normandy trip from london

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Normandy Battlefield Tours from London

Take a Normandy tour from London, offering unique ways to see the D-Day landing sites. Our private tours of the Normandy D-Day landing sites depart from London with a knowledgeable guide. See many of the locations that were part of the D-Day invasion. Choose from a 3 or 4-day private tour from London, with a ferry crossing from Portsmouth to Normandy. Alternatively, choose to travel via private plane in a 1-day private tour.

Option 1  Normandy Tour from London: 3-4 Days

We can arrange a 3 or 4 day Normandy private tour from London. You will visit many of the Normandy beaches, landing sites and locations that are connected with D-Day and the days that followed. Many of these locations are well known from the series ‘Band of Brothers’ and movies such as ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and ‘The Longest Day’.

Below is an outline of a 4-day itinerary. We can also arrange a 3-day itinerary or longer trips. All our Normandy private tours can be customized according to your interests.

Normandy D-Day Landings

On the first day, meet your driver/guide in London who is an expert battlefield historian. Drive to Portsmouth which was at the centre of preparations for the D-Day invading force. After lunch overlooking the Royal Navy Dockyard, board the ferry to cross the English Channel, arriving in Normandy in the evening.

The second day is dedicated to the American Airborne Landings and UTAH Beach. Highlights include St Mere-Eglise which was the first town liberated and a visit to the bridge and causeway at La Fière, fought largely by paratroopers and glidermen from the 82nd Airborne Division. In the afternoon, visit the UTAH Beach area where the US 4th Division landed, and where Brigadier-General Theodore Roosevelt Jr took actions that led to him receiving the Medal of Honor.

On day three, start with a visit to Pointe-du-Hoc where Lieutenant Colonel Rudder’s Rangers stormed the cliffs. Continue to Vierville-sur-Mer where the US 116th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division landed. In the afternoon, see Omaha Beach where the US 1st Division landed, followed by visiting the Normandy American Cemetery. End the day at Longues-sur-Mer, the site of the only German artillery battery to retain all its original guns.

On our final day, visit the British Normandy Memorial and drive along GOLD, JUNO and SWORD which were the landing sites of British and Canadian forces. Visit Bénouville which saw the first action of D-Day and its famous Pegasus Bridge. Finally, take the ferry crossing back to Portsmouth, and return to London.

For more information and pricing, please get in touch via the enquiry form at the bottom of the page.

option 2: Normandy Tour from London by Private Plane

Aerial view of Pointe du Hoc cliffs

Take a once-in-a-lifetime trip with our Normandy tour from London by private plane and land vehicle. You’ll get to see the D-Day landing beaches and key locations from the air, as well as a driving tour through the Normandy countryside. This exclusive private tour is subject to availability and can be fully customised according to your interests.

• Your tour starts with an early collection from your hotel in London before being transported by your guide to Biggin Hill Airport, the former RAF airfield which played a critical role in the Battle of Britain.
• You will board your Piper Chieftain aircraft. Light refreshments will be served onboard.
• Enjoy wonderful views over the English countryside and the English Channel as we fly towards the Normandy coastline.
• Your pilot will fly you over Omaha beach, Utah beach and Pointe du Hoc whilst your guide gives you an aerial tour of the D-Day landing sites.
• On arrival at Carpiquet Airport in Caen,  you will be met by your driver. Enjoy a guided tour of the Normandy region visiting the following sites:
• Visit St. Mere Eglise which was the first town liberated by the Allies. It featured in the film  The Longest Day
•  Enjoy lunch in a local bistro
• See the Pointe du Hoc cliffs, where US Army Rangers scaled 100-foot cliffs under fire in one of D-Day’s most dangerous missions.
• Visit Omaha Beach, site of the invasion’s most intense battles. See the Normandy American Cemetry, the final resting place for nearly 10,000 Americans who died on the nearby beaches.
• On arrival back at the Carpiquet Airport, you will board your aircraft for the 45 minute flight back to the UK, arriving at approximately 6.00pm (local time).
• On arrival at Biggin Hill, your guide will drive you back to your London hotel.

Your tour includes:

• Private transport from and to your London hotel
• A battlefield historian throughout your tour
• Private flight in a Piper Chieftain aircraft to and from Normandy
• Flight over Normandy beach landmarks
• Light refreshments onboard
• Private transport with a driver and guide in Normandy

From £9,500 GBP per group

Please contact us for a quotation. The aircraft can accommodate up to 8 passengers.

Get in touch:

For more information and prices, please fill out the enquiry form below, including as much information as you can on what you would like to see and visit.

Normandy Overnight Tour from London

Batterie de Longues

Our private Normandy overnight tour from London is fully customizable according to your interests. On the first day travel from London to Paris on the Eurostar train, crossing the English channel. The rest of your first day is spent exploring Paris at your leisure. We can also organize your hotel stay in Paris.

