Normandy Pre-Tour & Lunéville Main Tour
Sept 5, 2019 - Sept 17, 2019
(B = buffet breakfast, L = lunch, D = 3 course dinner)
Normandy Pre-Tour Itinerary
DAY 1 THU SEPT 5 USA IN AIR
Depart USA for PARIS (CDG) International Airport. Arrive on Sept 6.
Depart USA for PARIS (CDG) International Airport. Arrive on Sept 6.
DAY 2 FRI SEPT 6 ARR PARIS (CDG)
On arrival at Paris (CDG), check into our easily accessible 4-star airport hotel. Expert World War II Veteran's Tour Director and friend of Lunéville (Patrick Hinchy) welcomes you. Time to relax after your red-eye flight or to visit Paris independently.
On arrival at Paris (CDG), check into our easily accessible 4-star airport hotel. Expert World War II Veteran's Tour Director and friend of Lunéville (Patrick Hinchy) welcomes you. Time to relax after your red-eye flight or to visit Paris independently.
DAY 3 SAT SEPT 7 PARIS - CAEN, NORMANDY
Drive through the beautiful Seine valley and see Field Marshal Rommel's castle HQ and Giverny on our way to Caen. Visit Normandy's biggest World War II Museum, the Mémorial, in Caen. (B, D)
Drive through the beautiful Seine valley and see Field Marshal Rommel's castle HQ and Giverny on our way to Caen. Visit Normandy's biggest World War II Museum, the Mémorial, in Caen. (B, D)
DAY 4 SUN SEPT 8 CAEN - NORMANDY BATTLEFIELDS - CAEN
A full day of Normandy battlefield touring, highlighting the 79th Division and 773rd Tank Destroyer Battalion (TDB). If you have special requests, we will try to include them if notified 30 days in advance. (B, D)
A full day of Normandy battlefield touring, highlighting the 79th Division and 773rd Tank Destroyer Battalion (TDB). If you have special requests, we will try to include them if notified 30 days in advance. (B, D)
DAY 5 MON SEPT 9 CAEN - MONT ST MICHEL - BAYEUX - CAEN
Visit many historic sites in Normandy. (B, D)
Visit many historic sites in Normandy. (B, D)
DAY 6 TUE SEPT 10 CAEN - VERSAILLES - PARIS (CDG) AIRPORT
Morning drive to Paris via Versailles, WWII base of SHAEF, General Eisenhower's HQ. Afternoon Paris sightseeing tour and orientation, preparing you for your free day in Paris tomorrow. (B)
Morning drive to Paris via Versailles, WWII base of SHAEF, General Eisenhower's HQ. Afternoon Paris sightseeing tour and orientation, preparing you for your free day in Paris tomorrow. (B)
DAY 7 WED SEPT 11 PARIS
Free day in Paris. At 9 AM, take free coach transfer in the morning to central Paris. At 4:30 PM, return from central Paris to our Paris airport hotel. (B)
Free day in Paris. At 9 AM, take free coach transfer in the morning to central Paris. At 4:30 PM, return from central Paris to our Paris airport hotel. (B)
Lunéville Main Tour Itinerary
DAY 8 THU SEPT 12 PARIS - LUNÉVILLE
Depart our Paris airport hotel with Tour Director for Lunéville, via World War 1 battlefields, champagne country and Reims - the beautiful cathedral city where the Germans surrendered in SHAEF Forward HQ, May 8, 1945. (B)
Depart our Paris airport hotel with Tour Director for Lunéville, via World War 1 battlefields, champagne country and Reims - the beautiful cathedral city where the Germans surrendered in SHAEF Forward HQ, May 8, 1945. (B)
DAY 9 FRI SEPT 13 LUNÉVILLE
Lunéville's Liberation Festival Program begins today by ceremonially commemorating the fierce battles around Lunéville when Hitler ordered Manteuffel's Fifth Panzer Army to pierce the southern flank of Patton's Third Army heading eastwards towards the Rhine in September 1944. But the 79th Division and 2nd Cavalry successfully repelled this dangerous German flank attack at Lunéville. Participate in the 2nd Cavalry and 79th Division Lunéville Liberation Ceremony, followed by a Wine Reception. Then dinner as guests of the City of Lunéville, followed by a documentary film of the Liberation of Lunéville in Lunéville Château. (B, D)
Lunéville's Liberation Festival Program begins today by ceremonially commemorating the fierce battles around Lunéville when Hitler ordered Manteuffel's Fifth Panzer Army to pierce the southern flank of Patton's Third Army heading eastwards towards the Rhine in September 1944. But the 79th Division and 2nd Cavalry successfully repelled this dangerous German flank attack at Lunéville. Participate in the 2nd Cavalry and 79th Division Lunéville Liberation Ceremony, followed by a Wine Reception. Then dinner as guests of the City of Lunéville, followed by a documentary film of the Liberation of Lunéville in Lunéville Château. (B, D)
