London to Normandy

I don't unfortunately think there is any way to substantially shorten the trip, except possibly by overnight ferry, and even that sounds pretty tiring.

The train options remain the same (no new high-speed lines have opened to Bayeux in the last three years). Flybe apparently operate a flight from London Southend Airport to Caen, but between the time getting to Southend and then from Caen airport to Caen railway station to Bayeux, I don't know how much time you will save. The flight also doesn't operate very day. Rennes also has an airport, but I don't think Rennes to Bayeux is a quick trip by public transport either.

You could try an overnight cross-Channel ferry -- ferries run from Portsmouth (1h30 to 2h from London by train) to places like Cherbourg, Le Havre, St-Malo and Caen. The overnight sailing from Portsmouth to Caen/Ouistreham, for examples, leaves at 22:45 and arrives at 6:45. However, that's only a 7-hour trip (remember the time difference!) and I rather suspect the quality of sleep you'll get on the ferry is poor; not to mention the fact that of course you still have to make an onward connection to Bayeux.

What is the technology term that goes, "Doing the same thing again and expecting the results to be different?" London is poorly connected to Normandy, and public transit infrastructure hasn't really changed since the Chunnel was built. Why not plan a vacation about countries on the Continent, and you'll have an easier time of it. Alternatively, plan some touring in England and end up in Portsmouth. But my wife will never take the ferry again, after a really sickening crossing in high school - maybe 1969. That's the technology status of channel ferries: 1969.

One time we had to change stations in Paris, the Metro was on strike for the afternoon! At least it was a "scheduled" strike. We put off seeing Normandy until our eighth time in France, and did a circle with rental car, from Tours to MSM to other important sights in Normandy, to Caen and Bayeux. We used Rick's touring instructions, and some other books, and skipped the high-priced local experts. Wisely or not, I actually went down a cliff that the Rangers climbed, on some locally installed crumbling aluminum ladders. My wife smartly refused to risk it. (I have a lot of ladder experience at work ... )

You could have a full day in London and leave for Paris on the last Eurostar of the day, staying in a hotel near the RR Station for Bayeux (Montparnasse?). In the morning take the first train to Bayeux. There are tour companies in Bayeux that will pick you up at the Bayeux train station and start on the way to the beaches. At the end of the day, get yourself to Paris by train and either stay overnight or see if you can make the last Eurostar back to London.

Actually, I think the tour company will even deliver you back to the RR station after the tour for the train to Paris.

The train to Bayeux leaves Paris from Gare Saint-Lazare.

And your travel schedule depends on what kind of tour you're aiming for.

If it's a full day WWII tour, you pretty much need to spend the night prior in Bayeux.
The first train from Paris is scheduled to arrive after 09:00 while most full day tours pick up around 08:00-08:30.
So you miss the pick up and are left with a 2:25 train trip twice (once each way) for a 4 hours half day tour.
Do yourself a favor and leave Paris midday and get to Bayeux mid afternoon. There is plenty to do with the rest of that day -- Bayeux Tapestry, the cathedral that dates to around 1070 AD. Get a nice dinner, walk around the town and get some sleep to be up early the next day for the tour.

You can probably take the first Eurostar of the day from London to Paris and then hit Gare Saint-Lazare to Bayeux if you have no interest in staying for a few days in Paris.

At least as of 2017, Overlord Tours offered a full-day D-Day tour to folks arriving on the early train from Paris. The tour picks up at the Bayeux RR station and drops you back there (supposedly--pray for no flat tire!) in time to return to Paris by train the same day. I do not know know how frequently that trip operates. If you're interested, I suggest contacting the company.

But I agree that it's very worthwhile to spend a night or more in Bayeux. In addition to serving as the starting point for most of the D-Day tours, it has a lovely cathedral, the Bayeux Tapestry, a good invasion museum (modern) and an attractive historic district. There's easily enough to do there to fill approximately a second day.

There you go, Mike and Chris, problem solved.

I'm heading to Normandy from London in October, and my plan is to take Eurostar to Calais and pick up a car, then drive to Honfleur for one night, before heading to Bayeaux for 3 or 4 nights. I don't have to keep a tight schedule, so I think this will work for us.

Hi, my wife and I found the best option is the Eurostar too. We have 7 days in Normandy this June and we are travelling by Eurostar from St Pancras to Calais then hire a rental from the train station for 7 days. Honfleur is our base but only because we love the town and the BnB which we have stayed in previously. Our return to the UK is a fast ferry from Cherbourg to Portsmouth only because we have a cruise from Southhampton so we have arranged to drop the car off at the ferry terminal. Not a lot of easy ways to get to Normandy but this one suited us and may help you.
Chris