2026 D-Day Battlefield Tour
From london, across the channeL,
To the beaches of Normandy
To the beaches of Normandy
2026 D-Day Battlefield Tourfrom London, across the English Channel, to the beaches of NormandyAt a glance
May 31 - June 13, 2026 • England & France • 14 days Overnight destinations London • Portsmouth • Normandy Region • Paris Highlights cross the English Channel just as the boys did in 1944 • visit all five landing beaches: UTAH - OMAHA - GOLD - JUNO - SWORD • special commemoration event at Juno Beach on June 6 • Falaise Gap • Verrières Ridge • scroll down to see complete details Pricing Coming Soon! |
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The Canadian story ...At sea, by land, and in the air, Canada participated in one of the monumental events of World War Two - the Normandy landings of June 6, 1944, etched into history as D-Day.
On a small stretch of beach on the coast of France code named Juno, Canada's 'Greatest Generation' would turn the tide of the war. It was the beginning of the end. |
So much to see in Normandy ...Many years have passed since those fateful days of 1944, but much remains of the occupation and liberation. See "Canada House" at Juno Beach. Visit big German guns on the cliffs above Gold Beach. See remnants of the ingenious Mulberry Harbour, and also tanks, and trucks and bunkers at Omaha and Utah.
But also, see the many poignant and meaningful monuments, big and small, which dot the shores and the adjoining countryside. It is an especially good feeling to arrive at some small place, somewhere in Europe, and see the Canada flag flying high. Be prepared to feel a deep sense of pride. |
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Special moments ...Travelers might expect to encounter WWII period vehicles, living history re-enactment camps, perhaps some live music, fly-overs, and more. Some town squares will feature a festive mood, alive with battlefield enthusiasts and pilgrims from Canada, Great Britain, the United States and more.
From the imposing cliffs to the small inland villages, you will retrace the steps of the soldiers who fought here. In so doing, you will honour their memory and bring history alive. You will be part of a typically all-Canadian group, mostly couples, from all the across the country. |
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Mark ZuehlkeAward-winning author of the Canadian Battle Series and Lead Tour Guide
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Phil CraigChief Historian and professional actor of film, stage and television
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John CannonPresident of Liberation Tours and your Tour Director
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Saturday May 30
For many of our travelers it is departure day, for the overnight transatlantic flight. Some travelers may choose to leave for Europe sooner to extend the start of the trip - let us know if we can quote you on pre-tour accommodations. Guests who have other travels already in progress, or guests from other points of origin including the United Kingdom, the United States and elsewhere, will meet the start of the tour on Day 1 in London. |
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Day 1 - London
Sunday May 31 In the mid-afternoon all clients can check into the group hotel. In the meantime, luggage is stored in the hotel baggage lock-up. Today you are free to explore London, an amazing city of history and monuments waiting to be discovered including the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the Imperial War Museum, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Platform 9-3/4 at Kings Cross Station ... and so much more! In the evening we gather in the heart of London for our Welcome Dinner, setting the stage for our amazing journey. Overnight London - hotel tba. [D] |
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Day 2 - The Build-Up to D-Day
Monday June 1 We make an early departure, to begin exploring the story of D-Day. We begin at Brookwood Military Cemetery, which holds the burials of service members from Canada, the UK and more and from a variety of battles. Canada holds a prominent place in this special place. From here, we take a scenic drive south and catch a lunch in a pub on the outskirts of Southampton. It's then onward to the famous Bovington Tank Museum and its internationally recognized collection of hardware - in a state-of-the-art museum complex. Overnight Channel Coast - hotel tba. [B,L] |
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Day 3 - The Channel Coast
Tuesday June 2 We have a special reservation this morning at Southwick House, to see the famous D-Day Map Room which transports us back in time to the spring of 1944. In this very room, Eisenhower and Montgomery made final plans for the Allied landings. After an amazing lunch in the local pub, we visit The D-Day Story, located on Southsea Common right on the coast. This museum expertly tells the story of the D-Day build-up, and features a very rare LCT landing craft. From here it is a short stroll along the promenade to the beautiful Portsmouth Naval Memorial, which commemorates nearly 25,000 sailors of the two great wars who were lost at sea. Overnight Channel Coast - hotel tba. [B,L] |
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Day 4 - The Crossing
Wednesday June 3 Today is a travel day. Just as the lads did in 1944, we'll pack up our kit and set sail across the English Channel - destination, France. As we sail out of Portsmouth we often have a good view of the harbour and some of the medieval ships like HMS Victory - moored alongside modern warships of the Royal Navy. Our sailing to Ouistreham is a crossing of 6 hours. The ferry features restaurants and comfortable sitting areas, and the upper deck is a great place to enjoy the warm sun on a June day. Overnight Normandy - hotel tba. [B] |
Departing Portsmouth for the Normandy Coast. © Brittany Ferries.
