Apologies for the late update to the website – I thought I’d posted this before Christmas!
Many regular pilgrims will have already received a letter from Paul Hill, but this is a reminder for anyone interested in attending the 9th Para Battalion Reunion Club Normandy Pilgrimage.
A reminder that we are travelling to Normandy this year June 4th – June 8th. There will be the usual two collection points on June 4th: 10am at the Union Jack Club, Sandell Street, Waterloo, London, and the second at the Portsmouth ferry terminal at about 1pm. We are using Amport & District coaches as usual as they have always proved reliable and met our needs.
Itinerary and Accommodation
We are still finalising the itinerary – it’s often hard to predict the exact stops we’ll be able to make as it can depend on traffic, coach access and security. This year should be quieter than the 80th commemorations in 2024 though, so hopefully travel will be easier.
We usually try and attend all of the key points where the 9th Battalion operations were carried out across Normandy, as well as other commemorative events such as the service at Ranville on the 6th of June. There is usually a day reserved for visiting other sites in Normandy, chosen by the pilgrims.
Accommodation is at the Hotel Libera in Colombelles. Rooms have air conditioning, and showers, and are all equipped with towels/shampoo/hairdryers etc.
Costs and Payment
The trip costs £650, which includes your travel by coach and ferry to and from France, and includes all meals. The only cash you’ll need are for meals on the ferry, or drinks at the hotel bar.
Note that the more people that attend the pilgrimage, the less tight the margins become (scale is better for the coach and ferry costs which are fixed but very expensive). So if you and your family would like to attend every year, it will help us avoid having to increase the individual cost in future years.
If you are interested in attending, please contact Paul Hill (dtpaul@hotmail.co.uk) or myself (admin@9thparabattalion.com) to book your spot. For bookings we will need your contact details and payment by March 30th.
Health Insurance
Bookings are non-refundable (since we pay for everything up-front) so please ensure you have adequate travel insurance in case anything impacts your ability to come.
It is essential that you have at least 6 months validity on your current passport & it would be sensible having your Health Insurance Card or applying (at no cost) for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC Get healthcare cover for travelling abroad – NHSBSA will take you to the correct site. This card is NOT travel insurance.
If you have any questions, please send us an email, or post in the Facebook group and we’ll do our best to answer!