Le Havre land tour

We're going to land for a day in Le Havre during july and I don't want
to try the rush trip to Paris. Thought it might be intere4sting to tour
around Normandy (Honfleur, the beaches, St Mere Eglisse?). Do you have
any recommendations re a tour or taxi company starting from Le Havre?
Thanks for your help. E.K.

"Elias" wrote in message
...
We're going to land for a day in Le Havre during july and I don't want to
try the rush trip to Paris. Thought it might be intere4sting to tour
around Normandy (Honfleur, the beaches, St Mere Eglisse?). Do you have
any recommendations re a tour or taxi company starting from Le Havre?
Thanks for your help. E.K.

You did not mention which cruise line you were taking...We were in Le Havre
just last week on the Celebrity Constellation and we took the ship's tour to
the beaches of Normandy and the American Cemetery there. It was one of the
highlights of our cruise...We took it through the cruise line because it was
ten hours long and we wanted to be back on time.
If you have any questions, I'll be glad to answer them.

--Jean

Elias wrote:
We're going to land for a day in Le Havre during july and I don't want
to try the rush trip to Paris. Thought it might be intere4sting to tour
around Normandy (Honfleur, the beaches, St Mere Eglisse?). Do you have
any recommendations re a tour or taxi company starting from Le Havre?
Thanks for your help. E.K.
A the rush to Paris is a sin,
B the rush to Normandy is almost a sin.

Jean's 10 hour tour only gets one wet. Make plans now to go back.
Honfleur alone is worth a morning and lunch. Bayeux proper the better
part of a day. the area around Omaha beach an hour or two, be sure to go
into the bunkers above Omaha and see what the German soldiers saw and
think how invincible they must have felt.

The American Cemetery is quite literally a religious experience.

This doesn't even get you to St. Marie Eglise or Utah, or Gold or Sword.

Then there is the beauty that is Normandy!

I will quit before I get tears on the keyboard.

Jean O'Boyle wrote:
"Elias" wrote in message
...

We're going to land for a day in Le Havre during july and I don't want to
try the rush trip to Paris. Thought it might be intere4sting to tour
around Normandy (Honfleur, the beaches, St Mere Eglisse?). Do you have
any recommendations re a tour or taxi company starting from Le Havre?
Thanks for your help. E.K.


You did not mention which cruise line you were taking...We were in Le Havre
just last week on the Celebrity Constellation and we took the ship's tour to
the beaches of Normandy and the American Cemetery there. It was one of the
highlights of our cruise...We took it through the cruise line because it was
ten hours long and we wanted to be back on time.
If you have any questions, I'll be glad to answer them.

--Jean


We're sailing on the Maasdam in July. Where all did your tour go and
what did it cost p.p.? E.K.

Joseph Coulter wrote:

Elias wrote:

We're going to land for a day in Le Havre during july and I don't want
to try the rush trip to Paris. Thought it might be intere4sting to
tour around Normandy (Honfleur, the beaches, St Mere Eglisse?). Do
you have any recommendations re a tour or taxi company starting from
Le Havre? Thanks for your help. E.K.

A the rush to Paris is a sin,
B the rush to Normandy is almost a sin.

Jean's 10 hour tour only gets one wet. Make plans now to go back.
Honfleur alone is worth a morning and lunch. Bayeux proper the better
part of a day. the area around Omaha beach an hour or two, be sure to go
into the bunkers above Omaha and see what the German soldiers saw and
think how invincible they must have felt.

The American Cemetery is quite literally a religious experience.

This doesn't even get you to St. Marie Eglise or Utah, or Gold or Sword.

Then there is the beauty that is Normandy!

I will quit before I get tears on the keyboard.
Thanks. Sounds like you've spent some time there. I never wanted to
see it again, but my wife thinks it's been long enough. E.K.

"Elias" wrote in message
...

We're sailing on the Maasdam in July. Where all did your tour go and
what did it cost p.p.? E.K.

The cost of the tour was $162. per person and was well worth it. It included
a tour guide and buffet lunch. The coach was large, comfortable and air
conditioned.

We went to the grounds above Omaha Beach from which we could see Utah Beach
and the monument of Pointe du Hoc. We were able to see the bunkers where the
German army hid their large guns, the foxholes and trenches. We then went to
Omaha Beach and walked the beach where the landing of the US troops actually
occurred. It was very emotional to us, especially to those who lived during
those days and had family members who served during World War II.. Then we
were taken to the American Cemetery which overlooks Omaha Beach. It was
difficult to fight back the tears...so many lives and so young...and many
were sent back home at the request of their families...Most heartwrenching
were the crosses that bore no name. After spending nearly an hour there, we
were driven to a museum which the tour guide called *The Peace Museum.*
I am not sure which town it was in; perhaps one of the others who went with
us will chime in and remember...There we had a buffet luncheon and were able
to see a film on the D-Day Landings and the Battle of Normandy. They also
had a gift shop that had many books about D-Day Landings and other
souvenirs.

The grounds and cemetery are beautifully maintained by the US Government we
were told. The flowers and many trees were in full bloom...It was a
profoundly emotional day. As Joseph Coulter posted earlier, to really see
all the areas where the battles were fought would take far more than ten
hours...there is just too much to see, but the ship's itinerary allowed us
only one day.

It sounds from your reply to Joseph that you were there during that
time...am I right?