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Day 5 - Sword Beach
Thursday June 4 Thursday brings us to the eastern most area of the D-Day landings, and Sword Beach. We get an expansive view of a landing zone at the water's edge, with a monument dedicated to the British forces who came ashore here. The next stop is Pegasus Bridge near Caen, to learn the story of the pre-dawn paratrooper landings by the British 6th Airborne and the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion who secured this eastern flank with incredible precision. You then have free time to make a must-visit to the first house liberated on D-Day, the Café Gondrée, a special place filled with history and charm. Our afternoon includes a visit to Ranville Cemetery, where some of the first casualties of D-Day are laid to rest. This includes the Rousseau brothers, Emile Corteil and his Para Dog, and Wing Commander Lloyd Chadburn. Overnight Normandy - hotel tba. [B,L] |
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Day 6 - Juno Beach (Part 1)
Friday June 5 This is our first of two days along the 8 kilometers of shoreline that comprises Juno Beach. We begin by exploring Bernières-sur-Mer where we find 'Canada House,' easily the most iconic building of the entire Normandy coast. Just down the boardwalk stands one of many concrete defenses, barely unchanged since 1944. After a short break, we take a battlefield walk along the shoreline to the eastern most point of the Juno sector and the village of Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer. Here we find yet another concrete defense, with the 50-mm German gun still sitting ominously in its place. Along the way we see more iconic beachfront structures. The afternoon schedule is kept clear, to allow for attendance at an expected commemoration event hosted by Veterans Affairs Canada at Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery. Here are buried 2,044 Canadians who fell in the early hours of D-Day and the subsequent battles. Overnight Normandy - hotel tba. [B,L] |
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Day 7 - D-Day 82
Saturday June 6 🍁 Today we mark the 82nd Anniversary of D-Day. We'll keep the schedule clear to attend the official commemoration ceremonies at the Juno Beach Centre in Courseulles-sur-Mer. Overnight Normandy - hotel tba. [B] |
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Day 8 - Utah Beach
Sunday June 7 This morning we set out to visit the first landing beach - the western-most zone code named Utah on the eastern shore of the Cotentin Peninsula. Utah is a wide, flat expanse and offers great views from the dunes, whereupon numerous monuments have been placed to mark the American landings. A short drive in from the coast takes us to Saint-Mère-Église, central to the region where the United States 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions parachuted into France to secure the western flank of the allied landings. You'll enjoy some free time here, to take in the sights and sounds of the anniversary year. We visit a few additional points of interest inland connected to 'Easy Company' of the 101st, and take some further free time in the town of Saint-Marie-du-Mont. Overnight Normandy - hotel tba. [B,L] |
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Day 9 - Omaha Beach
Monday June 8 Next up is the other American landing sector, code named Omaha Beach. The D-Day assault on this beach was, according to the veterans themselves, aptly depicted by the opening twenty minutes of the Steven Spielberg film Saving Private Ryan. The Americans suffered heavy losses here, due in part to the difficult terrain which favoured the defenders. We'll take a walk along the bluffs high above the beach, and also walk at the water's edge, to see both perspectives. We will also take some time for reflection at the Colleville-sur-Mer American War Cemetery which serenely overlooks the Normandy shore below. We then move further west to Pointe-du-Hoc where the United States Army Rangers famously scaled 100' cliffs to secure the position. We close out the day with a short drive inland to La Cambe German Cemetery and an opportunity to respectfully consider the losses of the opposing army. More than 21,000 German soldiers lie here, some having not even reached their eighteenth birthday. Overnight Normandy - hotel tba. [B,L] |
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Day 10 - Gold Beach
