D-Day Tours and getting to explore the sites

Jo,

For D-Day tours, I'd highly recommend BattleBus tours. They're based in Bayeux, so you'd need to plan at least one night there (preferably more than one night so you can have a look at the Tapestry and the beautiful town of Bayeux as well).

They provide not only an excellent description of each site they visit, but also a limited time to explore. For example on the American Highlights tour visit of St. Mere Eglise, time is allowed for members to tour the Airborne Museum and have a short look around the famous Church (where Pvt. Steele is STILL hanging in his parachute).

Happy travels!

We did the 2 day American Experience tour with Battlebus and loved it. They only take up to 8 in a van, but we were only 6. It seemed like we had plenty of time to walk around through the bomb craters, went in the bunkers and gun emplacements, went down on the beaches, were up on the cliffs, drove back in through all the hedgerows(this was amazing when you learn about these!) stopping here and there for stories, like at little roadside monuments or farmhouses. We went to the American cemetery where we had plenty of time to walk around or go in the museum there. Also went to the German cemetery which was quite different, but interesting (not too many crowds there though), went to 3 different museums where I thought we had plenty of time to see everything, two different churches where we went inside to hear some wonderful stories, and then one of the bridges that was hotly fought over. One of the most interesting places we stopped was a certain high area, where you could look out over fields that the nazis had flooded and where the Airbourne troops ended up drowning. Truly sad.

Though it was fascinating seeing all of these things up close, I think it was the personal stories that really get to you. The Battlebus guides have so many to tell, we were all hanging on every word.

As to exploring the beach. It was summer when we were there, and people were out swimming and laying out and it just looked like a beach until you turn around and look up. I found the cliffs and the high areas a lot more interesting then the beach itself. Just amazing really.

I doubt you would find the tour dissatisfying in any way. Have yet to hear anyone complain about the Battlebus tours. I would go again in a second!

The BattleBus tour was fantastic. We had plenty of time to explore at the sites.

Jo, it might be helpful if you expanded on what you mean by "really explore some sites..... especially the beaches". You do know that the beaches stretch over 50 miles.

Jo,

I concur on the Battlebus experience. We went last July on the one day American Highlights tour and really enjoyed it (one of the highlights of our 1 month trip!). Looking back, we had time to explore most of the sites we were at, though not too long. I think we had 45 minutes at the Airborne Museum, 30 -40 minutes at Point du Hoc and each of the beaches and about 45 minutes at the American Cemetery.

I really liked the personal stories they intertwined in the discussions and also the fact that there were only 7 others on our tour. We will definitely go back and probably do at least 2 day tours.

Jo, you can't go wrong with Battlebus. We toured with them last summer for 3 days. Remarkable. You will not want to venture far from your guide, for he will have some incredibly moving stories to tell. Standing on Omaha, Utah, Pointe du Hoc, in the American Cemetery, St. Mere Eglise, the German cemetery, and so many more...you will see and hear more than you can imagine. I don't think you will feel stuck. Our small group was mesmerized. Hope to go back and tour with them some more.