From Professor Steve Solosky's best-selling book, "The Traveling Professor's Guide to Visiting the Normandy Invasion Beaches"

Why Do We Visit?

After more than 25 years of visiting the Normandy beaches, I still have moments when these places move me deeply.

That usually happens at the cemeteries, but not only there. It can happen on Omaha Beach, standing in the sand and looking up at the bluffs. It can happen at a quiet German strongpoint most visitors miss. It can happen at a bridge, a church, a field, a bunker, or a grave marker with a name that suddenly feels less like history and more like a person.

At the Normandy American Cemetery, I sometimes find myself standing among thousands of perfectly aligned crosses and Stars of David.

Buried here are young men cut down in the prime of their lives.

None of them came home to the mothers and fathers who waited for them. They never saw a daughter walk down the aisle, a son grow into manhood, or a grandchild climb into their lap. They sacrificed the chance to grow old — to sit at a dinner table on Sunday afternoons, telling stories, laughing at memories, complaining about the weather, and enjoying the ordinary blessings of a long life.

They sacrificed it all on the beaches, in the fields, and on the cliffs of a far-off country across the sea.

And because they did, I have been able to travel, teach, speak, write, vote, worship, work, raise a family, argue freely, make choices, and enjoy the liberties I have today.

I struggle with the question: what can I ever do to thank them enough? What can I do to honor them?

And then, as I stand there quietly among the markers, I realize something.

I am doing exactly that.

Welcome to Paris. Upon arrival, check in at the elegant 4-star Relais Médicis Hotel, a centrally located boutique hotel in one of the city’s most charming neighborhoods.

This evening, we will gather as a group for a casual welcome dinner at a local Paris restaurant. After dinner, we will take a relaxed neighborhood walk, giving everyone a chance to get acquainted, settle in, and begin experiencing the rhythm, character, and beauty of Paris.

Our hotel is perfectly located in the heart of Paris, near the Panthéon, Luxembourg Gardens, Notre-Dame, and the Île de la Cité. After check-in, we will take time to introduce you to this historic and beautiful part of the city, helping you get oriented and comfortable as your Paris experience begins.

We experience the timeless beauty, grandeur, and romance of Paris. Our tour introduces us to some of the city’s most celebrated landmarks, beginning with the magnificent Louvre, home to centuries of art, history, and royal elegance. We continue to the Musée d’Orsay, set inside a stunning former railway station and filled with masterpieces that capture the color, light, and spirit of France.

We will also visit the legendary Notre-Dame area, the historic heart of Paris, where the story of the city seems to unfold along the banks of the Seine. From there, we explore the grandeur of Napoleon’s Tomb, an impressive monument to one of history’s most fascinating figures, before continuing to the Arc de Triomphe, one of the great symbols of Paris. It is a day filled with beauty, history, unforgettable sights, and the unmistakable magic that makes Paris one of the world’s most beloved cities.

Travelers will receive a 2-day Paris Museum Pass, providing priority admission to many of the finest museums and monuments in Paris. This gives our travelers flexibility and convenience while enjoying some of the city’s greatest cultural treasures.

Travelers will also receive a Paris transportation pass, allowing easy travel by public bus or metro during our stay. This helps make Paris more accessible and gives everyone the confidence to move around the city comfortably.

Please note: admission to ascend the Eiffel Tower is not included with the Paris Museum Pass. Travelers who wish to go up the Eiffel Tower should make those arrangements at least 45 days prior to departure in order to secure the desired time slot.

This morning we check out of our Paris hotel and begin our journey to Bayeux, our comfortable headquarters in Normandy.

Along the way, we stop in Giverny, the beloved home and gardens of Claude Monet, one of the most famous Impressionist painters in the world. Here, we step into the very scenes that inspired some of Monet’s most beautiful paintings. We will have time to enjoy the colorful flower gardens, the peaceful pathways, the Japanese bridge, and the water lily pond that became one of the most recognizable images in art history. It is a lovely and memorable stop that offers a gentle transition from the elegance of Paris to the countryside of Normandy.

After our visit, we continue to Bayeux, one of Normandy’s most charming and historic towns. Upon arrival, we check in to our hotel and take some time to rest and settle in. Later, we enjoy a short walking tour of Bayeux, with its medieval streets, inviting shops, and impressive cathedral. There may also be an opportunity to see the famous Bayeux Tapestry, if available, one of Europe’s great historic treasures and a remarkable visual story of the Norman Conquest.

This morning, we begin where it all started, at Pegasus Bridge, one of the first and most dramatic actions of D-Day. In the opening minutes of June 6, 1944, British glider troops landed in near darkness with remarkable precision, their mission to seize the bridge and prevent German reinforcements from reaching the landing beaches.

We follow in the footsteps of those British attackers as we walk across Pegasus Bridge to Café Gondrée, widely known as the first house liberated on D-Day. The café still stands beside the bridge, offering a powerful connection between the events of 1944 and the present day.

Madame Gondrée, who lived there as a 5-year-old girl during the liberation, has long welcomed visitors and shared the memory of that extraordinary morning. This stop helps bring the story of D-Day to life, not only as a military operation, but as a deeply human moment of courage, liberation, and remembrance.

We also plan to visit the nearby Commonwealth cemetery, a quiet and moving place of remembrance honoring the men who gave their lives in the Normandy campaign. This stop provides an important moment to reflect on the British and Commonwealth contribution to D-Day and the liberation of Europe.