DAY 10 SAT SEPT 14 LUNÉVILLE
This morning the heroic American crossing of the River Meurthe on the southern side of Lunéville against heavy German resistance is festively celebrated in Moncel lès Lunéville. Then follows the highlight of Lunéville's Liberation Festival Program. This is the official dedication ceremony of the new monument to 773rd TDB and 106th Cavalry and their 79th Division battle action in the middle of Parroy Forest (where Hitler served as a soldier in World War I), followed by a festive wine reception. The 1944 Battle of Parroy Forest was an extremely tough and critical battle. The forest had to be captured by the Americans because it formed an important part of the formidable German "Vorvogesenstellung" (Vosges Mountains Forward Defensive Line) blocking American access to the Saverne Gap and through to the Rhine and Germany. (B)
This morning the heroic American crossing of the River Meurthe on the southern side of Lunéville against heavy German resistance is festively celebrated in Moncel lès Lunéville. Then follows the highlight of Lunéville's Liberation Festival Program. This is the official dedication ceremony of the new monument to 773rd TDB and 106th Cavalry and their 79th Division battle action in the middle of Parroy Forest (where Hitler served as a soldier in World War I), followed by a festive wine reception. The 1944 Battle of Parroy Forest was an extremely tough and critical battle. The forest had to be captured by the Americans because it formed an important part of the formidable German "Vorvogesenstellung" (Vosges Mountains Forward Defensive Line) blocking American access to the Saverne Gap and through to the Rhine and Germany. (B)
DAY 11 SUN SEPT 15 LUNÉVILLE
Lunéville's Liberation Festival Program comes to its concluding climax by again highlighting indomitable American determination to break through the powerful German "Vorvogesenstellung" Defensive Line, firstly in Frémonville in the morning and then in Ancerviller. After lunch there are extended festivities in Ancerviller which specially commemorate the fierce battle actions of 315th Regt of 79th Division. The focal point of this commemoration is Ancerviller's Monument dedicated to Doc Long, Arthur Palmer and all the heroic 315th soldiers who fought here. (B, L)
Lunéville's Liberation Festival Program comes to its concluding climax by again highlighting indomitable American determination to break through the powerful German "Vorvogesenstellung" Defensive Line, firstly in Frémonville in the morning and then in Ancerviller. After lunch there are extended festivities in Ancerviller which specially commemorate the fierce battle actions of 315th Regt of 79th Division. The focal point of this commemoration is Ancerviller's Monument dedicated to Doc Long, Arthur Palmer and all the heroic 315th soldiers who fought here. (B, L)
DAY 12 MON SEPT 16 LUNÉVILLE - LORRAINE TGV STATION - PARIS CDG
Depart Lunéville by coach to Lorraine TGV train station (approximately one hour journey). Depart Lorraine TGV on a late morning train to Paris (with an assistant) and spend the evening at the same hotel you stayed in on the first night of the tour. (B)
Depart Lunéville by coach to Lorraine TGV train station (approximately one hour journey). Depart Lorraine TGV on a late morning train to Paris (with an assistant) and spend the evening at the same hotel you stayed in on the first night of the tour. (B)
DAY 13 TUE SEPT 17 PARIS (CDG) to USA
Check in individually for your departure flights home from PARIS (CDG). (B)
Check in individually for your departure flights home from PARIS (CDG). (B)
NOTE: This tour requires a minimum of 15 participants. We recommend you book your flight with Gate 1 Travel to avoid any airline penalties. Gate 1 Travel can secure an airline reservation on your behalf without jeopardizing any losses towards airline tickets in the event the tour gets postponed or cancelled due to lack of participants.