My private nine-hour tour with Mike was easily the highlight of my three-week trip to France in November. Mike had conducted research on my father's regiment in the U.S. 4th Division before I arrived in Bayeux and was able to identify their movements. Those men landed on Utah Beach on June 6 and fought their way north to Cherbourg during the next few weeks to open a deep-water port for the Allies. Mike and I drove from village to village where my dad would have fought. All the while Mike was teaching me about the battle for Normandy, the villages we were passing through, the hedgerows, the Allied and German strategies, and so much more. This personalization brought a lump to my throat on several occasions and deepened my understanding and love for my father. A truly magnificent day. You MUST go with Mike if you're touring the invasion beaches.

I was one of three proud daughters of WWII US Army ETO veterans who went on a three week adventure to see key sites of WWII, including some of the places our fathers served. Some dear friends of mine highly recommended Mike after their American D-Day tour with him, so we arranged a two-day tour with Mike in Normandy. Our time with Mike was truly a highlight of our trip. Mike is an excellent guide for all levels of knowledge-- from those who already know a lot about D-Day/WWII history to those seeking a great introduction. He is an outstanding historian who shares his expertise with respect and in a clear, interesting manner. In our two days together, we learned of individual soldiers/airmen/etc. and almost felt like we knew them or what they were feeling (Mike telling the story of the two young US medics while we were standing in the small 12th century church in Angoville-au-Plain brought tears to our eyes). We gained so much knowledge-- from the stories of individual heroes to big picture strategy, planning, troop movements, etc. and so much in between. Mike has maps, old photos to compare to current sites and other visual aids to enhance your understanding. Our Day 1 consisted of visits to Omaha and Utah American beaches, Pointe du Hoc, Angoville-au-Plain, St. Mere Eglise and Normandy American Cemetery as well as drives through various villages. Day 2 started with visits to the British and Canadian beaches then Mike drove us to the Brittany American Cemetery where one of our group members has a relative (who died a few days after D-Day) buried. On his own, Mike did research before we arrived and was able to tell her and the family information they did not know about the relative’s service and circumstances of his injuries and death. I have organized my late father’s WWII division’s reunions in the US for the last 20 years and have dealt with many tour guides in a variety of cities over that time. Mike is absolutely the best and I highly recommend him!

A Juno Beach visit is imperative for Canadian visitors to Normandy. Mike was well-versed in Canadian military history and created vivid visual impressions of the early morning landing on Juno Beach D-Day. it was a moving tribute to our Canadian soldiers. The Canadian Cemetery at Beny- sur- Mer, under a canopy of maple leaves, was a moving tribute to our young men. Our many experiences that day were heightened by Mike's engaging storytelling. Mike is an incredible guide.

This was an amazing day! Mike is so knowledgeable about the Normandy beaches, the invasion and WW II! He has so many stories to tell about the places and people. We could have spent another eight hours with him. The time with him went very quickly and he gave us so much information to process and remember. He took us places we would never have thought to visit as he really customized the tour for us. Ending our tour at the American Cemetery was emotional as I was able to see my cousin's grave, enhance his name with the Omaha Beach sand and reflect on his and others' service. Seeing the enormity of the Cemetery makes the sacrifice the men and women gave become very real. Mike's stories about individual grave sites made it very real and personal. Our one regret is that there is so much to see and one day really doesn't give a chance to absorb all that there is to see. We would have liked more time at the Cemetery as we arrived as the American flag was being lowered and so close to closing time. We certainly will recommend Mike and Allied Victory Tours to others. Five stars does not do Mike and this tour justice - rates a high 10!

Mike was an exceptional tour guide, a true historian, and an engaging story teller. He went above and beyond to customize our family's tour and re-trace the path of a family member's Omaha Beach experience 80 years ago.

In over fifty years of traveling I have never had more fun or information on a Tour! The weather was cold and raining but it did not take anything away form that Great day. Thank you Mike Lyon Ret Pam Am Cpt

A truely awesome tour. Mike is very knowledgeable and has the best informative stories and photos. He makes the tour very fun. I highly recommend him.