On the second day, your private tour guide will pick you up from your hotel. Your Normandy day tour includes:

• Drive through the countryside to the village of Ranville. This was the first French village liberated on D-Day. It is also where the famous Pegasus Bridge is located
• See Arromanches, where a portable harbour (nicknamed Mulberry Harbour) was tugged over from southern England. It became known as Port Winston, named after Winston Churchill who was closely involved in its conception. 2.5 million men, 500,000 vehicles and 4 million tonnes of supplies arrived via Port Winston
• Visit Bayeux, the first city to be liberated in June 1944. See the Bayeux Tapestry , the world-renowned work from the middle ages that recounts the Conquest of England by William, Duke of Normandy. The tapestry is listed in the UNESCO Memory of the World register. The nearby Bayeux Cathedral is a gem of Norman architecture
• See Omaha Beach, site of the invasion’s most intense battles. Closeby is the largest of the wartime cemeteries, The Normandy American Cemetry. It featured in the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan
• Following your Normandy tour, we will return to Paris Gard du Nord station for your return Eurostar train to London

We can also arrange for you to spend 2 or 3 days touring the D-Day locations in Normandy. For more information and prices, please contact us via the enquiry form at the bottom of the page

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How to get to Normandy from UK: flight, ferry and tunnel options

Normandy is one of the closest overseas places to the UK and as such it’s a really popular destination for Brits. If you’re wondering how to get to Normandy from the UK then this post is for you as I’ll be detailing the options.

We’ve travelled a number of different ways when visiting Normandy and the North of France so I feel like I can give you a good run down of the choices available!

Whether you’re visiting the wondrous Mont St Michel, the historic city of Bayeaux with its tapestry, or making a pilgrimage to the D-Day beaches , Normandy promises and delivers a LOT!

This article probably contains affiliate links. This means that if you buy or book after clicking, I may get a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

Our Top Pick

Best ferry to Normandy – Brittany Ferries

With the most options available to get you from the UK to the Normandy coast I highly recommend checking out Brittany Ferries

Table of Contents

When thinking about your trip to Normandy and how to travel there from the UK it will likely be determined by your starting point. Having grown up in Scotland, lived in the North of England and currently way down in the South West – I know it’s a bit different when it can take a lot longer for you to reach the south coast of England than for others!

I’ve also added in some options for flying to France and getting public transport as well which may well be of use to those who don’t relish a ferry trip or the long drive south to the ports!

Useful links:

• Brittany Ferries
• P&O Ferries
• AFerry (checks all operators)
• Trainline (for Eurostar and French trains)
• DiscoverCars – car rental comparison site

How to get to Normandy by Ferry or Channel Tunnel

Ferry is probably the most popular way to get to Normandy from the south of England because it can get you right in the heart of the region straight away.

I’ve also included the channel tunnel crossing here as it’s similar in where it departs and arrives from to the short ferry trips.

The following ferry ports are used to get to the Normandy region (distance and driving time to Caen in centre of Normandy in brackets) :

• Cherbourg (130km / 1 hour 30 mins)
• Saint Malo (170km / 2 hours) closer to Mont St Michel though!
• Caen/Ouistreham (16km / 20 mins)
• Le Havre (95km / 1 hour 15 mins)
• Dieppe (190km/ 2 hours)
• Calais (350km / 3 hours 40 mins)
• Roscoff (340km / 3 hours 45 mins)

Check the map above to see where they are and how close they might be to your destination.

Some ferries are overnight and some are a good 4 hour sailing time. If you don’t fancy a long sea trip you can also head to the short Dover-Calais route and drive from there (which is what we’ve done in the past).

A note about travelling with pets:

Many people will be wanting to take their pets on their Normandy trip. It’s worth checking what is available, especially if like us you have a nervous dog, before committing to a route.

Some ferries only allow dogs to stay in the car for the crossing, some have pet cabins. Some ferries also expect your dog to be muzzled when on board and outside of your vehicle.

The channel tunnel i s my preferred option with a dog (like I say, mine is nervous and would hate to be left in a car on a deck) as you stay in the vehicle for the duration. It does have a longer drive on the other side to get to Normandy mind you!

Good for travellers from London and the South West, or from the North. Well linked by public transport.

Portsmouth has the most options for ferries to Normandy from the UK and you have options to set sail every day to a number of ports. No matter what you’re doing in Normandy, you can arrive at a few different places along the coastline.

While you have a couple of options of destinations, it’s only one operator that sails from Portsmouth – Brittany Ferries .

• Ferry time – 8 hours (overnight)
• 2 sailings a week

Ouistreham / Caen

• Ferry travel time – 6 hours
• Up to three sailings per day
• Daytime or overnight sailings
• Ferry travel time – 11 hours
• Travels most days through the year
• Overnight sailings

A good option if you want a nice quick ferry trip that will get you in to the heart of Normandy coast.

