England, Belgium, and France

Upon arrival in London, transfer to our elegant and centrally located hotel. Explore independently and recover from overnight flights.

This morning, drive outside the city to Bletchley Park, an 18th-century mansion that became the headquarters for Britain’s World War II codebreakers, most famous for penetrating the German Enigma code used by the Wehrmacht. Tour the grounds with a curator followed by lunch and free time for independent exploration of the exhibits. Back in London, gather this evening for a welcome dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Begin today with a special visit—before opening hours—to the Churchill War Rooms. Take a curator-led tour of this historic underground complex that housed a British government command center throughout World War II. Continue to the Imperial War Museum, dedicated to telling the extraordinary experiences of ordinary people caught up in conflict and war. Return to the hotel after lunch where the remainder of the day is free for individual pursuits.

Following breakfast, depart for London’s St. Pancras Station to travel by high-speed Eurostar train to Lille, France, a cultural hub and bustling university city today and once an important merchant center of French Flanders. Explore the historic center, Vieux Lille, characterized by 17th-century brick town houses, cobblestone pedestrian streets, and the large central square, the Grand Place. Following lunch at a charming Flemish restaurant, check in to our hotel for an afternoon and evening of independent exploration and dining.

Today, we embark on a day trip to Ypres, Belgium, site of many battles between German and Allied forces during World War I and immortalized by the poem “In Flanders Fields.” Visit Tyne Cot cemetery, the largest cemetery for British Commonwealth forces in the world for any war, and other World War I sites: Menin Road, Hill 60, and Caterpillar Crater. End the day at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, dedicated to British and Commonwealth soldiers killed in the Ypres Salient during World War I. Attend the Last Post ceremony, a tradition carried on with only one interruption since July 2, 1928, during which buglers from the local fire brigade close the road under the memorial and sound the “Last Post.”

Depart Lille for a guided tour at Vimy Ridge, the site of a battle that marked the beginning of Canada’s evolution from dominion to independent nation. Continue to Peronne to visit the Historial of the Great War, an internationally acclaimed museum dedicated to the First World War that looks at the conflict from every angle: military, social, and cultural. Also, explore the Lochnagar Crater, a giant crater caused by the detonation of a British mine just before the opening assaults of the Battle of the Somme. This afternoon, check in to our hotel in Amiens where the remainder of the day is free to explore this beautiful medieval town independently.

After breakfast, depart Amiens, crossing the Pont de Normandie, a cable-stayed bridge that spans the Seine, at Le Havre. Stop at the Mulberry B Harbor (also known as Port Winston), one of several temporary harbors built the by the British during World War II to facilitate the offloading of cargo onto beaches during the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Enjoy free time and lunch independently in Honfleur before continuing to Audrieu via the Pegasus Bridge, dedicated to the men of the 6th British Airborne Division. Late this afternoon, check in to our hotel, an 18th century estate and gardens nestled in the heart of Normandy outside of Bayeux.  

Head out early this morning for a full-day exploration of Normandy’s D-Day sites beginning with a scenic drive along the Normandy coast to Utah Beach, the westernmost of the D-Day landing areas. Continue to the strategically located Sainte-Mère-Église, one of the first towns liberated during the invasion, for a visit to the outstanding Airborne Museum followed by lunch sampling Normandy’s famed cheeses. This afternoon, visit Pointe du Hoc, where U.S. Rangers scaled cliffs over 100 feet high to destroy German gun positions. Then pay our respects at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, where the graves of 9,387 troops commemorate lives lost during the D-Day landings. From the cemetery’s overlook, view Omaha Beach, a crucial Allied landing site during the Normandy invasion. Enjoy a free evening in Bayeux.  

Travel by motorcoach to the city of Caen to visit the Mémorial de Caen, one of France's most significant 20th century history museums, with its particular focus on the D-Day Landings and the Battle for Normandy. Continue to Paris and check in to our hotel, located near the Champs Elysées and the Arc de Triomphe. Gather this evening for a festive farewell dinner at a nearby restaurant.

After breakfast transfer to Paris airports for flights home.