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2019 is the 75th Anniversary of DDay, and This DDay Veteran Explains Why You Should Visit the Juno Beach Centre

Mon, 18 Mar 19 15:25:11 +0000

There are fewer and fewer veterans of the DDay Landing Beaches to tell their stories, but Canada's Juno Beach Centre introduced us to Jim Parks, who shared his memories of landing on DDay as a young soldier, and why he believes all of us should travel there at least once in a lifetime.

2019 marks 75 years since this pivotal moment in Canadian and Allied history, and for Canadians moved by the sacrifices of our soldiers and fellow Canadians to end WW2, for families looking to provide their children with first hand insight and understanding of why we commemorate every Remembrance Day, for groups of families and friends and service groups who want to stand on the very beach Canadians landed on... this is the time to book a trip to Normandy and Canada's Juno Beach Centre, the only Canadian WW2 museum in Europe.

We encourage you to visit the DDay Landing Beaches in Normandy, walk in the footsteps of those Allied soldiers, and learn about the history of DDay on the very beaches where those history-changing events took place.

These are some of Jim's memories, insights, and his thoughts on visiting the DDay memorials like Juno Beach Centre in Normandy.

A Veteran of DDay Explains Why You Should Visit the Juno Beach Centre

Mon, 18 Mar 19 14:26:50 +0000

DDay remains the iconic symbol of Allied unity and sacrifice to end World War 2. Thousands of soldiers from the US, Britain, Canada and other Allied nations landed on the beaches of France to free Europe. Today, you can visit the DDay Landing Beaches in Normandy, walk in the footsteps of those Allied soldiers, and learn about the history of DDay on the very beaches where those history-changing events took place.

These are some of Jim's memories, insights, and his thoughts on visiting the DDay memorials like Juno Beach Centre in Normandy.

Video: What Happens on a Visit to the Juno Beach Centre?

Wed, 06 Mar 19 17:55:56 +0000

Veterans, their families, anyone interested in history, or the sacrifices of ordinary young men on an extraordinary moment for the world, all Canadians as well as citizens of all the nations who fought or were affected by these momentous times... all should make a pilgrimage to the Juno Beach Centre and the other DDay sites along the Normandy coast.

Many things have changed since that fateful day. Here's what you can expect on a visit to the Juno Beach Centre today.

Start your Trip!

Video: Normandy WW2 Landing Beaches

Wed, 06 Mar 19 17:55:56 +0000

It may not be the most joyful travel experience you have in Northern France, but for families of veterans, and any grateful citizen, a visit to the World War 2 Landing Beaches in Normandy creates a lifetime of memories.

BestTrip.TV journeyed to the shores on a stormy English Channel to remember the brave souls from the UK, the US, and Canada who stormed those beaches in a last-ditch effort to free Europe and end the war. Along the Normandy coast, remnants of battlefield sites, moving war monuments and memorials and Canada's Juno Beach Centre are essential visits for families of veterans and soldiers who gave their lives, students and history buffs and anyone who understands the importance of keeping humankind's tragic lessons alive.

Copyright BestTrip.TV/Influence Entertainment Group Inc or Rights Holder. All rights reserved. You are welcome to share this material from this page, but it may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Juno Beach: The Ultimate Canadian Pilgrimage

Wed, 06 Mar 19 17:55:56 +0000

The past and next few years mark a number of World War 1 and World War 2 anniversaries. Commemorations take place here at home, and we hope everyone takes a moment to pause and reflect or attend a memorial service. Our thoughts also turn to the lands fought for and freed by Canadians, and how families, school and other groups, and independent travelers can make trips to the actual sites where our ancestors fought so bravely.

Jenna Zuschlag Misener is a past Executive Director of the non-governmental, non-profit Juno Beach Centre Association in Normandy, France, the Canadian WW2 Landing Beach. We invited her to share her thoughts about what she calls 'The Ultimate Canadian Pilgrimage'.In 2019, Canada commemorates the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the Normandy Landings. As the number of living veterans diminishes, it is more and more important for travelers to take up pilgrimage trips to France to experience the Canadian sector firsthand, walk in the footsteps of history, and keep memories alive.

