Wanting to Visit Mont St. Michel and D-Day Beaches, but don't want to rent a car!!

You have to reserve D-Day tour in advance, you can't get to Caen and then look for one. At least I think that's the case, no one here has ever reported doing that.
People without a car usually do one of two things:
Sign up for a day-trip bus tour from Paris.
Or take a train from Paris to Caen or Bayeux, then coordinate with a commercial tour.
You can also take a (on a separate day) a day-trip bus tour to MSM.
It's possible, but time consuming, for you to do a day-trip to MSM on your own, but requires you to figure out and coordinate train with bus.

Whether you skip it or not really depends on something we can't answer for you, which is how much you want to see the D-Day sights and MSM.

Thanks, Kent. I appreciate your information. Have you been? I'm looking for someone who wais in a similar situation and can tell me exactly what they decided to do! My trip isn't for months and I definitely plan on having things booked in advance, but like I said, I'm looking for someone who had success and is willing to share the specifics of how they went about it!

Sure, I've been to both, but slept 2 nights in the D-Day area and slept 1 night at MSM.
You probably don't want to arrive in Caen and look, on that day, for a tour that is going out to the D-Day sites on that same day.

Christa,

We will be staying in Bayeux for two nights (and 3 long days) this coming May. We are doing an all day Overlord Tour to the D-Day Beaches (The Band of Brothers tour) then doing a day tour to Mont St. Michel the next day.

Here is the website for the Overlord Tours.

http://www.overlordtour.com/overlordtour-tour-3.html

Here is the one for the Mont St. Michel tour.

http://www.bayeuxshuttle.com/mont-saint-michel.htm#

Hope this gives you some information to make your decision with.

My adult son and I are planning to spend three nights in Normandy in July (he is a huge history buff) after a two night stay in Paris. Are you staying in Bayeux? Does anyone have any experience with any of the Rick Steves' recommendations for Private tours by Ex-Pats? I'm particularly interested in the Normandy Battle Tours because he also has a bed and breakfast. They all sounded good however.
Also, does anyone have advice for getting from Normandy to London?

Thank you so much, Carole!!! Your information was very helpful! Where are you staying in Bayeux? I have a room booked in Caen but I can cancel and your suggestions make much more sense. Mary Lou, I'll be sure to let you know of anything after I return home to the states in early July!!

We are staying at Le Manoir Sainte Victoire for the two nights. It is a 17th century three room house. It looks really cool. If you plan on taking any of the tours I suggest you will definitely want to be staying in Bayeux. There is a direct train from Paris to Bayeux (at least when I am going in the beginning of May). The trips leave around 8:30 in the morning so you would have to catch an early train out of Caen to Bayeux. It could be possible but I do not have any idea as to the train times that early in the morning. Something to look into. From several posts on this forum there are numerous nice places to stay in Bayeux.

Christa,
Spend as much time in Normandy as you possibility can. We traveled from Paris to Bayeux by train. Spend two nights, took a wonderful tour from www.ddayhistorians.com Visited Bayeux Tapestry, WWII Museum in Caen. Wished we would have taken more time in the area. Please take a tour as they will recreate what happened during WWII, to much history not to have an expert explain it to you. Stay in Bayeux as tours begin there.

Thanks so much, Debbie!!! I will definitely look into your suggestions!!

Christa, if possible, stay overnight at MSM, on the island. It is a completely different experience from a day trip. You can take a train from Bayeux to either Rennes or Pontorson, and then a bus from there to MSM. The bus will drop you off right outside MSM. It's really easy.

The following website has lots of information, including details on transportation:
http://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/en/Acces-au-mont-saint-michel.htm

Arrange for your MSM lodging as soon as you know your schedule. There is very limited capacity on the island, so book early to get a reasonable price and a good selection.

I stayed in Bayeux at the Hotel Churchill,great location and hotel,it is 150 yards from the D Day shuttle bus pickup for the tours,the Churchill also does a day trip to Mont St Michel and the Tapestry Museum is a seven minute walk from the hotel.Lots of good restaurants in the neighborhood.
Mike

My wife & I took train from Paris to Caen January 15 - 17 and stayed at the Spa Ivan Hautier ***** for $271.46 through Priceline. They were great! We shopped for tours but they were expensive, I don't rent cars as they are not only expensive but carry a significant liability exposure outside the USA and I am on vacation. Sooo the hotel staff negotiated a taxi (seats 3) for 3 hours, Just about to the minute what it took to tour American Cemetery and the Normandy beaches with a ride up the coast back to Caen. Perfect trip and cost 135 euros! Beware when boarding train at Caen. My wife is small and has MS; the dismounting riders knocked her to the ground...we barely made it on train with our luggage before departure.

With your agenda I would take the train to Bayeux and stay at the Churchill for three nights. You could book with their Mont St. Michel mini van tour on one full day and the Overlord all day tour of the beaches on your other full day. The MSM tour books up early so be sure to reserve well in advance. The Overlord Tours also need to be booked reasonably early and the take off spot is about a block from the hotel. Also within an easy walk are the Tapestry and the Cathedral. This would let you do what you wish in Normandy and avoid having your own car. If you book Paris to Bayeux tickets about 3 mos in advance, they cost 15 Euro each way -- these are non transferable Prems tickets you can print at home. Saves about two thirds on the cost of the train.

Hi Christa,
Echoing much of what other posters said re: staying in Bayeux. I've traveled there solo several times. The locals are extremely kind, especially to Brits and Americans. I understand your hesitancy in renting/driving car solo, but I've done it twice and loved the ability to explore. I also took a day tour once -- fabulous. And in my younger days, I even walked from Bayeux to Arromanches, on a lovely autumn day. It gave me chills to think about the soldiers who had once walked the same road.
The train/bus to MSM isn't difficult, but would be good if you could spend night there too.
You'll love it!