2-Day trip: London>Normandy>Paris. Too much?

Too much cut the London part for sure you can always go there from the USA there are a lot of flights
Fly into Paris get the train to Bayeux or Caen and rent the car there to explore Normandy.

Just curious but how much time are you allowing to drive from Lille to Omaha Beach?

I was just in Paris and Normandy this spring and am still travelling in Europe as I write this. Keep in mind that the important sights in NOrmandy are not all close together. And it takes some time to drive from one to the other. The roads are small and can be crowded. If you spend any real time at all in only 3 of the very good museums along the way this makes your schedule very unrealistic. We spent 3 full days in Normandy based in Arromanches and felt it was too short.

I'd spend all the time in London and not try to see the D-Day sites on this trip. I am a big proponent of taking one of the small-group tours if you have an interest in the invasion sites, rather than just driving around and looking at beaches. The tour drivers/guides provide a lot of very useful information, both background and specific. And they know exactly where they are going and the easiest way to get there.

Now, if you just want to see a bit of rural France and stop in 2 or 3 cute little towns, that might work. But I still think it would be better to maximize the time in London. I certainly wouldn't go to the expense of traveling from Paris to London for the little time you propose.

It can't be done unless you are superman/wonder woman.

Let's say you are willing to to be up at stupid o'clock in London to catch the first Eurostar of the day to Lille, the 6:47 (you need to be checked in, not in the queue but checked in, 45 minutes ahead, so arrive not later than 10 or quarter to 6.

That train loses an hour changing time zones and arrives at Lille at 9:30 Central European Time (or Central Daylight Time depending on your date). An hour to get the car (10:30) and start out of Lille onto the Autoroute system. 5 hours on the Autoroute and you can be at Arromanches or other beach by about 3:30 in the afternoon. Do you want lunch? Need to use a toilet? Add at least half an hour, so you are arriving at your first beach around 4. How much time do you want to contemplate and understand? How many beaches (there are 50 miles of them where the invasion happened) do you want to visit? Do you want to visit the American Cemetery? Or the museum. Closes at 6, last admission at 5:00pm. Things, especially if you haven't been there before, can be quite a long way apart.

So, as it gets dark around 7, you will want to finish the beaches and surroundings by then. Dinner?

Figure 3:30 to 4:00 to drive to Paris for an 11:00 pm (23:00) arrival. What time does the car rental place close?

You must have more energy than me.

Oh by the way - You say you haven't driven in France. You need an IDP to drive in France (or spend lots more for an official translation, see many threads about this) and should be familiar with the unique signage so as to be safe and avoid an expensive fine. Big takeaway, the signage will tell you who has the right of way, and the speed limit changes will often not be spelled out in numbers.

Just curious but how much time are you allowing to drive from Lille to Omaha Beach?

I figured around 4 hours.

Let's say you are willing to to be up at stupid o'clock in London...

Right. But worth it, hopefully, to see a bit of the French countryside and a spot of Normandy.. even just the American Cemetery.

It may not be optimal, but I was hoping it was doable.
Dinner in Rouen, perhaps? And return to Paris late. But the car can be returned in the morning without extra charges (per Sixt.com, anyway)

You need an IDP to drive in France...

Thank you. Researching that now.

The alternative is doing a round-trip train to Normandy from Paris. Is it better to ditch the car and just do that? Cost is a concern here, too... the little rental cars are less than one round trip Eurostar Paris>London ticket.

Do a day trip to Normandy from Paris. We just did Overlord Tours and they met us at the train station in Bayeaux. Guide was excellent. We saw the highlights and know that we want to go back for a more detailed, multi-day tour in the the future, but this was a great highlight and got us back to Paris by dinner (8:30 p.m.)

I agree with others, London and Normandy in two days from Paris is "a bridge too far" (with apologies to a book about another WWII area). You'll spend a lot more time on trains and driving than seeing the sights. Pick one, save the other for another trip. My choice would be Normandy. Take a train from Gare St-Lazaire to Rouen or Caen, pick up and return the car there, spend the night in Bayeux. I haven't taken one of the guided D-Day tours but they're highly recommended by many on this forum.

Many would feel that just one night in Normandy isn't enough, but it would be much better than going there via London!