Looking for suggestion on where to base in Normandy for three to four days. I'm a huge WWII history buff so I'm planning on spending a day or two exploring the D-Day sites. We'd also like to visit Honfleur, Bayeux and perhaps some nice villages in the area (maybe inland?). We much prefer smallish towns vs cities (think Montepulciano vs Florence), but would also like to be in a place that has more than one or two restaurants within walking distance of our hotel/B&B. Is there a town on the coast close to the D-Day beaches that fits the bill, eg Arromanches?
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9436 posts
We like Bayeux as a base. Close to Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc and the American cemetery. It's a charming small town/village with many good restaurants and fun shops.. also has the Cathedral, tapestry, and the best WWII museum of all imo. We've stayed at Hotel d'Argouges at least 6 times and highly recommend it.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33819 posts
Marcus, as you will be (I assume) running up from Switzerland, you may want to decide which bits of the front you are interested in. As I am a huge WWII buff, with an Uncle who was a tank commander in at D+2 or D+3 (I forget without going back and looking) I spent a week all along the front. As he landed in the British zone, that's where I spent most of my time, although we based at Bayeux. That worked out well for me but did involve quite a bit of driving. The front was quite wide, you know, and the battles went well inland during the campaign. I found that the D-Day map, available at the various museums along the front, was very helpful in tracing where I wanted to go. The museum in Bayeux is fabulous, the one in Arromanches is one of the two best WWII museums I have found in Europe (second only to the small museum in Diekirch in Luxembourg). I, personally, spent 2 days in and around Arromanches alone. You may find that a "day or two exploring the D-Day sites" will shortchange a "huge WWII buff". I realize that "we" may be a concern, if so Bayeux has lots of things to amuse and interest anybody not of a similar interest.
Posted by
San Clemente, Ca.
408 posts
I second Bayeaux. We also stayed at the same hotel as Susan and loved the location. We spent 5 nights in Bayeaux, one night on Mount St Michelle and one night in Honfluer. I highly recommend a tour. We took the American Experience and the Band of Brother tours with Battle bus. I think our guide Dale Booth has his own company now. He was a great guide. You really need to hear the stories and have someone that knows the area. A lot of the spots are not marked. It was one of my favorite vacations Bayeaux is small and quaint. There are many restaurants to pick from. Most of the tours meet in this town so you just walk to the meeting point. Dead mans point has a neat small museum. I prefer the smaller museums than the large one in Caen. IMHO.
Posted by
Charleston, SC, USA
925 posts
I also recommend Bayeux. We stayed that Hotel Churchill.