Normandy Through The Ages
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Abbey and bay of Mont-Saint-Michel ©The Explorers - Valentin Pacaut
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Batterie de Longues-sur-Mer in Normandy ©Sophie Kernen-Jumeaux & Co, Normandy Tourist Board
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Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial ©Marie-Anaïs Thierry, Normandy Tourist Board
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Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial at Colleville-sur-Mer ©The Explorers - Valentin Pacaut, Normandy Tourist Board
Highly Recommended
Normandy is hugely popular with UK schools for the breadth and depth of experiences it can offer. Students visiting Normandy can explore a unique region steeped in world history and local culture, an area that has borne witness to some of the most historic events in history. Offering students diverse experiences from quaint traditional fishing villages, the iconic Bayeux Tapestry to the D-Day landing beaches of World War 2, Normandy’s sights and attractions complement a range of classroom studies and put history into reality.
Dates
Dates available on request
Suggested itinerary by coach
Day 1
Depart the UK and head for France
Board your coach and depart school, heading for Dover. Cross the Channel to Calais and continue your journey through France to Normandy.
Day 2
D-Day Landing Beaches and WW2 Memorials
After breakfast, head out for a guided tour of the D-Day Landing beaches. Visit both the British and American sectors and discover monuments, museums and memorials bearing testimony to the events of June 1944, which changed the local landscape and proved a decisive moment in the outcome of World Ward Two.
Perhaps visit Pegasus Bridge, Café Gondre or the Merville Gun Battery. See the haunting open sands of Sword, Juno and Gold Beach or explore the fantastic D-Day Museum in Arromanches. Alternatively, discover Ste Mere Église, Azeville Battery or the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach. The Memorial de Caen Museum is well worth the visit, and what’s more, they even provide workbooks specifically designed for school groups.
Day 3
Bayeux or Mont St Michel
In the charming town of Bayeux, discover one of British history’s most iconic documents – the Bayeux Tapestry. Telling the story of the Norman Invasion and subsequent defeat of the English King Harold by William the Coqueror in 1066, the Tapestry is a must see!
For an alternative excursion, why not visit Mont St Michel, Normandy’s most distinctive monument. Perched on a rocky island, the Abbey rises majestically out of the sea in a beautiful natural bay and is only accessible when the tide goes out.
Day 4
Depart France and return to the UK
After breakfast, check out and board your coach for your return journey back to the UK. Why not stop off at Cité Europe in Calais for some last minute souvenir shopping before boarding your ferry?
Suggested Hostels
The UNCMT – Union Normande des Centres Maritime et Touristiques – offer a selection of hostels ideally suited to youth and school groups throughout the region. Each hostel is unique in both its design and facilities, some in town, others in a quieter countryside setting, but all are adapted to help you make the most of your tour to Normandy. Offering multi-bedded rooms, other facilities can include class rooms, play rooms, gardens, basketball courts, outdoor pitches, TV rooms, staff rooms and WiFi access. Lunch and dinner can be arranged as well as packed lunches for days out.
We also have a wide selection of hotels in and around the Normandy region to suit all budgets and tastes – please ask for further details.
