Looking for a quick getaway and a fan of history? The February edition of Lonely Planet magazine has five history and culture weekends in Europe. We're going share them with you one at a time. First up, a trip to the scene of historic WWII battles on French soil.
On 6 June 1944, 160,000 Allied troops took part in the sea and air invasion of Nazi-held Normandy – the greatest amphibious invasion in history. The Americans landed at beaches code-named Utah and Omaha (the scene of the heaviest fighting), while a mostly British and Canadian force took Gold, Juno and Sword beaches to the east.
UK-based Battlefield Tours arranges its own and tailor-made guided visits to the beaches, military cemeteries and other key D-Day locations such as Pegasus Bridge. It is also possible to base trips around the experiences of relatives who fought in the campaign.
How to:
For tours, a guide can pick you up from home or a meeting point in the UK, in a six-seater vehicle. Battlefield Tours can also suggest accommodation to your requirements from local farmhouses to châteaux.
This article is reproduced from Lonely Planet Magazine, on sale now across the UK priced £3.60. Make sure you never miss an issue with a monthly subscription (available only to UK residents).
