Band Of Brothers Day, Licensed Guide

Band of Brothers full-day tour from Bayeux with a licensed guide and headsets.

Overview

This full-day tour from Bayeux spends 8.5 hours retracing Easy Company, the 506th Regiment unit made famous by the Band of Brothers series, across the actual ground where its men fought in Normandy. A licensed guide leads the group in a van from Place de Quebec, using maps and period photographs to explain what happened at each stop.

The morning is devoted to the American side of the landings. The group starts at Omaha Beach, where the 1st and 29th US infantry divisions came ashore, then visits the American Cemetery behind the beach, the resting place of more than 9,000 American servicemen and women, and the bomb-scarred battlefield at Pointe du Hoc, scaled by the 2nd US Ranger Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel James E. Rudder. After a lunch stop in Sainte-Mere-Eglise, the first town liberated by American paratroopers, the afternoon shifts to Easy Company itself: Marmion Farm, where the first newsreel pictures of the invasion were taken, Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, the Brecourt Manor area with its gun battery attack from the series, and finally Carentan, the crossroads town the company captured.

It suits viewers of the series, and one reviewer put it plainly: knowing the Band of Brothers story beforehand is what makes the locations land. It also works well for anyone wanting a single day that covers both the landing beaches and the airborne story.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Place de QuebecThe tour starts and ends at Place de Quebec in Bayeux. Hotel pickup is not included.
2. Omaha BeachA 30-minute van ride, then a 40-minute guided tour of the beach where the 1st and 29th US infantry divisions landed.
3. Normandy American CemeteryA 5-minute drive, then an hour with a guided tour plus free time at the cemetery holding more than 9,000 graves.
4. Pointe du HocAfter a 20-minute drive, a 50-minute guided tour of the cliffs, craters and bunkers taken by the Rangers.
5. Sainte-Mere-Eglise lunchA 35-minute drive to the first town liberated by American paratroopers. One hour of free time for lunch, at your own extra cost.
6. Marmion FarmA 10-minute drive, then a 20-minute guided visit where the first newsreel pictures of the invasion were taken.
7. Sainte-Marie-du-MontA 10-minute drive and a 15-minute visit in the heart of the airborne sector.
8. CarentanA 20-minute drive, then a 30-minute guided tour of the crossroads town Easy Company captured.
9. Return to BayeuxA 35-minute van ride back to Place de Quebec.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help you get the most from a long day on battlefields and beaches.

• Know the story first. Travellers recommend watching the series or reading the book before the day. One reviewer put it plainly: knowing the Band of Brothers story beforehand is what makes the locations land.
• Comfortable shoes. The operator advises comfortable shoes and rain gear. You will be getting in and out of the van at regular intervals across the day.
• Rain or shine. The tour runs in all weather. Rain gear is on the bring list, so pack for the possibility of a wet day.
• Pace and stamina. The day lasts 8.5 hours with multiple stops and van transfers. One reviewer noted the guide kept things engaging throughout the whole day.
• Food is on you. Lunch in Sainte-Mere-Eglise is free time with an extra fee, and food and drinks are not included. Gratuities are also excluded.
• Headsets help. Headsets are included so the guide is easy to hear. Travellers frequently praise the guides for their depth of knowledge and use of maps and archival photos.

Common issues. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so travellers must make their own way to Place de Quebec in Bayeux. Lunch, drinks and gratuities cost extra. The tour runs rain or shine, which means a wet day is still a tour day. Some travellers mention that a bit more time at certain stops for photos would help.

Common Questions