We are trying to do 2 day trip to Mont St. Michel ( day 1) and D-day beaches ( day 2 with tour company) from Paris, and decided to rent a car on day 1 to go to Mont St. Michel since we are arriving Bayeux from Paris with train in the morning. It seems there is only one rental car company which is Hertz in Bayeux and there is no car available as of today.
Is it too early to book a car that is why there is no car available or is that hard to book a car in Bayeux ?
Any other option to rent a car in Bayeux? or any other best idea other than doing private tour which is costly.
Thank you.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32198 posts
Sunshine,
On my last visit to Bayeux, there was only one car rental firm, the Hertz franchise that you mentioned. As I recall it's operated out of a gas station. The owner the hotel I was staying at set up the rental for me, which was fortunate as the rental staff weren't able to speak English (that may not be the case these days). I opted for the insurance package offered by the rental firm.
However a Google search shows a number of other options in that area. Most of them appear to be on the edge of the city, so you'd probably have to take a taxi from your hotel.
When driving in France, it's prudent to have an International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. I believe a certified translation of the terms of your D.L. in French is also accepted.
I'm not sure if this would be an option for you - https://www.hotel-churchill.fr/eng/shuttle-mont-st-michel/ .
Posted by
Paris, France
112 posts
You need to mention a specific date on which you wish to rent a car. Try using autoeurope.com. You'll likely find more rental options in Caen. So take the train to Caen instead of Bayeux and rent your car there. I believe there are several car rental agencies across from the train station here.
That being said, if you're coming from Paris and are only there for 2 days to see MSM and do a DDay tour I don't think you need a car but you need to re-organize your itinerary. I'd go right to Bayeux and do a DDay tour on your first day. I've never done such a tour but many people seem to like Overlord Tours, though if you google you'll find other companies. If they don't offer tours until the afternoon then visit the Bayeux tapestry in the morning and walk around town before your tour. Then on your second day contact Bayeux Shuttle and sign up to take their shuttle bus to MSM from Bayeux. You can also contact the Hotel Churchill in Bayeux that does a shuttle service to MSM. At the end of the day take a train back to Paris if you don't want to spend another night in Bayeux. Or, see if there are shuttle buses offered to MSM that line up with your train arrival in Bayeux on your first day and do a DDay tour on your second day.
https://bayeux-bessin-tourisme.com/en/
https://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/en/
https://www.hotel-churchill.fr/eng/rooms/
https://www.bayeuxshuttle.com/mont-st-michel.htm
Posted by
Paris, France
112 posts
I should have added that you can always just rent a car in Paris and either drive back to Paris or see if you can drop off in Bayeux and train back to Paris. That way on your first day you could not only visit MSM but see other places to combine with your visit to the Mont, like Dinan, Saint-Suliac, Saint-Malo, Cancale, Vitré, Fougères, etc. There are several ways to accomplish your two day itinerary to see MSM and do a DDay tour besides what you have described in your post. I'd also suggest comparing cost/time of train vs. car rental vs. what you could see/visit using either option before settling on a way to accomplish this itinerary.
Posted by
Chicago
8035 posts
Most people rent cars at Caen near the rail station because the options in Bayeux are very limited. I wouldn't risk that because if someone didn't return their car on time and they have no car there you are. There are lots of rental offices near the Caen station (they close for lunch) and they will have access to many cars and you are unlikely to miss out there.
Posted by
Florida
274 posts
When we visited the area in 2014, we rented from Europcar in Caen (behind the train station). It was very convenient. From there, it was an easy drive to our bed and breakfast in Bayeux.
Posted by
424 posts
We too got a car in Caen. Very close to the train station. Much better for us than the Bayeux option.
Posted by
Darmouth, MA, USA
348 posts
We returned a car to Caen and it was very easy. A word of warning, it was a Saturday we returned it and I had viewed weekday train schedules, not weekend. Had to wait for 2 hours for our return train. Not the worst error one can make but just giving you a heads up!
Posted by
OP
32 posts
Thank you for all the great information.
I had searched renting car in Caen, it has more options but when I was trying to choose return location as Bayeux, there is no rental company from Caen has option for Bayeux as return location ( other than airport, which is quite far).
Now I am still not sure what would be best option for renting car either Caen or Bayeux. We wanted to stay over night at Bayeux cause D-day tour starts from Bayeux.
I am lost now.
Posted by
Middletown, RI
1134 posts
I have rented from Hertz in Bayeux, Cain and Cherbourg in the past—as well as Paris. I now only rent from Caen (or Paris, or Cherbourg). You should be able to rent from one and return to the other, but the Bayeux office is in a gas station a little ways from the train station. They were very helpful and even drove me to the station once, but it is just not worth the hassle. It is less than a half-hour between Caen and Bayeux, and it can take you that long just to negotiate the train to Hertz in Bayeux. There are other options in Caen right across the street form the station, but Hertz is just a block and a half down the street under the railroad tracks.
Posted by
OP
32 posts
Thank you, PharmerPhil.
It seems like Caen is the place to rent a car, then I guess there is good option in public transportation from Caen to Bayeux?
Our plan is to come back to Caen to return the car on day 1 from Mont St. Michel around 7pm and hoping rental car place will be opened to return. So we need public transportation to be back to hotel in Bayeux in the night. So does that plan will work then?
Posted by
Loire Valley
749 posts
There are at least 4 options for car hire in Bayeux.
https://www.bessin-location.fr
https://location.carrefour.fr/agence/789-bayeux
https://mobile.ada.fr/location-voiture-bayeux.html
A hint - when looking for hire cars always search in the language of the country concerned.
Searching location voiture Bayeux in whatever search engine you prefer (but not Google because all you'll get is ads from the big players) makes it all obvious
Posted by
Middletown, RI
1134 posts
I guess there is good option in public transportation from Caen to
Bayeux?
There are regular trains between Caen and Bayeux. I would triple check the hours of the rental car office you intend to use. Many are flat out closed on Sundays, and many are closed for a 2-hour lunch each day. Hertz does offer an after-hours drop off (likely others do as well), but of course you can't pick up if they're closed.