OK, we've decided to rent a car at Gare de Lyon, and take a one day self-guided driving tour of the Normandy D-Day sites. Any recommendations for specific sites of special interest and value, or specific guidebooks that anyone has found especially helpful?
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32198 posts
IMO you would get more out a guided tour than you would from a self-guide tour (check www.battlebus.fr). Many of the sites are quite spread out, and trying to see anything significant in one day is a bit unrealistic.
You didn't indicate which sites you were most interested in? One possibility would be to spend part of the day visiting the Museum in Caen, visit the Airborne Museum in St. Mere Eglise (where the 82nd Airborne landed - Pvt. Steele is still hanging on the Bell Tower!), and then perhaps finish your day with a sunset visit to Omaha Beach and the American cemetery. Just a thought.....
Happy travels!
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
We just did this last year and I TOTALLY REGRET not spending at least 1 night in the Normandy area. We trained from Paris to Caen, picked up a rental car, went to the museum in Caen, drove to Omaha beach and then had to drive all the way to Fresnes Mazancourt to a B&B for the night. This was WAY WAY too much and we had to just literally blow through the Caen War Museum which could take easily 1/2 day. The beaches at Normandy and the US Cemetary left me with such a knot in my throat I couldn't even speak - touching beyond belief!
By all means spend as much time as you can in the area.
Posted by
Redding, CA, USA
1568 posts
One of the advantages of a guided 9 hour tour such as Battle Bus is that the guide provides all the historical details of each stop.
Posted by
Portland, OR, USA
389 posts
We took a half day tour out of Bayeux that went to Arromanches and saw the harbor created there, then on to the cemetery, beaches and finally Pointe du Hoc. I agree that this was one of the most spectacular things I've done and could have spent more time, but feel like a was given a good over-view. I always recommend more time there and look forward to going back one day.