From there, we continue to Sword and Juno beaches, where British and Canadian forces came ashore on June 6, 1944. These beaches help tell a broader story of the Allied landings, showing how the success of D-Day depended on the courage, coordination, and sacrifice of many nations working together.

We also visit the site of the Ouistreham Casino, a key objective in the fighting near Sword Beach, and the Commandos Memorial, which honors the bravery of the commandos who landed here and fought their way inland. Together, these sites give us a deeper understanding of the eastern end of the D-Day invasion area.

We finish our day at Arromanches, one of the most remarkable and visually striking sites connected to the Normandy landings. It was here, just after D-Day, that the Allies created the extraordinary Mulberry artificial harbor, a massive temporary port built to bring troops, vehicles, fuel, ammunition, and supplies into France.

Because the Germans still controlled the major French ports, the Allies had to bring their own harbor with them. Huge floating roadways, concrete caissons, and pier structures were towed across the English Channel and assembled off the Normandy coast. The result was an engineering achievement of astonishing scale and importance.

Today, the remains of the Mulberry Harbor can still be seen offshore and along the beach at Arromanches. Standing there, looking out across the water, travelers can begin to understand the enormous logistical challenge of the invasion. D-Day was not only about landing soldiers on the beaches; it was also about keeping them supplied once they arrived. Arromanches helps tell that essential part of the story.

American paratroopers jumped into Normandy in the darkness of the night before the land invasion, beginning the airborne phase of D-Day. Soon after, gliders crash landed into fields, hedgerows, and villages across the countryside, bringing in more troops, equipment, and supplies under extremely dangerous conditions.

We visit these important sites and hear remarkable stories of courage, sacrifice, and determination. Among them are the unforgettable actions of heroes like Private Charles DeGlopper at La Fière and Major Dick Winters at Brécourt Manor. These stops help us understand how the success of D-Day depended not only on the beach landings, but also on the extraordinary bravery of the airborne troops fighting inland.

A visit to Sainte-Mère-Église brings us up close and personal with the battle. This small Normandy town became one of the most famous sites of D-Day when American paratroopers landed in and around the village during the night before the beach landings.

Here, we learn how the airborne invasion unfolded in the darkness, confusion, and danger of the early morning hours. The town’s church, central square, and surrounding streets help tell the story of the paratroopers who fought to secure this critical crossroads. It is one of the most memorable stops in Normandy, where the history of D-Day feels immediate, personal, and deeply moving.

It is on to Utah Beach, where we put our feet on the same sand where American soldiers came ashore when the landing ramps dropped and they were given the order to “go.” Standing on the beach helps us appreciate the courage, confusion, and determination of those first moments of the invasion.

We also visit the excellent Utah Beach area, where the story of General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. comes to life. Landing with the first wave, Roosevelt quickly realized the troops had come ashore in the wrong place. Rather than hesitate, he rallied his men with the famous words, “We’ll start the war from here.” It is one of the most memorable stories of leadership and courage on D-Day.

Our professional guides bring the story of D-Day to life with powerful accounts of courage, sacrifice, incredible daring, and the enormous risks taken to overcome what seemed like an impossible task.

As we visit the beaches, bridges, villages, cemeteries, and battle sites, our guides explain not only what happened, but why it mattered. They share the personal stories behind the larger military operation: the young soldiers who came ashore under fire, the paratroopers who landed in darkness behind enemy lines, the commanders who made impossible decisions, and the ordinary people of Normandy whose lives were changed forever.

These stories help us see D-Day not simply as a date in history, but as a human event filled with bravery, fear, determination, loss, and ultimately liberation.

No description can fully capture the experience of visiting the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer. Set on the bluffs above Omaha Beach, it is one of the most solemn and unforgettable places in Normandy.

Words cannot express the emotions felt when standing among the monuments, crosses, and Stars of David honoring the fallen. Row after row reminds us of the courage, sacrifice, and cost of freedom. This visit is not only a powerful moment of remembrance, but also one of deep gratitude and reflection.

Mont Saint-Michel is truly one of the wonders of the world. Perched on a rocky islet about half a mile off the Norman coast, the ancient abbey rises dramatically above the sea, the surrounding sands, and the village below in one of the most unforgettable settings in France.

Our private vans provide round-trip transportation with a guide, as well as admission to the abbey. As we approach, the first view of Mont Saint-Michel is spectacular, with its towers, ramparts, and soaring abbey appearing almost like something from a storybook.

Once there, we have time to explore the narrow lanes, stone stairways, medieval walls, small shops, and sweeping viewpoints overlooking the bay. The highlight is the visit to the abbey itself, an extraordinary achievement of medieval architecture built high above the island. Inside, we discover quiet cloisters, grand halls, chapels, and terraces that reveal centuries of history, faith, and craftsmanship.

A visit to Mont Saint-Michel is both beautiful and atmospheric. It combines history, architecture, scenery, and a true sense of wonder, making it one of the most memorable experiences of our Normandy journey.

On departure day, we say goodbye to Normandy and travel from the Bayeux train station back to central Paris. The train ride gives us time to relax, reflect on the powerful places we have visited, and bring our Normandy experience to a comfortable close.

Upon arrival in Paris, travelers may continue on to the airport or extend their stay in France. Travelers may depart Bayeux by train at the time of their choosing. However, return travel should be planned carefully. We recommend scheduling your train so that you arrive in Paris at least four hours before your flight departure to allow sufficient time for train travel, airport transfer, check-in, and security procedures.