Willem Braam, Member of the International Guild of Battlefield Guide; speaks English, French, German and Dutch.
My name is Willem Braam, born in 1965 in the Netherlands.
As a young kid, I was touched by the war-stories of my parents and grandparents, regarding World War II in general, and the Nazi-occupation of Western Europe in particular.
Apart from my working career, as CEO of my interior decorating company, I started to visit the battlefields in France, Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
The knowledge I gained during these visits, and the stories told by the veterans (and civilians) I met, I’d like to share with people who are interested in this part of our history.
After 25 years I handed over my business to the younger generation, so that I can fully focus on what I like doing most: guiding interested people around the various European battlefields, and especially Normandy (Operation Overlord), starting 06/06/1944 and the South of France / Riviera (Operation Dragoon), starting 15/08/1944.
EXCELLENT rating
Based on 16 reviewsVerified A Memorable Journey Through History with Willem Our day with Willem exploring the beaches of Normandy was nothing short of extraordinary—it far exceeded all expectations! Willem’s deep passion for World War II history, Northern France, and the Normandy region truly brought history to life in a way we never thought possible.Unlike the impersonal experience of a cruise ship bus tour, Willem’s private tour was intimate and engaging. In his personal car, he met us at the cruise terminal and then took us on a journey through the scenic back roads of Normandy, reaching locations inaccessible to larger vehicles. These locations, combined with his profound knowledge and captivating storytelling, made for an unforgettable experience.Willem has a remarkable ability to make historical events feel vivid and real. It was as if the stories we had only read about in textbooks were unfolding right in front of us. He personalized the tour to our interests, ensuring we fully appreciated the significance of each stop along the way. He even went out of his way to stop at a local pharmacy to help us get some cold medicine and helped translate for us with the locals when needed. If you're looking for an authentic, heartfelt, and incredibly informative way to explore the beaches of Normandy, Willem is the ONLY guide you need. His dedication to sharing the history and culture of this remarkable region is truly unmatched. This experience will forever be etched in our memories!Verified D day jeep tour within the hedge rows of Normandy We had a 1/2 day private tour with Willem in his restored WWII jeep through the backroads within the hedge rows of Normandy. We had our 10 year old daughter and my parents with us. The jeep was enjoyable for our daughter as it felt like a fun ride in the back while Willem explained the history of the paratrooper sites. Willem had 2 large books he created for his tour with photographs and maps of the D day invasion. He showed us the exact locations where the photographs were taken by the GIs. I highly recommend Willem's tours for anyone wanting to see what the landscape looked like to the American paratroopers when they landed in the hedge rows of Normandy.Verified Absolutely amazing experience! Willem “Wim” was beyond fantastic! Our group was multigenerational from teens to grandparents and everyone loved him and the amazing tour / experience! There are not many guides as passionate or knowledgeable as he is! He went way beyond the basic facts and points of interest; he took us on back roads and told us all the “little stories” of the real people who lived D Day. From locals to soldiers, their stories were all so personal and intimate and just incredible. If you want a true “experience” and not some “basic tour” give Wim a call. He shared all the local haunts - excellent restaurants:pubs/bakeries and even joined us for dinner one night. He went out of his way to find us a room to rent when our rental car broke down and left us hotel-less for the night. Honestly cannot say enough good things about him or his tour. We liked it so much, we ended up doing a second day! Have traveled frequently and taken a lot of different tours and Wim has been our favorite hands down! Even recommended him to our kids’ orthodontist when we got back and he canceled his original tour for his family to go with Wim and had the same fantastic experience. Thanks for taking such great care of our family Willem!!Verified “He dit it My Way” Write your reviewI had the distinct good fortune of finding Willem Braam of DDay Your Way after doing some research. I was looking for a private guided 3 day tour for a party of four. I found that many of the larger companies although advertising "personalized" or "customized" tours really are not interested in providing that service. I had some specific requests on sites I wished our party of four to visit. Most companies just wanted to do a combination of the various tours they offer. Then I found Willem. I provided Willem with a list of approximately 40 sites that l wished our group to visit. This is not normally how things work as most tour guides select where they will take their guests and what they will see. Willem took this challenge head on.What resulted was a once in a life time experience that none of us could have imagined or expected. Not only did Willem fulfill my requests, he included stops at numerous other sites that made our time with him an even greater experience. Willem has an unmatched depth and knowledge of the Normandy campaign. He uses his knowledge like a skilled painter uses a brush to paint for you a masterpiece of the events of 80 years ago. I considered myself somewhat knowledgeable about the actions in Normandy. After three days with Willem ! came to realize how little I did know and how much I had under appreciated certain aspects of the battles that took place. If you wish more than just a generic Normandy Battlefield Tour I strongly suggest you reach out to Willem. I guarantee you that you will not be disappointed.In addition to all of the above Willem is very warm and personable with an excellent sense for humor! He even got me to try oysters!|Verified In the footsteps of both the US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions My husband and I took a World War II Willy's jeep tour with Willem on September 8, 2024. It was absolutely the best tour we have ever done. Willem followed in the footsteps of both the US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions and told the story of these brave men. He customized the tour for us to see the 82nd Airborne museum, Utah landing beach and a wonderful stop St. Mere Eglise. His passion for the history and events are incredible. We highly recommend his tour!Verified Willem’s storytelling combined with his WWll jeep retracing the historical steps of our brave soldiers was the highlight Being picked up in a WW2 jeep added an extra layer of authenticity to the experience, and Willem's enthusiasm as he took us to each historical site was truly infectious. What stood out the most was Willem's ability to bring the history to life through his stories. At every stop, he shared fascinating anecdotes and details that allowed us to emotionally connect with the experiences of the young soldiers who fought bravely during World War II.Willem's passion for the subject was evident, and his storytelling painted a vivid picture of what it must have been like for the paratroopers & gliders. I highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in history, particularly the 82nd Airborne Paratroopers in WW2. Willem's expertise and dedication to providing a meaningful experience make this tour a must-do for history enthusiasts. Thank you, Willem, for a memorable and enlightening journey through the footsteps of these courageous soldiers.Verified The highlight of our trip! I took my dad to Normandy, it was his first time visiting, so I thought the best way for him to see Normandy was in an authentic WW2 Jeep! Willem is an excellent guide with so many stories to tell. Riding in the Jeep is such an amazing way to experience where the paratroopers landed on D Day, learning so much whilst following in their footsteps! Willem has a wealth of knowledge and understanding and can tailor the tour to particular sites you want to see. We did the 101st Airborne tour, and hopefully will be back soon to do the 82nd Airborne with Willem!Verified Definitely book. Good guide, nice jeep, a lot of knowledge of WW2, more than just about D-Day. Also show locations from films and series. Absolutely recommended.Verified Normandy tour with the best! Willem was such a wealth of knowledge & enriched our trip beyond measure! He will take you to DDay & beyond! Incredible asset to the area!!Verified Willem! Willem! Willem! Willem actually guided our group of youth and adults in October 2022. Willem is phenomenal. I can not imagine a guide with more knowledge and insight. Willem is part of an incredible network of historians and reenactors who walk the walk and talk the talk. The youth with our Bridge to History group still discuss Willem and engage in conversations about what Willem taught. He had them make real-life connections and engaged them in thought-provoking discussions that they still have ongoing.