Private D-Day battlefield tours through Normandy, guided by historian Mike van den Dobbelsteen to the places where 156,000 men changed the course of history.
"Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force — You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you."
— General Dwight D. Eisenhower · Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force · Order of the Day, 6 June 1944
They were farmers, mechanics and college students, most of them untested in combat. On the night of 5 June they headed for Normandy anyway, knowing not everyone would come back.
On 6 June, 156,000 American, British, Canadian and French troops hit 65 miles of Nazi-held coast. Decoy armies had fooled the German High Command, and on the beach where everything went wrong, men found a way through.
Mike has spent nearly 40 years learning to tell these stories properly.
You can look down from Pointe du Hoc at the cliffs the Rangers climbed under fire, stand among the 9,387 white crosses at the American Cemetery, and sit in the church at Angoville-au-Plain where two medics treated American and German wounded while the battle raged outside.
Mike will tell you what happened at each place, and why.
These men deserve to be remembered with more than a museum visit.
From the Ghost Army's inflatable tanks to the chaos at Omaha, the wrong-beach landing at Utah and the hedgerow war that followed, Mike covers what many visitors never hear.
All tours are fully private — for groups of 1 to 8. The fee is flat per group, not per person. Pickup and drop-off at your accommodation near Bayeux.
A focused introduction to D-Day, ideal for families with young children or limited time. Choose American, British or Canadian, morning or afternoon.
A full day across the Normandy battlefields. Choose the Allied tour, an American, British or Canadian sector, or D-Day to Saint-Lô.
Follow a family member's footsteps, trace every Band of Brothers location, or design your own day. Mike researches, plans and guides a tour built around your story.
Take the 9am train from Paris Gare St-Lazare, arrive in Bayeux by 11:15am, and spend the afternoon with Mike at Sainte-Mère-Église, Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery. Available Monday–Friday.
Arriving by cruise ship? Mike meets you at the terminal for a full day at Utah Beach, Sainte-Mère-Église, Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery, and gets you back to your ship in time for boarding.
Travelling in your own vehicle or coach? Mike joins you on board and guides the battlefields at your pace. Ideal for larger groups wanting a private historian.
Mike van den Dobbelsteen — founder and guide, Allied Victory Tours
Born in the Netherlands, Mike grew up in the shadow of what the Allied powers had done for his country and his continent. That debt has always been personal. It shaped his entire life.
After five years of service in the Dutch Army and fifteen as a graphic designer, Mike became a bilingual guide at Leeds Castle, England — and in 2015, moved to Normandy to do the thing he'd spent his career preparing for: telling their full story.
For nearly 40 years he has collected wartime memorabilia, participated in WW2 re-enactments, published military-historical articles, delivered presentations in schools, and served as historical advisor for film and TV productions. In 2019, he presented a documentary on the battles for the bridges across the river Elle. He was also an extra in the movie "Fury" (2013).
"Our day unfolded at a relaxed pace with Mike providing detailed explanations of the sites, their significance and the logistics involved in trying to achieve a victory. Mike was very patient and knowledgeable and he answered all of our questions."
"Mike was an excellent choice for our private group of 6. We wanted to see the beaches and follow the US and British airborne. Mike built the tour around the sites we wanted to see. We really appreciated his flexibility and his knowledge."
"Mike was the perfect guide for our visit of Normandy. My son is really interested in WW2 and tanks. Mike tailored the questions and discussions to accommodate this. I can't recommend him enough. Everything was easy and well planned."
"My Dad landed on Omaha Beach June 6, 1944. I shared with Mike my Dad's name, regiment and company. Mike researched the location of my Dad's three Purple Hearts and tailored the tour to follow his footsteps from D-Day all the way to St. Lo."
"From the moment I contacted Mike and provided him with the limited information I had on my uncle's service in Normandy, he was always prompt, accommodating, and helpful… Mike was able to take us in my uncle's footsteps from Omaha Beach all the way to the hill outside of St Lo where my uncle earned his Bronze Star."
"…I walked away from 2 days with Mike having a fully new understanding of the events that transpired. He told stories of bravery. He explained complex operations… He was timely, friendly, & an incredible teacher."
Private Tour Booking Form
Before you use the form below to inquire after a private guided tour, please understand that there is an important reason behind my company name. It is the coalition of many nations, united and allied, who fought against fascism, for democracy, for freedom of speech and to set the people of Europe free from the nazi regime. If you support that kind of regime, or wannabe-regime, then please do NOT get in touch. Trumpers and MAGAts are not welcome on my tours.
Tour Availability
Please reference the above calendar for available days to book. Any day listed as "Booked" or "No tours available" is currently unavailable.