Ww Ii Private Guided Tour American Landing Beaches In Normandy

Our private tour of Normandy with Willem was, without a doubt, the best guided tour we have ever experienced. We have taken many tours all over the world, and Willem stands out as the most exceptional guide we have ever had. Not only is he incredibly knowledgeable about the history, but it was the personal stories he shared and his engaging personality that truly made the experience unforgettable. His passion for the region is evident in everything he does, and he has a unique ability to bring history to life in a meaningful and memorable way. What really set Willem apart was how he went above and beyond to ensure we experienced not only the famous sites of Normandy, but also the local culture, traditions, and way of life. He tailored the experience to make it feel personal, authentic, and far beyond what we expected from a typical tour. It is difficult to put into words just how amazing our time with Willem was. Every moment was enjoyable, informative, and thoughtfully planned. If you are considering a tour in Normandy, I 100% recommend Willem over any other option. He made our trip truly special, and we will definitely book another tour with him when we return.

AMAZING tour. Willem customized our tour to include pertinent details about my father's August 1944 landing at Utah Beach and dad's first few days in Normandy. His van comfortably accommodated the six of us. Willem is incredibly knowledgeable about the events surrounding D-Day and the subsequent invasion. Thank you, Willem, for a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Willem was the best tour guide we have ever had! Every minute of this tour was better than I could have ever imagined. As a WWII history nerd, I couldn’t get enough of it. He took us chronologically through the experience of DDay. it was like we lived each moment with the 82nd and 101st and then stood in the shoes of those storming Omaha and Utah. If I could give more starts I would. Thank you!

Someone called Wilem the GOAT and indeed he is. Spent a wonderful day in what Wilem called an " outdoor museum". Facts, pictures, even emotions with lots of laughs. If you have a chance to visit D Day, spend it with Wilem.

On our 3 week tour of Italy & France, this was our #1 experience, Willen was incredible!! He knew minute details of the history for every area we visited. We felt like we had "lived that day", walked where our veterans walked, and completed our day honoring those who fought for our country.

Willem was so great! We spent the entire day with him. He taught us so much! Even our teenagers loved the tour. He was patient with our younger son and really great! I would book another tour with him if we ever made it back to Normandy.

Willem was great! In depth knowledge and clear respect and love for his work and Normandy was clearly evident Great story telling and use of historical pictures to bring life to our experiences. And fun!

Amazing experience! One day with Willem is not enough. Willem is an extremely gifted story teller, and through stories, he immersed us, completely, not only in the times and locations, but in the emotions, sounds, chaos of the the DDay invasion. Willem left us starving for more stories. He also left us with a tremendous attachment to our soldiers and their courage and sacrifice. We can not say "Thank you" enough!!

My family and I had the opportunity to tour Normandy with Willem and it was a great decision. His knowledge of the epic struggle that unfolded in 1944 combined with his story telling ability made for a great day. Since it was a small group, we were able to visit sites that were too small for large tour buses to access. I strongly recommend spending the day with Willem, you will learn a lot and greatly appreciate what happened during this critical campaign during WWII.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND! My husband and I did this tour with my brother and his wife and it was simply OUTSTANDING! Willem was an absolutely incredible tour guide. His vast knowledge of World War II was impressive. He had maps and illustrations that gave even more clarity to the tour. To stand on the beaches where the battles of DDay occurred sent chills. Beyond facts, he shared numerous stories from veterans who were a part of the DDay invasion. Since it was a private tour with just the four of us and Willem, he was able to cater the tour to the topics and locations that interested us the most. It was an experience that we will remember for the rest of our lives. Just superb!

What an experience! Willem enthousiastically shared his knowledge and stories and our 4 hour tour (which easily became 4,5 hours) flew by. It was thoroughly enjoyed by our children (age 12, 14 and 16) as well. We highly recommend going on this adventure with Willem.

Great itinerary- thorough and detailed- enjoyable. Flexible on stops and specific interests - perfect. We highly recommend William.

Willem was simply outstanding. If you’re looking for a knowledgeable, experienced and fun guide, look no further. He is extremely well versed in the events surrounding D Day, so you will end the day with an even great appreciation for the events that unfolded on those beaches and in those fields. All of the locals appeared to know and love him. His English was perfect - we could not have asked for a better experience. Thank you, Willem. We will be back!

