Paris Trip Overview
Discover the sites of the Dunkirk Evacuation, code-named Operation Dynamo, which took place between May 26 and June 4, 1940 on this private Day-Trip from Paris to Northern France where you will also visit “La Coupole” gigantic underground bunker.
Additional Info
Duration: 12 hours
Starts: Paris, France
Trip Category: Day Trips & Excursions >> Day Trips
Explore Paris Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Paris, Ile-de-France, France
Discover the sites of the Dunkirk Evacuation, code-named Operation Dynamo, which took place between May 26 and June 4, 1940 on this private Day-Trip from Paris to Northern France where you will also visit “La Coupole” gigantic underground bunker.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Dunkirk, Dunkirk, Nord, Hauts-de-France
During this Day-Trip you will visit the historical sites of the Battle of Dunkirk – Operation Dynamo, was the theater of the largest evacuation effort in military history, which enabled 338,000 Allied soldiers to escape the hell of Dunkirk to join the United Kingdom.
After lunch (not included) you will have the opportunity to visit the Museum Bunker – La Coupole, one of the most impressive remnants of the Second World War in Europe, where you will learn more about V2 Rockets. ” Developed by Von Braun’s team, these missiles, along with the American atomic bomb, were the most innovative devices developed during World War II. “
Stop At: Musee Dunkerque 1940 – Operation Dynamo, Rue des Chantiers de France Courtines du Bastion 32, 59140, Dunkirk France
You will travel to Dunkerque in an air-conditioned minivan. Once you arrive, you will stop at the « Bastion 32 Museum ».
The Bastion 32 was the name given to the buildings that once housed the Headquarters of the French and Allied Forces army during the battle of Dunkerque and Operation Dynamo in June 1940.
The 1940 Dunkirk Museum (located in severals casemates of the Bastion 32 » tells the story of this battle and the evacuation of more than 330,000 Allied soldiers from the “Poche de Dunkerque” in 9 days.
Duration: 40 minutes
Stop At: Plage de Malo-les-Bains, Malo-les-Bains, Dunkirk France
Enjoy a walk with your guide along the sea wall in the lovely little town of « Malo », one of the residential areas (buidings dating from 1900 with an art deco style architecture) of Dunkirk renowned for its famous dike. Also there many scenes of the movie « Dunkirk » by the English film director Christopher Nolan were film in the district’ streets.
This charming litlle town of « Malo Les Bains » is lined with terrace, seafood restaurants and ice cream shops that make everyone happy !
So it’s definitly a nice spot to take a break for lunch in a local restaurant or you will just decides by yourself of your own choices of meals (at your own expense).
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Stop At: Plage de Zuydcoote, Rue de Valenciennes, 59123 Zuydcoote France
In Zuydecoote the coast stretchs untill belgium.There while walking along the beach you will see at low tide some of the boats wrecks left behind by the british navy after operation Dynamo.
The most impressive wrecks are this vessel « Crested Eagle » and the « Devonia » which lie between Zuydcoote and Bray-Dunes. They can be reached on foot but can only be seen at low tides.
The Crested Eagle caught fire after coming under German aircrafts attack, It’s thought that more than 300 soldiers on board perished in the flames. Today both sets of remains and more than a dozen other small ships are largely used as mussel beds.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: La Coupole, Rue Andre Clabaux, 62570 Saint-Omer France
Leaving Dunkirk, in the afternoon the driver guide will take you to visit the amazing underground nazi military site of « La Coupole » one of the most impressive vestige of the Second World War in Europe.
This huge bunker, built by the Todt Organisation in 1943-1944 had to be the base for launching the V2 rockets against London.
The most prominent feature of the complex is an immense concrete dome, to which its modern name refers.
It was built above a network of tunnels housing storage areas, launch facilities and crew quarters.
The facility was designed to store a large stockpile of V-2s, warheads and fuel and was intended to launch V-2s on an industrial scale. Dozens of missiles a day were to be fuelled, prepared and launched in rapid sequence against London and southern England.
Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes
Stop At: Princess Elizabeth, Quai de l’Estacade, 59140 Dunkerque, France
The Princess Elizabeth is a paddle-steamer built between 1926-1927 named after Princess Elizabeth to celebrate the birth of the present Queen of England.
In May 1940, it played a crucial part in Operation Dynamo, along with the rest of the flotilla of ‘Little Ships’ which came to Dunkirk to rescue the stranded soldiers on the beach, from German assaults. it saved 1673 Allied soldiers in 4 crossings.
Star of Christopher Nolan’s film ‘Dunkirk’, Now fully restored, you will observe the majestic Princess Elizabeth at the Estacade quay, near the Pole Marine Shopping Centre in Dunkirk. Keeping history alive, he Princess Elizabeth perpetuates the ‘Dunkirk Spirit’ created by Churchill in 1940.
