Thanks to many on this forum for tips and advice for our recent trip to Normandy. We really prefer slower travel, and dislike going from place to place. Not because we don't like moving around but because we don't feel we've really gone deep enough in a place after just 3 days/4 nights. Here's my trip report!
Thursday, Aug. 14: Early a.m. arrival at Paris CDG airport. Picked up by a driver arranged through My Day trip. We chose this route vs. the train so that we could 1) have an easier transfer on little sleep and 2) avoid renting a car in Paris (thus forcing us to navigate a big city on little sleep), but still be able to do a stop at Giverny.
Giverny: We booked tickets in advance (do this!) and arrived in plenty of time for a start at 10 a.m. We should have gone straight to the house at that point, as I bet the line would have been shorter. But, we wandered the gardens instead, and then stood in the line for the house. Still, we were done in plenty of time to have a nice lunch at one of the Rick Steves recommended spots in Giverny before meeting our driver around 12:45 for the rest of the journey to Caen. We picked up our rental car in Caen and drove to our lodgings in Bayeux.
We stayed at the amazing and lovely Hotel Tardif. AMAZING. Highly recommend if you are looking for a special place and don't need a/c. We continued to try to stay awake by wandering Bayeux, including the cathedral and the Thursday craftsman market around the cathedral and the Liberty Tree. Our dinner at La Rapière was so, so tasty. I would not normally do a fancy dinner on the first night, but it was closing for vacation the rest of the time we were there.
Friday, Aug. 15: Started a leisurely morning with a visit to Bayeux Tapestry and then headed to Arromanches (a 20-minute drive) to explore the Mulberry Harbour site and had lunch at Hotel le Marine, a lovely restaurant with an outdoor terrace along the water. The mussels (with cream) were so yummy.
We did not have a dinner reservation for today, which was just fine. We ate at Le Garde Manger, and it was fine. I had a lovely tomato and burrata salad, and my husband an omelet. We needed a break from a big meal anyway!
Saturday, Aug. 16: Today visited the Bayeux market in the morning for lunch supplies before taking a leisurely drive down to Mont St. Michel, hoping to arrive around 3/3:30 for our 5 p.m. visit to the abbey. I had a few stops planned along the way, but that failed a bit and our picnic lunch ended up happening under a tree near a parking lot for a grocery store. Very scenic, lol. We should have 1) just gotten some fruit from the market for a snack and 2) Planned to stop in a village instead of scenic spots along the way.
We loved the abbey. There were a lot of stairs and a lot of people. But, the visit to the abbey was very worth it. A fascinating place. We had simple galette dinner on the island right before the place closed (they close at 7 p.m.), and then drove the 1.5 hours back to Bayeux.
Sunday, Aug. 17: Today was D-day tour #1 with Overlord tours. We did the Omaha and Utah beach tour. There were a total of 6 people on the tour and the guide was excellent. It was a very full day with a lot of information. Definitely get a guide if you really want to get the most of the experience. Worth it! And, Overlord was great. I see no reason to get a private guide, given our experience. Dinner at Le Moulin de la Galette. Lovely setting. Lovely food.
Monday, Aug. 18: D-day tour #2: Battle of the Hedgerows. We got into the Normandy countryside and really experienced old hedgerows, following 2 units from the beaches to Saint-Lo. An amazing, behind-the-scenes kind of feel for the tour. Just 3 of us on this one. Le Pommier dinner was ok.
Tuesday, Aug. 19: Train back to Paris. Not special, but good location lodgings near Saint Michel RER stop. Wandered the Seine, sat at a cafe. Dinner at Allard (SO SO GOOD -- my favorite, and our most expensive, meal, since we had 3 courses + wine).