Tuesday June 9 Day Six takes us to points of interest within the British landing zone of Gold Beach. This area was selected as one of two sites to construct the man-made Mulberry Harbour where ships could off-load the massive supplies needed for the invasion force. The view from the cliffs above reveals remnants of the harbour just off-shore. We then walk down into Arromanches, a lovely coastal tourist village, for some free time to wander. We also make a visit to Longues-sur-Mer, a German coastal artillery position of four large naval guns which posed a serious threat to Allied ships off-shore and the landing beaches themselves. Our final stop in the afternoon is the British Normandy Memorial, newly dedicated in June 2021. Overnight Normandy - hotel tba. [B,L] |
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Day 11 - Juno Beach (Part 2)
Wednesday June 10 On this Friday morning we keep a clear schedule, to allow for attendance at an expected commemoration event hosted by Veterans Affairs Canada at Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery. It is the largest of the thirteen Canadian-designated war cemeteries. In the afternoon we begin exploring areas inland from the Juno beachhead, following the path taken by the Canadians. We'll visit the monuments in the village square of Buron, then take a battlefield walk to the next village of Authie to see more tributes. We also make a stop at Carpiquet Airport to hear of the fierce battle for control of this strategic ground. We close out the afternoon with an important Canadian pilgrimage to Abbey Ardenne, where a number of Canadians were illegally executed in the early days of June 1944. Overnight Normandy - hotel tba. [B,L] |
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XXXXXXXXXXXXX With the official commemorations concluded, and the crowds gradually dispersing, we double-back to the Juno Beach Centre for a high quality visit. Our morning includes a tour inside the JBC, and a feature guided tour of the German command bunkers buried in the dunes out front. Once again, we'll take some time in reflection with a walk along the shoreline, to hear stories of heroism and bravery amidst the chaos of war. We'll visit the spot where French General Charles de Gaulle set foot in his triumphant return onto French soil, marked by the Cross of Lorraine. And, we'll see more examples of the military hardware that helped the allies win the war. Overnight Normandy - hotel tba. [B,L] |
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Day 12 - The Battle of Normandy
Thursday June 11 For the final day on the battlefields we venture into the countryside south of Caen, where the Battle of Normandy played out in the weeks and months following D-Day. We'll visit various historical points related to Verrières Ridge, including the monument at Point 67 which dominates the landscape. We stop in St-Lambert-sur-Dives where David Currie earned a Victoria Cross in the battle for the Falaise Gap. Our visit also features another battlefield walk, this time through the village to a small bridge where the German Army attempted a desperate escape. Our day concludes with a stop at the German Tiger Tank in Vimoutiers. In the evening we gather for our Farewell Dinner, to raise a glass to all who have served and to enjoy the company of new friends. Overnight Normandy - hotel tba. [B,L,D] |
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Day 13 - Paris
Friday June 12 It's a morning departure from Normandy and a little road trip to capital. We arrive mid-day, and the rest of the day is free for you to explore Paris at your leisure. Sightseeing highlights could include The Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, the Arc de Triomphe, Jardins de Luxembourg, Père Lachaise Cemetery, the Eiffel Tower, shopping along the Champs-Élysées, and so much more! In the evening, when your bags are all packed, you're invited to the lounge to enjoy a final cocktail with your fellow travelers. Overnight Paris - hotel tba. [B] |
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Day 14
Saturday June 13 This morning is departure day for those returning home - buffet or box breakfast is included, depending on departure time from the hotel. Some travelers may choose to remain in Europe longer to extend the end of the trip - let us know if we can quote you on post-tour accommodations. Others guests will depart for home or continue their travels on other routes. [B] |
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