• Poole – Cherbourg (Brittany Ferries)
• Ferry travel time – 4 hours 30 mins
• Daily morning sailings

Good for travellers in the South West and from Wales or those travelling down the M5 in the west.

If, like me, you’re living in the South West you might want to arrive in France in the west and explore from there. Plymouth does a sailing to Roscoff in Brittany which, is a little way from Normandy, but might be preferable to driving through the UK to a different port.

• Plymouth – Roscoff
• day time and overnight crossings
• up to 2 per day
• sailing time – 5 hours 30 mins (day), 11 hours (night)

Dover / Folkestone

Good for travellers in the South East or those who want the quickest crossing times.

There’s a lot to recommend travelling to Normandy via Calais. It’s a popular route, there’s a lot of options and cheap ferries and it’s quick. If you’re not keen on sailing then it’s a must! Although you might prefer the tunnel!

If you’re driving with pets this is my recommended route

The downside is that it’s a good distance to Normandy so you’ll need to be prepared for a decent drive on the other side.

• P&O – Dover to Calais
• DFDS – Dover to Calais (and also Dunkirk which is a little more east)
• Euro Tunnel – Folkestone – Calais

Good for travellers on the South East coast.

DFDS has a ferry to Dieppe from Newhaven. Its a short trip and gets you very close to the east of Normandy and Paris if that’s also a destination for you.

• Newhaven – Dieppe
• 4 hours sailing time
• up to 3 daily sailings in high season

How to get to Normandy from London

If you’re travelling from the city of London to Normandy you have a number of options. Of course, you could drive down to any of the ports listed above but you also have flight options (see below) and public transport options.

Whatever you choose you’ll be arriving in France in Paris and will need to make your way to Normandy from there.

Eurostar / Train

The Eurostar train is great way to get some distance under your belt quickly and without having to get on a ferry. It’ll get you into Gare du Nord and from there you can get the metro to Gare St Lazare for trains to Bayeux or Caen and many other places in Normandy.

The train from London to Paris is around 2 hours 40 mins and from Paris to Caen it takes another 2 hours.

I recommend having a look at Trainline where you can book the Eurostar but also trains in France as well. Train can be a good option from elsewhere in the UK too – we travelled it from Sheffield a couple of years ago.

Another option is to take a coach from London to Paris and from there either train or coach to Normandy.

Coaches to Paris from London normally go on the Dover-Calais ferry and onwards from there. Flixbus travels from Paris to Caen and takes around 3 hours.

You might also like: 3 day self drive tour of Normandy beaches

Flying from the UK to Normandy

If you really don’t want to waste time on ferries or travelling the length of the UK to get there then it’s worth exploring the idea of flying there.

There’s no direct flights to Normandy from the UK, but Paris is very close and has plenty of options.

It’s recommended to rent a car from the airport to explore Normandy to the fullest – check out DiscoverCars which will check out all options and compare them for you.

The following cities all have direct flights to Paris and from there you can make your way to Normandy:

I like to check out Skyscanner when planning flights to get the best options – always check which airport it will land at as Paris has a couple.

If you’re driving to Normandy it’ll take you from 2.5 – 3 hours to get to Caen, depending on which airport you start from.

If you’re looking to take public transport onwards to Normandy then train gives you the best options. You’ll need to travel into Paris first and then to the departing train station.

Kirsty Bartholomew

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• Into the Reich
• Weekender Trip

Tours of Normandy

D-day with our in-depth tour.

Discover the most iconic sites involved in D-Day with our in-depth tour. We take you across the channel and onto the iconic beaches of Normandy, exploring the local areas and the pivotal roles they played in WW2.

You will stand on the iconic beaches  Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno and Sword. Visit and see where the British and US  airborn  operations took place.

