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World at War: Both Sides of the Channel
10 days/9 nights
On this itinerary, explore what life was like on ‘both sides’ during wartime. See Maritime Portsmouth and arrive into France by sea, stirring up what it must have been like for the brave boys arriving onto those shores in 1944.
Experience the battle sites of both world wars, from the Normandy Beaches and Dieppe to the Great War reminders on the Somme and Ypres Salient. See the county of Kent and learn about the dog flights in the skies over these lands in The Battle of Britain. All this plus the secret wartime tunnels under Dover Castle and the home of Winston Churchill.
We will be able to amend the itinerary as appropriate to incorporate locations which might have a special meaning for tour participants, those seeking to follow the path of a fallen loved one, a surviving relative or a regiment of a personal interest.
Tour Dates: Your choice!
This tour begins and finishes in London. You will be picked up from your London hotel at approximately 09:00.
Cost: Depends upon the number of guests in your party.
2 Guests: $6500 USD per person; $485 USD single supplement
4 - 11 Guests: $3759 USD per person; $485 USD single supplement
12 - 15 Guests: $2699 USD per person; $485 USD single supplement
16 Guests + - ask us for a quote
What your tour package includes: The private services of your driver/guide for 10 touring days, your accommodation for 9 nights while on the tour including breakfast daily and most dinners, all entrance fees to attractions, transportation, all taxes and tips other than those you may wish to give your guide.
Please note that all ferries are subject to availability; the itinerary will be adjusted accordingly to coordinate with confirmed ferry times.
Airport transfers, accommodation pre and post tour, London city tours, London attraction passes and London transport passes are not included but can be added to your package as you wish. Ask us for details.
Why not Link it? You can join this tour up with a private day tour of London in Wartime, learn more about Winston Churchill in a 3-day tribute tour or maybe have a fun journey into the world of espionage with Bond...James Bond.
TENTATIVE ITINERARY
DAY ONE
We depart London, making our way to Maritime Portsmouth. Our itinerary contains many unique references and sites connected with the days leading up to June 6, 1944. Once in Portsmouth, we’ll see the D-Day museum and Eisenhower's HQ where 'Operation Overlord' was planned.
Portsmouth is England’s historic Naval Base and there are lots of things to see and do. Touring options here also include the 'Fire Power!' museum, Nelson's flagship, 'The Victory,' the first ironclad Warrior ship, Henry VIII's Mary Rose and various other naval related museums. Spoilt for choice!
ACCOMMODATION: Portsmouth
DAY TWO
This is our own 'longest day' as we board our ferry to France. This will undoubtedly be a less stressful crossing than the men faced on the night of June 5, 1944.
Upon arrival into Normandy, we will begin our explorations of the D-Day Landing Beaches. We will follow the battle from the initial beach landing to Caen, finding memorials and plaques en route. Over these few days, we can follow the sites associated with American, Canadian and Commonwealth troops as appropriate to the group on board.
ACCOMMODATION: Bayeux
DAY THREE
Lest we forget. Over these momentous days we visit sites whose names will be etched into 20th century history; the D-Day beaches Omaha, Utah, Juno, Sword, Gold, Arromanches, Pegasus Bridge, the Falaise Pocket, Operation Epsom. Authie, just North of the Caen-Bayeaux road, where the first tank battles took place against the 12th SS Panzer Division. Ste Mere Eglise, where paratrooper John Steele got caught on the church steeple and home to the Iron Mike Memorial and US Airborne Forces. We'll also visit the solemn national cemeteries, and museums en route, with a major highlight being the Caen Peace Memorial museum.
ACCOMMODATION: Bayeux
DAY FOUR
Today, it's time for some 'leave' in the medieval city of Bayeux. As a contrast to the battle sites and memorials, spend some relaxing time in this beautifully restored city where you can view the famed tapestry, the cathedral, one of the many museums or simply just explore the charming town with its shops and cafes. Your guide will be on hand for advice and a walking tour.
Dinner is not included tonight for flexibility’s sake.
