About Activity
Embark on a one-of-a-kind journey through history with our American Airborne D-Day tour in Normandy. Step into the footsteps of the courageous paratroopers who play a pivotal role in the Allied invasion. Our tour goes beyond the ordinary, offering exclusive access to hidden gems and untold stories.
Explore the iconic sites, including Sainte Mère Eglise with its famous church spire and Angoville-au-Plain, where two heroic medics tended to the wounded amid chaos.
Engage with the past through firsthand accounts shared by locals and experts, adding a personal touch to our narratives.
Immerse yourself in the wartime atmosphere with unique experiences, from period-specific demonstrations and visiting less-known, yet historically significant, locations.
This isn't just a tour; it's a personalized journey into the heart of D-Day history, ensuring an unforgettable and unparalleled exploration of this critical moment in World War II.
Includes
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
Stop At: Sainte-mere-eglise Saint Mère Eglise is a historic gem for World War II interested people. Key highlights of this first liberated village by the heroic paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division, include the iconic church where paratrooper John Steele unfortunately got caught on the church steeple during the Airborne Operations of the D-Day landings.
Inside the church you'll find 2 very special stained glass windows, offered to the community of Saint Mère Eglise to honor all the fallen American Paratroopers during the early hours of June 6, 1944.
The village-square shows multiple monuments for the 82nd Airborne Division in particular, and there are even some silent witnesses of the fighting in the form of various bulletholes.
Stop At: Beuzeville Monument in honor of the tragic crash of the C47 Skytrain carrying its crew, company commander Lt. Thomas Meehan and his fellow paratroopers (stick) of the 101st Airborne Division (506th PIR-Easy Company), as mentioned in the television series Band of Brothers.
Learn more about the Airborne Operations prior to the D-Day Landings at the beaches.
Stop At: Foucarville The remains of one of the biggest German Prisoner of War camps in Normandy. More than 40.000 German soldiers were housed here before being sent to further captivity in Great Britain, Canada or the United States.
Stop At: Ravenoville After being dropped in the swampy area between Utah Beach and the higher grounds leading towards Saint Mère Eglise, some 40 paratroopers accidentally found one of the German mobile batteries stationed around a large farm. Based on original photographic material, you'll learn how this German battery was taken out of action by the American Paratroopers.
Stop At: Utah Beach Drive alongside Utah Beach, the smallest of the 2 American Landingbeaches, towards Sainte Marie du Mont. Learn how two German observers were taken out the beautiful Church tower of this first liberated village by elements of the 101st Airborne Division.
Stop At: Angoville-au-plain The Church of Angoville au Plain played a remarkable role during the Airborne Operations in Normandy, on June 6th 1944 and beyond.
Two American medics, Robert Wright and Kenneth Moore, turned the church into a makeshift fieldhospital, caring for over 80 wounded American paratroopers and a wounded local child.
Despite intense fighting in the area, they bravely provided medical aid, using any available resources, including the church's pews and a wheelbarrow.
The selfless actions of Wright and Moore in the midst of chaos exemplify the courage and compassion displayed during the D-Day Operations.
Today, visiting the church allows you to step back in time and appreciate the incredible stories of wartime heroism.
Stop At: Carentan-les-marais Coming from Angoville-au-Plain, and passing the Dead Man's Corner, we'll take you over Purple Heart Lane towards the Ingouff Farm, where the first bayonet charge of WW II ended in favour of the U.S. Paratroopers. But at what price ?
Another example of courage, bravery, leadership and determination...... Lest we forget !
Stop At: Neuville-au-plain Visit the location where 44 American Paratroopers, 82nd Airborne Division, in the early hours of June 6th, 1944, managed to put up a roadblock to prevent any German counterattack coming from the direction of Cherbourg.
And where they succeeded to hold up a column of 180 German military, including armoured vehicles, on their way to Saint Mère Eglise, until they were relieved by the first American tanks coming from Utah Beach.
