8.50 am / 1.50 pm - Meeting point at your accommodation in or near Bayeux
9.00am / 2.00 pm- Depart from Bayeux
- Visit Sword Beach Sector
- Visit Pegasus Bridge including Museum
- Stop at a Commenwealth Cemetery
1.00pm / 6.00pm - Return to Bayeux
Meet your English Speaking Driver/Guide who is a local Expert on WWII
Upon arrival at the meeting point, you will be welcomed by your English speaking guide who will be waiting with a sign bearing the name of the tour and with the Ophorus logo on it. Also, all our guides have a nominative badge so that it will be easy for you to recognize them.
Once you have met your guide, he/she will go over the program and itinerary of the day with you. Then, board your comfortable, air conditioned Mercedes minivan and begin to make your way to visit Omaha beach.
All our vehicles are equipped with an on board P/A system which means that everyone will hear the guide's commentary during driving time, even if you are seated in the back of the van! Also, we have bottled water at your disposal and you can use our free wifi as you travel from one destination to another. Follow a thrilling half day trip to Sword Beach followed by a stop a Pegasus Bridge including the visit of the Museum. Your final stop will be at one of the surrounding British Cemeteries.
Depart for Sword Beach
One of the three D-Day landing beaches areas of the Anglo-Canadian troops, located east of Juno Beach, Sword Beach represents the eastern flanck of the Allied attack on the Normandy beaches. Troops that landed here include the British 8th Brigade, Commandos of the 1st Special Service Brigade and under the command of Lieutenant General John Crocker.
Upon arrival, listen to your guide as he recounts the important moments of the landing, talks to you about the different troops participating, the assault of the beach and the story of Piper Bill Millin.
Visit Pegasus Bridge
After your first stop, your Normandy D-Day beaches tour continues to the sight of Pegasus Bridge. Main objective of the 6th British Airborne Division, the capture of the two bridges of the Canal of Caen and Orne River in Bénouville and Ranville was to secure the left flank of the invasion.
As part of operation Deadstick, the assault began on June 5th 1944 with Halifax bombers towing Horsa gliders in the night until they reached the town of Cabourg where they broke their trailer. The three gliders that had Pegasus Bridge as an objective landed only 50 meters away from the bridge. Both bridges were taken quite rapidly and the victory message "Ham and Jam" was sent to the Allied ships by traveling pigeon. Ham indicated that the British had seized both bridges while Jam indicated that both bridges were intact.
The junction with the troops that landed on June 6th took place at around 1.30pm. The French commandos led by Commandant Kieffer accompanied by British soldiers of the 1st Special Service arrived from Sword Beach. Lord Lovat, commander of the 1st Special Service Brigade, accompanied by his personal Piper Bill Millin, apologized to Lieutenant-Colonel for being late.The operation was a total succes even though two airborne soldiers died during the assault while 14 others were injured.
Visit the Museum
Inaugurated on June 4th 2000 by HRH the Prince of Wales. The Memorial Pegasus is dedicated to the men of 6th Airborne Division and their role during the Battle of Normandy from June to September 1944. As you visit the museum, learn about the Bailey Bridge a full size mecano kit that could fit in a truck and be assembled in just over 30 minutes. Other highlights of the museum include the original Pegasus Bridge and a Horsa Glider constructed for the 60th anniversary of D-Day in 2004.
Pay tribute to those fallen at a British War Cemetery
Your half day tour of the World War II British D-Day sights continues as you are take to one of the British war cemeteries. There are several cemeteries located in the area such as the ones in Banneville, Brouay, Hermanville or Ranville. Depending on the timing of your half day guided tour, your driver/guide will stop in one of them so that you may pay hommage to those fallen on that special day. After the stop, it will be time to return to Bayeux and that will be the end of our services.
Our other tours from Bayeux
We operate a number of tours in and around Bayeux including walking tours to visit the Bayeux Cathedral and Bayeux Tapestry museum. Our private tours on a full day or half day option will have you visit Normandy, Mont Saint Michel, the Pointe du Hoc as well as the American Cemetery.
