World War Battlefields
This June 6th marked the 60th anniversary of World War Two's D-Day landings in Normandy. This summer was the 90th anniversary of the outbreak of World War One. Both wars engulfed Europe for years and traces of the battles can still be found. What evocative European sights have you discovered that bring these two conflicts to life?
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Battlebus Tours
If you are looking for a great tour of the D-Day Area try Battlebus Tours!! We took the American Highlights tour with Dale and had a fantastic time. He was very knowledgable and fun. The day went by way too fast!!!! Battlebus is worth every cent!!!
Ed
Gainesville, Fl USA 04/14/2008
Ed Mignone <email>
Gainesville, FL USA 04/29/2008
Tour in NOrmandy with Overlordtou
To OVERLORTOUR
Thanks you for the amazing job you did today on the "Omaha/ Band of Brothers tour" tour.
"Today's tour in Normandy was very moving. Over 40,000 British and American soldiers gave their lives to defeat the Nazis in operation Overlord - they affected not only their contemporaries but also impacted generations across the World. We owe them.
Our tour guide, Alain, was excellent. He has dozens of stories on the war and as he's showing you certain locations he has pictures of GIs at the same locations in 1944. I had goose bumps a few times - we'll use his services again."
Thanks,
Emmanuel Huna
Emmanuel Huna <email>
San Francisco, USA 04/18/2008
Vicotry Tours
Our family of 4 including 2 boys ages 12 and 10, did a half-day tour with Roel of Victory Tours in April. For the boys and me who love the subject and even for my wife who is just casually interested, everyone was provided with a fascinating experience with places and events of this fatefull day. Roel has the knowledge as well as photographs and stories from his years of guiding veterans to these sites. Plenty of time to look, ask questions, climb on/run around and, importantly, reflect on the sacrifices made. Roel is a gracious, enthusiastic and knowledgable host...with "better artillery sounds then even me" according to our 10 year old. Don't forget to stay in Bayeux and take the time to see the tapestry. It will add greater historical dimension to your WW II visit.
Mark W
Minnetonka, MN USA 04/15/2008
Victory Tours and the B&B Chateau de Lignerolles
Our family enjoyed visiting the American D-Day beaches with Roel of Victory Tours and our stay at his and Pia's charming B&B Chateau de Lignerolles in August 2007. They were friendly, unassuming hosts.
Roel was knowledgable and passionate about WWII and the D-Day invasion. We learned a lot in a short period! Note, Roel takes families with children for half day tours.
The B&B's facilities were comfortable, spacious, peaceful and artistic. The breakfast was top quality and generous: like Sunday brunch every day. Note: Parents of young children may not feel as relaxed here as the decor is in white and all is so perfectly clean - our older children were very careful. That said, Roel and Pia raised a family of boys and are kid-friendly and happy to make breakfast hot chocolate according to kid's taste. Plus, we enjoyed a rainy hour(2) designing paper airplanes to fly from the very high second floor landing down to the large entry hall. Bring kids' activities & supplies.
One must drive into town (Bayeux ~ 10-15 min) for other meals and laundry. Bayeux is a charming town with historically important sites and relics.
Also, if you're in London check out the Imperial War Museum for great WWII exhibits.
Nancy B.
Seattle, WA USA 04/14/2008
Battlebus Normandy Tour
We chose the American Highlights one-day tour for our visit last August. Our guide was Dale Booth and he was great! He took care to give us a compelling mix of tactics along with the human side of the invasion. Dale was organized, efficient and engaging. What we saw was so interesting we would happily do the same tour over again and not be bored. (although a two-day tour would be even better - if only we had the time!) Our 15-year old son was as fascinated and moved as the rest of the adults. This tour was one of the highlights of our trip! Great work, Dale!
Cynthia
IN USA 04/13/2008
Normandy Tour - Victory Tours
On March 25th, 2008 my wife, two teenage daughters, and I enjoyed a full day tour with Roel of Victory Tours. What an excellent day we had. Roel's knowledge, humor, and respect for the events of June 6th, 1944 made this a highlight of our 3-week five country European experience. Even our 17 and 14 year old daughters found the day exceptional. The both requested renting the various Normandy movies as soon as we got home. Roel brought the events of that day 64 years ago to a very human level and I thank him very much for the experience. Please consider a full day with Victory Tours.
