Group of Veterans to Travel to D-Day Beaches

There are various methods for traveling to places you’ve never been before. You can show up and play it by ear, but traveling with companions can sometimes amplify the experience. Such a trip is happening Sept. 28-Oct. 6, 2023, for veterans to travel together to visit and honor the events that took place in 1944 on the D-Day Beaches.

Educational travel Non-Profit Road Scholar designed this trip based on their best-selling trip “The Best of Northern France: Paris and Normandy,” but it also adds an extra in-depth look at the impacts WWII had on the area. For those veterans who have heard of D-Day but have never been to France, this will be an experience they won’t want to miss.

“This will be a once-in-a-lifetime occasion for the group,” said Road Scholar’s Program Operations Director in France, Amale Bourhim. “Not only will we have a deeper study of the military history of every site we visit, but simply the experience of learning together with fellow veterans is sure to create a distinctive sense of camaraderie and a bond that will make this trip memorable.”

Unlike other programs, this trip will be all-inclusive, meaning any veterans who sign up don’t need to worry about where they will sleep, eat, or how to get to the beaches. There will be a designated group leader and local experts in each location who will share stories about WWII’s impact on art and local communities. The trip will also include visits to places such as the Musée de l’Armée (Army Museum) in Paris and the memorial commemorating World War II’s “Battle for Caen.” A trip to northern France would not be complete without going to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Mont Saint Michel, so participants can also look forward to exploring the tidal island.

Road Scholar will also offer this program at a notable 10% price reduction for military veterans, active duty service members, and their travel companions. Participants of the trip will need to be able to handle vigorous activity, walking up to three miles a day, traversing cobblestones, and navigating through large crowds. There are only 24 spots available, so if you are interested in going, you can head to the Road Scholar Website to learn more.

“Road Scholar is the nation’s largest not-for-profit educational travel organization for adults — a true university of the world — offering thousands of programs in more than 100 countries and 50 states.” Learn more at Roadscholar.org

Written by Aj Smit

Aj Smit is the author of the book Red Thread: Weaving an Embodied Life of Joy, speaker, glitter enthusiast, and professional weaver of Joy. She is a military spouse in S. Korea with a pup and houseplants galore. Aj has led various Red Tents, retreats, and workshops internationally over the last ten years to help others discover how to weave creativity and curiosity into their lives. You can find her on Facebook and Instagram at @TheJoyWeaver and TheJoyWeaver.com