How is the best way to tour Normandy? We booked a get your guide tour, but want to be sure there is not a better tour company or way to go.
Thank you!
How is the best way to tour Normandy? We booked a get your guide tour, but want to be sure there is not a better tour company or way to go.
Thank you!
Apologies I updated from Paris France
Quick question- would your plans allow for an overnight in Bayeux at all? It might make your tour options increase.
A bus tour from Paris to the D-Day beaches will mean a very large amount of time sitting on a bus. There is driving to be done from site to site, as well as from and back to Paris.
Overlord offers a full-day tour designed for people staying in Paris. It's Tour 2FS: https://www.overlordtour.com/product/tour-2fs-omaha-utah-full-day-tour-week-days-only/. You have to take an early train from Paris to Bayeux (which should be somewhat faster than a bus) and are picked up right at the Bayeux train station. The tour drops you off at the train station at the end of the day.
This makes for a long sightseeing day, but you get essentially a full-day tour. Obviously, spending at least one night in Bayeux would make for a better experience. The D-Day beaches are spread over a considerable area, and they are just not close to Paris.
We had a wonderful tour with HQ Company, from Bayeux. Our guide Gwenaël was excellent, and we were very comfortable driving in the van for many hours! They do offer transfer from Paris but it's quite expensive, so I'd take the train to Bayeux and arrange pickup from there. But I also echo what others have said and if possible, stay overnight in Bayeux.
We landed in Paris and went straight to Bayeux via train - a long day, but relatively straightforward and could rest on the train. We then spent several nights in Paris and flew home from there. Logistically it all worked quite well!
Normandie is a large région with a diverse array of cultural, historical, and natural sights and destinations. I see most respondents have assumed you're interested in the D-Day events.
Is that accurate or are your interests more diverse?
I will simply add that we recently took a Viator tour out of Bayeux (American D-Day Sites) and it was excellent. I've heard nothing but good things about Overlord but wanted to mention this option.
Viator, like Get Your Guide, is a third party that simply markets tours conducted by others. Either you will pay more by working through those companies, for the company running the tour will receive less money--or possibly both.