Prime Minister Tony Abbott will attend the official commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the World War II D-Day landings in Normandy.
He will join French President Francois Hollande and other heads of government at the British services at the Bayeux Cathedral and cemetery, and the international ceremony at Sword Beach, Ouistreham, on June 6.
Although US, British and Canadian troops dominated the invasion force, many other nations were involved, including about 3000 Australians, most of them aircrew. Eighteen were killed.
Mr Abbott will be accompanied by seven Australian D-Day veterans, who were all airmen.
He and the veterans will visit the Western Front on June 7, paying tribute to the 295,000 Australians who served there between 1916 and 1918 and honouring the 46,000 who lost their lives.
They will visit the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux and Pozieres.
"As part of the 100th anniversary of ANZAC, I would like to see a greater focus on Australia's role on the Western Front," Mr Abbott said in a statement.
The Abbott government is considering building an interpretive centre at Villers-Bretonneux.
Following his visit to France, Mr Abbott will travel to Canada and the US for formal talks with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and US President Barack Obama.
He will be accompanied by a business delegation to promote trade and business ties.
In North America, he will visit Ottawa, New York, Washington and Houston and then Pearl Harbour, Hawaii.
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