London to Normandy

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/london-to-bayeux-and-back-again-by-rail

Train/Bus/Train sounds like a new combination.

Which caused me to look a bus offering up. Flixbus run a nightly bus to Paris (Bercy) via either Eurotunnel or the DFDS or Irish Ferries Dover to Calais route (which depends on the day of the week). That connects at Bercy with another bus to Caen arriving at about 2pm with about a 4 hour connection at Bercy.

It is another option, maybe not a preferred option, but it is good not to rule anything out.

Also, while it will have stopped by October, there is a new seasonal flight from Southampton to Caen (for other people's benefit) and being up to date.

You might find Eurostar from London to Paris, then SNCF from Paris to Bayeux a simple option. Eurostar London to Paris Gare du Nord is about 2h 20m then change train stations in Paris to Paris Saint-Lazare for the journey to Bayeux is about 2h 30m.

When I went to Normandy I chose to go by ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg then train from Cherbourg to Bayeux. Personally I enjoy the journeys as much as the visits.

If you finish your My Way France in Nice, wouldn't you head back to Paris and then on to Normandy without going to London in the middle? I'm confused.

If I were going London to Normandy I would take a ferry from Portsmouth or Southampton to Normandy; or the Eurostar to Paris then train to Bayeux.

When I traveled from London to Bayeux, I took the Eurostar to Paris, taxi from Gare du Nord to Gare St. Lazare (Cost about 10 Euros), train to Bayeux.

Very simple.

We did exactly what Frank said and it was so easy. I agree with the confusion as to how you are in London after the tour and then into France again. It doesn't make sense. it would help for you to clarify.

If its me, I'm taking the ferry from Portsmouth to Caen. But I'm a mariner, I take boats whenever possible.

If going from Nice then you could fly seasonally from Nice to Rennes on Air France then the train from Rennes to Caen.

Or Air France also fly seasonally from Nice to Caen.

You can go by train but it is a 3 train 14 to 15 hour journey (via Lyon and Tours) if you wanted to avoid changing across Paris.

From London I would always take the overnight ferry from Portsmouth, regardless of what some people on this forum say.

No passenger ferries have run from Southampton to France since the 1990's, but there is also a day sailing from Poole (Dorset) to Cherbourg, then train from Cherbourg.

why "regardless of what some people on this forum say."??

How about, "my opinion would be..."

Ferries can also get canceled in bad weather.

Learn from history. The crew of the S.S. Minnow should have canceled their three hour tour. Look what happened when it didn't.

Ferries can also get canceled in bad weather.

So do planes. But the consequences of bad weather are much worse. Buddy Holly should have taken the bus.

The Eurostar also gets cancelled in bad weather- either due to winds bringing the overhead wires down or due to snow and/or ice. It feels as if the latter happens more often in France than in England, but that may be an illusion- it certainly happens. Flooding has also caused extended Eurostar closures in the past.

Whichever option a traveller chooses (for any journey) it is wise to know alternatives for when things go sideways.

There is also another ferry route to Normandy which takes foot passengers on all sailings. Train London to Newhaven (Sussex), DFDS ferry Newhaven to Dieppe, train Dieppe to Rouen, then Rouen to Caen (so avoiding Paris). Not as convenient as it used to be when Dieppe Maritime Railway Station was open literally at ship side, but not too bad.

Thank you for all the responses. We’ll be attending a wedding in London after the tour ends and not sure our schedule allows us to see Normandy before our My Way Tour begins so we’re trying to fit it in at the end.

I believe Franks response is what we’ve landed on, it does seem to be the simplest.