Normandy, located along the northern side of France, boasts of not just an amazing coastline with picturesque views, but the entire region is deeply entrenched in history. If you want to see those sites and places that you have read about in school about World War II, you can see them in person when you explore Normandy. This is your chance to get a whole new perspective of world history.
The beaches and battlefields of Normandy remind you of the D-day when the Allied forces landed here to combat the German forces. That was the turning point in history, which marks the start of the end of World War II. While those days have long gone, the history remains to remind you of that era. This is why locals and tourists arrive to take guided tours of these beaches, memorials, and cemeteries to learn about World War II and pay respect to the soldiers.
Here are some of the most popular Normandy sightseeing tours to explore and bring that history alive, as well as enjoy some stunning views.
1) Utah and Omaha landing beaches - Begin your D-Day adventure with a visit to Utah and Omaha landing beaches and retrace the history. Omaha beach is where the most lethal battles took place. After you have explored the beach and visited the D-Day museum, head for the Utah beach and the US military cemetery. During the tour, stop to admire the magnificent viewpoints and the lunar landscapes on the breath taking cliffs.
2) A tour of Caen - Plan a customized walking tour to discover the best places and insider knowledge of Caen and learn more. The historical tour takes you not just to the iconic landmarks and monuments but is going to change the way you travel. Learn about the history of the place as well as local cultural events.
3) Battle fields tour - This tour is just perfect for you if you want to see the most important sites where the main events of World War II took place. Visit the memorial cemeteries and museums of Normandy as well as enjoy the changing scenery of the French countryside. Some essential sites of interest include Sainte-Mere Church, the Airborne Museum as well as the German Memorial Cemetery. This is the region where massive D-Day operations took place.
4) The British airborne and sword beach tour - Do not miss the chance to enjoy the beautiful scenery and explore the historic sites. Get a deep insight into one of the most tragic events in history as you visit Merville Gun Battery and Museum and the Commonwealth Military Cemeteries. Pay tribute to the fallen soldiers and get a plethora of knowledge about what happened in Normandy.
5) Mont Saint-Michel tour - Take a guided tour of the old village of Mont Saint-Michel and learn more about the 1,300 years of the history of the Breton. You feel like transported back in time as you walk through narrow cobblestone streets and take a journey back to the Middle Ages. Learn the history of the settlement and visit the Mont Saint-Michel monastery built on top of the rock. Enjoy panoramic views as you ascend and listen to the stories about the island. It is interesting to see a mix of military and religious architecture in the historic dungeons.
6) Normandy’s D-Day sites tour- Plan a tour that takes you to the key locations of D-Day sites and learn about the history as well as admire the cliffs and beaches. Pay your respects and homage at the different memorial sites and cemeteries that you come across and remember all those who fought in the war.
Photo Courtesy: The photographs in this post have been borrowed from wikipedia.org under the creative commons license. Each photograph has been linked to its host page on wikipedia.
Grreat reading
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