Dave Sherman
Solon, IA USA 04/11/2008
D-Day Battlefield Tour
My party of 5 toured Normandy from Pegasus Bridge to Utah Beach over two full days (March 31 and April 1, 2008)with Philipe Guerin of Overlord Tours, a virtual living history book. No one could do it better.
Norm Baldwin <email>
Penfield, NY USA 04/10/2008
OverlordTour
Our party of four had an excellent day laid on for us by OverlordTour. The itinerary was very comprehensive and informative, and went at just the right pace to maximise the time without feeling rushed. I'm so glad I opted for an organised tour as Phillipe's knowledge of the subject and the area made the day very special.
Mike <email>
Walsall, W.Mids UK 04/03/2008
BattleBus Tours - Dale
The commitment to the Invasion experience is clearly evident with
BattleBus tours. Traveling out of season has it's rewards and our small group (3 people) plus the lack of large crowds at the sites were ours on this trip. The more intimate group gave us a much more personalized tour
than a bus of 40 people and a microphone. It also brought all the
knowledge, depth and feeling to a more approachable level. For those
who really want to understand what happened in June of 1944, I cannot
imagine a better tour group or a guide with more knowledge, sincerity,
humor and respect than Dale. He had a perfect combination of tactical
information and personal experience to keep me interested each minute.
Steve <email>
Atlanta , GA USA 03/31/2008
Battlebus Tours- Sean
My family and I just returned from a Spring Break vacation in France. While there we took a Battlebus tour and found it to be very memorable. Our guide Sean was full of enthusiasm and information from the time he picked us up at 8:30am until he dropped us off after 5pm. All my e-mail contacts with Battlebus were great. Sean had an endless knowledge about D-Day and I particularly liked that he talked about the small skirmishes as well as the big landings. Standing on the beaches gave me a whole new perspective on D-Day and ending our tour at the American cemetery was extremely moving. At our stop at the German cemetery I found a distant relative was buried there. Great TOUR! Would highly recommend to everyone!
Robert and Kathy <email>
Missouri City, TX USA 03/24/2008
Overlord Tour
Last week, I had a tour with Philippe from Overlord Tour and I felt it was very entertaining and covered the necessary points in detail. I did not feel like anything was rushed or missed and appreciated the time to take photos. Also, his knowledge of the events were evident throughout. I now feel more educated on the events on D-Day. Thank you for a great tour!
James T
Traverse City, Mi USA 03/13/2008
Tour with Overlordtour
I just want to let you know that we had two really lovely days with Phillippe. Thank you for making
the arrangements for us.
Regards,
Susanne
Susanne E Cannon <email>
Chicago, USA 03/04/2008
Overlortour
We participated in Band Of Brothers tour with Phillip on September 29th as part of our visit to the Normandy beaches and surrounding area.
Our tour was the highlight of the three days we spent in the Normandy area.....mostly because Phillip was so knowledgeable of the area and what took place there and where.
We definitely recommend Overlord Tours to everyone that plans a trip to Normandy - and will tell them to ask for Phillip.
The Campbells from Minnesota and South Dakota - Jim, Diane, Joyce and Tom
Campbell <email>
USA 03/04/2008
D-Day Tour
I took a Battlebus tour in late January and found it to be very memorable. Our guide Sean was full of enthusiasm and information from the time he picked us up at 9 am until he dropped us off around 5. I found all my e-mail contacts with Battlebus to be delightful---these people have a great sense of humor! Sean had an endless treasury of anecdotes about D-Day and I particularly liked that he talked about the average soldier and not about the famed commanders who were watching from afar back in England. Standing on the beaches gave me a whole new perspective on D-Day and ending our tour at the American cemetery was extremely moving.
Dean A. Hoffman
Columbus, OH USA 02/21/2008
Victory Tours
I highly recommend Victory Tours in Normandy.
I was there in late September 2007.
I was on the full day tour with 3 other friends.
Roel's knowledge of the area and its history is outstanding.
