Tour of Normandy

Instead of Caen spend your nights in Bayeux which is much more of a quaint Normandy town. There will be a wealth of tours from which to choose from BOTH towns. As soon as we got off the train in Bayeux there sign advertising tours. Your hotel should be able to EASILY connect you up with several tours. As an alternative we went to www.toursbylocals.com and hired a private guide for our family. We've done a couple of different tours from the toursbylocals website. We stayed in a family B&B just next to the cathedral (wonderful place): http://www.tour-louise.com/ Caen is a city, Bayeux is a town/village.

Stay at the Best Western Plus Hotel Malherbe, this is the most prestigious hotel in Caen! He are some information:
http://www.petitfute.uk.com/accommodation/hotel/best-western-plus-hotel-malherbe/e-169467.html

Stay in Bayeux. Caen was bombed during World War II and has no charm. It just looks like another modern Euro city. Rick's France book has lots of suggestions for Bayeux. If you have a car, there are some great B&Bs in the countryside.

Research tour companies and book prior to your trip. We used Dale Booth at Battlebus tour which were excellent. I think Dale has his own B&B and tour company. I would highly recommend him. The tours book early

I totally agree about staying in Bayeux, a charming wonderful town. We LOVE Hotel d'Argouge in Bayeux. Have stayed there 6+ times. Wonderful manor house feel with lovely gardens, large rooms, large bathrooms, good beds, very clean, wonderful breakfast and the owner, Mme Ropartz and her staff are exceptional.
You will love it there.

I would agree with the other posters that Bayeux would be a better place to stay. We just (June 6, 2013) returned from 2 weeks in Normandy and thought Bayeux was a more pleasant area, more intimate with sights and restaurants all within walking distance of our hotel. We stayed at Hotel Le Bayeux, recommended by Rick Steves. It was much better than I expected, in the shadow of the cathedral, very helpful staff. Months before our trip we tried to book a tour with Dale Booth but he was full and he suggested Jules Vernon. We spent a delightful 2 days with Jules and would recommend him without reservation. His web site is www.militarymight.co.uk and his email is [email protected].
Happy Travels!

Another vote for Bayeux! My son and I stayed there for 2 days last October at the Hotel Reine Mathilde and took the full-day Band of Brothers tours with Olivier from Overlord Tours, which leaves from just behind the hotel. Both hotel and tour were excellent! We also enjoyed a wonderful prix fixe lunch at La Rapier resto for only 18 euro. All in all, a great trip!

Deb, We spent a few days at the Ivy House last fall. It is an old converted horse barn used by the Germans during the war, and a 10 minute walk to Utah Beach. They will also give personal tours of the D-Day sites and are wonderful hosts. Very easy to drive around too. J&D

Hi, we stayed at Le Tardif which was a very doable walk from the train station. I joked it was my Danielle Steele moment - charming old B&B, fireplaces, courtyard and garden. Recommended by my son's French teacher. And right in the center of town in Bayeux. I would stay there over Caen, from my research it was closer to the Normandy sites (and there are a lot - landing beaches, American and German cemeteries, gun turrets out in the fields, small church hosptial in the countryside) but just my two cents. http://www.hoteltardif.com/ We used Danielle at Normandy Yours tour. She picked us up at Le Tardif, spent an 11 day seeing everything. Truly, we had our three kids with us and they talk about their day in Normandy frequently - so cool, so moving. Have fun!