The Tour in Detail

• We start our trip with a drive to Folkstone to take the Eurotunnel train 
• Under the channel to Calais (the train takes 35 minutes)
• We then drive through northern France across the great bridges over the river seine at le harve and down into Normandy
• We stop for comfort breaks, most of the route 3 hours is on the motorway
• Our first stop is Merville battery and the night assault story by the British 9th airborne on the night of the 6th of June. The museum and bunker complex are a story of British airborne spirit to capture an important strategic objective against terrible odds. Entry is approx 8 euros each
• Onto the Orne river bridge and the assault and capture and then the holding of this vital bridge until relieved
• Visit the museum here is 8 euros each, then a break at the café Grandide the first place liberated on D-Day
• We then visit the airborne cemetery at Ranville
• Hotel in Normandy - Dinner + Breakfast
• We go to and see the grand bunker just back from Sword beach and the landing on D-Day story
• Onto the D-Day beach coast road, past the Canadian Juno beach sector 
• Then down to the great gun battery at Longues Sur Mer and go into these great gun bunkers
• We then go on down into Arromanches, gold beach to see the Mulberry harbour and visit the 360 degrees day cinema with its unique d day British Memorial
• Lunch in Arromanches
• We move on then into the US zone, the great cemetery at Coleville onto Omaha beach and its memorials and bunkers
• We finish our day at the scene of one of the great assaults by the US rangers at Pointe du Hoc
• We then pass the bunker complex at grand camps Maisy and its incredible story
• Hotel in St. Mere-realise, where we have dinner and then at night we experience Church Square and the US airborne story of tragedy and victory. The paratrooper on the steeple is still there! 
• We start with the incredible story at the bridge over the Merderet River at la frere, where the legend of iron mike was born
• Onto the story of the medics and the church at Angloville, which is truly amazing. In the midst of a battle between the US paratroopers of the 101st and the german paratroopers, 2 amazing young medics make history
• The go through saint Marie du mont and pass the scene of easy company's battle at Brecourt Manor
• We move onto Utah beach and the great museum
• Grainger is a story to be told at this little church on a strategic hill where a group of the 82nd paratroopers held off a division of SS for 2 days. the price those civilians left behind paid
• (if time permits, we can stop at the D-Day experience museum at dead man's corner where the d day Dakota simulator gives a unique experience) 
• We arrive at the beautiful medieval city of Bayeux
• Hotel - Those that wish can venture into Bayeux to visit and see the Bayeux tapestry
• Dinner + Breakfast in Bayeux 
• Then a short drive to the commonwealth war cemetery at Bayeux 
• Then into the Bayeux D-Day museum
• Depart 11.30 
• Drive to Calais  
• Eurotunnel - UK - Home

Customer Briefing

Welcome to the briefing note on the four-day trip to Normandy and Battle of the Bulge with D Day story and experiences.

The objective is to give a bespoke experience. We meet and depart on day 1; we travel to the Eurotunnel at Folkstone.

Please be advised that, prior to the crossing, I will require your passport details for the compulsory checks made.

A Personal Note

I have been doing my tours now ever since 2005, everybody has found it a relaxing and interesting experience, above all be comfortable and enjoy our company as I take you to the Normandy experience.

In 4 days will we see it all, no, there is too much to show you. But I do promise you that you will see some places that the usual tourist groups never experience.

Advanced Passenger Information

• The dress code throughout is entirely casual
• Please feel free to bring any drinks, water or snacks you want
• We will stop on our journey for comfort breaks as requested
• Once we have crossed the channel, we go via the main motorway for approx
• 3 hours to get to the Normandy area. We will cross the great bridges at le harve - a great spectacle in itself
• There is no heavy walking at all, the whole trip is on the flat
• It is the custom for the group to dine at the local French restaurants in the evenings, a great way to unwind and enjoy glorious French food
• If you would like to dine another way then please feel free, this is a casual no-pressure experience
• Normandy, in my opinion, is very like Devon and is very affluent
• If you wish to sample the main local drink, its Calvados, an apple brandy. 
• The 3 nominated hotels are very comfortable, and you can breakfast at each if you wish, breakfast is approx 8 euros. 
• Entry to the museums is approx 8 euros each we stop at 4 in all
• All museums and restaurants accept debit/credit cards
• Bring euros if you wish (when we reach Bayeux, you may wish to visit and see the Bayeux tapestry, this may cost approx 10 euros)
• It is a courtesy to meet at the appointed times, not to be late as it upsets the schedule
• Take as many pictures as you like and enjoy my tour
• Using your mobile in France is the same as the UK

• Tours 8-day 80th ANNIVERSARY BULGE TOUR 9-day BAND OF BROTHERS TOUR 11-day BAND OF BROTHERS TOUR 12-day D-DAY ANNIVERSARY TOUR 12-day D-DAY LUXURY TOUR 6-day BEACHES OF NORMANDY TOUR 6-day AMERICAN NORMANDY TOUR 11-day WAR IN POLAND TOUR 11-day THIRD REICH TOUR 10-day BRITAIN AT WAR TOUR 11-day ITALIAN CAMPAIGN TOUR 12-day WORLD WAR I TOUR

11-day 80th ANNIVERSARY D-DAY TOUR

• Average 4-6 miles walk a day
• Some uneven terrain
• Medium to long travel times
• Moderate pace
• Churchill War Rooms
• Imperial War Museum London

Littlecote House

Southwick house.

• D-Day Story Museum
• Bovington Tank Museum
• All five D-Day beaches of Normandy

Pointe du Hoc

Normandy american cemetery.

• D-Day Anniversary commemorations

Take a trip with us from England to Normandy on the 80th anniversary of D-Day! When it comes to following the events and sights of the Allied landings, this is as good as it gets. Upon arrival to London, we discover one of the most important command centres of World War II, the Churchill War Rooms. We visit Littlecote House, the headquarters of the 101st Airborne Division before D-Day and Southwick House, the HQ of Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower on our way to one of D-Day’s most important embarkation points, Portsmouth. We follow the path of this iconic day from Portsmouth to Normandy by ferry, where you’ll have the chance to experience all the landing beaches. The highlight of the tour is the 80th anniversary ceremony on Utah Beach, which is, without a doubt, an event you will never forget!

