Private D-Day Normandy Tour from Cherbourg Cruise Terminal

We will leave Cherbourg and start our drive towards our first destination. Expect an hour drive.

Omaha is the most famous of the five beaches of 6 June 1944. The U.S. divisions involved lost some 4700 men, who were either killed, wounded or missing. It was the highest rate of D-Day losses in any of the five landing zones, and soon the beach was dubbed ‘Bloody Omaha’. The two U.S. infantry divisions which landed from 06:30 onwards (the 1st Division on the eastern half of the beach and the 29th division on the western half) experienced critical moments. The first two assault waves were decimated within a few minutes.

The Normandy American Cemetery, sited on a bluff high above the coast, is one of the world’s best-known military memorials. These hallowed grounds preserve the remains of nearly 9,400 Americans who died during the Allied liberation of France. Three Medal of Honor recipients rest here.

Located between Omaha Beach and Utah Beach, Pointe du Hoc is one of the key heritage sites along the D-Day Landing beaches in Normandy. Pointe du Hoc, a strategic element of the Atlantic Wall, was stormed by Colonel Rudder's Rangers on the morning of the 6th of June 1944 - D-Day. it proved to be one of the toughest battles to be fought during the Normandy Landings: of the 225 Rangers that began the assault, only 90 were still fit to continue their fight for France's Liberation. The scars of the battle can still be seen to this very day. During your visit, you will discover an artillery battery, complete with its firing command post, casemates, shelters.

Utah Beach was the first beach to be stormed by the Allies on the morning of 6 June 1944. It was chosen to establish a beachhead in the Cotentin region in order to capture the town of Cherbourg and its deep water port. At the end of the day, more than 23,000 American soldiers landed to fight a titanic battle and liberate France. A lunch break will be planned as well.

A small and quiet rural community, Saint-Mère-Eglise was of great importance as it straddled all communications to Cherbourg. While nearly 13,000 American paratroops were being dropped under a full moon into the confusion of the surrounding countryside, famously one company was dropped, at about 1:45am, onto the village square and cattle market of this now world-famous village.

After the visit of the DDay sites, we will make our way back to Cherbourg. The drive will be about 45 minutes.