This was the best tour we have ever been on with Willem as the guide. He was professional, funny and explained so much history to us that was incredible. I definitely would recommend this WW11 tour with him. It was unforgettable and amazing.

If a 10-star review were an option, we'd give a 10! Willem provided a fully immersive experience as he guided us through the sacred sites of Normandy, going "above and beyond" to connect us with locales that were specific to my father's service in WW2. Willem's breadth and depth of knowledge are inspiring, but most of all he is an attentive and engaging guide, ensuring that we had the most memorable day possible. I hope to return to Normandy to enjoy the other tours he provides.

Our day with Willem exploring the beaches of Normandy was nothing short of extraordinary—it far exceeded all expectations! Willem’s deep passion for World War II history, Northern France, and the Normandy region truly brought history to life in a way we never thought possible. Unlike the impersonal experience of a cruise ship bus tour, Willem’s private tour was intimate and engaging. In his personal car, he met us at the cruise terminal and then took us on a journey through the scenic back roads of Normandy, reaching locations inaccessible to larger vehicles. These locations, combined with his profound knowledge and captivating storytelling, made for an unforgettable experience. Willem has a remarkable ability to make historical events feel vivid and real. It was as if the stories we had only read about in textbooks were unfolding right in front of us. He personalized the tour to our interests, ensuring we fully appreciated the significance of each stop along the way. He even went out of his way to stop at a local pharmacy to help us get some cold medicine and helped translate for us with the locals when needed. If you're looking for an authentic, heartfelt, and incredibly informative way to explore the beaches of Normandy, Willem is the ONLY guide you need. His dedication to sharing the history and culture of this remarkable region is truly unmatched. This experience will forever be etched in our memories!

Willem “Wim” was beyond fantastic! Our group was multigenerational from teens to grandparents and everyone loved him and the amazing tour / experience! There are not many guides as passionate or knowledgeable as he is! He went way beyond the basic facts and points of interest; he took us on back roads and told us all the “little stories” of the real people who lived D Day. From locals to soldiers, their stories were all so personal and intimate and just incredible. If you want a true “experience” and not some “basic tour” give Wim a call. He shared all the local haunts - excellent restaurants:pubs/bakeries and even joined us for dinner one night. He went out of his way to find us a room to rent when our rental car broke down and left us hotel-less for the night. Honestly cannot say enough good things about him or his tour. We liked it so much, we ended up doing a second day! Have traveled frequently and taken a lot of different tours and Wim has been our favorite hands down! Even recommended him to our kids’ orthodontist when we got back and he canceled his original tour for his family to go with Wim and had the same fantastic experience. Thanks for taking such great care of our family Willem!!

Write your review I had the distinct good fortune of finding Willem Braam of DDay Your Way after doing some research. I was looking for a private guided 3 day tour for a party of four. I found that many of the larger companies although advertising "personalized" or "customized" tours really are not interested in providing that service. I had some specific requests on sites I wished our party of four to visit. Most companies just wanted to do a combination of the various tours they offer. Then I found Willem. I provided Willem with a list of approximately 40 sites that l wished our group to visit. This is not normally how things work as most tour guides select where they will take their guests and what they will see. Willem took this challenge head on. What resulted was a once in a life time experience that none of us could have imagined or expected. Not only did Willem fulfill my requests, he included stops at numerous other sites that made our time with him an even greater experience. Willem has an unmatched depth and knowledge of the Normandy campaign. He uses his knowledge like a skilled painter uses a brush to paint for you a masterpiece of the events of 80 years ago. I considered myself somewhat knowledgeable about the actions in Normandy. After three days with Willem ! came to realize how little I did know and how much I had under appreciated certain aspects of the battles that took place. If you wish more than just a generic Normandy Battlefield Tour I strongly suggest you reach out to Willem. I guarantee you that you will not be disappointed. In addition to all of the above Willem is very warm and personable with an excellent sense for humor! He even got me to try oysters!|

Wileim was absolutely an amazing guide. He knew the history in great detail and had a large book of original photos to show us the sites then and now! We highly recommend our guide. We spent a wonderful day with him. The American cemetery was very moving. Many monuments along the way were explained as well.

