Normandy "must see"

St Malo is worth a visit if you have time.

Bayeux/Caen/Beaches/Mont St Michel are all on the western side of Normandy. Bayeux is a good base for that.

Rouen is a bit far from there, though. Ideally you'd need a second, eastern base in Rouen and also consider Etretat, Jumièges Abbey, Les Andelys, Lyons La Forêt in your plans.

And I would really rent a car. Complicated without, unless you just do WWII tours.

Also, you would need a lot more time for your list.
With 2 nights, you just have time for Caen/Bayeux+ beaches. No car needed for this, as you can sign up for a beach tour.

I I read a lot of history, always have, and yet the D-Day beaches were pretty much done with in 3 days of touring last May. I spent that much time just in Rouen, and frankly I'll be going back as I really enjoyed that city. The surprise of my visit was Cherbourg, which I drove out to just to see the harbor, and regret not staying there; it's a beautiful town, deeply historic (beyond WWII). St Lo was also a good visit.

Bayeux is a good base for the beaches, but without the tapestry I'd be seriously looking at options. Caen is even further from the US beaches, and was, for me, not that interesting.

If you're flying in and out of Paris, consider going back to the city via Chartres. The drive through the backroads winds through France's "horse country" and it's quite beautiful.

We have been to that area twice, and each time we took the train from Paris to Caen and rented a car. IMO it would be very difficult to tour that area on your own without a car. (Note that the car rental agencies were closed on Sunday, and they take a long lunch break) With only two nights, you really do not have the time needed to see everything on your list unless you plan for it to be a "drive-by/Instagram" trip. On our first trip, we took a private, half-day tour to give us an overview of the area, and then we toured the area on our own with the rental car. Try to be at the American Cemetery at the end of the day, when they lower the flag and play "Taps". It is a very moving and emotional experience. We found Bayeux to be a good location for our stay.

We based 6 nights in Bayeux and 2 in Rouen. 1 day trip by train to Caen.

I guess it depends on what you're really interested in. We were happy with 2 full days of touring with Overlord, and most of 1 day to Mont St Michel as well as time to explore Bayeux, Caen, and Rouen. We just got back Friday night. I liked walking around Bayeux much more than Caen. Trains are very often between the two cities and we did not use a car (although if we had, it would have given us more flexibility and options).

I have always found a visit to Arromanches to be more interesting than visiting Caen. It’s Gold Beach where you still can see the remnants of the Mulberry Harbors and there is a very interesting museum. Two friends and I rented a car in Paris and drove to our hotel in Bayeux. I would consider a car essential for discovering the area.

We trained from Paris to Caen, rented a car and drove into Bayeux……love Bayeux. The cathedral there is worth a visit and you need to read Rick’s research on it during WW2……hint….the little “house” that sits up on the side of its roof. The tapestry is amazing and the town is a joy to walk around during the day……make sure you go to the British Cemetery in Bayeux along with the American Cemetery and the German one…….such a different look in each one that is good to see. Contact Dale Booth for a great private tour of Omaha beach. You will want your own car…….we did something fun since we had a car…….we found on our map the Golf club on Omaha beach…….bought all of the 5 golfers in our family nice golf shirts from their pro shop that they cherish……where are you going to ever see one of those?

I would put Etretat on the list
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/etretat-the-impressionists-had-an-eye-for-a-beautiful-place/
We used Honfleur as a base for visiting Etretat and it is a picturesque town worth a night or two.
St. Malo is lovely but not in Normandy.
Bayeux is a great base for the WWII sites that are a must and there are lots of moderately priced tours to the British/Canadian or American beaches, museum, cemeteries etc.

