Normandy beaches

We went with Bayeux Shuttle last spring. Really enjoyed it. http://www.bayeuxshuttle.com

I can't speak to tours (many others will I'm sure). But for lunch during a day trip, I'd recommend Hôtel du Casino right on Omaha Beach. I have stayed there, eaten there, and stopped for a drink. Not a 5-star, but very decent, and you can't beat the location overlooking Omaha Beach.
Over by Utah Beach, and inland a mile or two is the downtown of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. An historic town liberated by the 101st Airborne on D-day. A place I have eaten often is L'estaminet, right on the square. There is also a basic, but decent cafe by the museum inland form the dunes (walking distance) from the beach.
If you go to Sainte-Mère-Église (the heart of Airborne operations, and the 82nd Airborne), Auberge John Steele is a wonderful restaurant and hotel a half-block off the square. No view, but an historic setting, and a wonderful menu and ambiance. And you can walk to the center of the town, and the wonderful airborne museum.
As far as beaches, if you are interested in the American operations, Omaha Beach and Utah Beach are the places to go. Omaha is overwhelming (especially the more you know of the battle). And you can either view it along the long road that runs alongside it, or from the bluff at the American cemetery. The museum on Utah Beach is my favorite in the entire D-day area. It is built into the former German emplacement on the beach.

In July we went on the full day tour with Bayeux Shuttle. It was great!

I used Overlord Tours and was very pleased. Absent a specific family connection, I'd tend to depend on the guide's advice about what to see from the standpoint of meaningfulness and logistical practicality.

Doing this as a day-trip from Paris will mean either a very early start and a long day or loss of some sightseeing time while you sit in some sort of a vehicle, making your way from Paris to Normsndy and back again. With that constraint, I wouldn't want to take time out for a sit-down restaurant lunch.

Debating about which company to use for all day DDay tour, Overlord or Bayeux. I see 1 post about each and each was happy with the tour they chose. I wonder if there is any main difference between the 2. I did notice that Bayeux includes lunch and Overland does not.

Another vote for Bayeux Shuttle.
Re: lunch, yes it is included, and served in a restored cafe that the shuttle company owns. It was nice to have the place to ourselves. Our food was waiting on us when we arrived so time was not wasted on placing orders and waiting for it to be served. Our guide was excellent and although we had a very full day, we never felt rushed or hurried from place to place.

My husband is a retired US Army vet. We did a day tour with Chris Emery (visitdday.com) and it was the highlight of our two weeks in France. Chris' knowledge, enthusiasm, sense of humor and military background made this tour unforgettable. Chris will tailor the tour to your interests, and he does an awesome job. I recommend staying an extra day beyond the tour to visit some of the museums in the Bayeux and Caen area. Hard to describe the impact of the visit.

If you can afford the time and price, take a full-day shuttle from a base in Caen or Bayeux. There's certainly enough to see, and more to learn from the guide, to fill up a day. And the ride from Paris is quite long.

Hi from Wisconsin,
Not a true reply to your question...Have you read D-Day by Stephen E. Ambrose? It takes each beach separately and describes the event as told by the soldiers who survived. Excellently written. It will make the tour even more shocking. Make sure to look at the beaches of Omaha both from the top and from the sands of the beach.

Extremely moving.

wayne iNWI

Thank you for the information about Steven Ambrose book. I will get it for reading on the plane and over there. The tour guide said they go right on the beaches as well as looking down. She told me to bring a little bottle to take some sand. I usually bring a small stone from my travels. Thanks again for the info on the books.

bl,

You might also have a look at this thread......

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/recommendation-for-a-private-tour-guide-for-the-d-day-beaches

Another good book you could read is D-Day by Antony Beevor. Well researched and a cracking good book!