David WORKMAN <email>
CHICAGO, IL USA 02/03/2008
Excellent Tour from Victory Tours
I was in the Bayeux area for a few days in mid-January 2008 and took a tour of the D-Day sites with Victory Tours. Roel's extensive historical knowledge and fascinating accounts of personal encounters with D-Day veterans combined to make this tour an unforgettable experience. Although it was only a half-day tour, it was still quite comprehensive. The pace was never hurried and there was plenty of time at each site to visit and make pictures. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and recommend Victory Tours in the strongest possible terms.
Jeff R. Gardner
Forked River, NJ USA 02/02/2008
Victory Tours/Chateau de Lignerolles
My brother and I spent three days at the chateau and took the full-day tour of the Normandy beaches. I was somewhat skeptical, having been disappointed by previous tour guides' memorized commentary. One glimpse at the mini-museum and library Roel has built in his home convinced me that he was doing this for love of the subject.
Both the tour and the stay at the chateau exceeded all of our expectations. Roel went out of his way (literally - showing us off-tour spots which he thought would interest us) and over schedule to provide a good tour. Pia sets a beautiful breakfast table, the rooms are comfortable and attractive, and the tour was both informative and emotional. I am a WWII history buff and, having read volumes on Overlord, thought I was beyond the emotional reaction I felt. Not so!
I would highly recommend both Victory Tours and Chateau de Lignerolles.
Robert B. Branham <email>
Renton, WA USA 01/15/2008
Military Museums/Sites in the Benelux Area
If you’re in Netherlands and you have access to a car, I highly recommend a visit to the National War and Resistance Museum/Marshall Museum in Overloon, NL. A tank battle occurred here during Operation Market Garden in September 1944. The museum contains a number of battlefield recovered tanks and exhibits on the occupation of the Netherlands. In addition, they have a large hall with a very large number of vehicles and some aircraft (approx 150). This has probably the largest collection of WW2 US vehicles that I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot. I really enjoy this museum, and it is set in the beautiful Dutch countryside. There is also a museum café near the entrance to grab a bite to eat.
If you’re roaming about Luxembourg, I also recommend a visit to the National Museum of Military History in Diekirch. This museum has a large collection of US and German uniforms and weapons and a number of life size dioramas focusing on the Battle of the Bulge. If I recall correctly, the cellars of the museum were used as shelters for civilians during the fighting. They also have information on self-guided tours for points of interest concerning the Battle of the Bulge in the immediate Luxembourg and Germany vicinity. I really enjoy this museum as well.
If you’re roaming the coast near Brugge, Belgium, I recommend a visit to the Atlantic Wall Museum at Raversijde Domain in Oostende, BE. The Raversijde Domain on the coast houses a fairly large section of the Atlantic Wall that has been well preserved and restored. There are trenches and a number of bunkers and gun emplacements from WW1 and WW2. It took me about two hours to wander through both sections. They also had an English audio guide available. There is also a museum café near the entrance with a fairly large selection.
Ben
Okie in Europe, USA 01/09/2008
Battle of the Bulge
We'd heard from our good friend John Collins that Martin King (website below) was a good Battle of the Bulge guide but what we got from him was truly phenomenal. His enthusiasm and incredibly detailed knowledge of the Ardennes made our first trip to Europe a real pleasure. Martin does a lot of unpaid work for veteran’s organizations and families hoping to trace relative’s etc. He’s worked for NATO, the US military and many other organizations both military and non-military and we were honored indeed to have such an illustrious and dedicated man to show us around the Bulge. Apparently these days he only accepts one commission per month so if you want to book him get in early. You’ll be surely glad you did.
Sincerely J. Wills
http://users.skynet.be/fa531049/home/index.html
James Wills <email>
Boston, MA USA 01/07/2008
The best battlefield guide
I can definitely second that. He's by far the best guide we've ever had. What an amazing individual. It took us almost two years to book him but it was well worth the wait.
Thanks Martin, you're the best!
J.Erikson First Vice President La Salle bank <email>
USA 01/07/2008
Battlebus Tours were wonderful!
We highly recommend Battlebus Tours to anybody visiting Normandy. Our guide Dale brought the entire area to life. We took the American Highlights Tour and the Band of Brothers Tour and we just can't say enough about Dale who not only educated us about the events of D-Day but told stories in a way that had us completely captivated.
