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  • Our Tours
    • 2025 Tours >
      • Northwest Europe (Sep 19 - Oct 3)
      • Italian Campaign (Oct 6-20)
    • 2026 Tours >
      • Northwest Europe (Apr 21 - May 6)
      • Northwest Europe (Sep 18 - Oct 2)
      • Italian Campaign (Oct 5-19)
  • Testimonials
  • Book
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • FAQs
    • Travel Insurance
    • Resources
  • Contact
  • 1-833-252-0001

2026 Northwest Europe
Canadian Battlefield Tour

​FoLLOW THE MAPLE LEAF ROUTE
FROM Normandy to the NETHERLANDS

​FALL EDITION

2026 Fall Northwest Europe Canadian Battlefield Tour

Follow the Maple Leaf Route from Normandy to the Netherlands

the Fall Edition of our Signature Tour,
a perfect mix of WWI & WWII
At a glance     
September 18 to October 2, 2026
France, Belgium, Netherlands • 15 days


Overnights     
Paris • Caen/Bayeux • Dieppe • Amiens • Arras • Ypres • Vlissingen / Middelburg • Arnhem / Nijmegen • Amsterdam
​
Highlights     
Juno Beach • Omaha Beach • Beaumont-Hamel • Dieppe • Vimy Ridge • Flanders & Passchendaele • The Scheldt • Arnhem • Canada's Hundred Days 1918 • Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate, Ypres • ​scroll down to see complete details
Download the Brochure
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Embark on a journey of wonder and discovery as you walk in the footsteps of our Canadian soldiers, who left their mark of service and sacrifice in the pursuit of democracy & freedom. 

Your pilgrimage begins in Paris, extends out to the Normandy shores of Juno Beach, and then carries northeast through WW1 and WW2 all the way to Amsterdam. The tour includes visits to sites of significance to Canada and her allies: ​

  • ​Juno Beach & the D-Day Beaches
  • Vimy Ridge
  • Passchendaele & Flanders
  • Dieppe
  • Beaumont-Hamel & The Somme
  • The Battle of the Scheldt
  • ... and much more
Our annual Northwest Europe battlefield tour is the most comprehensive tour of its kind - a pilgrimage to the Canadian battlefields of both WW1 and WW2 where Canada came of age as a nation and forged a reputation as the army to be called upon for some of the most difficult and challenging battles. This is our annual signature tour, ideal for those making their first trek to the battlefields and hoping to catch most of the significant points of interest. If you were to make only one Canadian battlefield tour, this is it.

Your excursion also includes free time to enjoy a little culture, with the opportunity to visit several UNESCO World Heritage Sites and to explore two of Europe’s most beautiful capital cities ... Paris and Amsterdam. You’ll stay at quality hotels throughout, selected for their great location and service. And you’ll be part of a typically all-Canadian group. Read what past travelers have said about our trips.

Join us for an unforgettable, life-changing journey through France, Belgium and Holland.

We will donate to Forest Recovery Canada
​to minimize the carbon footprint of your trip.

Vimy Ridge, France.
Every Canadian ought to visit once.

ITINERARY
Thursday September 17
For many of our 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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Day 1 
Friday September 18
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. 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 late afternoon we gather in the heart of Paris for our Welcome Dinner, to share a glass and set the stage for our special journey.

​Overnight Paris - hotel tbc. [D]
​

Day 2
Saturday September 19
This morning we depart for the Normandy coast where we will consider pre-D-Day, looking at the 'Atlantic Wall' defenses facing the Allies in the coming landings. We visit Pegasus Bridge and the Memorial Pegasus Museum where you will learn the story of the pre-dawn paratrooper landings in the region by the British 6th Airborne and the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion.

Free time is given to make a must-see visit to the first house liberated on D-Day, the 
Café Gondrée, a special place filled with history and charm. We then pause to enjoy lunch.

