France Itinerary help: Normandy and Paris

I'm sorry, but I see some issues here.

The biggest potential problem is that ferry from Jersey to St. Malo. Over the course of two different summer vacations (the last being August 2017), I've had 5 ferry tickets between France, the Channel Islands and England. 2 out of 5 of those ferries were canceled. Last year the ferry from Jersey to Guernsey/England was canceled for 3 days in a row. I had to scramble for a last-minute flight from Jersey to London-Luton; I was lucky on the flight cost, but I still had extra expenses to get to my planned destination, and you'd be looking at tickets for four people if it happened to you. The ferries are large ships. I don't know whether they are truly that sensitive to weather or something else causes the problems. Your entire trip will come crashing down if your ferry is canceled. Jersey is interesting, but the risk you are taking for a few hours there is way, way beyond what I would recommend.

If you do get stuck on Jersey, these are some things I enjoyed: Jersey Zoo (focuses on endangered species), Jersey War Tunnels (museum-like explanatory material); walking across the beach at low tide, picking up shells; Orchid Farm (small and rather costly but gorgeous); Samares Manor (garden); La Hogue Bie (prehistoric site).

I understand about the active teenager, but I cannot recommend just driving around the D-Day beaches. You'll probably have trouble with navigation and you won't really know what you are seeing (the beaches will look like...beaches); it will not be a very productive way to see that key historic area. I was pleased with my full-day Overlord Tour from Bayeux; I've also seen Dale Booth Tours recommended here. They are van tours, so not huge buses full of people. My driver/guide was good, and we weren't in the van terribly long between stops. At the stops there was considerable walking around, so if your outdoorsy son has some interest in the war, I think he will be fine. With four of you, you might find a private guide not much more expensive than a tour. My tour was about 100 euros last year. With four people to accommodate, it would be prudent to get that tour date nailed down well in advance of your arrival in Normandy.

I'm not sure you've got time to hit Mont-St-Michel (which I've never seen), St-Malo (intensely touristy) the D-Day sites and Honfleur, but with a car it might be workable. Honfleur is attractive but, again, very touristy. Except at the outdoor D-Day sites, you are going to be in tourist central everywhere you intend to go in Normandy--but you're experienced travelers, so I assume you understand the situation.

I would not plan a late-night flight back to Heathrow with an early-AM departure. If you are delayed, you'll be shopping for four last-minute one-way transatlantic tickets.

Last summer I scored a very reasonably priced room (single for less than 50 GBP) at the Premier Inn near Heathrow Terminal 4. The hotel looked quite new. There was a covered walkway from the terminal (perhaps 10 minutes)--not very well signposted. I don't know whether they have any rooms that will accommodate a family of four, but the P.I. might be affordable even if you needed to take two rooms.

A few thoughts:
Mont Saint Michel - I loved this because of how we timed it. Went with my 13yo daughter. We arrived at 4p. It closes at 7. People were flooding out. We had the whole monastery practically to ourselves. I couldn't believe that anyone would go during the day. Im not sure how it is first thing in the morning, but you might consider renting the car in St. Malo that R&R day and driving the MSM in the afternoon. It is then 90 minutes from MSM to Bauyeaux. We arrived back at our b&b in Bayeux at 10p. We spent the whole day prior to MSM just driving down the coast, stopping in random villages and playing on a random beach in a town where we stopped for lunch. This would make for a long day for you (seeing St Malo, playing on the beach, driving to MSM and seeing that, and then driving to Bayeaux), but, a consideration.
I didn't visit a lot of DDay sites. We went to the American Cemetery and Omaha beach. My daughter wanted to play on the beach for a while, so we did that. She LOVED the cemetery (unexpectedly for me), and spent a lot of time in the museum and then looking around the gravestones. The museum is very moving, and interactive (there are videos, audios, lots of pictures) so your non-museum son might be engaged.
We also visited the Bayeux Tapestry and that was awesome

If you want something to do earlier in the day prior to a late arrival at Mont-St-Michel, there are two lovely, picturesque towns to the south: Fougeres and Vitre.

Leave a full day for Mont Saint-Michel. It is well worth the drive! Get there early and go straight to the top. It is magnificent!

I’d strongly suggest a tour guide, especially for the time you are visiting. We used Chris Emery. He is a retired Royal Marine and a decorated combat vet in his own right. He gets in the car with you and will tailor your tour to your interests. He is amazing. You can find him at http://www.visitdday.com/.

We enjoyed Bayeux, and it is a great base to work out of in Normandy.

Have a great trip!

Day 3 probably does not work, even if the other parts do.

You can't just pop in to Mont St. Michel, and you ought to plan for lunch. I'm not sure what "drive to DDay" signifies to you, but you won't get in a ton of sightseeing near the landing sights.

It's not clear to me what your priorities are, but if the D-Day sites are important, you should plan out specifically what you will do and be realistic about how long that will take with your entire family on the move. Bayeux or Arromanches are recommended as good bases for the beaches, and there are some guided tours out of Bayeux and Caen.

As to D-Day tour and your kids.... a few years ago we were in Normandy and did a full day tour of the D-Day sites and at several stops saw 2 adults+ 2 pre-teen kids on tour in a jeep. To us, the guide seemed wonderful, lively, well-informed and very aware of how to engage kids . Both kids and parents were asking and answering questions. And, let us not forget the coolness of a jeep tour. Here is the listing for the one we saw http://www.ddaybattletours.com/our-tours.html but I did see there were several from which to choose.

You asked whether to add more time to D-Day. It all depends on how interested everyone is. My family (husband, two sons then 26 and 28) booked Dale Booth for a two-day American sites tour - it was just the four of us in his van and it was worth every penny. We hope to return someday to see the Canadian and British beaches and sights. But for many people one day is enough.

I recommend starting with movies (or books) to give everyone some background. I was the least knowledgeable in my group and downloaded "The Longest Day" to read on my Nook.

Have a great trip!