Discover the Normandy landing beaches with a WWII expert. Learn about the events of the Battle of Normandy with Rodolphe Rutman, a documentary filmmaker with a vast knowledge of the subject acquired over more than 30 years of private research.
Rodolphe has been connected to the events of June 6, 1944 since he was involved in the 50th anniversary of D-Day, in 1994. That year, he assisted a group of 41 American veteran paratroopers who came to perform a commemorative jump near Sainte-Mère-Église. Afterwards, Rodolphe became a filmmaker specializing in history. He has directed 4 TV documentary films about D-Day which were broadcast internationally. This enabled him to interview more than 200 people who witnessed the events of summer 1944, including 13 American veterans who landed on Omaha Beach.
With Rodolphe, be ready for an immersive exploration of the 1944 Battle of Normandy. Pick-up points are available within a 60km radius of Caen. Here are the main sites you'll visit on this tour:
1) Sainte-Mère-Église square and its church. Hear the story of the tragic arrival of American paratroopers on the night of June 5th/6th, 1944.
2) The Airborne Museum, giving an overview of the American airborne actions on D-Day.
3) La Fiere Bridge, a site where American troops (mainly paratroopers) had a very hard fight against Nazi forces from June 6th to 9th, 1944, causing more than 750 American casualties (wounded or killed) to keep this bridge in allied hands.
4) Utah Beach, one of the two landing beaches used by American troops on D-Day.
5) The seafront German artillery position at Pointe du Hoc, assaulted from the cliffs by American Ranger battalions on the morning of D-Day.
6) Stop at the cliffs of Vierville-sur-Mer, dominating Omaha beach. An opportunity to discover American military equipment displayed around the local museum, including American LCVP landing craft.
7) The Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer. This exceptional memorial site is located on Omaha beach battlefield. An opportunity to discover the D-Day events from a place that was at the center of the battle that day.
8) WN62 German position. Located on the cliffs of Colleville-sur-Mer dominating Omaha beach, discover, with some German soldiers' testimonies, what D-Day was like seen from that side of the battle. On the same site, visit the monument dedicated to the American 1st Infantry Division.
9) Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, visit the first monument dedicated to the American troops who landed on Omaha beach, on the morning of June 6, 1944.
10) Site of the first American military cemetery on Omaha Beach. Visit to the site temporarily used as a cemetery for American soldiers killed on D-Day and in the following days.
11) Mémorial The soldiers 29th Division's. Visit to the memorial monument dedicated to the landing troops from the American 29th Infantry Division who took part in the Omaha beach invasion, in the early hours of D-Day.