Our final stop is 
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. We then make our way to our hotel for the first of three nights' stay, winding down in the hotel where we gather to chat about the day. 

​Overnight
Caen/Bayeux - hotel tbc. [B]

Day 3
Sunday September 20
This morning we remember the historic allied landings of D-Day - June 1944 - by walking the sands of Juno Beach. We begin at St-Aubin-sur-Mer, where a 50-mm German anti-tank gun still sits ominously in its casemate. From here we venture a short distance to Bernières-sur-Mer to observe the famous Canada House and the nearby defenses. Courseulles-sur-Mer is our next stop, with more visits at the water's edge. 

After a pause for lunch we tour inside the Juno Beach Centre, along with a guided tour of the underground German command bunker just out front. We then walk along the shore again, with storytelling and much reflection, to hear personal accounts of the men who landed in this stretch of Juno Beach. 

​Overnight Caen/Bayeux 
- hotel tbc. [B,L]
Travelers come down the dunes onto Juno Beach, where the Canadians stormed ashore on June 6, 1944.
Standing on the beach in front of the Juno Beach Centre, Courseulles-sur-Mer.
The German gun at Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, Juno Beach.​

Day 4
Monday September 21
Day Four takes us to points west where we first explore 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 allied forces. 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.

Next up is the famous American landing sector code named Omaha Beach, depicted so accurately by the opening twenty minutes of the Steven Spielberg motion picture Saving Private Ryan. Here the Americans suffered heavy losses, as illustrated by some time of reflection at the Colleville-sur-Mer American War Cemetery which serenely overlooks the Normandy shore below. We then take a break for lunch with a view looking directly onto Omaha Beach. 

Further west we stop at 
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 in-land to La Cambe German Cemetery and an opportunity to respectfully consider the losses of the other side. More than 21,000 German soldiers lie here, some having not yet reached their eighteenth birthday. 

​Overnight Caen/Bayeux 
- hotel tbc. [B,L]
Normandy American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, Colleville-sur-Mer

Day 5
Tuesday September 22
Today is a scheduled free morning, allowing you time to explore the local village of Bayeux. 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 take a 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.

Later, we stop for a visit at 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 Battle of Normandy. We also pause at Ardennes Abbey near Caen, an important Canadian pilgrimage, before saying goodbye to Lower Normandy and continuing our journey northeast along the coast. 

​Overnight
Dieppe - hotel tbc. [B]
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Juno Beach.
​Entrance to the garden at the Abbey Ardennes, site of the memorial to the Canadians.

Day 6
Wednesday September 23
We begin the day with a morning stroll along the main beach of Dieppe to consider Operation Jubilee - the plans, the execution and the after-math of the August 1942 raid that went horribly wrong.

The raid entailed three Canadian attack zones and we next move northeast to the beach at 
Puys, Canada's darkest hour of WW2, followed by a visit to Pourville to the southwest and Merritt's Bridge. We conclude the visit of the battlefields with a view of Dieppe from the coastal cliffs above, then head back into the center of town to pause for lunch - allowing time to explore the many restaurants which line the inner harbour.

​Our final stop is the 
Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, tucked away up the hill and beyond the edge of town which beckons Canadians to visit. We then depart the coast and resume our journey into northern France, as we move inland and back in time to World War One.

​Overnight
Amiens - hotel tbc. [B]
Morning chat in the Canadian Garden in Dieppe, in the shadow of the medieval citadel.
Puys Beach, looking back toward Dieppe.

Day 7
Thursday September 24
Day Seven is steeped in history as we wind our way into the French countryside to consider the Battle of the Somme, one of the largest, bloodiest and most destructive battles of World War One. You will be intrigued with a guided tour at Beaumont-Hamel - it is here that the Newfoundland Regiment was nearly wiped out in the first few hours of the attack. This proudly Canadian battleground is one of the best preserved sites in all of the western front.