Steve,
2 nights/2+days will not be enough time to include what you want not see. Just the distances don 't allow for that. e.g. Rouen to Bayeux is 157 km. (about 90 miles), Bayeux to Mont St Michel is 115 km. Drive times will be slower in some areas. And I would check the train schedules between the places you want to go. (It seems to be common for Americans to underestimate travel times/distances between places in France. And everything is not on a freeway route.) I suggest more research on getting from place to place.
Are you envisioning getting to the area early on day one and leaving late on the third day? That is how you will get 2+ days with only 2 nights there. Generally, 2 nights allow for one full day only, due to arrival times on day one and departure times on day 3.
Bolt operates around Caen. Uber in the cities you mention, but they are not very prolific. Your wait times may be longer than you are used to. They aren't all over the place. Definitely download the app. And it is unlikely that you will find a driver from Rouen to Bayeux, for example. It is a long one-way for him and he would probably have to charge you a round trip price, naturally.

I was a very reluctant driver in this area of France that was forced into the role when my son misplaced his drivers license….. That said, as long as I had a “navigator” following along on Google Maps and giving me advance info ( speed limit changed, take second exit at rotary, etc). Driving in Normandy was not that difficult. Stressful at times, but it did allow us an opportunity to be more flexible and see more in the amount of time we had. Having an automatic meant I had one less thing to think about.

We took the train to Caen, rented a car, and spent 2 nights in Bayeux. Our one full day there was on the Overlord Tours Band of Brothers Tour. The next day we drove to Mont St Michel spent a few hours, and then continued on to St Malo. We only had one night in St Malo (technically Brittany) but wished we had two.

If you have limited time and decide to rent a car, it can work for even the most reluctant drivers.

It all depends on what it is you are interested. Normandy is a huge region and includes everything from areas around and East of Dieppe to Mont Saint-Michel. Many people on this forum refer to "Normandy" meaning only the WWII D-day battle. But there is so much more. if you are more specific, better recommendations can be made. There is no TGV from Paris to Bayeux or Caen, but there is one to Rennes—which is in Brittany but close to Mont-Saint-Michel. For the Bayeux area, taking a TER train from Gare Saint-Lazare to Caen (slightly over 2 hours) and renting a car from there is good advice. Although I would find Caen itself the least desirable place to spend any time in of those you have listed. It is a good transportation hub though. For things WWII related, Bayeux is a good base and a good place for hotels and restaurants.. Many do an organized tour, but it isn't necessary. If you don't however, a car is necessary. And a car is also necessary if you want to do anything other than an organized tour. Rouen would likely be a separate overnight to do it properly, as would MSM. Both are relatively easy drives from Bayeux.

WOW! I post this just before going to sleep, hoping to get the ball rolling and get a few responses. THANK YOU for 11 responses already!

I need to digest the feedback, and I will surely come back with a few more questions or clarifications to what I posted.

This is excellent -- thank you again

Thank you Carol (now retired)

As I recall, a friend/former co-worker was married at St Malo. If the timing and logistics work out, we will definitely check it out.

Given that my wife and I are so adverse to rent&drive, I especially appreciate your reassuring words; my wife and I would take turns driving and navigating :) .

In which hotel in Bayeux did you stay? Would you recommend it?
How long (and how difficult) was the drive from Bayeux to Mont St. Michel?

Best regards

Thank you balso

As noted b y Pharmer Phil (thank you Pharmer Phil! I made some very bad inferences), I incorrectly thought that Rouen was an easy train ride to Bayeux, when in fact it is a 2 hour ride. I saw the timings from St Lazare and simply assumed that Rouen-Bayeux-Caen were along the same route from St Lazare; of course it is not. Although, I see one can get from Paris to Rouen in just under 90 minutes on the NOMAD train operated by SNCF Voyageurs.

It is unfortunate that the Bayeux Tapestry is now closed, as that is such a highlight and Bayeux makes for a great base.

Best regards

Thank you KGC,

Yes, I would expect Cherbourg to be worthwhile given its history.

Is there another town you would recommend instead of Bayeux?

I agree -- Rouen looks great! It does not get as much mention as I would expect. I am strongly considering a day trip from Paris just to see Rouen.

My wife and I have been talking about taking a day trip from Paris to see Chartres via train. We did that in our first visit ever to Paris, 30 years ago.

