Normandy Overnight Dest from Bayeux

How about someplace in Brittney? Locranon, is a gorgeous little town, perfect for an overnight. Other options, Quimper, or Saint Malo or Dinard or Dinan.

How far do you want to drive for this overnight? I agree with jules m that someplace in Brittany would be a nice change. Maybe something more inland away from the coast such as Fougeres or Vitre. In fact you could stop in one for lunch and exploration and then spend the night in the other one. I loved my short visit to Fougeres but haven't been to Vitre, although it gets a lot of love on this forum. Both have castles and medieval centers that are nice for just walking around. Both are about 1-1/2 to 2 hrs from Bayeux.

If you have not stayed in Mont Saint-Michel overnight, it is truly special. I suspect people that say it is better to stay off island have never actually stayed on island. Another place that may be nice is Rouen. If you want something off the well-beaten tourist path, consider Cherbourg or Avranches.

All great suggestions. Thanks very much. We will definitely find a good place in there and maybe one for next time too.

Bill Burke,
Rouen is beautiful and well worth a visit. On your way there or back take the Route des Abbayes and stop at Abbaye Jumieges. Beautiful Abbey ruins, or the small town of Villequier a long the Seine River. There is a museum of Victor Hugo there.

Bill Burke,
To add, I love Brittany. Anywhere there is great. There are there menhirs and dolmens worth seeing.

If you want a coastal retreat, Saint-Vaast-la-Hogue is a nice place to visit. Barfleur is a smaller alternative.

An overnight stay in Granville, which is a larger town but still not huge with a good amount of commerce and an historical old town overlooking the marina (a working fishing port) would be a nice stop. It's located on the west side of the Cotentin peninsula, rather than the east side where the other two towns I've mentioned are situated.

Bob beat me to it! :)
Granville is excellent and charming. Very romantic too- Christian Dior was born here, dramatic walled town, cliff walks, beautiful beach & sand dunes nearby.

Monet (and other Impressionists, I believe) painted at Saint-Vaast-la-Hogue.

Staying in the old city in the center of St Malo is just the cure for your night away. Quaint lodgings and lots of dining opportunities.

Thank you for posting this question, @Bill Burke. We are going to be in Bayeux in a few weeks, and I'm also looking for places to visit (we are going to MSM the morning of June 15, but as we are staying just north of Bayeux, we wanted to see another town that day). St Malo was one possibility.

I have not spent the night at MSM, because 4 hours were enough for us, with car. I noted this recent discussion here:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/dinner-on-mont-st-michel-c9cd840e-b736-4db3-932a-f1fb13c13ce2

This might be of interest to you:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/travel-to-mount-st-michel

My wife and I happen to like public gardens, and there are quite a few in the ocean provinces. If you also do, you might (if this is not for next month) investigate Le Vasterival [which I have not been to, because it is SO HARD to get into]. It is reputed to be "the best garden in France."

I like the idea of a remote place in Brittany, maybe with ruins or ancient stones. But you may not want to drive that far. As a place to sleep (we only stopped for lunch and a walk) I found Vitré to be much more attractive (and to have more things to do) than popular on this board Dinan. I run the other way when I see buskers in front of a half-timbered house ... However, Vitré seems much larger, if less touristy, than Dinan does. The old parts of Vitré are more distributed around, like some Fachwerke towns in Germany.

Coutances is considered worthwhile, but we must have parked in the wrong location. It didn't deliver, on our rushed on-the-road stopover.

Thanks again for all the suggestions. We have booked a hotel on MSM for the night. We will also visit Granville, since it's close by. I'll save the other suggestions for the next trip! We try to go every couple of years and almost always go to Normandy.