Stop At: Fresville Visit the monument where Pfc. William "Bill" Tucker lost 6 of his comrades, while trying to clear a small hamlet at the Railwayline from Caen to Cherbourg.
Stop At: Visit the crossroads where 9 days of ferocious battle resulted in 300 American losses....
Stop At: Amfreville We continue our tour in the footsteps of the 82nd Airborne Division and arrive at Dropzone T, the deadly dropzone where many 82nd Airborne Paratroopers drowned because of the deliberately flooded area.
Visit the monument for Lt. Colonel Timmes and his men, surrounded on 3 sides by the enemy, and on the remaining side there was the flooded area.....
Stop At: Visit the chapel of Cauquigny, at the other side of the Merderet river and La Fière Bridge, that changed hands several times during the 3 days battle from June 6th - June 9th, 1944.
Stop At: La Fiere Bridge And Iron Mike Monument Our last stop of the day, normally..... Visit the location of the vital bridge of La Fière, where the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, after capturing the bridge on June 6th, 1944, never to let the enemy cross this bridge again, despite several enemy counter attacks, even with tanks.
Public transportation options are available nearby Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries Not recommended for pregnant travelers Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health Suitable for all physical fitness levels For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
Best Normandy TourCuriosity56193973477
In August, we travelled throughout France with another couple. The day spent with Willem in Normandy was the highlight of our entire trip! This is not your typical Normandy experience. His depth of knowledge is so great and he brings it all to life with the true stories of the places he takes you. We loved that we went off the main tourist route to locations rich in history. His photos, maps, and books are great support for explaining the battles. I cannot recommend Willem and DDayYourWay enough. If you go to Normandy, you must do this tour!!
Great Personalized TourQ6715IItoddg
Willem gave us a customized tour after I told him about my father’s boyhood friend who jumped with F/506th PIR and was eventually KIA. He took us in his ‘footsteps’ as much as could be realistically known. He is a very good as a guide and a teacher. I will highly recommend him to all who are interested in airborne operations.
EXCELLENT -Custom 82nd Airborne TourDiana L
This tour exceeded our expectations. Willam is such an amazing tour guide and his knowledge of the DDay sites was impressive. My husband is an 82nd veteran so we wanted to focus on those sites. Since it was fabulous weather we enjoyed the tour in an authentic Willys Jeep that made this day even more perfect. Willam was professional, and lots of fun! We had an amazing experience on his tour.
Paratroopers 82nd /101st land zones drop zones utah beach in fact the whole kit and kaboddle excselent tour highly recomstephenhA376PK
Oct 26, 2025, 12:46:30 PM a superb tour with a charming host very friendly and full of information stop off with refreshments supplied by our host.
A (not so old) paratroopers tour.C8245GGtedb
A fantastic experience, Willem was amazing. I am a former 82nd Airborne Division Paratrooper and came to Sainte Mere Eglise France prepared with tons of epic lore already ingrained in my head after six years of active duty. I was amazed at the level of detail Willem was able to bring up. Having a keen interest in actions the 82nd participated, we toured many back roads reviewing specific drop zones, areas of engagements, ambushes and major combat actions throughout. I also met fantastic local folks who showed me some amazing artifacts, Willem has the inside track.
Oh, and he has an awesome military vehicle to drive you around in.
And lastly, my special power is having my eyes closed during really cool pictures... sorry
Breathtakingly informative guide496darbyg
Willem was a great guide! As a solo traveler, I felt very comfortable with him guiding me and telling me stories of the WW2 events. His picture books were very helpful in understanding the events of WW2. He told real life stories from actual veterans he had met over the years. Willem is totally dedicated to the art of guiding and teaching others about these events. A totally awesome experience that I would do again in a heartbeat.
The real stories behind Operation Overlord. Excellent.exilegull
Apr 30, 2025, 11:39:51 AM This tour is excellent. Our guide, Willem, has such a depth of knowledge and brings the history of this pivotal operation to life. We had a marvellous day and left with a far deeper understanding of the events and stories around the airborne aspects of Overlord. Thanks Willem!!