Best regards,

Thank you TravelBug79

Is there a hotel a hotel in Bayeux that you would recommend?

Now that I know/realize how off the mark I was regarding Bayeux to Rouen, Paris to Caen and possibly making Caen a base seems good logistically (especially renting a car) although I sense from the responses that there is not much to see or do in Caen.

I notice the train from Paris St Lazare to Caen stops in Lisieux before reaching Caen (Lisieux is the last stop on the routes I have reviewed), and I have heard that is a pretty small town. I wonder if that would be a nice place to base?

Best regards,

Thank you pbscd

Did you also use Overlord to tour St Michel, or another operator, or on your own?

We based 6 nights in Bayeux and 2 in Rouen. 1 day trip by train to Caen.

I am glad to see you say that you were able to enjoy without renting a car. We prefer to not rent, but if we must to have the proper experience. We went to the UK this summer, and no way did we want to deal with the "other side" and those narrow roads that are not even one lane wide. Of course, renting a car is the ultimate in flexibility and independence.

Best regards

Thank you Philip

I appreciate the mention of Arromanches; I recognize it well from the maps and history.

In which hotel did you stay in Bayeux? Would you recommend it?

Best regards,

Thank you Jane,

In light of the tapestry closure for (at least) the next 2 years, what else do you recommend to see in Bayeux?

That is a very good point about the cemetery differences given the nation of origins; I would not have thought of that.

Is there a website for Dale Booth or his company?

Best regards,

Thank you janettravels4,

I am familiar with the iconic "cliff" at Etretat, yet I did not realize there were other things to see close by.
I have heard about Honfleur -- is it also close to Bayeux?
I was wondering if St Malo was actually in Brittany

Best regards,

Thank you Judy,

Alas, as I noted in one of my earlier responses, my bad as I was so off the mark on trains and timing between Rouen and Bayeux.
Yes...it is very easy to be assumptive and naively underestimate distance and time.

To your question, yes -- I was planning that we would leave from Paris the morning of Day 1, stay in the area (Bayeux?) for 2 nights, and return to Paris late on Day 3. I admit I was not sure how much of an additional stretch it would be to add Mont St. Michel.
If we take Rouen out of the equation, is the 3 days in Normandy including Mont St. Michel now feasible?

Also, what is your opinion regarding a day trip to Rouen from Paris? I see train durations approximately 90 minutes each way.

Everyone should heed your guidance regarding Bolt or Uber (or whatever the rideshare service is in a particular country). While the answer to the question - "Does Uber operate here?" -- will be yes, one must consider waiting time and ease of booking the ride.

Best regards,

Thank you Pharmer Phil,

Yes, so many travel sources equate Normandy with the D-Day sites and monuments. When I say "I want to see Normandy", I mean -- I want to see the quaint and picturesque towns and villages that are distinctive of the region. We love old town centers, the historic architecture, and of course great regional cuisine. From what I have seen both Bayeux and Rouen would meet the criteria.

Thank you for setting me straight on my mistaken assumption about TGV to Bayeux or Caen. For some reason, I saw the
timetables and NOMAD, and I thought it was similar to INOUT which run TGV between Paris and other major cities.

Are there any hotels you would recommend in Bayeux?

Best regards,

Things to see in Bayeux:

• The cathedral
• The historic center
• The invasion museum (quite good)

On my trip to that part of France in 2017, I spent a few nights in Caen as well as a few in Bayeux, even though they are very close together. Caen was a much better base for side trips to Honfleur, Deauville and Cabourg; I didn't want to keep taking the train back and forth between Bayeux and Caen for all those side trips. The time in Bayeux was used for a one-day D-Day tour, the bulleted sights listed above, a local walking tour and the Bayeux Tapestry.

I really liked Rouen and regretted having only taken a day trip there.

I later repositioned myself near St. Malo in order to see some towns in that area. I skipped Mont-Saint-Michel, which is doable by public transportation--though perhaps not as a day trip from Bayeux; I think the Churchill Hotel shuttle is the best option if your schedule requires seeing MSM during the overrun day-tripping hours.

