Normandy d day stay

Bayeux. Very cute town, lots of lodging and restaurant options, grocery stores, laundromat, etc. Close to the beaches. Beautiful cathedral. There’s a small car rental place in Bayeux, or you can rent from the train station in Caen (30 minutes away). We rented in Paris and drove to Bayeux (about 2-3 hrs).

My wife and I stayed at Chateau de Bellefontaine for our one night stay in Normandy. It is a bit of a quirky hotel, but we found it more than adequate for our stay. We toured a number of the D-Day museums in the area and ended at the American Cemetery. I could easily go back for some more time.

Most of the small-group tours of the invasion sites depart from Bayeux, which in my view is another reason to stay there. I highly recommend one of those tours unless one of you is an expert on the subject matter. You will learn much more and see much more with an experienced driver/guide.

I agree with staying in Bayeux, for accomodations, restaurants, cathedral, closeness to D-day sites, and the phenomenal tapestry depicting William the Conquerer. Peter

We are taking a train from Paris to Normandy on June 6th and staying in Bayeux for 2 nights. We are planning on renting a car when we get there. What made you decide to rent the car in Paris...is it an easy drive?

More choices in Caen nearby, including car-rental agencies.

We will be continuing on on our journey after Normandy. That is the reason we are renting a car in Paris.

We are making a similar trip. First Paris, then train to Normandy. We are staying in Bayeux. Then on to Lyon to visit a friend who lives there. We will rent a car only for the Normandy portion of our trip. The best train option to Lyon leaves early before the rental car companies open at 8 am. So we are considering renting a car in Bayeux and returning it the night before and taking a taxi to the train station. The Bayuex Hertz is located on the other side of town from the train station (who thought that location was a good idea?). We would prefer to rent a car in Caen since there are many rental car locations right adjacent to the train station. Is it possible to return a car early in the morning before they open at 8 am? Even if they allow a night box key drop off, it seems like we might run the risk of being scammed and charged for damage that isn't actually there.

Last June I returned a car to the Hertz location in Caen when they were closed. Tell them your plan when you pick it up, and they'll let you know the procedure. But basically, you park on the side street next to the office, and there's a key drop there. If you are worried about being scammed (I wouldn't be), take a series of pictures of the outside of the car once it is parked.