School Trips to Normandy for 75th Anniversary of D-Day

It's been almost 75 years since that fateful day in June 1944 when Allied soldiers stormed the beaches of Normandy. By day’s end, approximately 150,000 soldiers had successfully stormed the beaches of Normandy losing 4,000 soldiers in the process. Regarded as one of the most important moments in European history, the story of the D-Day landing has been retold time and time again in countless films, TV programmes and books.

To commemorate the 75th anniversary, here at Adaptable Travel we've put together a superb selection of school trips in the Normandy area focusing on history, culture and cuisine to give students the opportunity to experience Normandy in the way that it was meant to be experienced and give them a sense of the global significance of the region.

Normandy Landing Beaches

With the Second World War such a large part of the GCSE curriculum, what better way to reinforce this learning than a trip to the Normandy Landing Beaches? On this part of their school trip, students will have the opportunity to explore the five landing beaches of Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah. With the 75th anniversary of the Operation Overlord looming, now is the perfect time to get students to stand on the shoreline, look up at the cliffs and remember the sacrifices of the men who fought to give Europe back its freedom.

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Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey

With the idea for the oratory coming to the creator in a dream and like something straight out of a fairytale the isle of Mont-Saint Michel, which is one of the most popular tourist attractions in France. The crowning jewel at the top is the Benedictine Abbey which is also a UNESCO world heritage site. Mont-Saint-Michel is also a perfect example of a feudal society with God on top, then the monastery, the great halls, the store houses and then outside, the walls of the fishermen's houses. This is a must for any school trip to Normandy.

Arromanches

Following on from the landing beaches the next step to visit the remnants of “Port Winston” and the artificial Mulberry Harbour which functioned as a port during the Normandy invasion. The Musée du Debarquement gives students the understand the logistical practicalities of war alongside the fighting. The museum also has a spectacular 9 screen 360 cinema which provides a film regarding the D Day invasion, placing students right in the middle.

Museum of the Bayeux Tapestry

Commissioned by William The Conqueror’s half-brother, Bishop Odo of Bayeux, the Bayeux Tapestry is 230 feet long and 20 inches high, depicting events from 1064 to 1066, culminating in the Battle of Hastings. As with a lot of historical documents, it's possible that as it was commissioned by the victors it is subject to a bit of historical revisionism. For example, the idea that King Harold was killed by an arrow in the eye comes from the tapestry whereas other accounts have him being stabbed by soldiers. The museum itself is a fantastic opportunity for students to see the tapestry alongside commentary on its various aspects.

Claude Monet's House and Gardens (Giverny)

As one of the greatest painters of the late 19th century, Claude Monet's manipulation of light and shadow is still extensively studied today. On this tour, students will get the opportunity to visit Monet's famous gardens in which he spent extensive time painting some of his most famous pieces. Here, you can see wood cut prints and various other stunning and historical mementos.  

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Here at Adaptable Travel we hope this has given you an idea of the wonderful variety of school trips that are available in Normandy and encouraged you to visit the area for the anniversary of the Normandy landings.