Our 3-day Normandy & Mont Saint-Michel trip includes a long guided tour along the D-Day beaches on the last day on Monday 5 June. However, for some of our members just one day dedicated to this decisive moment in history is not enough. Therefore we have decided to create a “trip within a trip” and added an extra D-Day tour on Sunday 4 June with a private guide. This means that you will join the regular Normandy & Mont Saint-Michel trip on Saturday 3 and Monday 5 June, but instead of going to the famous monastery island on our second day (Sunday 4 June) you will join a relatively small group with a private guide to explore Sword, Gold and June beaches and their surroundings (British and Canadian sectors). The day after, on Monday 5 June, we’ll be mostly visiting the Omaha section (United States), including the cemetery. 

• Saturday 3 June – Trip to Étretat and Caen
• Sunday 4 June – D-Day trip with relatively small group (Sword & Juno beaches)
• Monday 5 June – D-Day with the full group (Gold & Omaha beaches)

This is going to be an unforgettable 3-day trip with a great group of like-minded people. Most of our members are 30-65 years old with some younger and some older. Non-members and Belgians can of course join this trip too. We welcome couples, singles, small groups of friends, but all with an international background and with jobs in the EU institutions, NGOs, the private sector, entrepreneurs and freelancers. We arranged rooms in a very good 4* hotel in Caen. If you travel alone, you can choose between a single room or a twin room (2 separate beds) and we will help you find you a room partner to avoid the single-supplement. We just introduce you to the other people in the same situation and you decide who your room partner will be. Our previous guests loved this solution, so we always have lots of people opting for this.

OUR TRANSPORTATION
We depart on Saturday morning at about 7h30 from Place Schuman, followed by Louise and Midi (actual time will be communicated by email about one week before the trip). We will be travelling with a 4* luxury bus with reclining comfort seats, foot rests, air-conditioning, on-board toilet, DVD-system with at least three flat screens. Along the outbound way you will be served some drinks and snacks. 

[map id=”13″]

DAY 1 (SATURDAY 3 JUNE) – BRUSSELS, ÉTRETAT AND CAEN
Our route takes us along Mons, Valenciennes, Amiens, Étretat, Le Havre, and finally Caen in Upper Normandy. On the way we will make one stop along the highway to stretch our legs and get a cup of coffee. If applicable to you, during this trip we introduce you to everyone who wants to share a room with someone else. 

Our first destination is Étretat, a famous coastal town just above the big harbour city Le Havre. This lovely town is famous for its magnificent cliffs, among which three arches and the pointed needle. Over the centuries it attracted many famous painters, including Courbet and Monet.

We will be spending a few nice afternoon hours in Étretat before heading to Caen. Just take your time to explore the village and the famous cliffs. There will also be time for lunch and souvenir hunting.

Caen is a roughly 1.000 year old, although traces have been found from many centuries before that. It really started to grow around 1.025-1.030 thanks to the Dukes of Normandy, with the development of a market, mills, vineyards, churches and other buildings. Since then it went through a rich history with many rulers, wars and sieges. Currently the city has about 110.000 inhabitants, with well over 400.000 in the larger urban area, making it the 21st largest metropolitan area in France.

After checking in to our hotel, you can spend a few evening hours exploring the city, finding a nice place for dinner and possibly having a drink before we “hit the sack”.

DAY 3 (MONDAY 5 JUNE) – CAEN, OMAHA BEACH, BRUSSELS

On the 3rd day of our trip you will join the large group again with the same guide from the day before. Now we will visit the more (in)famous places, including Arromanches les Bains, the American cemetery and Pointe du Hoc. The rest of the text below belongs to the “regular trip” again.

Expat Club arranged a professional guide to show us some of the most impressive sites (and sights), including Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach and the United States Cemetery. Half-way we’ll be having a simple quick lunch (Boeuf Bourguignon or fish or vegetarian). This is included in the trip price as there are almost no other options for lunch here, especially due to the fact that it is obviously a very busy day right before the actual D-Day.

In the late afternoon we will return again to Caen and after a quick stop we return to Brussels where we will arrive around 22h30. We will make one stop on the highway to stretch our legs and to have some dinner.

TRIP COSTS
This year we offer you an almost all-inclusive formula. The regular trip fee is €549 per person but we do offer special early bird and super early bird fees. The fees are based on 2 persons sharing a room (excluding breakfast, + €20 per person), which includes:

• transportation by 4* luxury coach
• snacks & drinks on-board on the outbound journey
• accommodation in a top-rated 4* hotel in the centre of Caen
• guided battlefields tour on Sunday and Monday (normally such a tour costs anywhere between €80 and €250 per person!)
• 1- course lunch during the battlefield tour (1 drink included)

CHILD TICKETS
Please contact us if you would like to bring your family. Due to the long days, the uphill walking and bay walking, as well as the “heavy” D-Day tour, this trip may be less geared towards younger children. 

OUR HOTEL
This year we will be staying in the top-rated 4* Adagio Aparthotel in the centre of Caen (8.3 on Booking.com), definitely one of the best and also most expensive hotels in town. The apartment rooms are spacious with at least 20 square meters and offer you more than a regular hotel room, such as black curtains, a large Ecopure duvet and supersoft pillow, an air cooler, an iron and ironing board, a bathroom with a shower or bath/shower, a heated towel rail,  a hairdryer, a kitchen with dishwasher and utensils, a large flatscreen TV with over 35 channels, and a fitness area. It is situated at just 5 minutes walking from the city center of Caen.

COMMENTS & SPECIAL TERMS

• The trip will be carried out by Linden Cars from Rotselaar, one of our trusted coach partners.
• This trip is carefully planned. Still, all timings are indicative and may change if required by circumstances.
• The trip is sold as a package. You cannot go with your own transportation and 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 a good travel insurance that covers you for any unforeseen emergencies and medical expenses 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 etc.
• Expat Club cannot be held liable for personal injuries during the trip, such as, but not limited to, things that happen during the guided tours. Joining this trip is at your own risk.
• If you do not find a room partner on your own, we will find one for you (male/male, female/female). We organise at least one get-together before the trip so you can meet the other travellers. Also, 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 a double / twin room and your travel partner cancels, you will have to pay the single room supplement.
• Expat Club may “upgrade” or “downgrade” you to another hotel. In case of a downgrade, you will be refunded the surcharge.