Celtic Lands and D-Day Landings June 4 - 14, 2019

For thousands of years before the arrival of Christianity, the Celts inhabited the rugged margins of northwestern Europe. From their remote homelands in Brittany, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland, they exerted a powerful influence on the history of pre-Roman Europe and left behind extraordinary cultural, artistic, and architectural legacies. Today, the Celts are generally regarded as the indigenous people of the British Isles, the original ironworkers and stonecutters, and their works are esteemed as the earliest evidence of a civilized society in these lands. Much of Celtic lore relates to the sea and the islands they were able to settle and protect.

While Celtic lore will be a prominent theme of our itinerary, we'll also have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Dwight David Eisenhower II and Allen Packwood, director of the Churchill Archives Center at the University of Cambridge, will be our special guests. After a day and night in London, we'll sail aboard the exclusively chartered, deluxe small ship Le Boréal from Portsmouth, across the English Channel-on June 6-to another "rugged margin," the coast of Normandy. After visits to these hallowed beaches and the nearby villages of Cherbourg and Sainte-Mére-Èglise, we'll head for Tresco in the Scilly Isles, then Dublin, Holyhead, and Caernarfon and up among the many legendary islands of the Hebrides, and finally to Glasgow. Over the course of our eight-day voyage, we'll pay homage to those who made the ultimate sacrifice on the beaches of Normandy, discover many of the cultural treasures of Dublin, behold the enduring Celtic ramparts and stunning gardens of North Wales, and experience the beauty and solitude of Scotland's Hebrides.

We invite you to join us as we explore the history and culture of the Celtic people through guided excursions, educational lectures and cultural enhancements while cruising aboard the five-star comfort of Le Boréal. Our chartered ship combines the deluxe amenities offered aboard a large vessel with the charm and enhanced navigability provided by a yacht, enabling us to explore the scenic coasts of France and the British Isles while calling at ports accessible only to small ships. For those wishing to extend their visit, optional two-night pre- and post-cruise extensions in London and in Glasgow and Edinburgh are available.