Our tour led by Willem was an amazing experience. His passion and depth/breadth of knowledge was really inspirational. Our family of 4 spent a full day visiting the American beaches, American Cemetery and many little hidden spots. In addition to visiting the main sites, Willem took us off the beaten path to experience living history and get an understanding of what soldiers overcame 80 years ago. Friendly and engaging to adults and teens his enthusiasm spilled over to keep everyone involved throughout the day. I would definitely use Willem again if we are back in Normandy

The most wholesome and informative tour. Our guide Willem went out of his way to immerse us in the history of D Day and the freedoms and peace that brought to Europe and the World . Very friendly, hilarious and informative tour guide. He made sure we arrived on time back to our ship and ensured we hit all the highlights of Normandy! You will not be disappointed!

I can't say enough good things about our tour with Willem. He was professional, courteous, flexible and knowledgeable. He provided us with a couple of options for the day and was able to put together a great excursion for me and my family. Willem will show you things and take you to places that very few know about or are able to go. We enjoyed his company and even invited him to dinner after our tour as a small token of our appreciation for teaching us the history of D-Day. I will for sure be back and will recommend Willem to all my friends and family.

What can we say. Willem was the most amazing tour guide. It’s great to see all of the areas from a historical perspective but the ability of Willem and the opportunity to understand the real human stories was both informative and inspiring and really brought the whole experience to life

We are inordinately grateful to our passionate guide, Willem for sharing his extensive well knowledge of Normandy, and World War II in general, inspiring stories of courage and resistance, fascinating tales of deception (staging entire fake regiments in strategic positions to confuse the Nazis) 👏 freakishly brilliant!!! ...and just bringing history to life for us! It was a unforgettable day. BTW... if you're interested in any specific family connections, or aspects of this battle, let Willem know. He communicates really well with his guests and will research you're request before the tour and fulfill your dreams! Best tour ever! Tina and Tim

Willem was such a wealth of knowledge & enriched our trip beyond measure! He will take you to DDay & beyond! Incredible asset to the area!!

Willem actually guided our group of youth and adults in October 2022. Willem is phenomenal. I can not imagine a guide with more knowledge and insight. Willem is part of an incredible network of historians and reenactors who walk the walk and talk the talk. The youth with our Bridge to History group still discuss Willem and engage in conversations about what Willem taught. He had them make real-life connections and engaged them in thought-provoking discussions that they still have ongoing.

We were so very fortunate to have Willem as our guide for the week and it felt as though we were transported back in time. He truly brings history to life through his knowledge and takes the time to walk with you in the footsteps of the soldiers who fought and sacrificed all over Normandy. Be ready to see Normandy up close and personal. The emotional impact of visiting these places and gaining a new appreciation for what these men, some just boys at the time accomplished is staggering. When we come back, we're going to be sure to book with Willem. He started out as our guide and we parted as family.

What a fantastic day we had with Wim as our guide! From the first moment we noticed that we were on the road with someone who has a lot of knowledge, but who also knows how to convey it in a fascinating and compelling way. Throughout the day Wim took us along the most important places of D-Day, such as Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, the American cemetery, Pointe du Hoc and the back roads where the Allies advanced at the time. We also visited the locations where the paratroopers landed. Each visit was accompanied by impressive stories full of historical details, facts and the right dates. It felt like we were in the middle of history. Wim is exactly the type of history teacher that everyone would have liked to have back in the day. He knows how to bring history to life, so you keep listening and want to remember everything. Even our daughters, aged 12 and 16, were captivated all day. He started the tour with a clear explanation of how World War II started and how it eventually led to D-Day. A perfect refresher, also for the children. In addition, Wim is a very sympathetic and enthusiastic man. He was punctual in the morning to pick us up and took all the time for us. The tour didn’t feel rushed anywhere; on the contrary, it even lasted more than an hour because we were so interested and Wim still had so many beautiful stories to tell. In short: this tour was without a doubt one of the absolute highlights of our holiday. Wim combines enormous historical knowledge with passion, humour and personal attention. If you really want to experience and understand the history of D-Day, we can highly recommend a tour with Wim. An absolute must and without a doubt 5 stars!

We took a tour with Willem in a fantastic jeep in June 2023. His enthusiastic and knowledgeable stories are great. The past really comes alive again. Sometimes it just makes you silent. It really hits home. And driving around to many different places that you would otherwise never visit is really special. Willem takes his time and knows how to answer all questions perfectly. In short, highly recommended if you want to know more about the Battle of Normandy and, above all, want to have a very fun and educational day. Willem thanks for this wonderful memory