Hedgerow Hell: The Americans in Normandy
Hedgerow Hell: The Americans in Normandy
Hedgerow Hell: The Americans in Normandy
5 Days Starting and ending in Normandy, France
Visiting: Normandy, Omaha Beach, Saint-Lô, Normandy Victory Museum - Musée de la bataille des haies, Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, Avranches
Tour operator:
Tour code:
5fhh
Age range:
0-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
As the American forces pushed inland after D-Day, they became entangled in the bloody battles for the hedgerows of the Normandy landscape. Join us on this fascinating tour as we follow the GIs and Paratroopers from the first shots to the breakout. We’ll see the defences at German strongpoint WN62, look at the battles of ‘Bloody Gulch’ where many of the Easy Company fought, and uncover the details of Operation Cobra.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrive In Normandy
Location: Normandy
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3-star hotel
Meals Included: No Meals
Local departure by coach, then to our hotel in Normandy for a four-night stay.
Day 2 : From The Beaches To The Hedgerows
Location: Omaha Beach, Saint-Lô
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3-star hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
We begin on the D-Day beaches at Omaha Beach, seeing the defences at German strongpoint WN62 to get an idea of the American experience of 6th June 1944 and what their plans were for the inland battles.
We visit the rows of graves in the Normandy American Cemetery and then look at the 2nd US Division battle for Trévières, seeing the memorials in the church and the battle-damaged war memorial. We then follow the advance inland looking at how the American battle experience changed as they faced German soldiers dug-in across the hedgerow landscape.
We have lunchtime in Saint Lô and then look at the American advances between June - July 1944 in the Cerisy la Forêt area and at Saint George D’Elle. We walk part of ‘Purple Heart Draw’ – the Hedgerow Hell that many GIs faced in the summer of 1944 and see the memorial chapel at Saint Lô.
Day 3 : D-Day Drops To Cherbourg
Location: Normandy Victory Museum - Musée de la bataille des haies, Cherbourg-en-Cotentin
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3-star hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today, we begin at the new Normandy Victory Museum which looks at the hedgerow battles, and then examine the US Airborne forces drop into Normandy on D-Day, looking at their battles at Neuville-en-Plein and at ‘Bloody Gulch’ where many of Easy Company (the ‘Band of Brothers’) fought.
We have lunchtime in Sainte-Mère-Église before looking at the 82nd Airborne action at the Le Fière bridge and at Amfreville, seeing the memorials including ‘Iron Mike’. We then visit the German cemetery at Orglandes, where the German dead that faced American forces are buried, and we end the day looking at the Battle for Cherbourg in June 1944 as the US forces advanced up the peninsular, seeing the Liberation Museum at Cherbourg, formerly Stützpunkt 255.
Day 4 : Breakout Battles And The Mortain Counterattack
Location: Avranches
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3-star hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast
This morning, we look at the American breakout battles in Normandy, following the advance of Operation Cobra in July 1944.
We follow this down to Avranches, seeing the General Patton Memorial, the famous commander who led US troops here.
We have lunchtime in Avranches before visiting the Brittany American Cemetery – the other US Cemetery in Normandy – where the dead from the later battles are buried.
We finish by looking at the Mortain counterattack by German forces in a desperate attempt to turn the tide of the battle in Germany’s favour, visiting Hill 314 and the 30th US Division Memorial.
Day 5 : Return Home
Location: Normandy
Meals Included: Breakfast
Return home.
What's Included
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Accommodation
As detailed in the itinerary
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Additional Services
Travel from a wide range of convenient joining points across the UK is included within your coach holiday price; some carry a supplement. Please contact us for our full list of joining points.
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Airport Transfers at Destination
This trip includes coach travel from/to a local UK joining point
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Fully Guided
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International Travel
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Meals
As detailed in the itinerary
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Transport
Comfortable, air-conditioned motorcoach
What's Not Included
Accommodation
You will stay for four nights in the Normandy area at a minimum 3-star hotel.
Check out our Q&As
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Is there a supplement for solo travellers?
Some tours carry a supplement for solo travellers, please ask for details if the Single price is not shown
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Is there a limit to luggage that can be brought on the tour?
On Leger Coach Holidays, your allowance is one medium sized suitcase per person, which should weigh no more than 20kg when full.
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What type of coach will be used?
You will travel on either our Luxuria Coach or our Silver Service Coach
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Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
No
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Will there be an escort accompanying this tour?
Fully escorted by our experienced drivers/crews. And in most towns and cities we either include or offer optional sightseeing tours with expert local guides to help you get the most from your visits.
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Will I know the names and details of all the accommodation before I depart?
Yes
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What is the fitness level required to do this tour?
Low
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Is the tour coach air conditioned?
Yes
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?
As detailed in the itinerary
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How long has the tour company been trading?
40 years
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Sole use of your own room on all Single Traveller holidays: means you still get your privacy and time out from the group.
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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Battlefield Tours - Will it be possible to visit a particular cemetery whilst on the tour?
Please contact us and we will check to see whether you can visit a particular cemetery on any of our Battlefield Tours, if we are not able to fit it into our itinerary then you could take some time out of the tour and do this independently by taxi or public transport.
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest Covid-19 policies
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Low Deposit
Leger Holidays requires a minimum deposit of 20% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 75 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of leger holidays charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 42 days before tour starts: Forfeit 75% of booking price.
At 21 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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