Our party of 4 will be ending a RSE tour in Paris on June 10 and need to be back in Paris no later than the evening of June 15 (departing June 17). We are considering spending several days in Normandy. Do we need to plan the itinerary in advance due to limited availability, or may we be spontaneous, planning only a day or less in advance? Concerns include transport (rail from Paris to Bayeux or rental car), lodging, D-day tours, and possibly a trip and overnight to MSM.
Posted by
Paris
10193 posts
You need to plan in advance if you want to have lodging and secure seats on D-Day tours.
Posted by
Washington DC
28073 posts
The D-Day tours absolutely can sell out. June is a very busy period for them. Most originate in Bayeux, which has additional things in its favor, so I wouldn't count on finding two nice, reasonably affordable rooms there on short notice. With a car available it might be OK if you were willing to stay in places in obscure locations difficult to access via public transportation; I just don't know.
I also wouldn't want to try to get a rental car on short notice. Even advance bookings are very expensive these days. High prices imply scarcity, so you might not get a car at all. You won't be able to fit four people and their luggage in just any model of car, I don't think. Also be aware that non-airport car-rental locations in France may keep hours that are more limited than expected, including closing for lunch. There are quite a few rental places in Caen; I think Bayeux has just one.
I know nothing about Mont-Saint-Michel except that the word on this forum is that you want to see it very early in the morning or late in the afternoon or evening, outside day-tripping hours when it is grotesquely mobbed. That argues for spending one night not too far away, but I don't see that you'd gave to be somewhere super-close.
Posted by
Indiana
925 posts
You absolutely need to plan in advance. IMO the train to Caen is your best bet; rental car from there. When we were there, the rental car agencies were closed on Sunday. If that holds true, you would need to travel on the 10th. As mentioned by previous posters, that time of year is extremely busy for hotels/tours. This would not be the time/place to be spontaneous. If you are lucky, some tours (either group or private) may still have availability. We opted for a private tour during our visit.
Posted by
Michigan USA
377 posts
I don't know about June but last year we visited Bayeaux in September and made our bookings three months in advance. We had to go with our 3rd choice of hotel because the first two were already full.
Posted by
Middletown, RI
1227 posts
For lodging, I would book ASAP. There just isn't that much available—at least anywhere near the D-day beach area. If you want an organized tour, you may already be too late. If you don't want to do a tour (they're really not necessary IMHO), you can be very spontaneous as far as what you want to see and do each day. There are many sights, they are well spread out, and it is easy to get around if you have a car. There is practically no public transportation. If you want to spend the night on MSM, you likewise should book ASAP if you still can.