Base for Normandy

Bayeux and Caen are the two main places that people use as a base to visit Normandy (but not the only ones). I stayed in Bayeux and I loved it, but I was driving - I'm not sure which is better if using the train. There are lots of regular posters here who recommend staying in Bayeux and I'm sure you'll hear from some of them.

I'll second the recommendation for Bayeux. It is a lovely town and we spent 3 nights there, and did
tours of the area. It is also close to Mont St. Michel - another great place to tour.
The famous Bayeux Tapestry is another item to see in Bayeux.
Our 1 day tours from Bayeux were
- Beaches and Cemeteries of Normandy
- Mount St. Michel
- spent a day just walking all around Bayeux

added: we stayed at Hotel d'Argouges it is across street from the main parking square, Bayeus is small and very walk-able.

judi,

I'd also recommend Bayeux, especially as many of the tours depart from that area. It's also a beautiful smaller city with some good hotels and restaurants, and a good WW-II Museum. While there you can also see the famous Tapestry which describes a much earlier battle.

I like Bayeux. We stayed at the Hotel Churchill and there is a tour to Mont St. Michel that basically departs from the front door.

I did a Normandy/Brittany trip a few years ago and for the Normandy part of the trip I was based in Honfleur. Honfleur is a gorgeous harbor town that is also a flourishing art center with lots of galleries, great restaurants and wonderful waterside cafes. The drive to the Normandy Beaches was only about an hour but I highly recommend driving (off the highway) because the route is filled with wonderful villages. From Honfleur I was also able to take a day to travel in the opposite direction to visit the wonderful beaches of Etretat with it's spectacular rock formations. On the way to Brittany I was able to make a stop at Mont St Michel, a must-see stop for a few hours but tiny and over-run with tourists.

Judi: Notch up another Bayeux vote. I believe the town is fairly well located to visit the various D-Day sites. You absolutely must visit the Bayeux Tapestry--which will take about one half-hour, give or take. We enjoyed several nice meals in various restaurants (courtesy Trip Advisor restaurant reviews) and also had fun walking around the town.

Another vote for Bayeux. Highly recommend Hotel d'Argouges in the heart of town. Wonderful hotel, owner, staff, breakfast and gardens.

Another vote for Bayeux and the Hotel d'Argouges and the Bayeux Tapestry. I did have a car though and can't comment on the ease if public transport or organised tours.

I would also add that the War Museum in Caen is the best I have ever seen and well worth a visit.

We liked the Bayeux WWII museum best and disliked the one in Caen. The Bayeux one is smaller and easier to understand, not jam packed with people and is much less expensive. Also easier to get to if you stay in Bayeux.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer. I knew I could count on people from this forum. Perhaps I will be able to pay it forward.

I would not rely on public transportation in the Normandy Region,that said the Hotel Churchill in Bayeux is a great location for the D Day tours because the tour vans leave about 300 feet from the Hotel and they are two blocks from the Tapestry Museum which is worth seeing.The British Cemetery and WWII Museum are very good and worth seeing.The Churchill also runs tours to Mt St Michel if you don't have a car.
Mike

We loved our Overlord Tour!