--Jean

You will love this excursion. We booked this one on line a month or so
before our Celebrity cruise for $162 per person. At the excursion desk
on the ship, a lot of the excursion were sold out, and some were
cancelled. We were glad that we booked this one ahead of time. I hope
that HAL does as great a job for you as Celebrity did for us. The
weather was great the day that we went, and I hope you have a similar
experience.

Ermalee


D. Wilkinson wrote:
Elias
We too are booked on the Maasdam and plan to take the ship's excursion
to Normandy. Because of the distance and time involved we will be more
comfortable taking the ship excursion. D. Wilkinson

Elias wrote:

Jean O'Boyle wrote:

"Elias" wrote in message
...

We're going to land for a day in Le Havre during july and I don't
want to try the rush trip to Paris. Thought it might be
intere4sting to tour around Normandy (Honfleur, the beaches, St Mere
Eglisse?). Do you have any recommendations re a tour or taxi
company starting from Le Havre? Thanks for your help. E.K.




You did not mention which cruise line you were taking...We were in Le
Havre just last week on the Celebrity Constellation and we took the
ship's tour to the beaches of Normandy and the American Cemetery
there. It was one of the highlights of our cruise...We took it
through the cruise line because it was ten hours long and we wanted
to be back on time.
If you have any questions, I'll be glad to answer them.

--Jean

We're sailing on the Maasdam in July. Where all did your tour go and
what did it cost p.p.? E.K.

Elias
We too are booked on the Maasdam and plan to take the ship's
excursion to Normandy. Because of the distance and time involved we
will be more comfortable taking the ship excursion. D. Wilkinson

Elias wrote:
Jean O'Boyle wrote:

"Elias" wrote in message
...

We're going to land for a day in Le Havre during july and I don't
want to try the rush trip to Paris. Thought it might be intere4sting
to tour around Normandy (Honfleur, the beaches, St Mere Eglisse?).
Do you have any recommendations re a tour or taxi company starting
from Le Havre? Thanks for your help. E.K.



You did not mention which cruise line you were taking...We were in Le
Havre just last week on the Celebrity Constellation and we took the
ship's tour to the beaches of Normandy and the American Cemetery
there. It was one of the highlights of our cruise...We took it
through the cruise line because it was ten hours long and we wanted to
be back on time.
If you have any questions, I'll be glad to answer them.

--Jean

We're sailing on the Maasdam in July. Where all did your tour go and
what did it cost p.p.? E.K.

"Elias" wrote in message
...
We're going to land for a day in Le Havre during july and I don't want to
try the rush trip to Paris. Thought it might be intere4sting to tour
around Normandy (Honfleur, the beaches, St Mere Eglisse?). Do you have
any recommendations re a tour or taxi company starting from Le Havre?
Thanks for your help. E.K.

I agree in part with Joseph. If you really want to visit the WWII beaches,
then that's what you want to do. But keep in mind how tiring these long
tours can be.
When we stopped in Le Havre, we chose to walk from the ship to the local bus
terminal, take the local bus to Honfleur, and then just walk around that
lovely town, take some pix & enjoy a lunch and a glass of wine, and then
take the local bus back to Le Havre, with time to browse some pastry shops
on the way back to the ship. We probably spent about 6 or 7 (very relaxing)
hours doing all that and we thoroughly enjoyed it.
I should also note that the entire day cost us less than 1/4 of the cost
ship's tour to Honfleur.
Or Bayeux! Just to see and absorb the famous tapestry and to gaze in awe at
the nave of the cathedral would satisfy me for a day.
And then there's the cathedral and old city centre at Rouen (Rouyn?).
Any of these destinations can make for a nice, relaxing day-trip. I always
feel sorry for the worn out mobs returning from that exhausting 12-hour trip
to Paris (or London, different port, same deal), not really having seen very
much of a city that you could spend months or years in.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

D. Wilkinson wrote:
Elias
We too are booked on the Maasdam and plan to take the ship's excursion
to Normandy. Because of the distance and time involved we will be more
comfortable taking the ship excursion. D. Wilkinson

Elias wrote:

Jean O'Boyle wrote:

"Elias" wrote in message
...

We're going to land for a day in Le Havre during july and I don't
want to try the rush trip to Paris. Thought it might be
intere4sting to tour around Normandy (Honfleur, the beaches, St Mere
Eglisse?). Do you have any recommendations re a tour or taxi
company starting from Le Havre? Thanks for your help. E.K.




You did not mention which cruise line you were taking...We were in Le
Havre just last week on the Celebrity Constellation and we took the
ship's tour to the beaches of Normandy and the American Cemetery
there. It was one of the highlights of our cruise...We took it
through the cruise line because it was ten hours long and we wanted
to be back on time.
If you have any questions, I'll be glad to answer them.

--Jean

We're sailing on the Maasdam in July. Where all did your tour go and
what did it cost p.p.? E.K.


I've been reading some poor reviews of the Maasdam on the web and I
wonder if we made a mistake booking this trip. Do you have any recent
information about the ship? We were on it many years ago and it was a
great trip, but the lower current ratings are worrying us.

I'm going to look up the ship's tour to Normandy and see if that's what
we want. You mentioned it was a long trip; were there details in the
HAL description?

Thanks for your responses, one and all. You're a great help. E.K.