We spent two full days with Mike on the beaches and the cemeteries as well as other significant stops along the way. He is extremely knowledgeable and we all learned far more than we ever knew. His enthusiasm for WWII history is contagious and we were all saddened when our two days were complete. Most importantly, he is just a great guy and so comfortable to spend time in his company.

Mike was the most fantastic guide we could have asked for! His knowledge was so extensive and he made it, not only a wonderful learning experience for us, but we had so much fun too. While it was a sobering experience, he was able to make it so enjoyable and informative, I left feeling very positive about the entire trip. He also took us to the Brittany American Cemetery the next day as well as Mont St Michel - he couldn't have been more gracious and all in all, the perfect guide!! I highly, 100% recommend him as your tour guide.

We actually did two tours with Mike over a three day period. We did the American landing beach tour from Bayeux along with the St. Lo tour. Both were outstanding experiences for my brother, sister and our respective spouses. Mike’s enthusiasm and depth of knowledge is unsurpassed. Both days were 9+ hours and full of detail and most interesting back stories. Mike was able to answer our many questions and a fun and informative day was had by all. I would highly recommend Mike as an outstanding tour guide.

This was one of the best tours I have ever been on in my 20 years of travel to over 60 countries. Mike was not only extraordinarily knowledgeable and professional, but also extremely passionate about the subject and even tailored the experience to our needs (with four children under 9 years old along with the four adults). I can't recommend this tour enough. Absolutely a must do for anyone traveling to Normandy who wants to tap into the depth and breadth of knowledge of a true expert.

My family and I did an all-day tour tracing the 29th Division's progress from the beaches of Normandy to Saint-Lo. My grandfather was part of the D-Day invasion at Omaha Beach, and Mike carefully researched his unit to show us points of particular interest along the way. The entire day was a delight with Mike's friendly energy and fantastic knowledge and insight. We also visited his beautiful home (and lovely 1940s-themed vintage B&B) and his wife Deborah's impressive Women of Valour WW2 Museum. This is a MUST SEE and my teenage daughter and I particularly enjoyed Deborah's carefully curated museum honoring the multiple ways women of many nationalities contributed to the Allied victory. This museum represents a lifetime of dedicated collecting and is like none other. Mike was on time, prepared, and committed to going the extra mile for us to have an extraordinary day. We highly recommend Allied Victory Tours!

We had an amazing day with Dutch speaking Mike. He told so many interesting stories about WWII and D-Day, we could ask him any question and there was room to adjust the Tour according to our wishes. If you are in Normandy, you must do this tour to get the full picture of D-Day and all sites which were crucial in this operation

This was the most impactful tour I’ve ever experienced! I highly recommend Mike and Allied Victory Tours! We started the day at Omaha and to say it was emotional is to say nothing at all; this combined with Mike’s expert knowledge of what went on in those first nightmarish hours was emotionally overwhelming and incredible. Mike is a member of the 29th infantry association and a student of their history, so I can’t express how important it is to book Mike as your guide if you have ancestors in the 29th or interested in the 29th infantry. In addition to WWll history in Isigny-sur-Mer Mike introduced us the locally claim to fame ice cream. I recommend the “Footsteps of the 29th” tour as you’ll travel Roman roads that 29ers used to navigate through thick hedgerow country side. Mike will be so much more than a guide, he’ll be a member of your family by the end of your travels. His wife Deborah is an absolute pleasure to be around and so knowledgeable about WWll and the women that helped win victory for Europe. Deborah had made her home into a women’s museum which is top notch. Can’t express enough if this is your “trip of lifetime,” you’ll want to book Mike and Allied Victory Tours.

We were a family of 14 traveling to Normandy for the first time. We booked Allied Victory Tours based on the reviews and could not have been happier with the decision! Mike has an incredible depth of knowledge and detail, and helps paint a picture of the events of D-Day with some truly unique stories about individual heroes who you may not have heard about. Because it was a private tour, he took us to several small villages between Saint Mere Eglise and the American landing beaches. These villages had small chapels and other memorials for soldiers who haven’t shown up in the history books, but are very much remembered by the locals there. He was also quite keen about what he “didn’t” show us, i.e. landmarks on Point du Hoc that are well known, but surprisingly not very relevant to the actual history. It was a wonderful way to immerse ourselves in the history of D-Day. I highly recommend Mike and Allied Victory Tours!