Our lunch stop is in the midst of the Somme battlefield region, at a local restaurant hidden from view offering an outstanding menu. Next is a visit to see the impressive 
Thiepval Memorial, the largest Commonwealth War Graves monument in the world on which are inscribed the names of over 72,000 soldiers who fell during the Battle of the Somme and have no known grave (including one very special name).

​The day includes a visit to the 
Lochnagar Crater and Canada's monument to the battle at Courcelette. 

​Overnight
Arras - hotel tbc. [B,L]
Lochnagar Crater, La Boisselle, The Somme.
Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial Park.
​Y-Ravine Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel.

Day 8
Friday September 25
Each Canadian ought to visit Vimy Ridge once in their lifetime and today is your day.

A short distance north from Arras takes us into Souchez for quick stops at points of interest in the area, then we make our way to the Canadian National Vimy Memorial. Ample time is then given to be at, on and around the monument, arguably the most impressive of all the war monuments in Europe. Scheduling permitting, we will go down into the tunnels with an on-site guide to learn 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. 

To conclude the day, we head to the Commonwealth War Graves' factory for an incredibly special guided tour - the 
CWGC Experience. This is the fascinating facility in Beaurains, France where the soldiers' headstones are carved, with meticulous reverence and care. 

​Overnight Arras - hotel tbc. [B,L]
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial, near Arras, France.

Day 9
Saturday September 26

​​Today we continue our exploration of the WW1 memorials in the French countryside, learning the importance of the battles involving in what has become known as 'Canada's 100 Days.' We encounter the Royal Newfoundland Regiment at Masnières and Monchy-le-Preux, and the Canadian Corps at Bourlon Wood and Dury. Once again, Canada will distinguish itself and individual acts of bravery will earn numerous Victoria Crosses.

​We pause mid-day for a group lunch in historic Cambrai. The day also includes a very special guided tour of the Cambrai Tank 1917 Museum, where the remains of an extremely rare WW1 tank have been preserved in a new and modern exhibit - adjacent to the cemetery where most of its crew are laid to rest. Our day concludes across the border in Belgium.

​Overnight
Ieper (Ypres) - hotel tbc. [B,L]
The Cambrai Tank 1917 Museum, next to Flesquières Hill British Cemetery.

Day 10
Sunday September 27
Ieper (Ypres) was the center of fierce, prolonged, bloody fighting in The Great War and the remnants of this are all around. We pass Hellfire Corner on our way to the monument at Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood).

Our morning includes 
The Brooding Soldier at St. Julien, which commemorates the Canadians who suffered the first gas attacks of the Great War in 1915. We will visit Essex Farm ... it is here, in the province of West Flanders, that Canadian LCol John McCrae penned his famous poem In Flanders Fields. We also visit the monument to the Battle of Passchendaele at Crest Farm, and nearby Tyne Cot Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in the world.

We return to Ieper for free time in the afternoon. The Last Post Ceremony takes place again at 8pm and selected travelers will be invited to lay a wreath on behalf of the tour group.

​Overnight
Ieper (Ypres) - hotel tbc. [B]
Tyne Cot Cemetery in Passchendaele, Belgium, the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the world.
Essex Farm Cemetery, Flanders, Belgium, where Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae worked and is believed to have composed this poem In Flanders Fields.

Day 11
Monday September 28
Our Monday morning will see us visit a number of interesting sites in the very southwest corner of the Netherlands as we move forward in time to World War II. We will look at the crossing of the Leopold Canal and the fight for the Breskens Pocket. This is the beginning of the Battle of the Scheldt, a costly battle for Canada and a crucial success story for the allied war effort. Of particular interest will be a walk to an original Bailey Bridge, constructed by the Canadian Engineers in 1944 and still in use today. 

We pause for lunch, and then head up to the estuary and the monument at Hoofdplaat. Each visit tells a part of the story of the Canadians and the fierce fighting that took place in this region, as the liberation of Holland began.

