Should we travel to France next June or wait a year?

We.were in Bayeau last month and our B&B owner said they have already been made.aware of parking restrictions for June, she is booked up and they expect crowds in anticipation of the 80th anniversary. I expect all hotels are being booked now and prices to rise. Could you postpone trip a month or two ??

I agree with you that it’s a good idea to plan on a different itinerary than Paris in the lead-up to the Olympics and Normandy during D-Day’s 80th anniversary. As you are discovering, accommodations are very expensive even in the weeks leading up to the games which are set for July 26-August 11 2024. Go in 2025 when there’s a better chance you’ll be able to relax and enjoy Normandy and Paris without the complications of 80th Anniversary commemorations and the quadrennial summer Olympics.

https://search.ricksteves.com/?button=&date_range=2y&filter=Travel+Forum&query=Olympics+paris&utf8=%E2%9C%93

There's been significant discussion here already , and most advice is to skip Paris next year. In fact, many events will be occurring all around France, not just in Paris, and advance teams will be arriving early.

Hmmm..... where else could you go? Have fun planning!

France will still be here in 2025, and will be a lost less trouble (and presumably less expensive, although I may be guessing wrong there)

If you want to go to Normandy next year during the D-day anniversary, you are already too late. Accommodations have mostly been booked up for over a year. If you wait until later in June you can probably find a place, but then you are getting close to the Olympics in Paris.

Thanks, everyone, for your responses. We have decided to postpone the trip until June of 2025. My husband and I will take a different trip in June 2024. We're thinking Switzerland!

Lisa, you can never go wrong with Switzerland! Perhaps my 2021 Trip Report will have some helpful info. There are also some great summaries under Trip Reports here on the Forum. (Obviously, ignore the COVID references in my report .)
Safe travels.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/lucerne-62eb4d28-60ab-4837-b4b4-91a2486eb732

Switzerland is always a great choice, just prepare yourself. If you thought France was expensive ...

I'm still going to France in June and Normandy too, which is earmarked for the end of the month. In Normandy I'm staying a town not frequented by swarms of tourists, at least I don't think so.

I've mapped out several towns/cities in France this time untraveled by international visitors or even if visitors are seen, they'll be French. You can most likely expect the 2 star hotels will be 40-70% cheaper than those in Paris

Several hosts and tour guides in Paris mentioned the high number of tourists expected for the Olympics.
They are concerned about the number of people and how services will be stretched! I recommend waiting
until the Olympic fervor has waned. I suspect all of France will be busier than normal - although charming.

I think the bigger concern is travelling with your friends. Unless you’ve talked that through with them on all aspects of the trip, that can be full of complications and messy situations.

Enter “ Travelling with Friends” in the search bar for some things to consider.