We're taking a RS tour next year that ends in Porto. While overseas, we also want to visit one or two of the beaches in Normandy. Any suggestions on train travel between the two areas?
More importantly, any recommendations on tours in Normandy? We won't have a car, and I'm not familiar with the towns that would give us the most value for our stay, i.e. close to key beaches and/or cemeteries. Thank you in advance, and happy holidays!
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Washington DC
29785 posts
That looks like nearly a 24-hour trip by train. I love trains and am a very patient traveler, but that's way beyond the bounds of what I would consider. EasyJet, TAP and Transavia all have non-stop flights from Porto to Paris-Orly. You might find very good fares, depending on your date of travel.
Unless one of you is an expert on the Normandy invasion, I highly recommend including a one-day D-Day tour in your itinerary. The driver/guide will move you around the area efficiently and provide a lot of background information. The local companies seem to use vans (not large buses), and there are small-group tours costing as little as 140 euros per person (current pricing). For the outdoor sites (as opposed to museums), there's not a lot of information posted, so trying to do it yourself may not be an effective way to see the area, even if you can figure out a way actually to reach the locations of interest.
There's not a lot of public transportation useful for reaching key sights, though there is some. That could supplement what you see on the tour.
Bayeux is almost universally recommended as the best place to stay for people traveling without a car. The historic center (which got very little war damage) is lovely, and most of the D-Day tours depart from Bayeux. The Bayeux Tapestry will be in the UK next year, but the Bayeux Cathedral and the invasion museum are both worth your time. As of 2016 the local tourist office offered a walking tour of the center of town that I enjoyed.
Bayeux is reachable by train from Paris-Saint-Lazare in between 2 and 3 hours. I cannot tell you the best way to get from Paris-Orly airport to the Saint-Lazare station.