Normandy: A One-Week Stay in France

Depart the U.S. on your overnight flight to Paris' Charles de Gaulle International Airport, where you’ll be met by your Smithsonian Journeys Travel Director. Travel by coach to the Norman seaside town of Honfleur. Upon arrival at the hotel, you’ll receive a welcome package with information about Honfleur and the province of Normandy. Your travel director will be available this afternoon and throughout the program for suggestions regarding restaurants and independent activities.

In the evening, gather with fellow travelers and your Smithsonian Journeys Expert for a welcome reception followed by a welcome dinner at a popular bistro nearby. (R,D)

After a buffet breakfast at the hotel, tour Honfleur’s historic fishing port and step into the famous wooden church of St. Catherine, crafted by local shipbuilders in the second half of the 15th century. Other town highlights include the Vieux Bassin or old harbor. It’s here the Seine River meets the English Channel. In 1608, French explorer Samuel de Champlain departed from Honfleur on an expedition to the New World and founded the French colony that became Quebec City.

After an independent lunch, continue to the Musée Eugène Boudin, a museum housed in a former Augustinian convent chapel and dedicated to the artists inspired by Honfleur and its environs. Enjoy a guided tour of the collections, featuring an impressive array of paintings by Monet, Dufy, and Dubourg, and capturing the raw beauty of Normandy's coastal landscapes and towns.

Return to the hotel and join fellow travelers and your Smithsonian Journeys Expert for an informal discussion about the day’s discoveries. Dine out this evening at a local restaurant. (B,D)

Spend the day exploring the evocative sites associated with Operation Overlord, which began in the early hours of on June 6, 1944, known as D-Day, when Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy. During the drive, a local expert will give a talk about the daring battle, which changed the course of World War II and marked the beginning of the end of Axis domination of Europe.

Follow the Calvados coastline, stopping in sites that were pivotal to the ultimate success of the Allied effort, including Arromanches and Omaha Beach. See acres of simply marked graves at the poignant Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, and visit the mortar-scarred bluffs at Pointe du Hoc, where German gun posts still guard the cliffs that U.S. Rangers courageously scaled. After lunch at a restaurant in Arromanches, return to Honfleur for an evening at leisure. (B,L)

Depart for Étretat, crossing the famous Pont de Normandie, a graceful suspension bridge that spans the Seine before the river spills into the Atlantic Ocean. The resort town of Étretat is known for its white cliffs and striking rock formations, including the Porte d'Aval arch and l'Aiguille (the Needle), a narrow pinnacle that rising up from the sea. Claude Monet and other impressionists famously painted this dramatic coast in the 19th century. Continue to Château du Bec, a privately owned 10th-century château surrounded lush woods and ponds. Meet one of the owners for a tour followed by lunch featuring local specialties in this unforgettable setting. Next travel to Le Havre, a port city situated on the English Channel that sustained severe damage from bombing raids during the Second World War. While here, enjoy a guided walking tour of this historic town. Enjoy dinner on your own tonight. (B,L)

Journey south to the tidal island known as Mont-Saint-Michel, where an abbey church was built atop a granite rock more than a thousand years ago. Over the centuries, new buildings were added, removed, and adapted to meet the purpose of the site, which served over time as a fortress, a monastery, a prison, and then a pilgrimage site. After a tour of the fortified abbey, take advantage of free time to have lunch in one of the island’s restaurants and explore on your own. Upon your return to the hotel, join fellow travelers and your Smithsonian Journeys Expert in the Travelers Corner for an informal discussion about the day’s discoveries. Dinner will be at leisure. (B)

Venture to the charming town of Bayeux, which was untouched by World War II bombardments and the first town to be liberated by the Allies. Discover its charming medieval center, where timeless half-timbered houses line cobbled lanes and the narrow Aure River meanders beneath buildings and bridges. Step into the Notre Dame Cathedral, a masterpiece of Norman Gothic architecture that was consecrated in the presence of William the Conqueror in 1077—just 11 years after his conquest of England. Sit down to a lunch of Norman specialties and a tasting of the region’s world-famous calvados at a restaurant in town, then enjoy free time to discover more of Bayeux.

In the afternoon, visit the Caen Memorial Museum, an impressive exhibition that explores conflict and peace throughout the 20th century through an array of artifacts, photos, film, and video footage.

This evening, a local speaker will discuss the origins and leaders of the French Resistance, the role of the French underground in the lead up to D-Day, and the heroic efforts of the men and women who fought to liberate their country. (B,L)

*The 2027 departures visit the Caen Memorial Museum in the morning and Bayeux in the afternoon.

Please note: The Bayeux Tapestry and Museum is undergoing an extensive renovation and will be closed until late 2027. We will include a visit to the museum as soon as it reopens.

Take advantage of a full day free of planned activities and let your interests be your guide, discovering more of the region’s sites or returning to your favorite spots. In the evening, gather to celebrate your week in Normandy at a farewell reception followed by dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)

After an early breakfast, transfer by motorcoach to Charles de Gaulle International Airport to catch your return flight to the U.S. (B)

Please note: The progression of this itinerary and inclusions may change due to operational considerations.