Battlebus - Tours of the D-Day Beaches - American Experience Tour

Day 1 visits some key sites in the American Airborne bridgehead , and covers the landings on Utah beach . It visits La Fiere , where the famous bridge
and causeway battle took place , Graignes - site of the “Secret Massacre” subject of a 2004 History Channel show, examines the German defences
on the coast and stops in Angoville – where 2 Medics treated many wounded. It also visits the Airborne Museum in Ste Mere Eglise and the Museum on Utah beach plus many more stories and actions. Day two

Day 1 in greater detail
Please note - this tour does not include any Easy Company 506th Band of Brothers sites

La Fiere - By the Merderet river stands Iron Mike a memorial to the 82nd Airborne near the spot where General James Gavin fought. Described as the costliest small-unit action in the history of the US Army the 3+ day battle here was bloody but pivotal. The defence of the bridge here was fictionalised as the last hour of Saving Private Ryan . One of the great un-changed Normandy battlefields , this is an excellent start to a packed day. There is usually a chance for an extra stop on the western side of the Merderet in the 507th PIR sector or perhaps near Drop Zone T.

Sainte Mère Eglise - See the famous church tower, where PFC John Steele landed on D-Day - the sequence made famous in The Longest Day film, and hear other stories of the hand-to-hand fighting for this vital crossroads town .

Airborne museum - one of the most impressive museums in Normandy, housing a D-Day C-47 Skytrain and Waco glider in two halls of displays and artefacts.

Lunch - snacks and drinks are USUALLY taken at a
B&B and private museum behind Utah Beach

Battle for the Causeways - Now its time to move closer to Utah beach where we will relate one or more of the battles for the Exits by the 101st Airborne. In addition to knocking out several gun batteries , 4 causeways through the flooded marshes had to be seized to allow the troops landing on Utah to move inland. The choice of stops is endless: Objective XYZ or Foucarville are just two options. Rest assured you will be amazed at the ingenuity and bravery shown by the Screaming Eagles on D-Day. The places we visit are tough to find without a guide and the information and details your guide will supply are often unique to Battlebus

German Defences - Before we move to the beach itself we will examine some of the well-preserved German bunkers and defences that remain as silent relics of 1944.

Utah Beach - See the memorials to the assault units atop the German bunkers. And hear how the landings fared, led as they were by Theodore Roosevelt Jnr . Also see the WWII vehicles and weaponry on display in the dunes

Utah Beach Museum - Learn more about the landings and consider the 4th Division’s costly push northwards to Cherbourg in June. A favourite museum with veterans.

Angoville-au-Plain - A fantastic stop at the church where two 501st medics, Robert Wright and Kenneth Moore tended 80 wounded combatants. The church changed hands several times in the fighting, and Colonel Sink later set up his CP nearby. We also see the fine memorial and the magnificent stained glass windows that honor the combatants who fought in this small village .

Graignes - is where elements of the 507th PIR and other stray troopers defended a hill-top church surrounded by flooded marshes. They held off the 17th SS Division and helped delay a counter-attack towards the beachhead. At the finale of the battle a number of paratroopers and French villagers were massacred by the SS and the town razed to the ground. This story was the subject of our friend Martin Morgan’s excellent Secret Massacre programme for the History Channel aired in 2004.

Other stops - There are usually other stops we include if we have spare time. Examples include: Saint Come du Mont, La Barquette, Basse Addeville, Hiesvile, Holdy, Chateau Colombieres and Le Haut Fornel. All of which offer exciting, moving and fascinating personal stories about the men who landed and fought here in 1944. Day two

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Customer comments about this tour
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We are so glad we chose this option, my family were worried that two days would be boring and too “military”, but how wrong we were. The tours flew by and the rollercoaster of emotions I felt will last a lifetime.

The incredibly descriptive accounts of D-Day and personally researched information of the many heroes that made the invasion successful, made our two days in Normandy a truly unforgettable experience!

The most impressive thing of all for me was that the guide speaks to veterans and those who experienced the times and virtually acts as a mouthpiece for their stories.The absolute highlight of my trip to Europe and I will never forget.

I must tell all who will listen that the four of us, but especially me, enjoyed the 2 days we spent with the Battlebus guide. It is not possible to pick out a highlight as it all was a highlight.

We reserve the right to alter tour itineraries as necessary and without prior notice. This can be because of traffic delays, museum closures or bad weather etc

Please note that 12 years is the minimum age to take this tour

There is a moderate amount of walking and a considerable amount of standing on this tour