Detailed Highlights and Itinerary

Passengers are greeted at London’s Heathrow Airport and transferred to the hotel, where we get to know each other over an orientation dinner. In the following days we get insights into the preparations of Operation Overlord. We visit the Churchill War Rooms in downtown London, where decisions were made that changed the course of history. In the Imperial War Museum, we get a deeper understanding of the part the British had played in WWII. Then we head south to the D-Day embarkment sight of Portsmouth, while stopping at Littlecote House and the pre-historic Stonehenge. To truly understand the importance of Portsmouth in WWII, we spend a day visiting the Southwick House with the original wall map for D-Day, and the D-Day Story museum housing the last surviving Landing Craft Tank (LCT) from D-Day. A trip to England wouldn’t be complete without visiting the world’s largest tank museum at Bovington. On our last day in Portsmouth, we get on a ferry to sail over to Normandy.

London’s Imperial War Museum

Churchill Cabinet War Rooms

Inside the Littlecote House

Last surviving LCT from D-DAY in Portsmouth

D-Day map room at Southwick House

Panther tank

The Tiger collection

After arriving in Normandy, we start to discover the well-known historic sights of the region that we’ve already seen in so many movies and series. We pay our respects to the heroic efforts of the landing troops at “bloody” Omaha with our local guide sharing stories about fallen soldiers at their graves at the Normandy American Cemetery. We learn how and why Teddy Roosevelt Jr. had to “start the war from here” on Utah Beach. We’ll have the chance to see re-enactors and beautifully restored vehicles along the way. The 80th anniversary ceremony on Utah Beach will surely be an experience of a lifetime, with flyovers, military parade, marching bands and speeches from officials as well as veterans. The final full day will be spent visiting the British and Canadian landing sectors with such sights as the Mulberry Harbour and Pegasus Bridge. On the last day, the Passengers are taken back to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport for their return flights.

Utah Beach Memorial

Sainte-Mère-Église

Anniversary march in Carentan

Omaha Beach

B-26 Marauder

Juno Beach Centre

Sword Beach

Dates and prices, 80th anniversary bulge tour.

• Day 8: Departure

80th ANNIVERSARY OVERLORD TOUR

• Day 11: Departure

BAND OF BROTHERS TOUR

• Day 9: Departure

D-DAY ANNIVERSARY TOUR

• Day 12: Departure

D-DAY LUXURY TOUR

Beaches of normandy tour.

• Day 6: Departure

AMERICAN NORMANDY TOUR

War in poland tour, third reich tour, britain at war tour.

• Day 10: Departure

ITALIAN CAMPAIGN TOUR

World war i tour, 80th anniversary d-day tour, 80th anniversary gold tour, 80th anniversary silver tour, hotels, motorcoach, guides and other services.

Relax after a long flight and ease your mind knowing that your Tour Director will meet you at the airport on the first day of the tour, avoiding extra navigating and expensive taxi fares. With our all-inclusive tour package, we handle all the details of your tour, so you can focus on experiencing this trip of a lifetime. Sit back and let us wine and dine you as you explore history with our carefully planned itinerary, with all breakfasts, dinners and entrance fees included. You will sleep soundly each night at 4-star accommodations. Breakfasts are delicious and authentic, while the two-three course dinners are mix of buffet and limited menu dining options which offer a chance to taste some of the local wines or beers as well. This tour includes a 24/7 Tour Director and several local guides. Our dynamic, knowledgeable Tour Directors are with you from your arrival at the airport to departure on the final day. They proactively smooth the way for your entire tour experience. Our handpicked, trusted local guides are fluent in English and expert historians, who deliver their impressive wealth of knowledge, anecdotes, and local insights with skill that shows their years of research and experience.

London hotel exterior

Hotel restaurant in London

Hotel room in London

Hotel in Normandy

Motorcoach 2

Local guide in London

Local guide in Normandy

English breakfast

Fish and chips

Breakfast in France

Dinner in France

They always address topics onsite so that you get to experience history where it happened as they guide both popular destinations and obscure locations only the locals would know. Do not worry about availability, wait times, or ticket costs as all museum and site admissions are pre-arranged and included in the cost of our all-inclusive tours. On this tour you ride in style in our motorcoaches complete with climate control, video entertainment and extra leg room. Our skilled, professional drivers maximize your tour time by navigating the busiest highways and tightest country lanes, giving you more time at sites and less time subjected to the inflexible scheduling, delays and crowded areas that accompany public transport. For those who want to stay connected, Wi-fi is available at all our hotels and on all of our buses.

