Cogf16

Not opposed to spending good money for a good tour. Any thoughts? Not sure if anyone else is going with me. Thanks

iHateAMR

You can take the train, but you're stuck away from everything unless you sign up for a tour. A rental car from Paris is a 3 hour drive, but eases your mobility in the region.

With the 3 hour drive, (6 hours roundtrip) it's makes for a very long day trip, even if you take the toll roads to speed up the process. I think you guys land in the morning, so it might not be so bad if you can nap, leave around noon, spend the evening in Bayeux or Caen and start touring early in the morning the next day. Cemetery is a must, as is La Pointe Du Hoc, the latter being open to self guided tours after "closing" and is home to some of the most scenic sunsets with the cliffs and water.

For a rental car, use a US VPN or rent stateside from SIXT, this allows you to get unlimited miles (km) vs renting from a French IP address gives you a paltry 100km a day.

As for organized tours, I've never used one, but I'm not saying they're not useful, I think you can find several online, otherwise the tourism office in Bayeux should have stuff for you.

Gooner

Not sure how the times would work out. We took an early train to bayeux and did a tour through Bayeux Shuttle. Great tour worth every dime. My wife came home from the tour and immediately read 4 books about the landings. They have great passion and knowledge of the events.

Synixman

A friend of mine used Pegasus Battlefield Tours and highly recommended them.

ayecarumba

Been a few years but there are plenty out there...for example:

https://www.pariscityvision.com/en/n...anding-beaches

A lot of our colleagues make the mistake (IMHO) of taking the train on their own which is rather grueling, especially at the end of the day coming back to Paris on your own. You will Metro to the Gare du Nord train station, then have to train out there. At the end of the day you will have covered a lot of ground in Normandy and the return leg back would suck. Spend a little more and find the tours that pick you up and drop you off at the end of the day in Paris at your hotel via coach. Well worth the minimal extra cost and you'll be glad you did.

Another piece of advice: Don't wait for the perfect trip or time to do your "bucket list" of things you want to do and see. Show up at brief and mention it to your colleagues and if there's no interest, don't let that deter you! GO solo if you have to...For example, 1 other pilot joined me for Normandy but when we climbed into the van we were immediately greeted by several Brits and Canadians. By the end of the day we all felt like old friends.

My Normandy day trip was one of the highlights of my career. It's a once in a lifetime trip not to be missed. It will make you very proud to be an American (if you're not already) and you will be awed and moved standing amongst the rows of crosses in the cemetery. There are still grateful French citizens who spend their days outside the museum in Caen handing flowers to americans and thanking them for liberating them. Been there and seen it...ought to be required as part of your TOE.

Good luck and enjoy!

busdriver12

If you haven't seen Saving Private Ryan, watch it before you go. If you have seen it, watch it again. It makes the tour more meaningful when you can visualize so many of the lives lost and the sacrifices people made.

Funk

I dragged my wife out to Normandy during a trip to Europe that started in Germany. We drove from Paris and stayed two nights at a B&B (stayomaha.com) for about 75€ per night. One of the innkeepers (a Brit) gave us a guided battlefield tour (100€ each) that covered Omaha and Utah beaches, Point DuHoc, Saint Marise’glise (sp?), Carentan, the American military cemetery, a German military cemetery, and Brecourt Manor (the sight of Easy company destroying German guns on D-Day as depicted in Band of Brothers). It was a long day touring, and then we had dinner at a restaurant recommended by the innkeepers before spending another night and then going on our way. My wife was skeptical, especially after days of exploring food and fun in Paris, but she admitted she was glad I had insisted. I highly recommend the “Le Fournet” inn.

Dirtdiver

I did three nights in Normandy about ten years ago. It wasn't enough. One day trip will be a ballbuster. You should really think about bringing the family for a week.

Stayed at a BnB outside of St-Mere-Eglise, ground zero in case you're an old airdrop guy. lafiere.com Owners are a retired French naval officer and his wife is from North Carolina.

24Whiskey

When I was living abroad as a military brat we did Normandy as part of a French road trip. Spent 2-3 days just on the US beaches alone. Ended up going back a year or two later to see the British/Canadian side.

There’s a museum anywhere a grenade was thrown. That being said you could compress the day starting with the Colleville cemetery, check out Point du Hoc and finish with the Airborne museum in St Mere Eglise.

Indy

I just did this two months ago when I unexpectedly had 2 extra days in Paris. I rented a car and drove out along the main highway. Plan for around 10 Euro in tolls each way.

There is very little of note on the British Beaches. A cool Museum is on Juneau Beach (the Canadian). I would spend your time from the Arro-manches and work your way West to Utah Beach then inland to Ste Mere Eglise. Arro-manches has a cool movie in it’s visitor center. Make sure to walk around the bunkers on Pointe du Hoc and read the markers along the path. American Cemetary at Omaha is a must-do (Visitor Center/Museum and memorials)...I was surprised by the number of Jewish graves there. Make sure to walk the beach and the slope below the cemetary (follow the road further downhill from the cemetary entrance to a small parking lot then walk). The Museum at Utah Beach is really cool.

You’ll need two days to see the whole US side (including travel). Lots of small hotels in the area. It can be done in 1 long day if you hustle and skip some museums). Normandy locals are very nice and appreciative. Caen is a good size city with all the amenities. It was devestated (whole town obliterated) in the allied drive to Paris, and it has it’s own museum.

Might want to watch “The Longest Day”, the Normandy episodes of “Band of Brothers” and “Saving Private Ryan” before you go.

Hope you get to really enjoy your visit!


P.S.- I had another unforgettable layover in AMS. I iron-manned on the train to Arnhem, Netherlands and walked “the Bridge Too Far” (the last bridge of Operation Market Garden). 1 hour train ride SW from AMS with one train connection. You can take a cheap taxi from town out to and back from the Commemmoration Fields and British Museum. Just tell the taxi driver to return in 2-3 hours. Retired military discount given for museum fee. Very cool town that still remembers.