My husband and I as well as another couple are traveling Europe this summer. When in France our home base will be Paris but we wanted to spend a night in the Normandy area. We want to check out the D-Day beaches. What is the best area to stay in for this?
Posted by
Lake Oswego, Oregon
1329 posts
Lucinda - Bayeux makes a good base and I recommend the Hotel d'Argouges. Be sure to see the Bayeux tapestry too.
Posted by
Grapevine, TX, USA
875 posts
If you will have a rental car, please check out this website: ranconniere.fr It is a few miles outside of Bayeux and is an old French farmhouse which has been converted to a lovely hotel. The food there is wonderful also. It's easy to drive into Bayeux if you are taking a guided D-Day tour.
Looks like they have redone the website, and the pictures are not as large as before, but I think you can see that it's a beautiful place.
Posted by
OP
Bend, Oregon
6 posts
Thank you both so much, this all helps so much in out planning!
Posted by
Charlotte, nc, usa
1 posts
Chateau le Cheneviere near Bayeux is a great hotel sitting on the most beautiful grounds we saw in all of Normandy. Its very convenient to all the beaches and the restaurants of Bayeux and surrounding area. By the way, at least in 2009 there was a fantastic little seafood restaurant in a little fishing village called Port en Bessin--the restaurant is Le Vauban--we were the only tourists in there the best I could tell. I STRONGLY recommend you hire a guide for your day at the beaches--its worth every penny. There are 50 miles between the easternmost beach and the westernmost
Posted by
Ohio
2161 posts
Lucinda - another vote for the Hotel d'Argouges in Bayeux - nice (large) rooms, good location, good breakfast. For a tour guide, try Ellwood Von Seibold - very knowledgeable, interesting tour. This is his website http://www.ddaybattletours.com/. Hope you have a great trip!
Posted by
Odessa, fl, United States
3 posts
YES< YES, to the Hotel Ranconniere. We have magical memories of this hotel with our kids. We stayed in a family suite with a turreted room, the food was amazing, and it was a great base to explore Normandy alone. We didn't need aguide as my husband is a WWII expert. Really great time.
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
Never stayed here, but it looked great. Arromanches is a small town on the D-Day beaches and easy to drive into and out off. Important consideration when you have a car. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g580133-d219349-Reviews-Hotel_de_la_Marine-Arromanches_les_Bains_Calvados_Basse_Normandie_Normandy.html Arromanches was the site of the temporary "Winston" harbor and there are still remnants there.
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9436 posts
I highly recommend Hotel D'Argouges also. It is wonderful, as well as the owner and the staff. It's like a manor house with a beautiful garden in the heart of town. We've stayed there 5 times and love it.
Posted by
TX
515 posts
Lucinda, if you have the time, try to spend more than one night in Normandy. It's a large area, and there is much to see and do. Recommend Bayeux, a lovely town. We spent 3 nights there and wished for more.
Posted by
OP
Bend, Oregon
6 posts
This all such helpful information. I'm very appreciative. Thank you!!