ACCOMMODATION: Bayeux
DAY FIVE
Today, via the sites of Operation Spring, we go to Dieppe. Here, on 19 August 1942 five thousand troops of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, along with a thousand British troops, many of them commandos, attacked the French port of Dieppe. The purpose was to make a successful raid on German-occupied Europe over water, and then to hold Dieppe briefly. The results were disastrous. We'll visit the local museum, Canadian cemetery, and actual beach battle site.
ACCOMMODATION: Dieppe
DAY SIX
Shifting focus to the events of the Great War, we'll follow the western front trench line, across the Loos battlefield traveling the short distance to Vimy Ridge where it is generally agreed the Canadian Nation was forged over Easter 1917. Here you'll have a guided tour the underground tunnels, hear in detail how this tremendous victory was achieved, and see the magnificent memorial.
Fought on the chalky fields in 1916, the Battle of the Somme was the bloodiest and most costly encounter of the British Army's long and glorious history. Almost 60,000 men fell on the very first day. The line advanced just six miles over the following five months of battle and cost over 400,000 lives. The Somme became known as 'the glory and the graveyard of Lord Kitchener's army'. This afternoon and tomorrow, we’ll visit preserved trenches, museums and several other noted battlegrounds. Amazingly, even after ninety years, the area still yields up from its soils the remnants of man and machine. There are still areas we cannot walk through because of unexploded ordinance.
ACCOMMODATION: Arras/Albert
DAY SEVEN
We continue our investigations of the Somme battlefields. Available sites can include: Delville Wood, the Welsh memorial at Mametz Wood, the huge Lochnagar mine crater, the sunken road where the Accrington Pals were virtually wiped out, Sausage Valley, the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing and the Ulster Tower. There is also the option for a guided walk around the incredible preserved Beaumont Hamel battlefield site.
We will make our way into Ypres this evening for the moving Last Post ceremony at the Menen Gate.
ACCOMMODATION: Ypres
DAY EIGHT
The Ypres Salient struck fear into the Great War Tommy for being the hottest spot on the 70 mile front held by Imperial and Empire troops. Over a quarter of a million men gave their lives to hold this last bit of Belgium from the Germans. Although history records three great battles fought at Ypres, it was in fact a constant battle against shell, bullet, bomb, gas, water and rats.
Today, we’ll see trenches, John McRae's Essex Farm site, the grave of double VC winner, Noel Chavasse, Hooge crater and museum, the Passendaele dug-out and Tyne Cot cemetery.
ACCOMMODATION: Ypres
DAY NINE
This morning, as we drive northward, we'll pass the site of the main airfield used by the Luftwaffe for its 'Battle of Britain' campaign and finally enter into the space age with a visit V1 and V2 rocket sites from WWII before taking the Channel Tunnel or ferry across to Kent.
Back in England, we’ll be welcomed by the famed white cliffs of Dover and, time permitting, we’ll explore the secret wartime tunnels in Dover Castle.
ACCOMMODATION: Kent
DAY TEN
The southern Hornchurch Sector can be a focus with a visit to the Battle of Britain museum at Hawkinge, then there’s the memorial at Capel-le-Ferne and the Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial at RAF Manston (where you can view fine examples of a Spitfire TB752 and Hurricane LF751.)
The Hornchurch Sector covered the county of Kent, over which many dogfights took place, and we'll be seeing some splendid scenery as we drive through and pinpointing some of the crash sites and the later V1 and V2 rocket targets - over 1400 of which fell on Kent.
Before making our way back into London, a visit to Winston Churchill’s home of Chartwell. Here, you’ll discover both the public and private life of this great man who guided Britain through the tumultuous events of the 20th Century.
ACCOMMODATION: London (not included in package but available for a supplemental fee.)
Please note: All attraction opening times are correct at time of printing this website. While we will do our utmost to include all of the properties mentioned as central visits, we reserve the right to change an attraction should it become impossible to deliver a planned visit due to changes in opening days or times that we could not have been aware of at the time of loading this tour to our website.
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