Beaches of Normandy Tours Band of Brothers Tours 48 Rue de Thouays, 50480 Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Normandy, France

Phone: +1 855-473-1999 Monday - Friday, 10am - 6pm ET e-mail: [email protected]

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D-Day to the Rhine

This is the bucket list trip that I have been waiting for and it was beyond my expectations. From walking on the Normandy beaches, and attending the D-Day ceremony and sitting in the audience was a special treat. There were so many outstanding sites that we visited.

– Sharon Peterson

Our D-Day to the Rhine Tour commemorates the Allied invasion of Normandy that led to victory in Europe in WWII. You will begin in London, where Sir Winston Churchill led Great Britain through its “darkest hour,” and then follow Eisenhower’s Army from England to Normandy to the Rhine. You will visit the invasion beaches of Omaha and Utah and pay your respects at the American Cemetery, where 9387 American soldiers’ graves stretch along the the bluff overlooking the beach, before traveling to Bastogne to begin your study of Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge

Stephen E. Ambrose first designed our D-Day to the Rhine Tour itinerary in 1978 when he began his intense study of the D-Day invasion, the Normandy Campaign and western front in WWII. As part of his research, Ambrose travelled with countless veterans to find the sites where they trained in the United Kingdom and the battlefields where they made history in Europe. His extensive study of the European Theater of Operations led to his bestselling books on the subject, D-Day: June 6, 1944 , Citizen Soldiers, Band of Brothers, and Pegasus Bridge , among others . Ambrose also wrote several volumes about General Eisenhower during WWII, including his two-volume set of biographies and The Supreme Commander: The War years of Dwight D. Eisenhower .

Ambrose’s research produced the unrivaled experience that we offer on our D-Day to the Rhine Tour. His expertise was directly handed down to the next generation of historians who have continued to document the battlefield memories of hundreds of WWII veteran soldiers and officers at the very places where they fought. Their vast canon of knowledge is what makes our D-Day tour so authentic. Your historian will share these personal stories and their WWII expertise with you at every stop.

Optional Nuremberg and Berchtesgaden Post-Tour Extension

The optional post-tour extension will depart Frankfurt to the historic city of Nuremberg, where Hitler staged his infamous Nazi rallies and the International Tribunal conducted the Nuremberg Trials. After lunch in the picturesque market center dominated by the Frauenkirche, you will have a guided tour of the Nazi Party Rally Grounds and visit the Nuremberg Trials Courtroom 600. On the second day, you will visit Dachau Concentration Camp and have a city tour of Munich. The last full day will include a day trip to Berchtesgaden, where you will have a city tour and visit the Obersalzberg bunker and Eagle’s Nest.

User reviews rating score:

• Churchill War Rooms:  The Churchill War Rooms, the underground nerve center for Britain’s war effort, is always a highlight.
• Southwick House:  We visit Southwick House where Eisenhower, Montgomery, Ramsay and staff planned the invasion.
• Normandy Beaches:  Visiting the invasion beaches of Normandy: Omaha and Utah and the American Cemetery are one of the most moving things you will ever do.
• Ste-Mere-Eglise:  You will not find this stop on other Band of Brothers Tours: the iconic church and steeple at Ste-Mere-Eglise and the guns at Longues-sur-Mer.
• Pointe-du-Hoc:  Stand where the Rangers scaled the cliffs at Pointe-du-Hoc.
• Bastogne:  We wrap up the tour learning about Bastogne, the Ardennes and the Battle of the Bulge.

Day-By-Day Itinerary

Day 1 overnight flight to london.

Book your overnight flight the day before you'd like to arrive in London.

DAY 2 London

Arrive in London on the morning of Day 2 and check into the hotel where the entire group will gather for an evening welcome reception. Your historian will treat you to your first lecture, with introductions all around.

DAY 3 London

The morning will feature key sites in London that figured prominently in the War before proceeding to the Churchill War Rooms, the underground nerve center for Britain's war effort. You will also visit the Imperial War Museum, which houses authentic examples of World War II weaponry, tanks, and aircraft and an exhibit of WWI trench warfare. You will have free time to enjoy London in the evening.

DAY 4 Portsmouth

Depart London for Bletchley Park where you will visit the nerve center for intelligence used in the Allied War effort, code name Ultra. Here you will see the place where the Enigma machine is housed and where the cyphers and codes of several Axis countries were decrypted during the war.

This afternoon you will tour Southwick House, the advance command post of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force. In the months leading up to D-Day in 1944, the house became the headquarters of the main Allied commanders, including Naval Commander-In-Chief Admiral Ramsay, Allied Supreme Commander General Eisenhower, and the Army Commander-In-Chief General Montgomery.

DAY 5 - 8 Normandy

Following breakfast at the hotel, you will cross the English Channel by ferry, embarking for Normandy as the troops did in 1944.

