We are planning 4-5 week trip starting in June. Our route is planned, similar to Rick's best of Europe in three weeks with some additions. Upon taking a family poll, the D-Day sites are at the top of the list as far as "want to see the most" by almost all family members. Any comments you can share would be appreciated. I think I can allow two full days here. I can do more if necessary since this is the high interest spot. What about hiring a tour like one listed in the guidebook as opposed to "on our own"? What parts are best?... not to miss? Any comments welcomed.
Posted by
2081 posts
hi, congrats on figuring out where you want to go first and being able to do the Normandy area justice. you can spend more time researching what you want to do/see there too. there is Mont St Michel which i thought was really cool. Its just something you dont see everyday or everyplace. I like it due to the fact of what it took to build that place with the technology available at the time. Yet alone on an island. There are many museums in the Normandy/DD area, so those can take alot of time too. If you take a guided "tour" of the DD beaches, they can cover alot of ground, but still not see everything. i would inquire into the tours and see what they offer in terms of sights and then see what else you want to see. in the tour i took, we didnt have time to stop in any of the museums and as such, i will go back to them at a later date. by the way (btw) the tour took from 0800 to 1800 and that included travel time back/from the hotel. I choose a private tour since the other wasnt available. Also, i choose not to drive because i dont care to. Since my tour guide knew the area, i felt i got a good deal for the $$ spent and i wasnt worried about being at such and such spot at a particular time. He knew the route and the best time to see the things, like Omaha beach at low tide. Bayeux has the Bayeux tapestry. again, another cool piece of history. Theres also a museum in Bayeux and Caen dedicated to WWII. i would say DONT miss anything if you can. EVERYTHING i saw i would recommend seeing and i sure i missed alot. at the minimum: > American Cemetary > Omaha beach > Bayeux Tapestry
> Bayeux Museum happy trails.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32351 posts
Cynthia, To begin with, as you're travelling in June you'll have to be careful to avoid the 69th anniversary celebrations, as it will be crowded and hotel rooms will be at a premium. As there's a high interest level, I'd suggest spending at least three nights in Bayeux, and use that as your home base for touring the sites. In addition to D-Day tours, Bayeux is a beautiful city and while there you can also see the famous Bayeux Tapestry which depicts a much earlier battle. There's also an excellent WW-II Museum there. I would highly recommend using one of the excellent local tours, as that will provide a much more interesting and memorable experience for your group. The sites are spread out over a 50 mile front and extend some distance inland, and the guides know the quickest and most efficient travel routes between them. You could either book a couple of half day tours or a couple of full day tours (I've done that and really learned a lot). Lunch is usually NOT included, but they will stop somewhere for the group to grab a sandwich or whatever. Some of the tours you could consider: > www.ddayhistorian.com (Paul Woodage) > www.daleboothnormandytours.com (Dale, ex-British Army) > www.overlordtour.com > www.ddaybattletours.com/elldi.php > www.normandytownandcountry.com/dday_battlefield_tours.php I've travelled with the first two, and would highly recommend either of them. If the tour you choose doesn't cover the Gun batteries at Longues sur Mer, you should be able to get there by local transport as the site is only about 20 minutes from Bayeux. If you anticipate exploring the Control Bunker (as seen in The Longest Day), take a flashlight as daylight is a bit "limited" in some parts of the interior). Happy travels!