Rona Danziger
Farmington Hills, MI USA 01/01/2008
Normandy with Overlordtour
We would like to share our appriciate for Normandy visit together with Overlordtour.Even a short daylight we found a possiblity to visit American Cementry, Pointe du Hoc,Carentan,Beuzeville au Plain, Utah + Omaha Beaches, Brecourt Manor and Angovillie. During our visits we got all detailed and well experienced history from Philippe. We again thank them for their hospitality and detailed warm tour of Normandy.
Serhan
Istanbul, USA 12/25/2007
Normandy
If traveling to Normandy I have to recommend the Pegasus Bridge Museum, as I think most people overlook this one. It is mostly about the British portion of the invasion, but it is a great place. They even do a short (half hour) guided tour for free, and you can walk up on the original bridge.
Fred
USA 12/15/2007
Overlord Tour in Normandy
I wanted to send a short note of appreciation for the incredible experience we had on Monday, November 12, 2007 with Overlord Tours and our guide, Oliver.
We were in Paris for business that week, and only had one day available to visit the Normandy area. I was able to reserve our tour and arrange a meeting location at the train station in Bayeux via email. Oliver was waiting for our train when it arrived, and we were extremely satisfied with his services. Many of the places and events that I previously read about and had seen in movies and documentaries came to life that day.
Please pass along our personal thanks to Oliver, and be assured that we will be recommending your business to others.
John Beran
Pittsburgh, PA USA 12/11/2007
Overlord Tours
On 12 November 2007 I toured the Normandy battlefields with Overlord Tours. The knowledge and passion that our guide brought added greatlty to the experience. Our guide was also a collector of artifacts and that passion came through as guided us through the area. They were able to gain access to places that I do not believe most tours would have. They have developed relationsships with people in the area that added to the great experience we had. I also like the way they could relate information from many of the movies most people have seen to the sights and areas we were taken to. They were able to show us pictures taken during the battle and put us in the same position as the photographer taking the picture. It was fascinating to see so many well known photographs from the spots where they were taken. As a retired US Army veteran I would highly recommend Overlord tours to anyone considering a visit to the Normandy coast for an infomative and personal tour of that epic day. One additional note, it made me proud to see so many American flags flying in the small villages in the area. We are still bound by so many common beliefs and friendships that are not seen in the media today.
Dave Hartsell <email>
Shippenville, PA USA 12/02/2007
Normandy Battlebus Tours
We had a great experience with Battlebus Tours' American Highlights tour. My husband had Dale as a guide, I had Stuart. (we had to go separately because one of us needed to watch our small children on the day that the other toured). The tour was informative and a highlight of the trip to Normandy. My mother's brother was killed on Omaha Beach and I was amazed to see his name on an infantry monument overlooking the beach -- Stuart made a special stop there for me. The other tour-goers on my bus (on a day in mid-October) were three other Americans in their late 20's/30's. The bus was roomy and I never felt rushed when we stopped. The tour involved some walking, but nothing too vigorous or fast-paced. I recommend Battlebus highly.
Marilyn
The Hague, Netherlands 11/14/2007
Normandy and Belgium
We thoroughly enjoyed our Battlebus tour (Juno Beach). Stuart, our guide, was knowledgeable and approachable. The van was comfortable and clean. We would definitely recommend the tour. We also visited Vimy, Passchendale, Ypres, the In Flander's Fields Museum and the Menin Gate in Ypres. Unbelievable.
Canadian Travellers
New Brunswick, Canada 11/11/2007
June Beach Tours
Juno Beach tour with Battlebus - the van was clean and comfortable, the guide friendly and knowledgeable, and the tour was fantastic. I would definitely recommend Battlebus tours.
Howard H
Ottawa, ON CANADA 11/10/2007
Normandy Tour with Battlebus
Our tour with Battlebus did not disapoint us as it was highly recommended. We had an excellent well planned full day tour with Julian. Visits to St.Mere Eglise,Utah and Omaha Beaches,Angoville au Plain,hedgerows and the American Cemetary were highlights we will not forget.
Dick and Dottie Simpson <email>
Southport, NC USA 10/29/2007
Normandy Tours- Battlebus
We just came back from Normandy and wanted to recoomend that you use Battlebus if you are interested in a tour. We had Julian and he made history come alive! Everything was very organized and Julian was well versed in the details of the invasion and took us to some out of the way places. He has a "little bit of actor" in him which made his stories even more real.