Overnight
Vlissingen/Middelburg - hotel tbc. [B,L]

Day 12
Tuesday September 29
We continue our journey through the Scheldt region today, with a visit to the Walcheren monument to hear about the battle for the causeway, a seemingly impossible objective. We also make a visit to Woensdrecht, and then Bergen-op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery to pay our respects.

Following a great group lunch we make a visit to Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Holland and the resting place of a recipient of the Victoria Cross. We are often joined by our good friends of the Faces to Graves organization. A short drive around the corner then brings us to the superb Freedom Museum for a self-guided tour.

​​Overnight Nijmegen/Arnhem - hotel tbc. [B,L]
Bergen op Zoom Canadian War Cemetery.

Day 13
Wednesday September 30
We begin our morning in the shadow of John Frost Bridge, "a bridge too far," to discuss the now infamous Operation Market Garden of September 1944 and the small but pivotal role played by the Canadians. 

From here we venture 
to a small monument in the countryside near the Ijssel River, then pause for free time and lunch in the beautiful town of Zutphen. Our travels conclude with a visit to Holten Canadian War Cemetery.

In the evening we gather for our Farewell Dinner, to remember all that we have seen and to raise a toast to our forefathers.

Overnight Nijmegen/Arnhem - hotel tbc. [B,D]

​Day 14
Thursday October 1
Enjoy a full free day at your leisure in the beautiful city of Amsterdam. You might make a visit to the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum, or perhaps the Anne Frank House. The flower market is a great place for souvenirs, and the Leidseplein and the Rembrandtplein are great places for food and people-watching!

​Overnight 
Amsterdam - hotel tbc. [B]
The 17th century canal houses of Amsterdam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 15
Friday October 2
This morning is departure day for some travelers - 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. [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.
 
Download the Brochure

PRICING
coming in late spring 2025

PRICING INCLUDES:
  • An expert Canadian Historian, and an expert Canadian Tour Director, who will both accompany you on your full 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 and local taxes
  • One coach transfer at either end of the tour: from Charles de Gaulle Airport to the hotel in Paris on September 18, 2026 in coordination with the arrival of Air Canada AC872; and from the hotel in Amsterdam to Schiphol Airport on October 2, 2026 in coordination with the departure of Air Canada AC809; travelers on different days/flights and not utilizing these transfers will make their own arrangements
  • 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 - we can provide a quote for flights from any gateway in Canada, to match your own individual preferences based on dates, routes, class of seating, etc; you can go over early, stay later at the end, carry onward to other destinations - whatever air travel arrangements work best for you! 
  • Pre-tour and/or post-tour accommodations - check with your favourite travel agent or ask us for a quote
  • Travel Insurance Protection - check with your favourite travel agent or ask us for a quote from Manulife 
  • Meals other than stated on the itinerary
  • Passport & related fees
  • Any optional excursion not specifically stated
  • Items of a personal nature

IMPORTANT NOTES:
  • As with all our trips, this tour will feature walks of some distance, ascending stairs, walking up or down hills or slopes of varying degree, walking on sand or rough pathways, etc, in order to reach some of the amazing locations on the tour; good personal mobility is key to a positive experience; we regret those who use walkers, canes, walking sticks or other assistance devices would not be successful on this trip
  • Hotels have been pre-booked but are subject to change
  • ​Non-refundable deposit of $750 per person due with booking
  • Balance of payment due on or before the booking deadline: June 15, 2026
  • Liberation Tours will donate on your behalf to Forest Recovery Canada, to minimize the carbon footprint of your trip
  • Download and read our Terms & Conditions ​prior to making your booking

>> Join the Contact List <<​
This tour is not yet open for booking, however if you think you might be interested in this tour you should join the contact list! Simply fill in the form below and you will receive an announcement when the tour is open for booking. If you do not have an email address please call 1-833-252-0001 to be added to the list.
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[email protected]

(833) 252-0001

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