Looking for a recommendation on a 1/2 day tour of a portion of the D-Day beaches that include the American Cemetery. Will be staying in Lisieux, so we would arrive by train. I'm looking to be picked up at the train station in Bayeux. Please no suggestions of changing my lodging city as the family is set on staying there, Lisieux (home of the family Saint). Will be traveling with my elderly in-laws so I know their limitations, so 1/2 day tour would be right for them. Besides what's on TripAdvisor are there tours that one can just purchase from the train station when one arrives in Bayeux? Thanks
Posted by
Chicago
8166 posts
This is a reputable one that picks up at Place du Quebec in Bayeux
https://www.overlordtour.com/product/tour-1-omaha-half-day-tour/
Posted by
Washington DC
28085 posts
You'd need to pre-book for the Overlord Tour. I think that's a pretty typical requirement. The vehicles I saw were all vans, and it would be very surprising for 3 seats to be available at the last minute.
It would be worth checking on whether there are half-day tours offered from Caen, because that's closer to Lisieux than Bayeux is.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32353 posts
Art,
AFAIK, the only tour firm that offers regularly scheduled half-day tours is Overlord Tour. Pre-booking is highly advisable especially in high season, otherwise you might not get a seat. You could of course book a private tour with one of the other guide services, but that's going to be considerably more expensive and would also have to be booked in advance.
I'm not aware of any tours that can just be purchased at the train station.
Posted by
Maine
6 posts
You should make contact with Michael at Le Manoir de Herouville.
Michael did our D-day tour and was fantastic and flexible.I know he does Half day tours and picks people up from their Hotel when they do not stay at Le Maoir.
Try their email [email protected]
Best of look and enjoy the sights.
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
www.toursbylocals.com is a reputable site with listings of locals guides and itineraries that can be customized to your liking. We've used them all over Europe and Russia with great success - we've also used them for D-Day beach tours.
Posted by
18 posts
We took a half-day tour with a company called bayeux shuttle. It brought us to the Pont du Hoc, Omaha beach and concluded at the American cemetery. Our tour guide was a mid-20s British fellow who moved to Normandy just to work in the D-Day industry. He was the most energetic, knowledgeable guide I've ever had. I highly recommend them. It's probably best to book ahead, and their website is very simple to use. When we arrived at the train station in Bayeux, there was no opportunity to book a tour at the station.
Posted by
Atlanta
80 posts
I've used Overlord on two occasions and have been pleased both times. One of the guides I had with Overlord is now on her own and does half day tours with Destination Normandy.
Posted by
Huntington Beach CA
1162 posts
I recommend the half day tour from Overlord as well. I don’t know if they will pick up from the train station but you can email them and ask. Otherwise with elderly parents, just take a taxi to the meeting place. They are very prompt, we had underestimated the time it would take to walk from our hotel to the meeting place and received a phone call just when we were walking up to the van. We were less than 5 minutes late, I swear!
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Your family is correct, stay in Lisieux, nice and important historical town to visit, even regarding D-Day history.