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Dieppe 80th Anniversary
Canadian Battlefield Tour

Special Remembrance Gathering in Dieppe in August 2022, plus visits to Normandy & Vimy Ridge

Dieppe 80th Anniversary Canadian Battlefield Tour

Special Remembrance Gathering in Dieppe, plus visits to Juno & Vimy

At a glance     
August 13-21, 2022 • France & Belgium • 9 days

Overnight destinations     
Paris • Bayeux • Dieppe • Ieper

Featuring     
80th Anniversary Commemoration in Dieppe • Juno Beach • Gold Beach • Verrieres Ridge • Arromanches • Ardenne Abbey • Vimy Ridge • Last Post Ceremony at Menin Gate, Ypres • ​​scroll down to see complete details
Click to Download Brochure
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Nicknamed "the Poor Man's Monte Carlo," Dieppe had no strategic importance in World War II - the decision to assault it in August 1942 with the largest raid mounted to that date was political. With the Soviet Union thrown on the ropes by German invasion and America having just entered the war, Britain was under intense pressure to launch a major cross-Channel attack. In Canada, too, the public was calling for action, impatient to see Canadian soldiers wrap up their training in Britain and get into the war. Almost 5,000 Canadians formed the core of a 6,000-strong force. By the raid's end, 913 would be dead or mortally wounded, 1,946 would be prisoners of war and the Dieppe raid would become Canada's most costly day of World War II.

​
This very special 80th Anniversary of the Raid on Dieppe will feature three nights on the French coast to explore all the important sites of Dieppe, Puys and Pourville. You will also attend official ceremonies as may be organized by Veterans Affairs Canada and our local friends. The tour will also include three nights on the D-Day Normandy coast, to make a must-see visit to Juno Beach, and also one night in Flanders featuring the memorable Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres (Ieper) and a must-see visit to the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.

You’ll stay at quality hotels throughout, selected for their great location and service. Your excursion includes a little free time to enjoy a some culture along the way. And you’ll be part of a typically all-Canadian group, mostly couples. Read what past travelers have said about our trips.

Book your seat today on this limited-space trip, to be in France in August 2022 for a very memorable commemoration.​

Your historian and tour guide is Mark Zuehlke, author of Tragedy at Dieppe.

Mark brings the battlefield to life, recounting the fateful stories of the Canadians who sacrificed so much on these shores in August 1942.
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​All our tours are carbon-neutral.

Book now for Dieppe 2022 & the 80th Anniversary.
ITINERARY
Friday August 12
For many of our Canadian travelers it is departure day, for the overnight transatlantic flight to France. 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 g
uests 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 Paris.
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The optional group flight is typically arranged with Air Canada.

Day 1
Saturday
August 13
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 Paris, the City of Light. There is so much to see including the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, The Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Élysées, Pere Lachaise, Les Jardins du Luxembourg, the list goes on!

In the evening we gather in the heart of Paris for our Welcome Dinner, to share a glass of wine and set the stage for our special journey. 
​Overnight Paris - Novotel Tour Eiffel. [D]

Day 2
Sunday August 14
We depart for the coast, to begin our visits to important places involved in the Battle of Normandy. We start the day with a stop in the open countryside south of Caen, at a high point known at Point 67, near Verrieres Ridge - one of the most debated locations on the Normandy battlefield. Here you have a commanding view of the battlefield in all directions.

We continue further toward the coast, into the Juno Sector and some of the small villages that were liberated by the Canadians in the first hours and days following June 6th including Authie and Buron. We then make a special stop at Ardenne Abbey, where Canadian soldiers were illegally executed by the Nazis just a few days after D-Day. It is an important Canadian pilgrimage, and we pay our respects to the young men in the garden of remembrance.