During the several days you spend in Normandy, your visit will include the following sites, and maybe others:

Pegasus Bridge : Where the first shots were fired on D-Day

Brécourt Manor : The medieval family home where Lieutenant Dick Winters led the men of Easy Company to silence the German artillery firing at Utah Beach on D-Day

Utah Beach : Where the American 4th Division landed, and where the Invasion Museum stands today amid the stunning dunes.

Omaha Beach : Where the Americans experienced the greatest losses on D-Day

Pointe-du-Hoc : Where the Rangers scaled the cliffs and neutralized the heavy German guns

Normandy American Cemetery: Pay your respects at the deeply moving cemetery where nearly 10,000 graves memorialize the dead from the Normandy Campaign

Ste-Mere-Eglise : Where the first American Airborne troops landed on D-Day

La Fiere Bridge: Where the 82nd Airborne successfully delayed a German Panzer counterattack against the Allied landing forces on D-Day

Ste-Marie-du-Mont : The church where the Germans used the unique Renaissance-style steeple as an observation post

Carentan: Proceed from this town captured by the 101 st in the exact steps taken by American Paratroopers during the Battle of Normandy

Longues-sur-Mer Battery: A fine example of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall of defense

DAY 9 On the Road

After a half day of final site visits in Normandy, we will work our way to the Netherlands with an overnight in eastern France.

DAY 10 Arnhem

After breakfast, you will begin your study of Operation Market Garden, the early attempt by the Allied forces to strike directly for Berlin. Control of the bridges at Eindhoven, Nijmegen, and Arnhem was essential for the push into Germany. We drive Hell's Highway where the 101st and 82nd Airborne broke through to connect with the British in Arnhem. You will visit Nijmegen to see the daring crossing of the Waal River by the 82nd Airborne.

From there we travel to Arnhem where again we cross the "Bridge Too Far." Your historian will recount the desperate three days that the British 1st Airborne under General John Frost held it. You will end the day at the Airborne Museum at Oosterbeek.

DAY 11 The Ardennes

This is where Hitler put everything he had into his final counter-attack in the Ardennes that became the Battle of the Bulge. On December 16, 1944, Lt. Lyle Bouck was one of the first people to see the German columns coming. Your first stop will be in the Ardennes at Lanzereth, the town where Bouck and a platoon of 19 men held off a full-strength German SS Battalion under the infamous Joachim Peiper for an entire day. You will visit the American positions and hear their story, a breathtaking tale of heroism.

On December 17, 1944, the second day of the offensive, the Germans had several breakthroughs and many Americans surrendered near the town of Malmedy. Outside the town, Peiper's SS lined up about 150 GIs and fired at them point-blank. Less than half escaped alive. You will view the site of the massacre and the American Memorial at Malmedy. From there, you will enjoy a scenic drive through the Ardennes Mountains en route to the evening's lodging.

DAY 12 Luxembourg

Today, you will continue your study of the Battle of the Bulge. After breakfast, we drive to Bastogne where the Americans rallied and stopped the German attack. Here, you will view the route of the initial American retreat and the place where the 101st Airborne and elements of the 10th Armored Division held off fifteen German divisions for six days. You will visit key sites in and around this historic crossroads town. You will also go to General McAuliffe's HQ where he replied to German surrender demands with one word: "NUTS." After your visit, it is a short ride to Luxembourg. This afternoon affords some relaxing free time in the center of this bustling but charming old-world city.

DAY 13 Frankfurt

This morning you will visit nearby Hamm and the Luxembourg American Cemetery, the site of General George S. Patton's grave. America's foremost WWII field general rests here among his men.

You will then travel to the Siegfried Line to see remnants of the German communication trenches, pillboxes, and dragon's teeth that American GIs fought so hard to take in late 1944. This evening you will enjoy a farewell dinner and discussion after an enriching campaign into history.

DAY 14 Flight Home

Early morning departure to the Frankfurt International Airport.

Post-Tour - DAY 1 Nuremberg

You will continue your journey toward the Bavarian Alps, stopping first in the historic city of Nuremberg, where Hitler staged his infamous Nazi rallies and the International Tribunal conducted the Nuremberg Trials. After lunch in the picturesque market center dominated by the Frauenkirche, you will tour the Nazi Party Rally Grounds and visit the Nuremberg Trials Courtroom 600.

Post-Tour - DAY 2 Munich

We continue south through Bavaria toward Munich, first stopping in Dachau, where you will visit the site of some of the most nefarious acts against humankind during the war. In total, over 200,000 prisoners from more than 30 countries were confined in Dachau: notably Jews, resistance fighters, clergymen, politicians, communists, writers, artists, and royalty. The second camp liberated by Anglo-American forces, Dachau was one of the first places where the West was exposed to Nazi brutality. After lunch in a traditional Munich restaurant, you will enjoy a city tour of Munich before checking into a hotel in the heart of Munich, your base for our final two days.

