Cockleshell Heroes
- Duration: 7 days
- Board Basis: Bed & Breakfast
- Tour Ref: D2TLEG7FCH
Holiday Summary
- Travel Type: Coach
PLEASE NOTE: Price is per person and based on two people sharing a twin/double room. Single room supplements and upgrades are not included.
Itinerary
7-Day Itinerary
Day 1
Local departure by coach or Door-to-Door service, then to our hotel in Rouen for two nights.
Day 2 - Saint-Valery-en-Caux 1940 & Operation Biting
Today we look at some Second World War sites in Upper Normandy, starting at Saint-Valery-en-Caux where the 51st (Highland) Division fought a last stand in June 1940. We see where the fighting happened, where the surrender took place and visit the war graves.
In the afternoon, we look at Airborne and Commando operations, visiting Bruneval where the Operation Biting raid took place in February 1942. We see the Drop Zone, discuss the objective, see the memorials and where the Airborne were taken off by the Commandos.
Meals - Breakfast
Day 3 - U-Boat Pens at La Rochelle
We depart Rouen for southern France. After lunch, we see the U-Boat Base at La Rochelle and visit the Bunker Museum here, discovering more about the importance of this region to the German Naval war against the Allies. We continue to our hotel at Bordeaux for three nights.
Meals - Breakfast
Days 4 & 5 - Operation Frankton 1942
We spend the next two days looking at the key sites connected with Operation Frankton – The Cockleshell Heroes – in December 1942, seeing the memorials and the U-Boat base in Bordeaux, discussing the objectives and, as part of the tour, crossing the Gironde Estuary on the local ferry to see where the Royal Marine Commando kayaks came in.
Meals - Breakfast
Day 6 - The Maillé Massacre
We depart Bordeaux heading for Paris. Later we visit the small village of Maillé, a commune where a massacre took place in August 1944, the very day Paris was liberated by the Allies. We see the memorials and visit the museum to this dark chapter of Second World War history. We then continue to Paris for an overnight stay.
Meals - Breakfast
Day 7
Return home.
Meals - Breakfast