Cherbourg D day tours

[dcgn]

We will be in Cherbourg at 10:00a.m. and leave at 6:00p.m. Is this enough time for a tour of the D day beaches? Has anyone did these tours through Holland America? Thanks

[John Bull]

We will be in Cherbourg at 10:00a.m. and leave at 6:00p.m. Is this enough time for a tour of the D day beaches? Has anyone did these tours through Holland America? Thanks

 

This can be done reasonably comfortably within the time-frame by tour van or taxi or rented car or van. Cherbourg is much more convenient than Le Havre for the beaches at the American end of the landings.

 

If we assume 10 til 6 to mean 10.30 til 5, allowing for time to disembark & meet up, and safety margin at the end of the day, you have 6 1/2 hours.

 

This is a reasonable route for your time-frame:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Quai+de+Caligny&daddr=49.3384406,-1.0067131+to:49.33841,-0.89703+to:49.348,-0.88681+to:49.346913,-0.852144+to:49.39025,-0.99828+to:49.3433025,-1.0186131+to:49.3432978,-1.018683+to:49.34328,-1.01925+to:49.4151,-1.1769+to:49.45912,-1.22702+to:49.4090828,-1.3174428+to:49.4244159,-1.3299883+to:Cit%C3%A9+de+la+Mer,+Cherbourg,+France&geocode=FXxy9QIdLELn_w%3BFUjY8AIdh6Pw_ymTlZ4C9aALSDFQG7E2SBQMEw%3BFSrY8AId-k_y_ympv-TrwKcLSDGRJrU2SBQMEw%3BFaD98AId5nfy_ymVaemM5acLSDGQf9w6SBQMEw%3BFWH58AIdUP_y_yl5IVAIPKgLSDFnktTvj4-UdA%3BFaqi8QIdeMTw_ylrr0Z3RgoLSDEnDD8ipnDQog%3BFUbr8AIdC3Xw_ynZgFTZZqALSDEg37A2SBQMEw%3BFUHr8AIdxXTw_ynZgFTZZqALSDEg37A2SBQMEw%3BFTDr8AIdjnLw_ynZgFTZZqALSDEg37A2SBQMEw%3BFbwD8gIdvAru_ykfkHpD73YLSDGgTvg4SBQMEw%3BFbCv8gId9Ebt_yknls_YvHALSDHxLUQ7SBQMEw%3BFTrs8QIdvuXr_ykJPHHMMXkLSDGgwnY5SBQMEw%3BFR8o8gIdvLTr_ylrtNjqs34LSDHAWak3SBQMEw%3BFXCI9QId41Dn_yE4PB4PQlPM8A&hl=en&mra=dvme&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=13&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12&sll=49.337316,-1.007137&sspn=0.045637,0.100079&ie=UTF8&ll=49.437771,-1.109619&spn=0.728702,1.601257&z=9

 

Drive 48 miles, mainly on the fast N13 direct to Omaha beach with the American Cemetery overlooking it (near Colleville-sur-mer). Return along the slow coastal lane to Point du Hoc (defensive position), return to the N13, divert off to drive along Utah beach (museum at La Madeleine), return to the N13 at Ste Mere Eglise (airborne museum), then 22 miles back along the N13 to your ship.

Journey time 3 hrs, giving 90 mins at the American Cemetery/Omaha, 30 mins at Pointe du Hoc, 45 mins Utah, 45 mins Ste Mere Eglise.

If you are delayed, you can curtail/omit Utah and/or Ste Mere Eglise on your way back.

The German cemetery at La Cambe is alongside your route, though it requires a small diversion.

Arromanches (remains of Mulberry harbour, super little seafront shops, bars, museum, and a clifftop 360deg cinema), is about 10 miles past Omaha, & a little too ambitious unless you delete Utah.

 

Getting a rented car can be problematic on a sunday.

There's usually one or two folk on a cc cruise roll-call looking for van sharers.

 

John Bull

[caripoo]

We were just in Cherbourg and we used Overlord tours. Many people on our ship usd them. You can design the day the way you want. They were 650E for all day and for 1-8 people. We had a great guide Stephan. OVERLORDTOURS.COM :p:p

[aliaschief]

We will be in Cherbourg at 10:00a.m. and leave at 6:00p.m. Is this enough time for a tour of the D day beaches? Has anyone did these tours through Holland America? Thanks

DCGN - aliaschief here from the roll call.

We have considered the overlord tour but are holding out until we have a better idea of the social climate in France. Right now its tough getting anywhere and that is why many of us are considering the ship's tour. If things settle down, we would be interested in the Overlord tour.

[Cornishpastyman1]

I hope the French sort themselves out soon and you all have a superb day.

 

The topic is so vast that even the longest cruise-ship day only allows for a brief overview of the momentous events which took place there. The obvious way of getting the most out of the day is to go on an official tour, but in case it's any help with your planning, or you wish to hire a car and do it yourself here are my videos, made from a 5 hours there in April 2009 using archive photos, period music and my camcorder footage.

 

Part 1 (7 minutes)

 

(Background to the invasion, Arromanches/Gold Beach and the Mulberry Harbour, Omaha Beach)

 

Part 2 (6 minutes)

 

(German gun battery at Longues-sur-Mer, Pointe du Hoc, Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer)

 

If you are lucky enough to be at Arromanches when the tide is out you can walk around and even get inside the remains of Churchill's Mulberry Harbour. The battery at Longues-sur-Mer is the only such emplacement to have kept its guns and you can get inside a casemate, stand behind the barrel and imagine what it must have been like on 6 June 1944. Pointe du Hoc is where the US 2nd Rangers scaled the cliffs under heavy gunfire. Their efforts remain a thing of wonder. And the Normandy American Cemetery is a fitting memorial to the nearly 11,000 Americans it honours for their ultimate sacrifice in the cause of freedom.

[Workin4cruzin]

We used Overlord Tours on Nov 2nd and were also fortunate to have Stephan as our guide for the day. The pricing above is the same that we paid. We cruised as a group of 3, so posted for 5 others to join us on the CC Roll Call section. Fortunately, in a short time we filled our bus.

 

I cannot imagine on any ship sponsored tour that you would ever receive the personalized attention or information such as was provided by Stephan. Not only did he seem to know the answer to every question, but he carried with him at least 3 large binders FILLED with photos from the times he was discussing. If we were standing on the beach discussing an event, he would open up his binder and there was a picture that pretty much looked almost like where you were standing. I've done a lot of personal tours in various countries, and this one was probably #1! If you go with Overlord, see if you can request Stephan, although I am sure all of their guides are excellent.

 

Good luck with whatever you choose to do, I am sure you will have a fine day.:p