WWII & the Liberation of France
Visit the same battlegrounds and critical sites our forefathers did as you march towards Paris.
Go deep into Allied leadership at the underground command center where Churchill directed the war. Explore the Map Room, and take the English Channel by sea and Normandy by foot. Nothing can simulate the invasion, but the shore’s eerie quiet offers as much insight as the expert at your side.
-
Day 1: Fly overnight to England
-
Day 2: London
Meet your Tour Director at the airportTake a walking tour of London
With your Tour Director you will see:
- The Strand, London's major thoroughfare
- Trafalgar Square, a bustling central square
- Leicester Square, a square lined with theaters and other events
- Covent Garden, a vibrant and charming shopping area
Enjoy a fish and chips dinner in London
-
Day 3: London
Take a WWII-themed guided tour of London
With your expert local guide you will see:
- Grosvenor Square, home to Eisenhower’s military headquarters during the war
- Piccadilly Circus, a five-way intersection
- St. Paul’s Cathedral, a domed church which has hosted many royal events
- Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (if scheduled)
Visit the Cabinet War Rooms, where Prime Minister Churchill and the Allied Commanders planned the Allied war effort
Visit the Imperial War Museum to gain insight into the everyday challenges of modern warfare, the life of Winston Churchill and the workings of his cabinet during World War II
-
Day 4: London • Normandy region
Visit Portsmouth's D-Day museum
Travel by ferry to the Normandy region along the same route used by Allied naval forces
Enjoy dinner on the ferry
-
Day 5: Normandy region
Tour the D-Day beaches of Normandy with an expert local guide
Visit the Caen Memorial, dedicated to reminding visitors of the fragility of peace
Visit Pointe du Hoc, the 320-foot cliff scaled by Allied troops to suppress the German attack
Visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, where nearly 10,000 American soldiers are buried, their graves marked with rows of white crosses
Stop to take a photo in Arromanches, another key battleground
-
Day 6: Normandy region • Rouen • Paris
Travel via Rouen, and step inside the stunning Rouen Cathedral, which was severely damaged by Allied bombs in 1944, on your way to Paris
Tour Rouen with your Tour Director
Take a walking tour of the Latin Quarter, so named because the language was once commonly spoken by the Sorbonne students that populated the area
See Notre-Dame Cathedral, known for its sculptured facade, stained-glass rose windows, and seemingly weightless vaulted ceilings, and see the progress of its restoration following the 2019 fire which damaged much of the building
Enjoy a scenic view of Paris as you sail along the iconic Seine River
-
Day 7: Paris
Take a guided tour of Paris
With your expert local guide you will see:
- Place de la Concorde, a major public square
- Champs-Élysées, an elegant boulevard packed with high-fashion boutiques
- Arc de Triomphe, a monument honoring those who fought for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
- Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair and an iconic symbol of Paris
- Hôtel des Invalides, a grand hospital commissioned by Louis XIV
Visit the Shoah Holocaust memorial and museum, including the Wall of Names, which is cut from stone straight from Jerusalem and inscribed with the names of 76,000 French Holocaust victims
-
Day 8: Paris
Add this in-depth excursion:
Versailles
Welcome to the world headquarters of decadence—the grand palace of Versailles. The enormous estate was built to keep commoners far from its gilded doors and expansive gardens—but fortunately, you won’t have to win Louie or Marie’s notoriously fickle favor to get in. After spending the day in a maze of manicured shrubbery and the staggering Hall of Mirrors, continue the theme of indulgence by treating yourself at a local patisserie nearby.Enjoy dinner in the Latin Quarter -
Day 9: Depart for home
-
Day 1: Fly overnight to England
-
Day 2: London
Meet your Tour Director at the airportTake a walking tour of London
With your Tour Director you will see:
- The Strand, London's major thoroughfare
- Trafalgar Square, a bustling central square
- Leicester Square, a square lined with theaters and other events
- Covent Garden, a vibrant and charming shopping area
Enjoy a fish and chips dinner in London
-
Day 3: London
Take a WWII-themed guided tour of London
With your expert local guide you will see:
- Grosvenor Square, home to Eisenhower’s military headquarters during the war
- Piccadilly Circus, a five-way intersection
- St. Paul’s Cathedral, a domed church which has hosted many royal events
- Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (if scheduled)
Visit the Cabinet War Rooms, where Prime Minister Churchill and the Allied Commanders planned the Allied war effort
Visit the Imperial War Museum to gain insight into the everyday challenges of modern warfare, the life of Winston Churchill and the workings of his cabinet during World War II
-
Day 4: London • Normandy region
Visit Portsmouth's D-Day museum
Travel by ferry to the Normandy region along the same route used by Allied naval forces
Enjoy dinner on the ferry
-
Day 5: Normandy region
Tour the D-Day beaches of Normandy with an expert local guide
Visit the Caen Memorial, dedicated to reminding visitors of the fragility of peace
Visit Pointe du Hoc, the 320-foot cliff scaled by Allied troops to suppress the German attack
Visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, where nearly 10,000 American soldiers are buried, their graves marked with rows of white crosses
Stop to take a photo in Arromanches, another key battleground
-
Day 6: Normandy region • Rouen • Paris
Travel via Rouen, and step inside the stunning Rouen Cathedral, which was severely damaged by Allied bombs in 1944, on your way to Paris
Tour Rouen with your Tour Director
Take a walking tour of the Latin Quarter, so named because the language was once commonly spoken by the Sorbonne students that populated the area
See Notre-Dame Cathedral, known for its sculptured facade, stained-glass rose windows, and seemingly weightless vaulted ceilings, and see the progress of its restoration following the 2019 fire which damaged much of the building
Enjoy a scenic view of Paris as you sail along the iconic Seine River
-
Day 7: Paris
Take a guided tour of Paris
With your expert local guide you will see:
- Place de la Concorde, a major public square
- Champs-Élysées, an elegant boulevard packed with high-fashion boutiques
- Arc de Triomphe, a monument honoring those who fought for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
- Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair and an iconic symbol of Paris
- Hôtel des Invalides, a grand hospital commissioned by Louis XIV
Visit the Shoah Holocaust memorial and museum, including the Wall of Names, which is cut from stone straight from Jerusalem and inscribed with the names of 76,000 French Holocaust victims
-
Day 8: Paris
Add this in-depth excursion:
Versailles
Welcome to the world headquarters of decadence—the grand palace of Versailles. The enormous estate was built to keep commoners far from its gilded doors and expansive gardens—but fortunately, you won’t have to win Louie or Marie’s notoriously fickle favor to get in. After spending the day in a maze of manicured shrubbery and the staggering Hall of Mirrors, continue the theme of indulgence by treating yourself at a local patisserie nearby.Enjoy dinner in the Latin Quarter -
Day 9: Depart for home
Confidence • Curiosity • Global perspective • Empathy • Adaptability • Relatability • Self-Awareness
...
Your experience includes
-
Round-trip airfare
Your price includes round-trip airfare for your whole group
-
Accommodations
Safe, comfortable hotels with private bathrooms will be waiting for you at your destination.
-
On-tour transportation
Land transportation
-
Regional-style meals
Daily breakfasts and select local dinners are included in your program. Generally, we leave lunch up to you so your group has an opportunity to explore its own tastes.
-
End-to-end support
Your team helps to secure administrative approval and academic credit, provides recruiting tools and helps establish your program's ongoing presence on campus.
-
Full-time Tour Director
Your Tour Director is with your group 24/7, providing deep local insight while handling all program logistics.
-
Expert Local Guides
Your expert Local Guides are natural historians, adding cultural insight and enhancing teaching moments wherever your curriculum takes you.
-
Guided sightseeing
Gain insider knowledge and cultural perspective from licensed local guides who join your group for select experiences on tour.
-
Entrances
Imperial War Museum, Cabinet War Rooms, Caen Memorial, Rouen Cathedral, Notre Dame, Shoah Memorial
-
Worldwide support, safety and security
EF has over 500 schools and offices in more than 50 countries worldwide. We provide 24-hour emergency support service along with a comprehensive $50 million liability policy that covers you and your institution while abroad.
-
Flexible payment options
Give more students the opportunity to study abroad by offering them two different payment plan options, along with our TripFunder website to help fundraise for the program.
