D-Day Concert Tour

The Choral Arts Society of Frederick (CASF) under the direction of Lynn Staininger, has been selected by Historic Programs to represent the United States in D-Day commemorative ceremonies held in Normandy, France from June 3-7, 2023.

The CASF choir will join an elite group of American and European performers, consisting of music and military ensembles in a tribute commemorating the 79th anniversary of D-Day. The choir will perform official ceremonial music and a special piece of music to honor all who perished on the beaches of Normandy. Additional concerts will be performed in Sainte-Mère-Église and Paris.

Tour Schedule

Thursday, June 1: Departure Day

Depart on your overnight flight to France.
Be sure to sleep on the plane!

Friday, June 2: Arrival in France

Arromanches, with the remains of the Mulberry harbor in its bay.

Arrival in Paris, Charles De Gaulle Airport. Retrieve your luggage, clear customs. Meet your full-time tour manager outside of customs.
Board your private motor coach. Light refreshments provided. Depart for Normandy (approximately 3-hour drive). You will make a lunch stop en route. Lunch will be at your expense.
Afternoon to visit the D-Day 360 Museum in Arromanches.
It was on the beach of Arromanches that, during the invasion of Normandy immediately after D-Day, the Allies established an artificial temporary harbor to allow the unloading of heavy equipment without waiting for the conquest of deep-water ports such as Le Havre or Cherbourg.
Depart for the hotel for check in and overnight – Dinner provided at your hotel.

Saturday, June 3: Parade

Sainte-Mère-Église with paratrooper memorial.

European style breakfast provided at the hotel.
Depart for a visit to Pointe du Hoc.
During the American assault of Omaha and Utah beaches on June 6, 1944, these U.S. Army Rangers scaled the 100-foot cliffs and seized the German artillery pieces that could have fired on the American landing troops at Omaha and Utah beaches. At a high cost of life, they successfully defended against determined German counterattacks.
Transfer to Utah Beach. The World War II Utah Beach American Memorial commemorates the achievements of U.S. VII Corps forces that landed and fought in the liberation of the Cotentin Peninsula from June 6, 1944 to July 1, 1944.
Transfer to Sainte-Mère-Église, the first town liberated by American paratroopers on D-Day, to tour the town and prepare for the D-Day Memorial Parade.
Performance in the town square as part of the Musical Salute to Liberation.
5:00 p.m. – Participate in the D-Day Memorial Parade through the village of Sainte-Mère-Église.
6:30 p.m. – Depart for the hotel for overnight – Dinner provided.

Sunday, June 4: Brittany

Facade of Mont St. Michel, a medieval stone abbey on a tidal island.

European style breakfast provided at the hotel.
Depart for a visit to the American Cemetery at Brittany and participate in the tribute ceremony. The American Cemetery in Brittany contains the remains of 4,409 of our war dead, most of who lost their lives in the Normandy and Brittany campaigns of 1944.
11:00 a.m. – Wreath Laying and Commemoration Ceremony.
Transfer to Mont St. Michel for a tour of this one-of-a-kind medieval town and fortress abbey (Lunch on own at your leisure at Mont St. Michel).
Depart for the hotel for overnight.
Group dinner provided at the hotel.

Monday, June 5: Omaha Beach

European style breakfast provided at the hotel.
Transfer to the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach tribute ceremony. Tour the cemetery and visitors center. The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France is located on the site of the temporary American St. Laurent Cemetery, established by the U.S. First Army on June 8, 1944 and the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. The cemetery site contains the graves of 9,387 of our military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations.
11:00 a.m. – Wreath Laying and Commemoration Ceremony.
Depart for Paris (approximately 4-hour drive) – you will stop for lunch en route to Paris (lunch at your expense).
Arrival into Paris–have dinner in the Latin Quarter (provided).
Depart for your Paris area hotel for check in and over night.

Tuesday, June 6: Paris

The Eiffel Tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France as seen from the Pont d’lena bridge. .

European style breakfast provided at the hotel.
Morning guided tour of the city. Stops to including Notre Dame, Champs Elysees, Arch de Triomphe, Opera, Montmartre, and Eiffel Tower.
Lunch on own.
Conclude the tour at Montparnasse Tower Observatory for a beautiful view of Paris.
Afternoon of shopping and sightseeing in Paris.
Dinner provided.
Evening to enjoy Paris at your leisure.
Return to your hotel for overnight.

Wednesday, June 7: Paris

European style breakfast provided at the hotel.
Morning to visit the world-renowned Louvre Museum.
Highlights include Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, and the Mona Lisa.
Lunch on own.
Afternoon performance in Paris at the beautiful L’églisede la Madeleine (pending confirmation).
Final evening and farewell dinner in Montmartre.
Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur on its summit. Many artists had studios or worked in or around Montmartre, including Salvador Dalí, Amedeo Modigliani, Claude Monet, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, Camille Pissarro and Vincent van Gogh.
9:00 p.m.- Return to the hotel for overnight.

Thursday, June 8

European style breakfast provided at the hotel.
Departure for the airport, Charles de Gaulle.
Departure for the US on your scheduled airline.

Friends and family who submit an application will receive and email from Basecamp once their registration is received. Basecamp is a project management platform used by the Choral Arts Society of Frederick. Tour members may use this to communicate with the group, ask questions directly to the trip coordinators, and learn and share tips about the tour. You will need to create a login and password to access this system. Once you are set up you can use this service online or download the app to your phone to stay in touch. You can continue to get alerts by emails if you prefer to receive communications there.