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Bayeux/Normandy

I will be in Paris in May 2019.
I want to take the train from Paris to Bayeux; overnight in Bayeux and then take a tour of Normandy.
I will not hire a car or a driver but rather want to take a group tour.
Should I pre-book a tour or should I wait until I reach Bayeux?
Also, please recommend a few good tour groups located in Bayeux.

Please respond.
Thanks

Posted by
26840 posts

Are you referring to D-Day tours? Those seem to be the most common offering in Bayeux. In fact, I don't know that there are general-interest tours offered from Bayeux, though there is a way to get to Mont-St.-Michel, I think.

I was very happy with my full-day Overlord Tour last year. The cost was either €95 or €100. Others have spoken highly of Dale Booth. The tours I'm familiar with use vans rather than buses, so space is limited. You definitely shouldn't wait too long to book, especially since you will have only one day available to fit in the tour. I do not mean that you need to book now.

Overlord has two or three different tours that focus on sites of special interest to Americans. There is at least one other tour that hits Canadian and/or British sites.

Posted by
13809 posts

I'll just add that if you can, I'd plan on 2 nights in Bayeux. The tours are a full day and it's nice just to enjoy Bayeux afterward. Of course, people DO take that train back to Paris but if you have the time, add a night so you've got a full day there.

Definitely pre-book the DDay tours.

I've taken 2 and would recommend Dale Booth if he's not thoroughly booked with Rick Steves tours. As acraven indicates, many also like Overlord and altho I've not toured with them, I'd be comfortable booking with them in a heartbeat as many here enjoy them.

Posted by
1540 posts

We did this same thing, but stayed in Bayeux for 2 or 3 nights (can't remember - duh?)
But it was perfect . We booked an all day tour with Overlord Tours and went in a large new van. The guide was wonderful and stopped in a couple small towns and knew the history of the whole area.
We went to a couple different beaches and spent time at the American Cemetery. If you go to American Cemetery, try to be there at around 4:00 PM when they lower the American Flag. Very emotional and moving.

Posted by
10 posts

Last week we took a full day tour with Bayeux Sightseeing Tours. www.bayeuxsightseeingtours.com
Our guide and the owner of the tour company, Rene, was outstanding. He has been a WWII history buff since childhood and is extremely knowledgeable. In addition to book learning, Rene has interviewed many veterans over the years to enrich his knowledge. We highly recommend his tour. You will come away with a deeper understanding of the events of the time period not only in terms of the military, but also the French citizens. He picked us up in Bayeux, but others in our small group were picked up at a train station outside of Bayeux. They arrived from Paris and returned the same day. Communicate with Rene and he can tell you which station to arrive in if you come from Paris.

Posted by
98 posts

Thanks to everyone who responded.
I appreciate it.

Posted by
122 posts

J.S. My family of 4 will be taking our first trip to Paris and Normandy next May. We have a full day private tour booked with Dale Booth. We booked him a year in advance. Next year is the 75th anniversary of D-Day and he is quite booked. We are staying 2 nights at Le Bayeux Hotel in Bayeux. We are very excited and I am sure you are, too!

Posted by
139 posts

I will be in Bayeux June 2-3. I started planning this trip a couple of months ago and was very surprised that Dale Booth was already completely filled. I booked an overlord tour. I also had a hard time finding a hotel in Bayeux. All of the hotels that have been recommended on this site were fully booked. We did get a room at the Novotel Bayeux. My advice to the original poster would be to book both a hotel and a tour now, even though it is far out. It is the 75th anniversary of D-day and it seems it will be very busy around that time!

Posted by
1118 posts

Many D-day area hotels were fully booked two years prior. And for any anniversary (even non-divisible by five), the better places are usually booked over a half-year prior.

Also, if it is anything like the 70th anniversary, certain areas will be blocked of to traffic a different times on D-day itself due to ceremonies attended by dignitaries. Fortunately, it is a large area, so there is always some place interesting to visit.

Posted by
113 posts

We used Bayeux Shuttle for our D-Day tour (BayeuxShuttle.com) and Bayeux Discovery Walks for a guided walking tour of the town (discovery-walks.org). We enjoyed both very much...small group, very interactive & informative. Have a great trip!

Posted by
1189 posts

Hello from Wisconsin,
2 nights in Bayeux. Yes.

In Normandy Bayeux is one of the few cities that didn't get shelled to pieces during WWII. Stay there and get to experience a medieval city center. Good WWII museums. A fantastique market on Saturday. And don't forget the Bayeux Tapestry. I know people go to this area for the WWII stuff, but in 1066...The Invasion went the other way. And England was never the same. The tapestry was made about 1080. If you go to Bayeux and don't see the tapestry some people will shake their heads. Then again, If you miss it this time, it is a good excuse to go back.

You can train in from Paris. See the tapestry in the afternoon, stroll around town. Have a good meal or fall into a tourist restaurant and have a mediocre meal. See Bayeux by night. Take a guided tour the next day. And again spend time in the city at night.

Gee whiz, and don't forget a real cathedral.

Train schedules can be found at dbahn.com in at least eight languages. 2 hours 14 minutes Paris to Bayeux. Almost every hour.

wayne iNWI