Steve, we used the shuttle at Churchill hotel (booked in advance) for MSM

Very near the Battle of Normandy museum is the British cemetery. It is quite moving. Many families chose to add personal words at the bottom of their loved ones' grave markers. "The dearest daddy and husband in the world. We will love you forever darling" and frequently saw names of children who missed their daddies. So sad. And it's very well maintained.

We also went to the art and history museum in Bayeux and I'm glad we visited. Also a river walk was very pleasant and they have a blind for looking at wildlife (we watched an egret for some time). We stopped in at the lace conservatory. It was small but the lady working there was happy to talk to me. Oh and behind the cathedral is a huge Liberty Tree planted after the revolution.

Cathedral is already rightly on your list.

We stayed at Manoir St Victoire and really liked it but it's not a hotel. I believe there are 3 rooms that Msr Brunel lets. He made us omelettes every morning and offered breakfast between 730 and 9 just asked us the day before when we wanted to eat. It was quiet. We heard church bells in the evening but either they don't chime (I believe this is correct because I'm a light sleeper) or I slept through them .

Yes, Dale Booth has a website……book early as his time fills up fast…..MSM is a must as well. We also loved Rouen but spent a night in Honfleur and loved it even more….Etratet is a natural site to see!

Steve,
Re Rouen, yes, you could do as a day trip from Paris, but take the earliest train there and the latest train for return, to give yourself a full day there. Visit the cathedral that so fascinated Monet, walk around the medieval quarter (beautifully impressive), follow up on some of the Joan of Arc history/sites, eat well (Julia Child's first meal in France was here and became her inspiration to become a chef). There are several museums....Beaux Arts, antiquities, iron arts, ceramics to name a few. If you choose to drive at all, the road (D982 I believe) between Rouen and Bayeux is a wonderful drive next to the Seine River in the countryside and you can take the Route Des Abbayes. Visit the spectacular ruins of the Abbaye Des Jumieges.

Re Mont St Michel, taking Rouen out of the equation for Bayeux, your 3 days/2 nights in Normandy is possible, but a stretch. Say, an early arrival in Bayeux will give you most of a day and you could do a half day tour of the beaches or see the town (museum, cathedral, the town itself). Next day an MSM tour from Bayeux which will be an all day excursion. You will be there when it is more crowded, but I have been there mid-day and I still appreciated the visit. Just pack your patience in your day pack. After your second night you could do an all day beaches, etc. tour before an evening return to Paris.

pbscd makes some really good suggestions, as do many others here. If you decide on a day trip to Rouen, you don't need to pay for a tour, Get your train tickets yourself (double check your schedules). The medieval quarter isn't huge and is eminently walkable. We did it at the ages of 73 and 74, and that was before I had either of my much-needed knee replacements. Just a thought.

Amusez-vous bien!

Minor note but the ceramics museum is currently closed in Rouen. Otherwise, we saw everything in the RS guidebook and on their tourism website during our 2 nights there. I was tempted to regret the 2nd night stay- for our pace it seemed 1.5 days would have been perfect but 1 would have felt short.

If you stay overnight, it really is quieter early mornings and evenings. There's a cruise ship port and also tour busses that stop for the day. My husband and I were perfectly happy being on our own .

Thank you acraven, very good input

Best regards

Thank you pbscd for the additional detail -- very much appreciated!

I totally get the 2 days = too many, 1 day = not enough. I have lived that myself on other trips to Europe (some cases it was we had 3 days and wish we had 3. -- which of course does not exist).

Thank you again Jane

Would you (or anyone else on this thread) know -- is the area less busy in shoulder months, such as October?
In particular does MSM get less busy? Also, are these better days of the week than others to see Mont St Michel?

Best regards

Merci Judy!

Your latest post has excellent detail and is very informative -- very much appreciated!

