Walking the D-Day Beaches of Normandy


5 days from £699pp

About the tour: Walking the D-Day Beaches of Normandy


Tour Introduction

Based around some of the walks featured in our head battlefield guide, Paul Reed’s book; ‘Walking D-Day’, we spend this tour examining the events of the World War 2, Normandy landings and waking the beaches where the bloody battles took place. We begin on Sword Beach, where we follow the men of Lord Lovat’s 1st Special Service Brigade. We then walk Juno Beach and see where the Canadians landed and follow their story seeing the German defences and an original D-Day Churchill AVRE. At Omaha Beach we discuss ‘Bloody Omaha’ and look at the story behind ‘Saving Private Ryan’. Finally, we look at the role of the British Airborne and Commandos from D-Day onwards, seeing Pegasus Bridge and the villages of Amfreville and Breville.

Tour Includes


  • 4 nights hotel with continental breakfast
  • Specialist Battlefield Guide
  • Convenient local joining points
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(Deposits from £50pp)

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 onwards to Caen for a four-night stay.

Day 2 - D-Day Commandos – Canadians on Juno Beach

Walk 1: We start our walks on Sword Beach and here follow the men of Lord Lovat’s 1st Special Service Brigade. We see where they landed, look at the memorial to Piper Bill Millin, and then follow their route towards the port of Ouistrehem. We see the memorial to the Free French Commandos and follow their assault on the ‘Cassino’ at Ouistrehem. As a follow up we visit the excellent No. 4 Commando Museum in the town.

Walk 2: After lunchtime in Courseulles, our second walk follows the Canadian landings at Juno Beach. Here we walk Mike Sector seeing where the Canadian, Scottish and Royal Winnipegs fought. We see the beach itself and walk the German defences, look at the story of ‘Cosey’s Bunker’ and see an original D-Day Churchill AVRE that landed in support of the Canadians.

Included meals: Breakfast

Juno Beach

Juno Beach (4)

Key Visits

  • Juno Beach
  • Sword Beach
  • No. 4 Commando Museum
  • Cosey's Bunker, Juno Beach

Day 3 - Above Omaha Beach – Band of Brothers

Walk 3: At Omaha Beach we start at the St. Laurent draw to discuss ‘Bloody Omaha’ and then walk to the bluff above the beach, getting the viewpoint the Germans had on D-Day - seeing surviving examples of their defences. We re-enter the beach area on the Vierville draw, looking at the true story behind ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and the landings of the 29th Division and the Rangers in this sector. We then visit the Omaha Beach Museum.

Walk 4: Following lunch we go to St. Marie du Mont where we follow the story of the ‘Band of Brothers’ on D-Day seeing locations in the town connected with their story and then walking through the Bocage lanes to Brecourt Manor to examine Richard Winters assault on the gun battery here.

Included meals: Breakfast

Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach (4)

Key Visits

  • Omaha Beach
  • Omaha Beach Museum
  • St. Marie du Mont
  • Brecourt
  • Omaha Beach Defences

Day 4 - The Eastern Flank – Merville Battery

Walk 5: Today we look at the role of British Airborne and Commandos from D-Day onwards in the so-called ‘Eastern Flank’ walking the ground between the villages of Amfreville and Breville, the scene of heavy fighting in June 1944. We spend lunchtime at Pegasus Bridge and in the afternoon take time off or join us on an optional tour to Merville Battery where we look at the attack here by 9th Battalion Parachute Regiment on D-Day seeing the Merville bunkers and museum.

Included meals: Breakfast

Pegasus Bridge

Pegasus Bridge (3)

Key Visits

  • Pegasus Bridge
  • Eastern Flank
  • Merville Battery Museum

Day 5

Return home.

Included meals: Breakfast

Pre-Tour Reading

A selection of related books for pre or post tour reading.

  • Badsey, Stephen - D-Day: Omaha Beach (History Press 2011)
  • Reed, Paul - Walking D-Day: Battlefield Guidebook (Pen & Sword 2012)
  • Shilleto, Carl - Merville Battery (Pen & Sword 2011)
  • Shilleto, Carl - Pegasus Bridge (Pen & Sword 2011)
  • Shilleto, Carl - Utah Beach & St Mere Eglise (Pen & Sword 2011)

Passenger Information

The Tour


The tour is a walking tour of the D-Day Beaches of Normandy, with five walks - each around three hours duration. There will be two Specialist Battlefield Guides per coach, to enhance your enjoyment of the tour. The walks are done at a leisurely pace over fairly easy ground.

Foreign Currency 


The D-Day tour takes place in France and therefore you will only need the Euro. You are advised to get Euros – in cash – in advance of your tour, as most banks in France do not provided currency exchange services.

What to Bring


Because this is a walking tour you will need a good pair of walking boots. Ones that are already waterproof or easily made so are ideal. Your walking boots will be kept on the coach when not walking, and so you will also require some shoes to wear outside of the time we are not walking. Given the often changeable weather conditions you are also advised to have wet-weather gear, a hat for the sun, sun lotion for the same purpose, and a small walker’s rucksack to carry all your gear in. Again, one that is waterproof is a good idea.

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 at the 3-star Sure by Best Western Caen Memorial Hotel or the 3-star Ibis Falaise - Coeur de Normandie.


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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