Hi. My husband and I will be in Bayeux in June 2009. We will have 3 full days in that area and plan to spend 2 of them doing the Battlebus Tours (American Highlights and Band of Brothers.) The other day we wish to go to Mont. St Michel. How do you recommend ordering our visit? (i.e. doing the tours the 1st 2 days and ending with MSM; starting with MSM and ending with tours.) Thanks.
Or you could drive to MSM on your middle day, day 2? It's about 1.5 to 2 hours one way, not including stops and not including wrong turns, a GPS might be helpful as some people find navigating in France isn't as easy as here. You'll want a rental a car to get to MSM, by public transportation it requires a train and then connecting to a bus, each way--tedious.Anyway, my thinking is that it might be easier to stay in Bayeux on your first day and do the first Battlebus tour; then drive to MSM on day 2, then do the 2nd Battlebus tour on day 3. If you drive to MSM on your last day it might seem too rushed getting back in time to pack up and depart on the next day.
Hotel Churchill offers for a fee transportation to/from Mont. St. Michel. Might be a little cheaper for guests but it's available for everyone. Check out their website
I would say put Mont St. Michel in the middle just to break it up
We are doing something very similar-same two tours with Battlebus, and have made arrangements to rent a car from Bayeux Hertz to drive to MSM. I looked into the Churchill Hotel Shuttle and if is 52 Euros per person for non-guests who take a Battlebus Tour (Battlebus will sned you a coupon when you reserve your tour)---50 Euros per person for hotel guests. We have four people, so renting the car makes more sense economically, and we will have more freedom. We are doing tow days of tours, then MSM--we are staying one more night and will walk around Bayeux, see the tapestry, Cathedral, etc. Hope you have a great trip.
I recently returned from a 3 week trip to France. We went to various cities via train and REALLY enjoyed Bayeux. We did not stay at the Hotel Churchill in Bayeux but did take the day trip through them to Mont St. Michel. There was only 6 of us on the mini bus (van) tour for the day trip to Mont St. Michel. We also took the one day Battlebus tour of the American Highlights with the tour guide Dale...absolutely outstanding. Also absolutely outstanding was the B&B we stayed at. It was called Hotel de Sainte Croix www.hotel-de-sainte-croix.com Our room was called Josephine. It was huge, spotlessly clean, beautiful bathroom and the very best breakfast I have ever had all for 73 euros. You will love France...wonderfully kind, helpful people. Are you spending time in Paris? Susan
Sarah,
I was facing somewhat the same predicament on my last trip to Bayeux. I chose to take the two BattleBus tours (American highlights & Canadian Juno) on consecutive days, as that was the primary focus of my trip and I didn't want to miss those!
On the third day, I had to choose between visiting Mt. St. Michel OR the Pegasus Bridge Museum and the Gun Batteries at Longues sur Mer (just a few kM outside Bayeux). I chose the military sites on that occasion, as I felt they would "complete" some of the information I had received on the tours. MSM will have to wait for the next visit (I also want to visit the German cemetery, which is close to MSM).
The tours on Day 3 were somewhat impromptu. I asked the Hotel to arrange a car reservation in Bayeux for me (Hertz, as I recall). It was a good thing they made the arrangements, as the people at the rental office couldn't speak much (any?) English. It all worked out well, but I'd recommend taking a good Map or a GPS unit if you're going to be driving.
Happy travels!