Best regards

We went to MSM on Saturday Oct 11 (less than 2 weeks ago). There were certainly other people there but I didn't find it oppressive. I imagine a non weekend day would be better but we did what worked for our schedule.

Thank you pbscd, that is very helpful!

It just seems to me that crowds should be less in the "shoulder" months compared to "in season." I would also expect a weekday to be quieter than Saturday (I can imagine it is crazy on a Sunday). Yes, of course, there is only so much flexibility any of us will have -- whether it is the time of year, how much time we can spend, or day(s) of the week.

My friend (who had the wedding in St Malo) cautioned that the weather in Normandy off the Atlantic coast can be tricky after September. How was the weather when you went? Rainy? Cold? [it is about the same time of October that we plan next year, so this is also very helpful]

Best regards

Coastal Normandy and Brittany are excellent choices for summer trips, because a significant heatwave in that area is very unlikely (something that can't be said for much of the rest of France). The area is often cloudy/rainy and cool even in July. You can take a look at actual, historical, day-by-day weather data for most towns of tourist interest on the website timeanddate.com:

Bayeux weather -- October 2024

Since weather is so changeable from year to year, you should check some additional years; use the pull-down box at the right just above the graph to do that. Use the Search box near the upper right to find statistics for other towns/cities.

Steve,
My guess is that you will have fewer people at MSM in October. As to the weather in Normandy and Brittany.....well, to me the weather is part of the attraction/romance/reason for a visit to both areas. (Unless it is raining really hard!) Seeing MSM from the far side of the causeway, with a bit of a shroud of fog and/or mist puts me in mind of a medieval mystery. It is lovely in sunshine, but that foggy Atlantic "dressing" is impressive, IMO. You may not have any sunny days in Normandy in October, but even grey days will be part of the experience. Bring along some layers for warmth and some sort of waterproof windbreaker, just in case. And the cooler weather will make some of the food and drink of the area taste all the better! (cider, calvados, agneau sale, multiple seafood specialties, tarte tatin, camembert cheese...and if you come across them, Breton savory crepes).

Okay, now I am getting hungry for some Norman/Breton dishes!

I think the lowest low temps were in the high 40s, and it usually got into the 60s during the day. It felt like fall. A few times I took off my pullover sweater and was comfortable in a t shirt and jeans. But I always had it handy. It was cloudy some days and sunny others. We were really fortunate. It rained right before we came and shortly after we left.

We did. MSM. many years ago in late October and it was not at all crowded -- here was our trip.
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2014/01/21/mont-st-michel-is-that-a-real-place/
The weather was fine -- cool, overcast but we were lucky to not have rain.

Thank you acraven, that is an excellent site (I have saved it for additional reference!)

I wonder how cool it feels (warmer or cooler) due to being coastal

Best regards

Thank you Judy

That is an excellent point & perspective -- the weather can be integral to the overall experience.
We live in the Phoenix metro area, so we are exposed to blistering summers.
A few years ago we did Budapest-Vienna-Prague; cooler days and much cooler nights were quite enjoyable.
Rainfall can be a challenge, but what can one do, eh? There are varied reasons we travel when we do.

And YES -- I am so looking forward to the food & drink! Cidre, Calvados, Camembert (and other cheeses).

(Calvados...I still remember my first meal ever in Europe. It was nearly 40 years ago, outside Stuttgart (in Filderstadt). I had just checked into my hotel and it was time for lunch. One of the most memorable culinary offerings I have ever enjoyed -- potato soup, with Calvados blended into it, served in a hollowed apple.)

Best regards

Thank you both pbscd and janettravels 44,

Yes luck and good timing never hurt. This past summer we went to Edinburgh (Scotland), York, Oxford/the Cotswolds. Hardly any rain on the trip; the little there was amounted to no issue in Edinburgh -- a light drizzle while we toured the National Gallery and the only true downpour the morning we were taking the train to York. Funny thing, my wife remarked today when we wondered about the weather -- are we going to pay back the great weather we had in the UK?

Best regards