Make your way from England to Paris and on to the Normandy area.

Today, walk the town of Sainte-Mère-Église. Here, the Allies parachuted in and began the D-Day invasion. Continue to Pointe du Hoc, the site of intense fighting as the Allies came ashore. This afternoon, travel to Caen, the site of heavy fighting as the allied forces moved inland off the beaches. The history of the city is reflected in the Château de Caen, a castle built by William the Conqueror prior to the Battle of Hastings. Today, it houses a museum that reflects its history, including the bullet holes where French Resistance members were shot against its walls. See the Memorial for Peace here.

This morning, you’ll head for the beaches of Normandy, where on June 6, 1944, Allied forces began the invasion of Europe to liberate it from the grip of Nazi Germany. Visit the D-Day Museum. You will also visit the American cemetery of Omaha Beach, where we will say a prayer of thanksgiving for their courage. Enjoy time for lunch in the quaint village of Colleville-sur-Mer. Continue on to Bayeux. Explore the town’s architectural heritage, visiting half-timber houses, town mansions, the Bayeux Cathedral, the town center along the Aure River, and other historic sights.

Visit Mont-Saint-Michel, an island consecrated in 708. It was one of the first places of cult for the Archangel Michel with the Gargan’s Mount. The abbey presents a big panorama of medieval architecture from the XI to the XVIth century.

Explore the walled city of St. Malo, the history of which is steeped in piracy. Gaze at turquoise waters and such sites as the castle and its towers, the National Fort, partially built by famed military architect Vauban, and the cathedral of Saint-Vincent. You’ll also venture to Dinard, with its Belle Èpoque villas and beaches, as well as to Dinan, one of Brittany’s most beautiful and best-preserved towns, known for its art galleries and crafts.

You will travel this morning to Chartres. The Cathedral of Notre Dame of Chartres contains a tunic that belonged to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Sancta Camisa. This garment was a gift to the church by Charlemagne upon his return from the Holy Land. The Cathedral was begun in 1145 and became a popular pilgrimage site in the 12th century. Celebrate Mass here, before you continue to the village of Giverny, where Claude Monet painted and lived at the turn of the 20th century. See his house and wander the impressive gardens, filled with inspiration for his work.

This morning, you will head to the Île de la Cité, home to Notre Dame. This 850-year-old Gothic cathedral remains the center of the French and their faith. From here, you’ll visit Sainte-Chapelle, the private chapel of kings illuminated with streams of colored light through towering stained-glass windows. Visit one of the world’s most renowned museums, the Musée d’Orsay. Housed in the train station building, constructed by Victor Laloux for the 1900 World Fair, the Orsay is a national museum devoted to all the arts between 1848-1914. The various artistic movements represented include Academism, Realism, Impressionism, Symbolism, and Art Nouveau. Among the featured artists are Cézanne, Courbet, Daumier, Degas, Gauguin, Manet, Millet, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Rodin, Seurat, Sisley and Van Gogh.

Today is yours to explore and shop in the City of Light.

Travel to the Paris airport for your return flight home.