Our trip to Europe includes a week in France, with Paris as home base. I'd like to do an overnighter to Normandy to visit Mont St. Michel and the D Day sites. My thoughts are a train from Paris to the area and visit MSM then overnight (Bayeux, Caen) and the D Day sights second day, then return tip Paris evening of day 2. Recommend a package tour that includes both (haven't found any) or build it myself with separate guides/lodging, etc.? Appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks in advance!
Posted by
Saskatchewan
297 posts
Hi, we basically did this same thing 2 years ago. Having never been to France, we found this very easy -
Train to Caen and picked up a rental car across the street from the train station in Caen.
Drove to Bayeux, after visiting a war museum in Caen (well marked for drivers)
Did a tour to the Canadian beaches,etc and various other stops with a tour group. Back to Bayeux and the next day drove ourselves to MSM and also St. Mall, where we spent the night, which was wonderful. Back to Bayeux, Caen to return the rental, hopped the train and back in Paris. This however, was 2 nights away from Paris.
Posted by
Santa Rosa, CA, USA
1446 posts
We did this several years ago. Train from Paris to Bayeux. We stayed in a hotel in Bayeux and visited sites in the town. In town we met a Dale Booth tour group to see Normandy. Then got our rental car in Bayeux and drove to MSM where we spent the night on the island. From there drove back, but ended up in Honfleur which was wonderful.
Posted by
1 posts
We toured Normandy last year as a graduation surprise for our 18-year-old son. He eats, sleeps, and breathes WW2 history. Eddie Parks at CDB Tours, http://www.normandy-battlefields.com/, created a customized tour, based on what we wanted to see. Eddie is a retired Royal Marine, who purchased a chateau in Normandy where he and his wife Sharon can host visitors and share the fascinating history of the area. He picked us up at the train station in Caen, took us to a few afternoon sites, and then we went to the Chateau for a wonderful dinner and a video preview of the sites we would see the next day. Staying in the Chateau, which was taken over by Nazis during the war, was the icing on the cake. During the tours of the British beaches, we each had a booklet of maps and first-hand accounts, while we heard recordings from soldiers who were actually there on D-Day. Eddie was very knowledgeable about both the British and American events of the time, as my son can attest. The next day, we toured the American beaches and cemetery, before heading back to Paris. I know Sharon also provides tours of MSM, but we did not experience that part of their portfolio. I cannot say enough wonderful things about our experience with Eddie and Sharon, and would highly recommend it for an all-in-one adventure.