The Poppy Trail

We fly to Paris.

Upon arrival, we travel to Giverny to visit Claude Monet’s country home and magnificent gardens, where a dazzling array of colours, forms and plantings reflects the artist’s extraordinary vision. We continue to Rouen and check in to our hotel, with time to relax before our Welcome Dinner.

Begin with a walking tour of Rouen’s historic Old Town, discovering the magnificent Notre-Dame Cathedral, the iconic Gros-Horloge, picturesque half-timbered houses and the site where Joan of Arc met her tragic fate. We then continue to Normandy, where we’ll visit Pegasus Bridge and the first house liberated in Europe on D-Day. We settle into our comfortable hotel in Crépon, our home base for the next three nights as we explore the Normandy battlefields.

We begin at the Canadian Memorial Garden at the Abbaye d’Ardenne before visiting Verrières Ridge, where Canadian troops suffered heavy losses during fierce fighting. We continue to the Juno Beach Centre, which tells the story of Canada’s role in the Second World War, and stop at the Queen’s Own Rifles House on the beach at Bernières-sur-Mer. We conclude at the Canadian Cemetery at Bény-sur-Mer, where we’ll pay our respects to the fallen.

Today, we’ll explore some of the most significant sites of the D-Day landings, including the cratered landscape of Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery. We’ll also visit the German battery at Longues-sur-Mer and the Disembarkation Museum in Arromanches, home to the remarkable Mulberry Harbour.

We travel to Dieppe to see its landing beaches and clifftop gun emplacements, the scene of fierce fighting and heavy Canadian losses. We then visit the Dieppe Memorial Museum and Canadian Cemetery before continuing to Arras.

Our focus now shifts to the First World War as we explore the Somme, beginning in Albert with a visit to the Musée des Abris (or Musée Somme 1916). We continue through the Somme Battlefields to the Memorial to the Missing at Thiepval and Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, where we remember the Royal Newfoundland Regiment and the many soldiers who lost their lives here.

At Vimy Ridge, Canadian troops stormed the ridge in a pivotal battle after previous Allied attempts had failed. We’ll explore its tunnels, trenches and iconic memorial, then visit the Wellington Tunnels, used by Allied forces to support the Western Front.

We travel to Lens and the Hill 70 Memorial, which commemorates a major Canadian victory, then proceed to Ypres to visit the In Flanders Fields Museum.

This morning, we visit Essex Farm, where John McCrae wrote In Flanders Fields, before continuing to Langemark Cemetery, the final resting place of some 44,000 German soldiers, and Vancouver Corner, home to the Brooding Soldier Memorial. Later, enjoy an optional excursion to Dunkirk before witnessing the moving Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in the evening.

Today we visit the Canadian Memorial at Crest Farm and Tyne Cot, the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the world, before exploring the Passchendaele Museum, where preserved trenches and German defensive positions bring the battlefield to life. We continue to Hill 62 to see a well-preserved section of the original Canadian Front Line, then enjoy some free time in Ypres.

We drive to Paris, with free time to explore before checking into our centrally-located hotel. Dinner is at a charming local restaurant, followed by an illuminated cruise along the Seine.

This morning, we discover Paris’ iconic landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élysées. Spend the afternoon at leisure strolling charming streets, browsing boutiques or simply soaking up the atmosphere and capturing your final Paris memories. Tonight, we gather for a special Farewell Dinner to celebrate our memorable journey together.

A warm “au revoir” to France as we fly home.