visiting Normandy from Paris

What you’ll need if you rent a car is called an international driving permit, rather than license. You get it from AAA, and some branches will get it for you the same day if you are applying in person. It’s basically a translation of your regular driver’s license, which you will also need to have with you.

Rentals aren't easily available in Bayeux - or at least weren't when I researched for last fall 2024. The best rental opportunities were in Caen - a 15 minute easy train ride from Bayeux. Commuter, lots of trains back and forth.

Did you know that Overlord also has MSM tours? (Probably you did.) I ask because 2 couples on my Normandy Beaches Overlord tour had taken the Overlord's MSM tour the day before the beaches - they spoke highly of it.

I've only done MSM by car. (Not this fall 2024 trip, years past) Sorry I can't help with public transport, but the info I skimmed as I was researching my 2024 trip seemed to suggest that a car was the way to go between Bayeux and MSM. No train station directly at MSM.

I found this shuttle from Bayeux, no personal experience: https://www.hotel-churchill.fr/eng/shuttle-mont-st-michel/

Hint: Bring toasty warm clothes for the Normandy beach. It can get much colder than inland. I missed having my lightweight gloves! Enjoy!

You have a great plan. SMS is an amazing by tour. I would not miss a visit or night in beautiful, walkable, family oriented Arromanches from a cliff top hotel and the fabulous harbour and cliff top hike to the original gunneries all in tact. Taxis back to Bayeaux from the gunneries around 25 euros and well worth it. Rental car is not worth the hassle or cost. Make sure to stop inside the historic Bayeaux cathedral and stunning tapestry of 1066 Battle of Hastings.

The French people in Normandy are gracious and extremely hospitable, friendly and very family oriented. Their preservation and respect of all things WWII is profound and appreciated. Have fun and take Steves latest France Book with you. It is choc a block full of invaluable information you will use every day and not waste a minute. Enjoy

The bus services are sketchy and not plentiful or well supported but the local tours very well organized and comprehensive so you will see and enjoy more without the distractions of driving and parking. Most places are busy, so parking can be a real hassle. Bayeaux is a good base but would not have missed our stay in Arramanches for more time there. Good luck.

Re your when to buy train tickets final question, buying earlier may save you money. You can search the prices for your dates here: https://www.sncf-connect.com/app/en-en/home/search/od

Trains to Bayeux leave from Paris St Lazare.

You can purchase from a laptop when in the US with email delivery and the ability to print the ticket. Or, from the app. I suggest downloading the app and setting up an account. Very handy if you do any train travel in France.

If a train is marked TER, such as between Bayeux and Caen, the price won't change, barring a few unusual exceptions. These are local, short run trains.

Lots of good info here:
https://www.seat61.com/train-travel-in-france.htm

We used Hotel Churchill to get a tour of the DDay beaches, and found that it worked out quite well. So I imagine that a tour to MSM would be equally good. Beware that if you arrive by train in Bayeux, it is a bit of a hike into downtown Bayeux if you have luggage. Not sure if there are taxis at the train station usually. Perhaps others know. Peter

There was one taxi when I alighted from my Paris train. I grabbed it.

I took several other train trips returning to the Bayeux station last fall. One day, there were a couple taxis and another day none at all.

You might google the number for a taxi service to have with you if walking to your hotel is not an option.

I suggest take the train to Caen to pick up a rental car; (many more rental choices) then 2 nights in Bayeux. Make sure your accommodations have parking for a car. It's really difficult to get around without a car while exploring Normandy.

Then when you spend the night at MSM you can drive your car to Rennes, drop off the rental car, and take the train back to Paris. (Or do it in reverse.) The fee was relatively small when we dropped off at a different location within France.

We did this last spring. Driving is easy there. International Driver's Permit can be picked up at AAA before you go. Our rental agency (Enterprise) asked to see it.

Thanks all. I think I'll stop by AAA next week and start looking for a rental car. I appreciate all the advice :)
Probably going to rent a car in Caen and dropping it off back there before taking a train to Paris.

I highly recommend a rental car for this area. Many sites just aren't well served (or at all) by public transportation. I agree on picking up a rental car in Caen—there are many more options there. As for returning your car, I would think it would be easier to return your car in Rennes after going to MSM, and taking a train from there. I have done a similar trip in reverse a couple of times (renting in Rennes, and returning in Caen). Just make sure you understand if there is a drop off fee from your rental car company for returning to a different location. For a train to Bayeux or Caen, there is no need to buy ahead of time unless that just makes you feel more comfortable (it does for me). As for Rennes, there is a TGV train to Paris, and it is preferable to buy a ticket in advance.

My final advice is to time your visit to Mont Saint-Michel for anytime other than the middle of the day. Although March should be better than summer, mid-day is when the tour buses show up and drop a crushing load of tourists right onto the small island. There is one, narrow, main drag leading up the island to the abbey, and it can be shoulder to shoulder when loaded with tourists. If you can arrange to be there either early or late, that will be much more pleasurable. If you must be there during mid-day, try to take the outer ramparts up, and the small lanes down on the other side of the main road.

As for an IDL, search this forum for opinions (search bar on the top of the page). I never get one in France and have never heard of anyone actually having a problem for not having one in France—just people who speculate about what could happen, or what didn't happen when they did have one (or riding their high horse of what you should do). Even Rick Steves has backed of his previous recommendation to always get one. But watch, I'll get flamed just for stating this.

I somehow missed KDs post, but thanks to KD and PharmerPhil I found a reasonable rental to pickup in Caen and dropoff in Rennes. That'll give us a little more time to enjoy the sites without having to backtrack all the way to Caen.
Thanks again for everybody's advice! I feel more confident about the normandy leg of our travels now.