D-Day & Battle of Normandy

Overview

This 76th Anniversary D-Day long weekend trip is dedicated to the fallen soldiers and heroes that fought on those beaches and in the hinterlands during the Battle of Normandy. During 3 days we will travel through all sections — Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah — visit various museums, bunkers, battlefields, monuments and cemeteries. A private expert guide will accompany us during these days and give us an in-depth view of what happened. We did this trip in June 2019 as well and it was without doubt one of our very best trips in Expat Club’s history.

Hopefully you can free up time in your schedule to join us. We travel during the D-Day weekend itself, so you can be part of a memorable experience to celebrate freedom together with thousands of people from all over the world, including many soldiers and military staff. During this weekend you will be able to see many old military vehicles, and we try to plan our trip so that you can also see unique events such as the paratrooper droppings near St Mère Eglise.

“This was an awesome trip and we really enjoyed ourselves.
So glad that we picked this one to be our first
(and hopefully not out last) trip with the Expat Club!!!
I never thought I would be part of the 75th Anniversary of D-Day”
– participant 2019 trip

Short program

Program

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transportation

We depart on Thursday afternoon at about 17h30 from Place Schuman, followed by La Chasse, Metro Delta and Metro Hermann-Debroux. The actual time and meetings points will be communicated by email about one week before the trip (with clear maps and links). We will be travelling with a 4* luxury bus with reclining comfort seats, footrests, air-conditioning, on-board toilet, and DVD-system with at least three flat screens.

Accommodation

We are staying this year in only 1 place, namely Caen, the Capital of the region. Here you can choose between the 3* Hotel de l’Universe, the 3* Ibis hotel or the 4* Mercure hotel, each located in downtown Caen right on the harbour and both among the best hotels in town. For this trip breakfast will already be included in the trip fee, so you can start the day right well.

Mercure Caen Centre Porte de Plaisance****
This hotel is located right on the yacht harbour of Caen, right in the heart of the city. The 4* rooms are clean and very comfortable. If you take breakfast as well, be prepared for a feast; last time we stayed here we totally loved it!

Ibis Caen Centre***
The Ibis hotel is located right next to the Mercure hotel. The rooms are clean and all have a private bathroom. In this hotel we offer single rooms and twin rooms.

Hotel de l’Universe***
This basic 3-star hotel is located at just 100 meters from the Ibis and Mercure hotel. The rooms are small, but they are clean and comfortable. In this hotel we offer single, double and triple rooms. Note, we propose this as a budget hotel that is definitely a step below the Ibis hotel and a big difference with the Mercure hotel.

Information for solo travellers
If you travel alone, you can choose between a single room (with surcharge) or a twin room in the Ibis hotel (with 2 separate beds, no surcharge) so you can share it with another lady or gentleman (only 1 shared room available). We just introduce you to the other people who also want to share, but leave it up to you to decide who your room partner will be. Our previous guests loved this solution, so we always have lots of people opting for this. Note that we have only few rooms for males who would like to share, so don’t wait too long reserving your spot!

Families

Due to the long days, as well as the “heavy” topic, this trip may be less geared toward younger children. We suggest participating children be at least 8-12 years of age and have an interest in history. For children up to 13 years, we offer a €100 discount; for children between 14 and 18, we offer a €50 discount. Please contact us when you would like to make a reservation so we can also look at arranging the best rooms for your family. We want to stress that we highly appreciate taking your children with you, especially to this specific historic destination. Expat Club often welcomes families, so feel welcome!

Comments

• The trip will be carried out by one of our trusted coach partners.
• This trip is carefully planned. Still, all timings are tentative and may change if required by unforeseen circumstances.
• The trip is sold as a package. You cannot go with your own transportation or arrange your own accommodation. If there are specific things that you do not want in the package, please let us know and we may consider a small discount.
• You are personally responsible for getting good cancellation and travel insurance that covers you for unforeseen emergencies and medical expenses before or during the trip. 
• You are personally responsible for using the hotel room in an appropriate way. Any missing or broken items will be billed after the trip.
• Expat Club cannot be held liable for long delays that influence the program (e.g. missed guided tours), neither can Expat Club be held liable for weather-related cancellations or any other unforeseen events that influence the course of the trip, including, but not limited to technical problems with the coach, strikes, weather, road blockages, etc.
• Expat Club cannot be held liable for personal injuries during the trip. Joining this trip is safe but still at your own risk.
• The deadline for cancellation with a refund is 8 weeks in advance of departure (see terms & conditions)
• If you do not find a room partner on your own, we will find one for you (male/male, female/female). During the outbound trip we will connect you with others in the same position. If you decide to take a single room during the trip, then you will have to fully pay for it yourself. If you book this option, you are never forced to pay for a single room.