Normandy tours

Lauri, I haven't taken tours with the Caen Museum, however I've heard that they're good but only provide a very brief look at some of the main sites. Could you provide a bit more information on the circumstances of your trip? If you're going to be staying in Normandy for a few days (preferably Bayeux as that would provide an opportunity to see the famous Bayeux Tapestry as well), there are some excellent tours available. How much were you planning to spend on the tours? Depending on which sites you most want to see, you might have a look at www.ddayhistorian.com, www.daleboothnormandytours.com or www.ddaybattletours.com/elldi.php to see if one of them might work for you. I'd suggest pre-booking early! Happy travels!

Ken, we are staying in Bayeaux. Arrive Friday morning and are staying until Sunday evening. We are not fans of tours, rather see things on our own, but our son is a huge history buff and my dad was a WW vet so I think it would be a shame to be there and not learn as much as we can. I think we would certainly learn more than if we were on our own. I was actually looking for a half day tour.

Hi Lauri, I took a guided tour with the Caen museum in September. We did the package "2 Day Pass", therefore staying a night in Caen. The tour was brief, despite the fact that it was 5 hours long. The D-Day landing areas are huge. You could rent a car and see more, but you wouldn't have an expert to explain what you are looking at. Our guide was fantastic. She had pictures of what the beaches looked like during the battles and was very informed. We looked at a few other companies but they were so expensive in comparison. The museum is huge and full of information. We spent nearly a day and half in there and didn't get to the Cold War section or view the films. But I guess I wanted to read every little thing and see it all. We stayed in Bayeux for 3 nights before heading to Caen. I loved Bayeux but the time I spent at the museum there I wish I would spent in Caen instead. The Bayeux museum is great for a small town, but Caen has much more info. Have a great time! Normandy was definitely a favorite of mine in our trip to Europe.

Lauri, I've toured both on my own and with tours, and find that I learn FAR MORE on a tour than I would on my own, and it's a more interesting and rewarding travel experience. You can certainly travel on your own, however you'll need to do some detailed "homework" first. The D-Day sites cover about a 50-mile "front" and extend some distance inland. Unless you've done extensive research, it's likely that you'll miss some very significant sites. The tour operators know where the obscure sites are, and can get you there in a quicker and more efficient manner (especially as they live there and know all the "shortcuts). Also, some of the tour operators have spoken with Veterans, and can relate some very interesting (but little known) details, which makes the tours that much more interesting. One example is the interesting story behind the small Church at Angoville au Plain, and the two Medics from the 101st Airborne. It's doubtful I would have ever discovered that if travelling on my own. It's certainly your choice, but I'd highly recommend the tours and I plan to take more on my next visit to Normandy. Cheers!

Thanks, I think I will look into a tour, more worthwhile I think and I would like to go away from the area feeling we gained some knowledge of the area and its significance.

For all the reasons Ken sited, I strongly urge you to take a full day tour. You will get so much out of it. I don't do a lot of tours, but Normandy is one area where it really makes a difference. Especially since your time is so limited - a tour will help you maximize your time. I'm certain you won't regret it.