Jim and Rosemary Schuermann <email>
Cincinnati, Ohio USA 10/28/2007
D-Day Tours - Bad Experience, Fat Tire Bike Tours- Good
We booked a 1/2 day tour with Victory Tours in May 2007 for our late Sept. 2007 trip. We made a deposit (% of tour fee, based on 1/2 day tour) and received several emails confirming the 1/2 day tour. We purchased train tickets to Bayeux based on the information Roel provided us. Less than 2 weeks before our scheduled tour, I received an email from Roel (we were already on vacation) letting us know he made a mistake and scheduled us for a full day tour and wouldn't we like the full day tour. He'd even give us 5 euro each off the full day tour. With train tickets and other travel already booked at this late notice, we let him know our disappointment and asked for a refund of our deposit. More than one month later, I have not received the refund or responses to my emails. I highly discourage using D-Day Tours.
However, Lisa and the wonderful staff at Fat Tire Bike Tours in Paris came to our rescue and were incredibly helpful and accommodating in booking their D-Day Beach tour on very short notice. I highly recommend Fat Tire!
US traveler
Mobile, AL USA 10/16/2007
Band of Brothers Normandy tour
The Battlebus tour should not be missed by fans of this series. They are courteous and well organised, the price is reasonable, the guides are terrific, the customers are knowledgeable and the resulting synergy makes for a memorable day.
rich willis <email>
corte madersa, ca USA 10/16/2007
Winston Churchill Museum
Don't miss the Winston Churchill museum and War Cabinet Rooms in London if you're interested in details about WWII. Our stay in London was enlivened by this fascinating and information-laden museum. We could easily have spent more than three hours there -- I would imagine that those particularly interested in Churchill would stay even longer.
Barry Spiegel <email>
Peoria, AZ USA 10/06/2007
Battlefield tours-Normandy
Overlord Tours Normandy: I would highly recommend this group. Alain and Oliver were our combined guides and we found them to be highly informed and passionate about this subject. They both collect WWII memorabilia, and Alain's father was a member of the French resistance. Their expertise was appreciated and made for an unforgettable tour.
S. Wheeler
Oklahoma City, Ok USA 09/25/2007
Victory Tours & Chateau de Lignerolles
My husband and I spent the most memorable day of our two week trip to France on a full day tour with Victory Tours! When Roel learned that my father-in-law had been part of the invasion on D-day plus two he went out of the way to make the tour extra meaningful for us. His knowledge of and enthusiasm for the subject was positively contagious. We were also lucky enough to spend two nights at his lovely Chateau de Lignerolles where his wife, Pia, made us feel like the royalty that originally inhabited the estate. We can't recommend it highly enough!
Michele Grimaldi Stein <email>
Clarendon Hills, IL USA 09/14/2007
Normandy D-Day tour
My wife, grown son & I took the full-day tour with Roel of Victorytours.com and it was well worth the price paid. Roel's knowledge and insight into the places we visited really made the history of that fateful day in 1944 come alive. Included in the full-day tour is a stop at an isolated church that served as an aid station for the 82nd Airborne on the eve of D-Day, a sight that is not in any of the literature about the area that I've read. Thanks to Roel for a memorable experience, and thanks to him & Pia for a lovely stay in their chateau.
Colin Melville <email>
Lafayette, CO USA 09/12/2007
D-Day Tour
We took a most informative tour of the D-Day landings last month with Roel of Victory Tours. His half day tour was perfect for us as our 11 year old daughter was with us. Roel is informal and witty but yet also very respectful and knowledgable. I am not really into WW II history, but Roel's stories and recounts gave me a much better understanding of the landings that took place. I was so overwhelmed with emotion as I stood on Omaha beach and in the American Cemtetary while listening to Roel's detailed description of the events. I didn't think visiting the landing beaches would have such an impact on me. We didn't visit any museums as we utilized the 4 1/2 hours to tour the major American highlites. Thank you Roel for such a memorable tour.
