| The USNA Alumni Association is pleased to offer a great new trip for our alumni who wish a more active type of travel opportunity. Please join us and our friends from Army as we enjoy the charm of the old port of Honfleur which inspired impressionists; the glitz and chic of Deauville with its casino, boardwalk, and yearly American film festival; the sobering landing beaches of D-Day and the American cemetery; the magnificent Bayeaux Tapestry and the story of William the Conqueror; the breathtaking Mont St. Michel and its encroaching tides This bike tour of Normandy provides an unsurpassed array of sights, pleasures, and historical reflections. Add the superb hotels and local cuisine, such as moules-frites (mussels and fries) and other abundant seafood, creamy veal dishes, camembert cheese, apple cider and calvados, and your memories of a week in Normandy will be indelibly fixed! The tour includes 4 days of cycling plus a short orientation ride. Guests who do not wish to cycle have the option to ride in the vehicle that accompanies the riders or do other activities as they wish. They can still participate in all aspects of the tour. Bobbi Collins Associate Director, Business Operations U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association 247 King George Street Annapolis, MD 21402 Phone 410-263-4448, ext. 139 Fax 410-295-6513 NAVY BLUE AND GOLD... the bond that lasts a lifetime www.usna.com Tour Operator- Beaux Voyages, Inc. Back to UANAAA Travel Page |
| 25 June - 1 July, 2005 7 DAYS 6 NIGHTS Price per person double occupancy: $2,595 1-877-362-0045 |
| Honfleur- Old Port |
| DAY 1 Arrival and Orientation Ride Arrive Caen by train from Paris (about 2 hr. train ride). Transfer to Honfleur, a gorgeous little port and fishing village that inspired impressionist painters. In fact this area was a favorite retreat of Monet, Sisley, Courbet, Boudin, and others. The Impressionists had some of their first meetings here. Bike orientation ride or stroll around the village. See the stylish Pont de Normandie (Normandy bridge) on the orientation ride, one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in the world. A stroll through the cobbled streets to observe the shops and galleries is an excellent way to work up an appetite for a great dinner. Fresh seafood anyone? Hotel- Les Maisons de Lea DAY 2 Bike to Deauville and Trouville Bike to Deauville and Trouville. Deauville is very chic and fashionable. Deauville hosts the annual American Film Festival and has been a favorite of movie stars for decades. It is also famous for many prestigious sporting events such as horse races, regattas, the world polo championships and the international yearling fair. Walk the famous boardwalk on the beach, visit the world-renown casino, etc. Bike back to Honfleur through Trouville, a quaint fishing village and seaside vacation spot. Before arriving back in Honfleur and the hotel, we'll stop at a family owned cider/calvados producer (calvados is a cognac type liqueur but made from apples). A cool sip of cider made from apples or even pears is a refreshing end to the day's cycling adventures. Hotel- Les Maisons de Lea |
| Caen Memorial |
| DAY 3 Caen/Arromanches Bus from Honfleur to Caen, called the city of William the Conqueror (was 80% destroyed in WWII). Visit the Caen Memorial museum. This is probably the best of all the WWII museums in the region. The film is particularly interesting, showing the D-Day landings from both the Allied and German perspectives. After lunch we will bike from our hotel to Arromanches, site of the huge artificial port erected after D-Day. Another good museum and excellent films at both the museum itself and the 360 degree theater on the hill nearby. The latter is particularly moving and contrasts scenes during combat in WWII with those same locations today. Dinner at a local restaurant in Bayeux. Hotel- Chateau de Bellefontaine |
| Arromanches- Site of Artifical Port |
| Above and right- American Cemetery at Collville s/ Mer |
| DAY 4 Bike To American Cemetery/Omaha Beach/Bayeux Tapestry and Cathedral Bike to the American Cemetery with views overlooking Omaha Beach. Stroll through the cemetery and the thousands of immaculate white headstone crosses. Like several of the WWII memorial sites, this property is owned and maintained by the U.S. government. Bike into Bayeux (first city liberated in France on June 7, 1944- interestingly not badly damaged) to visit the world famous Bayeux Tapestry. This tapestry was made in the 11th century (looks like it was done about a month ago it’s in such good condition). |
| Section of Bayeux Tapestry |
| Day 5 Pointe du Hoc/Ste. Mere Eglise/Airborne Museum/Utah Beach Today we will be accompanied by a renown WWII historian, Col. Oliver Warman, British Army Retired. Col. Warman has lived in Normandy and led historical tours there for many years. He will offer us his provocative perspective of the Battle of Normandy, and he’ll answer all questions from the group throughout the day. Col. Warman's time with us will be one of the highlights of the entire tour. Bus to Pointe du Hoc, which was a heavily defended German battery overlooking Omaha Beach. This overlook was captured the morning of D-Day by the 2nd Ranger Battalion which scaled the cliffs but incurred heavy losses. All the bomb and shell craters are still there, along with many of the German bunkers. Drive to Ste. Mere Eglise to see the church (an airborne soldier got his parachute caught on the steeple and played dead so the Germans wouldn’t shoot him- a mannequin is left hanging in the same spot to depict the event- see photo) and the Airborne museum across the street. This is the area where the U.S. Airborne troops dropped on the night of June 5, 1944. Drive to Utah beach to see the museum and memorials there. Hotel- Chateau de Bellefontaine |
| Ste. Mere Eglise - Parachute Stuck on Church |
| Le Mont Saint Michel |
| Included: - Hotels (based on double occupancy- single supplement $400) - All breakfasts and dinners - Bicycles, helmets, bike locks, day bags, etc. - Daily bike routes led by experienced tour guides - "Sag wagon" for those who don’t wish to cycle - Refreshments daily along routes - Welcome cocktail in Honfleur - Entrance fees to museums and attractions specified in itinerary - Gratuities for hotels and included meals - All transfers from Caen to Rennes - Intimate small group atmosphere Not Included: - Lunches - Alcoholic beverages at meals - Flights from U.S. to Europe and return - Train tickets to Caen from Paris and to Paris from Rennes AIR / TRAIN INCLUSION PROGRAM- $3,695 per person double occupancy Included: -Round trip coach class airfare on Air France or similar carrier from New York (details from other gateways available upon request) -Accommodations in Paris on 1 July 2004 -Pick-up and drop-off at Paris CDG airport -All U.S. and foreign airport taxes and fees Note- Hotels of equal quality might be substituted for those listed in above itinerary depending on availability. |
| Day 6 Le Mont St. Michel Bus to the fascinating island village of Le Mont St. Michel, which at certain times of the year at high tide is completely surrounded by the sea. One of the top attractions in France and all of Europe. We’ll have a half- day guided tour with the balance of the time left for exploring. The view from the top at the cathedral is remarkable. We believe it’s best to spend the night on the island, as most of the tourists leave each evening, so after that and in the early morning it feels like you have the whole place to yourself. Hotel- La Mere Poulard (famous for omelets cooked the ancient way over an open fire) Day 7 Transfer to Rennes train station after breakfast. |
| It is over 200 ft. long and about 19 inches high, and it depicts the entire story of the conquest of England by William the Conqueror and the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The tapestry was meant to be displayed in the Bayeux cathedral. An excellent film describes the story and how one is to interpret the meaning and significance of the work. Hotel- Chateau de Bellefontaine |
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