It's then onward to Bayeux for the first of three nights' stay. 
Overnight Bayeux - Novotel. [B,L]
Day 3
Monday August 15
This morning we will walk the sands of Juno Beach at Courseulles-sur-Mer, with story telling and much reflection. A visit inside the Juno Beach Centre is included, along with a tour of the German command bunker hidden below the sand dunes. The Juno Beach Centre is your home away from home in Normandy, and you will be especially proud of the young staff who come from Canada to work here as guides.

We also visit Juno at 
Bernières-sur-Mer and the famous Canada House, along with the nearby defenses. This home is one of the most iconic of all sites in Normandy, and you will appreciate a personal invitation from the owner of the home to visit inside.

In the afternoon we visit the hallowed grounds of Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, the burial place of 2,044 Canadians who fell in the early hours of D-Day and the subsequent liberation of Normandy. ​Overnight Bayeux - Novotel. [B,L]

Day 4
Tuesday August 16
​Our first visit is the heart of the British landing zone code named 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, to visit the Musée du Débarquement which wonderfully illustrates how the harbours were designed.

After some free time for lunch and shopping in the village, we drive just as short distance west to the imposing German coastal gun battery at 
Longues-sur-Mer, a position of four large naval guns which posed a serious threat to Allied ships off-shore as well as the landing beaches themselves.

We get back to Bayeux for some mid-afternoon exploration. You may wish to consider taking in the 1,000-year-old Bayeux Tapestry which depicts events leading to William the Conqueror's invasion of England, or perhaps peek inside the enormous cathedral. Bayeux is also a wonderful location for photography, the town having been mostly spared the destructive fighting of the war. ​Overnight Bayeux - Novotel. [B,L]

Day 5
Wednesday
August 17
After a relaxed morning in the local village of Bayeux it's time to say goodbye to Lower Normandy and continuing our journey northeast along the channel coast, toward the focal point of our trip - Dieppe.

We will take in the landing point at
 Pourville where brave actions led the charge. Lieutenant Colonel Cecil Merritt, commanding officer of the South Saskatchewan Regiment, would earn the Victoria Cross at the spot now known as Merritt's Bridge.
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Time is reserved in the evening for special gatherings as may be organized by our local contacts. We arrive for the first of three nights in Dieppe, with our boutique hotel right on the promenade overlooking the main beach featuring a panoramic view from the restaurant. Overnight 
Dieppe - Windsor Hotel. [B,L]

Day 6
Thursday August 18
Today we will visit more of the Canadian landing zones of Operation Jubilee - the plans, the execution and the after-math of the August 1942 raid that went so horribly wrong. We begin in the garden at the foot of the citadel, then walk along the main beach in Dieppe to gain a sense of the overall raid, with time at the various monuments to the regiments who landed here. Captain John Weir Foote, a chaplain, would be awarded the Victoria Cross for his efforts here. 

We also stroll down to the sea wall at 
Puys where so many young men of the Royal Regiment of Canada fell heroically in battle. This spot, on August 19, 1942, is arguably Canada's darkest moment of World War II. We keep a flexible schedule to permit attendance at official ceremonies.

In the evening we will make our way to the Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, tucked away up the hill, to attend a special candlelight Vigil (tbc). ​Overnight Dieppe - Windsor Hotel. [B,L]

Day 7
Friday
August 19
Our calendar for today is kept clear to allow for attendance at commemorative events for the 80th Anniversary of the Raid on Dieppe as may be organized by Veterans Affairs Canada and local officials. Information will be posted as details are announced. ​Overnight Dieppe - Windsor Hotel. [B,L]

For additional context, Listen here to CBC's Robert Bowman and his broadcast from Dieppe the day after the raid. ​



Day 8
Saturday
August 20
We are back on the road this morning, heading inland and back in time to World War 1 for a special visit to Vimy Ridge. We will take a guided tour of the underground tunnels which reveal how soldiers lived and prepared for battle beneath the earth. We also walk the above-ground trenches for a first-hand feel of trench warfare. Ample time is then given to be at, on and around the Vimy Monument, arguably the most impressive of all the war monuments in Europe.