Belinda
San Francisco, CA USA 09/11/2007
Daytours - Flanders Field Battlefield
We booked a tour of WWI battlefields w/ Daytours (www.visitbruges.org) during our trip to Belgium in August 2007 and highly recommend it for anyone remotely interested in WWI history. Rick's 2007 book lists the tour guide as Frank but our guide was named Nathan. Extremely knowledgeable about the history of the war. Very excellent guide and he tailors the tour to the nationalities of the people in the van. Small group size really made the tour more enjoyable. I can't recommend this tour enough.
Kevin
Woodinville, WA USA 09/07/2007
Normandy
We really enjoyed our stay at Chateau de Lignerolles run by Roel and Pia. Their chanteau was very beautiful, delicious breakfast and they are both interesting and great people. We also went with Roel on the Victory Tour of the Normandy Battlefields. Besides the highlights, he took us to places "off the beaten path" which we really enjoyed. It was a great day,
Beth, Rebecca & Rick Thurber
San Francisco, CA USA 09/03/2007
Battlebus American Highlights Tour
Sptent a week in Bayeux in July and, without doubt, the highlight of our holiday was our Battlebus American Highlights Tour with Sean. His knowledge, enthusiasm and love of what he does was just wonderful. He brought the Normandy Landings from just being something one reads about or sees on film to something that was personal, heartwarming and heartrending. He did not just have a script and stuck to it, he was able to answer all sorts of queries and questions. We passed the German cemetery on our way to St. Mere Eglise and he gave us directions on how to drive their ourselves. We were so grateful as we would not have known it was there or how to get there were it not for him and, like the American and British cemeteries, it was so poignant. Sean provided one of the most memorable days we have on this or any other holiday. Would thoroughly recommend Battlebus, and Sean, to anyone with a desire to get the real history of the D-Day landings.
Annete & Michael
Ireland 08/16/2007
Malmedy, Belgium
We recently visited Malmedy, Belgium. My father's family lived there prior to emigrating to the wheat lands of Kansas. This is Battle of the Bulge country, and there is a memorial in the town to the hundreds of local civilians that lost their lives. The civilians are listed by name and age at the time of their death. There are listings from 90 year-olds to 2 month-olds. The memorial is very moving. The town is quite charming and worth a visit. Charlie Robinson, Lodi, California
Charles A. Robinson <email>
Lodi, CA USA 07/29/2007
Verdun area
My wife's grandfather fought with Black Jack Pershing in the area around Verdon in WWI. We visited the town and the surrounding area, including the tomb of the unknowns (thousands of soldiers were unknown in the days prior to dog tags). Many of the battlements are there, and there are still trenches (not restorations) on the mountain. And there is a memorial to "A la Memoire des Soldats Francais Leurs Freres Amerique".
Charles A. Robinson <email>
Lodi, Ca USA 07/29/2007
Battlebus Tours for Canadians
We had a tour of Juno Beach by Battlebus Tours in June. It was a wonderful day and really brought to life for my husband, whose father was there on D-Day, what the Canadians were faced with and how they carried out their plans. I would highly recommend Battlebus to Canadians who want the same experience.
Dawn Quast <email>
Prince Rupert, BC Canada 07/28/2007
Battlefield Sites Exclusivity
I find it very strange that you were told that only Overlord tours have exclusive visiting rights to Brecourt Manor. I was on a tour with another company ten days ago who visit this site and, judging by the interaction of the guide and the owner of the site, also have such permission.
Brad Spencer
Thousand Oaks, CA USA 07/26/2007
Tour of invasion sites in Normandy
Now that we are home after our wonderful three week journey through France, I wanted to take a moment to thank and compliment Olivier for providing us with a truly memorable experience.
While the weather was certainly worthy of cancelling any invasion, Olivier's knowledge, professionalism and sense of humor kept the day positive and stimulating.
His skill at using anecdotes, maps, locations and photographs helped us to understand the significance and complexity of this special moment in history.
I will certainly recommend Overlord to anyone I know who is looking for a quality, professional tour organization in the Normandy area.