D day jeep tour within the hedge rows of Normandy Greg E
We had a 1/2 day private tour with Willem in his restored WWII jeep through the backroads within the hedge rows of Normandy. We had our 10 year old daughter and my parents with us. The jeep was enjoyable for our daughter as it felt like a fun ride in the back while Willem explained the history of the paratrooper sites. Willem had 2 large books he created for his tour with photographs and maps of the D day invasion. He showed us the exact locations where the photographs were taken by the GIs. I highly recommend Willem's tours for anyone wanting to see what the landscape looked like to the American paratroopers when they landed in the hedge rows of Normandy.
In the footsteps of both the US 82nd and 101st Airborne DivisionsSMO_10
My husband and I took a World War II Willy's jeep tour with Willem on September 8, 2024. It was absolutely the best tour we have ever done. Willem followed in the footsteps of both the US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions and told the story of these brave men. He customized the tour for us to see the 82nd Airborne museum, Utah landing beach and a wonderful stop St. Mere Eglise. His passion for the history and events are incredible. We highly recommend his tour!
Willem’s storytelling combined with his WWll jeep retracing the historical steps of our brave soldiers was the highlightIceberg29
Being picked up in a WW2 jeep added an extra layer of authenticity to the experience, and Willem's enthusiasm as he took us to each historical site was truly infectious. What stood out the most was Willem's ability to bring the history to life through his stories. At every stop, he shared fascinating anecdotes and details that allowed us to emotionally connect with the experiences of the young soldiers who fought bravely during World War II.
Willem's passion for the subject was evident, and his storytelling painted a vivid picture of what it must have been like for the paratroopers & gliders. I highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in history, particularly the 82nd Airborne Paratroopers in WW2. Willem's expertise and dedication to providing a meaningful experience make this tour a must-do for history enthusiasts. Thank you, Willem, for a memorable and enlightening journey through the footsteps of these courageous soldiers.
The highlight of our trip!Q9623RXhannahw
I took my dad to Normandy, it was his first time visiting, so I thought the best way for him to see Normandy was in an authentic WW2 Jeep! Willem is an excellent guide with so many stories to tell. Riding in the Jeep is such an amazing way to experience where the paratroopers landed on D Day, learning so much whilst following in their footsteps! Willem has a wealth of knowledge and understanding and can tailor the tour to particular sites you want to see. We did the 101st Airborne tour, and hopefully will be back soon to do the 82nd Airborne with Willem!
The best of the BEST!!alexcV3888RT
D-Day Your Way/Willem is an amazing tour guide and an absolute MUST when going to Normandy!!! We were introduced to him through an incredible program called Bridge2History as he served as our tour guide for many days while in Normandy. He’s exceptional with both children and adults as our group was compromised of kids ages 10-12 & their guardians. There wasn’t a place we went to that he didn’t know loads about!! Equipped with both black & white photos from the past & his vast knowledge of WWII and the allied invasion, I cannot imagine seeing Normandy without his expertise! I’ve already recommended him to several people I know headed to Normandy as he is truly the absolute best!!!
Jan 25, 2024, 11:52:54 AM Amazing trip through the Normandy battlefields with a focus on 101st and 82nd Airborne. Willem has brought us really close to what happened and this all in a WW2 Willys Jeep. His maps and knowledge bring an extra dimension and makes you really visualize what happened nearly 80 years ago. Worth to do it again for a different part of the Normandy front.
Fantastic tour, absolutely recommended!!Gerbrand en Arb... v
Willem has put together a tour that has captivated us and our three girls aged 10, 12 and 14 from start to finish. Full of passion and with a lot of knowledge about WWII he took us with his beep (big jeep) on the back roads and to Utah beach and told about many events and facts around DDay. Our girls loved it, it's still the talk of the day today!
Thank you @Willem for this beautiful experience, we enjoyed it. No history lesson can beat this!!
It should be clear that we warmly recommend a tour with Willem.
