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Rene is one of the best tour guides you could ever want for your D-Day experience. His incisive D-Day and WWII knowledge base is not only accurate and encyclopedic, but he delivers it with true passion and with curated expertise for the group, in his excellent, fast-paced English. Not just the macro strategic forces and battle tactics, but the micro stuff too- those fine details of people, personalities and equipment that were sometimes the difference between life and death in June of 1944. He brings large period photos and clear battle maps to bring each site to life and to help contextualize what you are seeing today vs. the same 75 sites years ago, and his extensive experiences as current WWII paratroop re-enactor will bring you as close as you can get to the jump experience without jumping yourself. The tour was well-paced and comprehensive.You are moving and learning all day, and the hours fly by. The hours invested are worth every penny and then some. The tour begins in St. Mere Eglise and is essential for understanding the US paratroop experience. The bullet-riddled 1,000 year old church and Airborne Museum (quite excellent) as the star sites which will take up your morning, followed by a brief lunch from several choices on the square there, on your own. The afternoon portion gives you the D-day beach landing experience - Utah and its key role in logistic efficacy, the heart-thumping bomb craters and daring US Rangers assaulting the cement German gun emplacements of Point Du Hoc and the awful carnage and confusion of the Higgins boats hit Omaha Beach, capped by the very moving daily flag-lowering at American Cemetery. There are also many drive-by sites in between to round out your tour, and Rene's years of experiences of escorting and learning from many D-Day veterans gives you additional human insight into the seminal event of the 20th century. This will be one of the most memorable days of your life, and you owe to yourself and your group to invest in the best way to experience it, and Rene delivers it.…
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Date of experience: July 2019
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My wife and I took the full day, private tour, and it was worth every penny. As soon as Rene learned that I was an 82nd Airborne veteran he switched gears to concentrate on our interests. The fact that he is jump qualified, and jumps from C-47s as a re-enactor was just icing on the cake. His knowledge and interest in the history of D-Day was mind blowing, and his personality, charm, and professionalism showed in everything he did during the tour. Not to mention that he lives in St. Mere Eglise in a historic house near the church - he is living the history that he tells, and you couldn't find a better tour guide. I would rate him 10 stars is that was possible!!!…
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Date of experience: March 2020
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+1
René van Oirschot is the proprietor of the tour my husband and I took. It was amazing. We were in Bayeux off season and most other companies weren’t willing to do tours at all, let alone full day tours. René did a great job and both my husband and I felt it was well worth the time and money to do a full day tour. I would definitely use René again for a tour, and would highly recommend him as a tour operator.…
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We were fortunate to spend a day with Rene touring the American D-Day sites. Rene has a passion about the events that occurred in these places. He shared pictures with his presentations about the places we visited, but it was his passion and the details he related that brought so much to this experience. If you plan to tour these areas, we highly recommend Rene as your guide. You will leave this activity with memories that will stay with you long after.…
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Date of experience: October 2019
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Our guide, Rene, was amazing! He picked us up on time and our group was wonderfully small! He took us to several areas of the American Sector and told us personal stories of the heroes who risked their lives for our freedom. He had met several veterans and was able to give us detailed accounts of their experiences. You could picture the events happening in front of you. He has so much knowledge of the battles that took place in that area. We homeschool our 11-year-old and took him to Europe for a WW2 history lesson. This tour was his favorite. Rene was great with our son and included him, keeping him interested and excited to learn more. This tour is not to be missed and we highly recommend this company!…
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Date of experience: October 2019
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