Alton B. Woodman <email>
White Plains, NYS USA 06/18/2007
Dead Mans Corner Musuem
Visitors who are planning a visit to the aforementioned museum may be interested in the following http://p198.ezboard.com/Making-money-over-a-veterans-back/ftriggertimeforumfrm1.showMessage?topicID=8707.topic
Adam Chambers
Fort Worth, TEXAS USA 06/11/2007
Pointe du Hoc
I'll try not to repeat information others have mentioned, but I found Pointe du Hoc on the Normandy cliffs particularly impressive. Why? Because the French have left the site reasonabley unaltered and without monuments. The landscaped of shell craters, rusting barbed wire and ruined concrete bunkers speaks loudest by itself.
Tom <email>
Washington, DC USA 06/04/2007
Battle of the Bulge
I'd like to thank Martin King for a wonderful couple days in the Ardennes. Seeing the terrain certainly helped me understand the logistics of the "Bulge" campaign. He's a magnificent guide, highly professional and extremely informative. My family and I had a great time thanks to him.
R. Lease <email>
Jessup, MD USA 05/27/2007
MY TOUR OF THE NORMANDY BEACHES
Having served as a bombardier in the 8th Air Force from October 1944 to April 1945 I flew over the beaches of Normandy many times. I was certainly aware of the happenings on those beaches but really could not relate to what it must have been like to be there until this past spring when I had a most informative tour of the area with a young Frenchman, Alain Chesnel.
Alain is not your ordinary guide. He not only knows the territory, but he knows the history of what happened there down to the nth degree. He took my wife and me to places other guides have no access to, simply because he has the admiration and trust of the current owners of some of these places where significant events took place. If you have seen the TV series Band of Brothers, or the movie Saving Private Ryan, walking with Alain literally has you involved in the actions that took place at the time. It has reinforced my feeling of gratitude to those who fought the battles that ended so many young lives; many of whom were younger than my 19 years that I was at the time. If you go to Normandy to tour the area for the purpose of relating to the heroics and sacrifices made there during WW II, believe me, you can’t go wrong if you go with Alain’s company, OverlordTours. (Overlord Tour 3/14/2007)
Earl L. Walls, Lt. Col. USAF (Retired) <email>
Palomar Mountain, CA USA 05/14/2007
Battle of the Bulge tour
Our Battle of the Bulge tour with Mr. Martin King was the most amazing WWII experience of my life. Not only did he spend countless unpaid hours researching my uncle's past, he took both myself and my wife to the almost exact spot where he was KIA. I can't recommend him strongly enough to other like minded military enthusiasts. All of the preparation work he does is completely voluntary. I'm reliably informed that he only accepts two commissions a month though so book well in advance if you want the absolute best battlefield guide on the Bulge. Visit his website and see for yourself. We can't thank him enough.
http://users.skynet.be/fa531049/home/index.html
James Willerby <email>
Walla Walla, Wa USA 05/11/2007
Gold Beach Evasion day trip for D-Day sights
I wanted to see the D-Day sights last month but since it was still in sorta the the slow season, none of Rick's recommended minibus tour companies were able to take me. They either needed more people or they didn't offer the tour I wanted that day. I ended up finding a company online called Gold Coast Evasion, and I highly recommend them. It turned out that there weren't any other people booked on the tour that day. Just me. Unlike the other places, instead of telling me that they wouldn't operate without more customers, they used me as a training opportunity to prepare for the coming tourist season. I had 4 guides all to myself! They were so nice. At the American Cemetery, they introduced me to a sharply dressed man who worked there and I got a great story from him about the meeting he had earlier in the day helping the son of a serviceman buried in the cemetery get info about his dad. I couldn't have asked for nicer guides or a better experience touring the D-Day sights. Definitely consider these guys in addition to Rick's recommendations.
Jeff Han
Chicago, IL USA 04/23/2007
D-day self tour
Traveling the coastal sites via rental car is fairly easy. If you are starting at Deauville, Caen or Bayeaux, wake up a little early and drive west to Ste. Mere Eglise via highway N13 then work your way back east to your origin along the coast road - Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach and American Cemetary, Arromanches (Mulberry harbors and Museum) and cross the Orne River near the Pegasus Bridge site. This way, you will work opposite the tour buses and avoid much of the crowds. Most memorable was watching my 3 teenagers listen spellbound to an aging 101st Airborne Ranger in a cafe in Ste. Mere Eglise; staring out at the channel from a silent bunker at Pointe du Hoc and touching the still-charred surfaces; and standing in a sea of crosses while taps is played in the American Cemetary. My patriotism was renewed.
