Hedgerow Hell: The Americans in Normandy


5 days from £669pp

About the tour: Hedgerow Hell: The Americans in Normandy


Tour Introduction

As the American forces pushed inland after D-Day, they became entangled in the bloody battles for the hedgerows of the Normandy landscape. Join us on this fascinating tour as we follow the GIs and Paratroopers from the first shots to the breakout. We’ll see the defences at German strongpoint WN62, look at the battles of ‘Bloody Gulch’ where many of the Easy Company fought, and uncover the details of Operation Cobra.

Tour Includes


  • 4 nights hotel with continental breakfast
  • Specialist Battlefields Guide
  • Convenient local joining points
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(Deposits from £150pp)

Once you have booked your battlefield tour either online, or by telephone (), you have the flexibility of how you pay off the remainder of your balance. You can -

  1. Use our balance payment facility online to make and track your card payments. You can pay as much as you want up until your final due date or pay it all, the choice is yours.
  2. Send payments via online banking.
  3. Send payments via cheque.
  4. Call us and make a card payment, either a small amount or as lump sum until your final due date.

Our contact and online banking payment details will be on your confirmation invoice to remind you of your choices.

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Tour Itinerary

Day 1

Local departure by coach, then to our hotel in Normandy for a four-night stay.

Day 2 - From the Beaches to the Hedgerows

We begin on the D-Day beaches at Omaha Beach, seeing the defences at German strongpoint WN62 to get an idea of the American experience of 6th June 1944 and what their plans were for the inland battles.

We visit the rows of graves in the Normandy American Cemetery and then look at the 2nd US Division battle for Trévières, seeing the memorials in the church and the battle-damaged war memorial. We then follow the advance inland looking at how the American battle experience changed as they faced German soldiers dug-in across the hedgerow landscape.

We have lunchtime in Saint Lô and then look at the American advances between June - July 1944 in the Cerisy la Forêt area and at Saint George D’Elle. We walk part of ‘Purple Heart Draw’ – the Hedgerow Hell that many GIs faced in the summer of 1944 and see the memorial chapel at Saint Lô.

Included meals: Breakfast

Normandy American Cemetery

Normandy American Cemetery (4)

Key Visits

  • Omaha Beach
  • Normandy American Cemetery
  • Saint Lô
  • Trévières Memorial

Day 3 - D-Day Drops to Dead Man's Corner

Today, we begin at the new Normandy Victory Museum which looks at the hedgerow battles, and then examine the US Airborne forces drop into Normandy on D-Day, looking at their battles at Neuville-en-Plein and at ‘Bloody Gulch’ where many of Easy Company (the ‘Band of Brothers’) fought.

We have lunchtime in Sainte-Mère-Église before looking at the 82nd Airborne action at the La Fière bridge and at Amfreville, seeing the memorials including ‘Iron Mike’. We then visit the German cemetery at Orglandes, where the German dead that faced American forces are buried. We end the day with an included visit to the amazing Dead Man’s Corner/D-Day Experience Museum, where you will see an original building used as an HQ by the German Fallschirmjäger, now a museum, original items from those who served with the ‘Band of Brothers’ and go into the Dakota Experience that takes you on a simulated flight into Normandy on D-Day.

Included meals: Breakfast

Iron Mike Memorial

Iron Mike Memorial (5)

Key Visits

  • Iron Mike Memorial
  • Dead Mans Corner Museum
  • Normandy Victory Museum
  • La Fière Bridge
  • Orglandes German Cemetery

Day 4 - Breakout Battles and the Mortain Counterattack

This morning, we look at the American breakout battles in Normandy, following the advance of Operation Cobra in July 1944.

We follow this down to Avranches, seeing the General Patton Memorial, the famous commander who led US troops here.

We have lunchtime in Avranches before visiting the Brittany American Cemetery – the other US Cemetery in Normandy – where the dead from the later battles are buried.

We finish by looking at the Mortain counterattack by German forces in a desperate attempt to turn the tide of the battle in Germany’s favour, visiting Hill 314 and the 30th US Division Memorial.

Included meals: Breakfast

Hedgrow Fighting 1944

Hedgerow Fighting 1944 (2)

Key Visits

  • Hedgerow Fighting 1944
  • Brittany American Cemetery

Day 5

Return home.

Included meals: Breakfast

Specialist Battlefield Guides

All of Leger’s battlefield tours are accompanied by specialist guides. Their individual in-depth knowledge of warfare will be informative, as well as enhance your overall experience, as they recreate a fascinating perception of the history and factual events of each battle. Discover the actual catalysts for war, the strategies employed and the final, inevitable outcomes, as well as experiencing the emotional human side of the front line.

Please note: On certain tours, you may get tour guides other that the ones listed below.

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Hotel

You will stay for four nights in the Normandy area at a minimum 3-star hotel, such as the ibis Caen Porte de Bretagne, or similar.

Travel Options

All our coaches and transfer vehicles operate a 'no smoking on board policy'. The use of electronic cigarettes is strictly forbidden.
In the interest of fellow guests, do not take hot food or ice cream on board.
alcohol can only be taken on board our vehicles at the discretion of your driver.

When it comes to getting to the Battlefields, Leger Holidays make it easy, with a selection of travel options for you choose from.

Silver Service Coach

Silver Service, refreshments
Silver Service, lounge
Silver Service, entertainment

Silver Service Features

  • Sit back and relax in specially-designed, deluxe reclining seats, with leather headrests, footrests and more legroom than standard coaches.
  • Enjoy the perfect temperature onboard with climate control.
  • Relax and have a chat in the spacious rear lounge.
  • Servery on board offering a range of refreshments.
  • Porterage* at most hotels, so you really don’t have to lift a finger.
  • Time flies with our onboard entertainment system.
  • With free personal headphones you can tune into the music channel, listen to the radio or watch DVDs.
  • Onboard toilet

Silver Service Seating Plan

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Travel Extras

With an overnight stay or the option to meet us at the interchange, our travel extras allow you to create a travel experience to suit your needs...

Join coach at Interchange

Join your tour coach at the interchange.

On most tours if you’d prefer to join your tour coach at Stop 24 services, you can park your car in the car park which is accredited by the Park Mark safer parking scheme and is monitored 24 hours a day by CCTV. Payment for the parking is made on arrival using the self-service machines.

Excludes tours to Ireland and the U.K. and tours travelling via Brittany Ferries.

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