France and Belgium World Wars

Flight to Paris

Arrived at the airport, meeting with your tour guide for the duration of the stay and departure to Vimy by coach. Enjoy a self-guided tour of the Canadian Vimy Memorial, a symbolic place for Canada, including the visitor center, the trenches, the Canadian cemeteries and the Monument. After lunch, take the road to Ablain-Saint-Nazaire where we find the National Necropolis, the resting place of 45,000 fighters from the First World War. The Musée Vivant 14-18 presents more than 3000 collector’s items as well as life-size reconstructions of war scenes. End with a free tour of the battlefield with its 1000 meters of trenches, a tiny portion reopened to their original location. Then transfer to Arras where you will have free time to visit the city. See its two magnificent baroque squares, its belfry and its Citadel. Meal included: dinner.

Departure for Ypres, in Belgian Flanders, for a panoramic coach tour. This tour includes a visit to Sanctuary Wood, the Canadian Cemetery and the Canadian Memorial at Mount Sorrell / Hill 62. You will then continue to Zonnebeke to visit the Passchendaele Memorial Museum. This battle, one of the most atrocious of World War I, took almost 600,000 lives. The “Dugout Experience”, a reconstruction of the underground life of the British, is undoubtedly the highlight of the visit. In the afternoon, a few stops will take you to the cemeteries of Tyne Cot and Langemark, as well as the Cloth Hall Museum. After dinner in Ypres, attend the Menin Gate Ceremony, in memory of the fallen soldiers in WWI. Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

Take the road to Saint-Omer, a town of arts and history with an exceptional heritage. One of the major attractions of the region is the Dome of Helfaut, a huge bunker built in 1943 by the Todt Organization, to serve as a base for launching V2 rockets against London. After free time for lunch, travel by coach to the 1916 front line. Stop at the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, where a bronze caribou stands, a symbol of the Newfoundland Regiment. Also take a moment at the Thiepval Memorial, one of the largest memorials in the world with the names of more than 72,000 soldiers missing in action. To end the day, you will finally stop at the Ovillers la Boisselle mine crater. This imposing vestige dating from 1916 will impress students with its 91 meters in diameter and 21 meters deep. You can imagine the force of the explosions that took place there. A few kilometers separate you from Amiens where you will spend the night. Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

Head this morning to Normandy for a tour of Dieppe, where the raid on Dieppe started, a defining moment in WWII. Afterwards, a guided tour of the Juno Beach Center will teach you more about Canada’s war effort and the various fronts during the Second World War. This site honors the 45,000 Canadians who lost their lives during World War II. Take a moment to meditate at the Canadian cemetery in Reviers / Beny-sur-Mer. A stop at the Landing Beaches is also planned during your visit to the region. At the end of the day, continue towards Caen to spend the night there. Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

Visit the Peace Memorial in Caen. This museum is dedicated to understanding the Second World War, from its origins to its last fallout in 1989. An archive film will also be shown. Then take the road for a tour of the Canadian D-Day beaches. This visit includes the German battery of Longues-sur-Mer, a major defense structure and the American cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer, located in the heart of the famous Omaha beach. You will also see Arromanches, which owes its fame to the remains of the artificial harbor which was installed in order to be able to supply the troops with weapons and ammunition. You will also attend a performance of the film “Les 100 jours de Normandie” at the Arromanches 360 circular cinema. Archive images retracing the history of the Battle of Normandy are displayed on 9 panoramic screens at 360 degrees. Return to Caen at the end of the day. Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

The discovery of Mont-Saint-Michel as well as the free visit of its church and its Abbey are on the program for the day. This thousand-year-old monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been a major place of pilgrimage, a fortress and a prison over the centuries. Free time to explore the site and to have lunch is also provided. Your coach will then take you to Paris. Upon your arrival in the City of Light, settle into your accommodation. Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

This morning, take public transport to the Champs de Mars to admire the city’s icon, the famous Eiffel Tower. Then, with the RER, you will go to Versailles. Visit this prestigious castle which was the residence of Kings Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI. This castle is surrounded by majestic gardens surrounded with beautiful fountains. On your return to Paris, go to the Montmartre district to discover the Sacré-Coeur and the Place du Tertre. You will undoubtedly appreciate this district with its authentic charm, where dozens of painters are installed daily. Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

This morning, visit the galleries of the famous Louvre Museum. Some works, including Venus de Milo and La Joconde, by Leonardo da Vinci, will not leave you indifferent. After lunch, for the last afternoon of the trip, take advantage of the free time to discover the must-sees that interest you the most: The Arc de Triomphe, the Ile de la Cité and Notre-Dame cathedral, the Champs Élysées, the Latin Quarter, the Seine and more. Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

Coach transfer to the airport for your return flight.