Herb Miller <email>
Lexington, KY USA 04/05/2007
Getting from Caen to Bayeux
Thank you for all of your comments about D-Day tours, as my wife and I will be taking a day trip from Paris to the D-Day area in early August.
We plan on taking a train from Paris in the morning and ending up in Bayeux, but it stops in Caen first and then there isn't another train to Bayeux for two more hours.
Here's my question: since it doesn't appear to be too far from Caen to Bayeux, how much would a taxi cost to take us there? Or do you have any other suggestions on how to get from one town to the other? Thanks very much.
Chris <email>
Detroit, MI USA 03/02/2007
Bastogne/Battle of the Bulge
would echo what Dave said abt Bastogne, and Caen museums; Pegasus Bridge, Pointe du Hoc, St Mere E'glise also very impressive--do go to german cemetaries as well as Allied because thay are each unique (smaller and more personal than the large US ones)---if there's any way you can be at one of the US cemetaries on Memorial Day, GO. We were at Margraten (Netherlands)sev yrs ago---very moving to have so many Dutch of all ages come up to us and thank us (we were then late 50's). Gen Patton is buried at the US Cem in Luxumbourg. Check website for Am Battle Monuments Commission for dates/times of official ceremonies.
Cary <email>
Hayden, ID USA 02/20/2007
Verdun
I have visited the city of Verdun and the surrounding battle field memorials and sites four times. Each time I am stunned at the still visible results of the carnage. I lived in Germany for two years & visited many batttle sites. Verdun tops them all.
Steve
Hudsonville, MI USA 01/27/2007
The highlight of my trip to France
Gentlemen,
I visited Dead Man's Corner in early January of 2007 and I must tell you, it was the highlight of my trip to France. Their tributes and displays were excellent. I felt as if I were standing on hallowed ground as I toured the house and the exhibits. They have managed to maintain the integrity of this famous dwelling and do a great justice to the men who fought at Dead Man's Corner. Thank you so much for their passion to preserve history and the house where history was made.
Rusty Stroupe <email>
Shelby, North USA 01/22/2007
Battle of the Bulge
You need to go to Bastogne. It was in the thick of the battle and has a good museum. The program is not pc, especially since there are more Germans than Americans in the room. The people who set up the program had no problem deciding who were the liberators. This was meaningful to me because my Dad followed the tanks in on Dec. 26. You should also go to Caen. There is an excellent museum with movies. Lots of crusty old guys wiping their eyes as they walked out. If you can take along a French speaker you will be rewarded. There are a lot of older French people who remember the disembarcation (invasion), and would be happy to show you their local memorial. I did not connect because my wife (the French speaker) was checking out the ribbon and yarn store with my daughters. Please don't assume that the French are cynical about history with the US. Pont du Hoch is also a good site. It has a lighter feel. No one leveled off the craters from the bombs and rockets. There is a Frenchman with a string trimmer who has a permanent job! Dave
Dave T <email>
Mesa, AZ USA 01/16/2007
Battle of the Bulge
My Father was in the Battle of the Bulge. I will be visiting Belgium in July. Does anyone have any advice on what there is to see in terms of battle fields and monuments?
Thanks.
Ben
Crawford, TX USA 01/16/2007
Normandy and World War 1 sites
My wife and I have been to France three times now for a month each visit. Each time we have gone back to Normandy. We absolutely love Bayeux and use that as our home base. There is a cute bed and breakfast(with out the breakfast) almost directly across the street from the cathedral. We always rent a car, the tours never give you the time you want at each site. Its very easy, we start at Point Du hoc and follow the coast all the way over to arromanches. We see Omaha, the US cemetary, some German Bunker and gun ruins next to arromanches and then finally arromanches(recommend at least two days).
We also have gone to see ww1 sites. We used Amiens as a base and again rented a car. They have a very helpful tourist info center there with a map of routes to follow and history. Not only is driving through the countryside beautiful, but you will come across several memorials all along the way. Vimy Ridge is fantastic, it still has trenches in place and shell holes all over. It is a wonderful learning experience.
Rob <email>
Tampa, FL USA 01/06/2007