Canadians in Normandy D-Day beaches Juno Beach and Pegasus Bridge (3/7 pax)

Overview

Similar Tours HIGHTLIGHTS Stop at the exact location where the original « Pegasus Bridge » used to stand. Pay your respects to the fallen Canadian soldiers at the Canadian War Cemetery in Beny-sur-Mer See the famous “Canada House” on Juno Beach, said to be the first house liberated in Normandy. Walk on the sands of Juno Beach in Normandy just like the Canadian troops did in June 1944. Visit the Juno Beach Centre, the most comprehensive museum about the Canadian landings in Normandy. Visit the underground bunker of German General « Richter » in Caen.

What's included

• ✓Air-conditioned vehicle
• ✓Entry/Admission – Juno Beach Centre

• ✕Food and drinks, unless specified

What you'll do

1. 1

   Pegasus Bridge is a bascule bridge, that was built in 1934, that crossed the Caen Canal, between Caen and Ouistreham, in Normandy, France. Also known as the Bénouville Bridge after the neighbouring village, it was, with the nearby Ranville Bridge over the river Orne, a major objective of the British airborne troops during Operation Deadstick, part of Operation Tonga in the opening minutes of the Allied invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944 during the Second World War. A unit of glider infantry of the 2nd Battalion, the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, British 6th Airborne Division, commanded by Major John Howard, was to land, take the bridges intact and hold them until relieved. The successful taking of the bridges played an important role in limiting the effectiveness of a German counter-attack in the days and weeks following the Normandy invasion.

   ⏱ 20 min
2. 2

   The Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery is a cemetery containing predominantly Canadian soldiers killed during the early stages of the Battle of Normandy in the Second World War. It is located in and named after Bény-sur-Mer in the Calvados department, near Caen in lower Normandy. As is typical of war cemeteries in France, the grounds are beautifully landscaped and immaculately kept. Contained within the cemetery is a Cross of Sacrifice, a piece of architecture typical of memorials designed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The men who fell on the beaches and in the bitter bridgehead battles are buried in Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery which, despite its name, is near the village of Reviers. The cemetery contains 2,049 headstones enclosed by pines and maples. These mark the dead of the 3rd Division and the graves of 15 airmen. The mayor and people of Reviers take a special interest in the cemetery for, although it bears another name, they feel it to be their own. Fine hedges decorate the entrance, and the flanking registry buildings have platforms from which the visitor can see the whole area and appreciate the skill and devotion that has gone into the planning and design of this superb cemetery.

   ⏱ 30 min
3. 3

   “Within sight of this house over 100 men of the Queen’s Own Rifles were killed or wounded, in the first few minutes of the landings.” That stark inscription welcomes visitors at the entrance of a large, timber-framed house overlooking Juno Beach, in the village of Bernières-sur-Mer, France. “La Maison des Canadiens," or Canada House, is one of the most iconic buildings in Canadian military history. It was one of the first houses liberated by Canadian soldiers on D-Day, 6 June 1944, and has since become a familiar historic landmark, standing in the backdrop of the many black-and-white photographs showing troops landing on the sands of this village in Normandy. This particular house was one of the few left intact, perhaps because it was the favoured home of an occupying German officer. The left-hand side is owned by the family of Hervé Hoffer, whose grandfather owned the home during the war but was evicted by the Germans. In 1984, the 40th anniversary of D-Day when large numbers of surviving veterans first began returning on pilgrimages to Juno Beach, Hoffer met some of the Canadians who had actually liberated his house.

Availability & pricing

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Good to know

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.