We plan 2 days in either Caen or Bayeux. We find we prefer the cities to the smaller towns if we stay over one day. And in Caen we found a place with a kitchette which we always prefer. However we will be going the D-day beaches etc, and to see the tapestry. Which would you stay in?
Posted by
San Clemente, Ca.
408 posts
John,
I am also planning a trip to France and I picked Bayeux over Caen because of all the great post I have read about Bayeux. It sounds more quaint and they have the tapestry to see and the church. Maybe you could check out photos of both towns to decide for yourself what looks more appealing to you. Good Luck.
Posted by
la frette sur seine
448 posts
Bayeux..smaller than Caen, but still a city...sorry about the kitchenette
Posted by
Redding, CA, USA
1568 posts
We stayed in Bayeux. You can walk all over town. Small town feeling.
Don't know if your driving or taking the train.
We traveled by train from Paris one day.
The next day we took a 9 hour tour with Battle Bus Tours.
We loved the town.
Then left the next day
ENJOY!
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32320 posts
John, I'd also suggest Bayeux, especially as you want to visit the D-Day beaches. Bayeux is a wonderful small city, and very easy to walk around (some great restaurants also!). In addition to the Tapestry, there's also a British WW-II Museum near the town, and the Gun Batteries at Longues sur Mer are only a short drive. Of course, the larger Museum in Caen is well worth a visit also, if you have time.
You didn't indicate if you would be visiting the D-Day sites on your own, or taking a tour?. I'd highly recommend BattleBus Tours as mentioned in a previous post (they depart fairly early from the parking area of the Churchill Hotel in Bayeux, so that's another reason to use Bayeux). Their tours are a full day (about nine hours), but the Guides are incredibly knowledgeable and I definitely learned a lot more with the tour and visited more locations than I ever would have by travelling on my own.
I visited both Canadian and U.S. sites on two tours, and some of the most memorable parts for me were the Abbaye d'Ardenne and Authie (both significant Canadian sites), the town of St. Mere Eglise (where the 82nd Airborne landed - Pvt. Steele is still hanging on the bell tower!) and the small Church (Angoville au Plain, as I recall) where two Medics from the 101st Airborne ("Band of Brothers") served so courageously.
Hope this helps. Happy travels!
Posted by
Marietta, Georgia
157 posts
Bayeux, no question about it !