The Juno Beach Centre is Canada’s Second World War museum and cultural centre located in Normandy, France. Opened in 2003 by veterans and volunteers with a vision to create a permanent memorial to all Canadians who served during the Second World War, the Centre’s mandate is to preserve this legacy for future generations through education and remembrance. The Centre pays homage to the 45,000 Canadians who lost their lives during the War. 5,500 were killed during the Battle of Normandy and 359 on D-Day.

The Centre stands on the very beach of the Canadian landing, surrounded by abandoned wartime weapons and defenses, and for many visitors, a trip to the Juno Beach Centre brings home the reality of textbook tales of the war.

We hope Canadians will be inspired to include remembrance in their travels to France. Whether you have a week or just a day, there are many ways to explore the Canadian sector of Juno Beach, either on a self-guided tour or as a short trip from Paris, London, or beyond.

Planning your PilgrimageThe Centre is located in the coastal town of Courseulles-sur-Mer, a short drive from the city of Caen or Bayeux and just two hours by train from Paris.

There are a number of high-quality tour companies that also offer day trips to the Canadian sector, including stops at the Juno Beach Centre and other important sites around the region. Some companies offer tours from Paris, or they can pick you up once you have arrived in the region. In many cases, these tours can be customized based on your time frame and even your own family history.

You can also book an excursion from a Seine river cruise. More and more cruise companies stop in port cities like Cherbourg and Le Havre and offer excursions to the sector and the Juno Beach Centre for their Canadian passengers. No mention of the Canadian sector in your Landing Beach shore excursion itinerary? Ask your travel advisor and the cruise line in advance to make sure the Canadian landing beach is included in your journey.

Normandy is a very bicycle-friendly region. The Centre has published the 'Maple Leaf Route Cycling Tour' that allows you to follow in the footsteps of Canadians from Juno Beach all the way to the Canadian WW1 Memorial at Vimy Ridge.

We've also published a new brochure with information about visiting Juno Beach and the Canadian sector in 2017 if you are planning on traveling to France during the Centennial of Vimy Ridge.

(The Canadian WW1 Memorial at Vimy Ridge; Juno Beach Centre)

We hope this information is helpful to you! We're always thrilled to welcome Canadians to the Juno Beach Centre, and the Centre staff in Canada and France is pleased to help travelers make the most of their time in Normandy and take advantage of the historical and cultural richness offered in this region of France.

The Juno Beach Centre web site has helpful travel tips and contact information.

We look forward to hearing from anyone interested in the Juno Beach Centre, and to welcoming Canadians to the Centre in the near future. As we like to say, 'See you on the beach!'

Start your Trip!

What's your Favorite Experience at the Juno Beach Centre?

Wed, 06 Mar 19 17:55:56 +0000

Visitors Share: What's it Like to Visit Canada's DDay Landing Beach and Juno Beach Centre?

Wed, 06 Mar 19 17:55:56 +0000

2019 marks the 75th anniversary of the DDay Landings in Normandy that were the beginning of the end of World War 2. Canada joined Britain, the US and other Allied nations sailing across the English Channel to the heavily fortified beaches along the French coast in Normandy.

You may know the end of this dramatic history. But at Canada's Juno Beach Centre, on the very ground where the Canadians landed in June, 1944, you can experience the rest of that story. It is a pilgrimage for all Canadians and everyone interested in peace today.

We asked visitors at the Juno Beach Centre what it was like to be at this momentous place in Canadian and world history. Here's what they shared with us.

Family Visits to the Juno Beach Centre

Wed, 06 Mar 19 17:55:56 +0000

Staff Share: What it's Like to be at the Juno Beach Centre?

Wed, 06 Mar 19 17:55:56 +0000

Traveling with a Group to the Juno Beach Centre

Wed, 06 Mar 19 17:55:56 +0000