This morning, your ship will dock right in the center of Honfleur, a colorful coastal town that has been described as having one of the prettiest harbors in France, Le Vieux Bassin. Over the years the town has captured the imaginations of countless artists and was the birthplace of Impressionism. The bustling harbor and cobbled streets are a confection of half-timbered houses, restaurants, gourmet shops and art galleries. It’s an easy walk from the ship to explore the harbor area and network of laneways beyond.
You can choose to explore Honfleur or take an excursion today to the Normandy Beaches to learn about the D-Day Landings, where tens of thousands of allied troops came ashore on June 6, 1944, to free north-western Europe from Nazi occupation. Six weeks of heavy fighting and losses followed, but this strategic campaign ultimately ended the war.
Freechoice
Walking tour of Honfleur: From the ship, join a guided walking tour of Honfleur’s harbor. You can see the Church of Sainte-Catherine, which dates to the 15th century and is France’s largest church to be made entirely of wood with a separate belfry. Then visit the Garden of Personalities, a 10-hectare landscaped garden that features the busts of important French figures over time, including painters and navigators.
Excursion to the Normandy Beaches Including Omaha Beach (US Focused): Start at the memorial on Utah Beach, where more than 20,000 US troops landed, before a visit to Sainte-mere-Eglise, where 30 US Paratroopers landed during the invasion. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Visitor Center before a short stop at the Omaha Beach Memorial. Omaha Beach is often referred to as ‘Bloody Omaha’, as it resulted in the most casualties during the operation, with 2,400 dead.
Excursion to the Normandy Beaches Including British Normandy Memorial (UK Focused): The small town of Bayeux was the first to be liberated after the D-Day Landings and became the French capital for the summer of 1944, until the liberation of Paris. Visit the Bayeux War Cemetery, the Museum of the Battle of Normandy and the new state-of-the-art Landing Museum at Arromanches, located across the artificial harbor that was built to dispatch reinforcements. After lunch at a local restaurant, you can visit the British Normandy Memorial, which records the names of 22,442 fallen servicemen and women; the Pegasus Bridge & Museum, site of an important battle; and the Ranville War Cemetery.
Excursion to the Normandy Beaches Including Juno Beach Center (Canadian Focused): Begin at Abbey d’Ardenne, which was founded in the 11th century and is now a memorial to Canadian Prisoners of War from D-Day. Explore the Juno Beach Center, a memorial to where 20,000 Canadian troops, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, and then visit the poignant Bény-sur-Mer Canadian cemetery and Pegasus Bridge & Museum, site of an important battle.