A short distance down the ridge takes us into Souchez for quick stops at points of interest, along with a delicious lunch with wine at a well-known establishment filled with charm. 

We then say au revoir to France and drive north across the border into Belgium, to the enchanting small town of 
Ieper (Ypres) in the province of Flanders. At 8pm the Last Post Ceremony will take place at the Menin Gate, as it has every evening since 1928. Overnight Ieper - Novotel Centrum Flanders Fields. [B,L]

Day 9
Sunday August 21

This morning is departure day for those Canadians returning home on the optional group flight - 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 so that you have extra time to explore the beautiful city of Edinburgh!

Others guests will depart for home or continue their travels on other routes. [B]
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Note: This itinerary is subject to minor alteration prior to the booking deadline. Clients should also keep in mind that minor variances are always possible during the actual tour based on the need to adapt to circumstances we encounter during our travels.
Click to Download Brochure
PRICING
$4475 CAD Land Only, Per Person, Based on Double Occupancy (two people sharing a room)
$960    CAD Single Supplement (the additional cost if traveling on your own - one person in the room)

PRICING INCLUDES:
  • An expert Canadian Historian, and an expert Canadian Tour Director, who will both accompany you on your full tour
  • Fully-researched relevant military service biographies, incorporated daily into our presentations while on tour
  • Fourteen nights accommodation in twin or double rooms with private facilities
  • Travel by luxury air-conditioned coach with reclining seats, facilities and free on-board Wi-Fi
  • Buffet breakfast (cold and/or hot) at the hotel each morning, plus select meals as outlined in the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner); lunches and dinners typically include a glass of wine/beer
  • All entrances as per your itinerary
  • All hotel service charges, local taxes, and porterage (where available, one bag per person) are included
  • Gratuities to Coach Driver and Local Guides are included ... these costs are extra on most other tours and can add up to $200 CAD or more per person at the end of your trip, be sure to compare
  • Tour package which includes select daily detailed historical battle maps, period photographs, original audio recordings, and more ... a complete digital copy of all this is also given to you at the farewell dinner - an invaluable personal resource

PRICING EXCLUDES:
  • Airfare
  • An optional group air booking is available for Canadian travelers, Economy Class, ​departing from Toronto:
         Air Canada AC872 12 Aug dep Toronto 19:20 arr Paris 08:30
         Air Canada AC833 21 Aug dep Brussels 10:30 arr Montreal 11:50
         Air Canada AC413 21 Aug dep Montreal 13:00 arr Toronto 14:22
         Base Fare $627+ Estimated Fuel & Taxes $685 = $1312 CAD
    We can provide a quote for connecting flights from other gateways in Canada; alternatively, we can quote flights for any dates/routes of your preference; travelers on the group flight will be picked up from Charles de Gaulle Airport on August 13, 2022 and dropped off to Brussels Airport on August 21, 2022; all other travelers are responsible for their own airport transfers
  • Meals other than stated on the itinerary
  • Travel Insurance Protection - ask us for a quote from Manulife!
  • Passport & related fees
  • Any optional excursion not specifically stated
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Pre-tour and/or post-tour accommodations - ask us for a quote!

IMPORTANT NOTES:
  • Hotels have been pre-booked but are subject to change
  • This tour requires a minimum of 20 passengers to operate
  • Non-refundable deposit of $500 per person due upon booking 
  • Balance of payment due on or before the booking deadline: May 13, 2022
  • Liberation Tours will donate on your behalf to Forest Recovery Canada, to make your trip carbon-neutral​
  • Download and read our Terms & Conditions ​prior to making your booking

Book Your Trip!
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If you have questions, contact your favourite travel agent or:

John Cannon, Tour Director
1-833-252-0001  |  booking@liberationtours.ca 

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Vimy Ridge, France.
​
Stand with us on this very spot.

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©2022 Liberation Tours Inc.
info@liberationtours.ca

(833) 252-0001

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