place to stay and perhaps the most practical, the invasion sites you want to see are not right in Bayeux, so a fair amount of driving time brackets each tour, in addition to the time necessary to move from one D-Day site to the next. Taking two half-day tours rather than one full-day tour consigns you to a lot of extra transportation out and back. Your group, even if not quite all your relatives are able to participate, sounds like an excellent size for a private tour. You'll be able to offer input on the itinerary. If you think you need a decent lunch break so folks can keep going all day, you should be able to arrange that.

I agree with others to try to spend at least two nights in Bayeux. Everyone travels differently, but your day 2 could easily bring you to Bayeux unless there are sites you want to see in Paris. Your tour should cover more, but be aware that D-day and the Battle of Normandy was much more than just Omaha Beach—even for the American involvement. And many of those sites show more than a beach can.

I'll also add my standard recommendation to do s much research ahead of time rather than planing on having all the history spoon fed to you when there by a tour guide. Even with a tour, you will get much more out of your visit if you have a solid historical foundation going in. Take the less expensive time at home to read a couple of good books or watch a couple of movies or documentaries and you will get so much more out of your trip—tour or not.

When shopping for a tour -- and you really do need one -- it helps to remember that the Canadian/British experiences were somewhat different, moving inland to try to close the Falaise gap. There are heroic stories but fewer physical relics on that route. Another option is to spend a bit of time in Caen at the fortress castle of William the Conqueror, whose successful invasion went in the opposite direction.

We visited Normandy two summers ago. Lovely! I agree that you should plan two nights in Bayeux. Juno Beach, where the Canadians landed, has a great museum, and the beach is lovely…especially if you have youngsters in tow.