Post-Tour - DAY 3 Munich

The day includes a city tour of Berchtesgaden and Obersalzberg where you will visit the Eagle’s Nest and the remains of the vast Nazi Party complex liberated by the Allies in May 1945. Eagle’s Nest was built as a 50th birthday present to Hitler from the Nazi Party. Perched at 6017 feet, the complex and road network leading to it were considered feats of engineering genius as they were completed in only 13 months in 1937-1938. For your final night, you will reflect on your journey and enjoy the camaraderie of a farewell dinner.

Post-Tour - DAY 4 Flights Home

Morning transfer to Munich Airport (MUC).

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• September 26 - 29, 2024 Post Tour Extension
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• May 31 - June 13, 2025
• June 13 - 16, 2025 Post Tour Extension
• July 11 - 24, 2025
• July 24 - 27 Post Tour Extension
• September 5 - 18, 2025
• September 18 - 21, 2025 Post Tour Extension

Recommended Reading

• Citizen Soldiers by Stephen E. Ambrose
• D-Day: June 6, 1944 by Stephen E. Ambrose
• Voices of D-Day by Ronald Drez & Stephen E. Ambrose

Tour Includes

• Itinerary designed by Dr. Stephen E. Ambrose
• Full time historian and tour manager
• Educational road book full of maps and historical information
• 3 or 4 star hotels accommodations
• Rooms with private bath or shower, hotel taxes, porterage (where available) and service charges
• Touring by private first class air-conditioned motor coach
• All Breakfasts, some lunches, most dinners and a Welcome Reception
• Channel crossing to Normandy via ferry
• High-speed train from Paris to Brussels
• Rhine River Lunch Cruise
• All entrance fees to museums and attractions
• Flights are not included in tour costs.
• We are happy to help you book your flights.
• If you purchase your own airline ticket, please know that Day 1 is the day that you fly, Day 2 is the day you arrive in London.
• Before you purchase your airline tickets, please call us to confirm the recommended time of arrival.

Activity Level

As with all of our tours, we prefer to spend our time on the battlefields. There will be some museum stops, but please be prepared to walk on sandy beaches and cobblestone streets. There is a fair amount of walking, especially in Normandy.

Photo Gallery

• Charles Brower, Ph.D.

TRIP COST $6,590

Prices are per person based on double occupancy. For a single room add $1,650.

POST TOUR EXTENSION $1,790 per person based on double occupancy; for post-tour single room add $725.

Our Guests’ Reviews

There are 15 reviews for ' D-Day to the Rhine '. Add your review

I was on the second tour August 1999. I hope to go again. Ron and Judy Drez hosted the tour and they really made it simple and enjoyable. It’s really worth doing

Bucket List CHECK OFF

Having fulfilled my #1 Bucket List item, I can truthfully say that this was the best trip I’ve ever taken, Jonathan Carroll, our historian and chief entertainer, along with David, our tour manager and Johan, our magic-man driver, made these days a memory that I will never forget. Thank you.

Bucket List CHECK

Normandy to the rhine.

This was a trip of a lifetime for me. Learned so much, saw so much. Stood on Utah and Omaha Beach which was important to me. I LOVED it!!

Wonderful journey

The DDay to the Rhine trip(June 2022) was our second trip with SAHT and hopefully not the last. Our historian was Chris Anderson and he is truly a walking encyclopedia! His passion for WW2 history is evident in every visit. He kindly made an unscheduled stop for me at Sugar Red sector of Utah Beach because he knew that was where my father had landed! Looking forward to another trip with SAHT! Cheryl and George Holt

Trip of a Lifetime

My wife and I enjoyed every minute of every day. Our historian, Chris Anderson, provided personal anecdotes from residents and veterans that helped make each site all the more interesting and moving. We had the honor of being at the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach for the 78th anniversary ceremony. It was amazing being there with some of the surviving veterans sharing the moment honoring them. Chris was masterful knowing his topic inside and out yet making it interesting for all regardless of how much knowledge one had going in. Sabine was the camp Mom, making sure everyone was happy and safe as well as keeping us all on schedule so we could see and do as much as possible. She even helped put my wife and I in contact with a friend who is a master clock builder as a side project in the midst of all her other responsibilities. Klaus, our driver, was friendly and added to the experience dining with him and learning from him as well. The lodgings and meals were very nice as well. We have already booked a follow up trip waitlist with the Pacific theater tour and are looking at several of their other offerings in the meantime. I cannot imagine a better tour experience, and we can’t wait to go again..

This is the bucket list trip that I have been waiting for and it was beyond my expectations. From walking on the Normandy beaches, and attending the D-Day ceremony and sitting in the audience was a special treat. There were so many outstanding sites that we visited. Our London tour guide Tim was great. Bletchley Park was so neat and how the code breakers overcame astronomical odds to break the German codes. Standing inside one of the bunkers overlooking the Pointe du Hoc waterfront brought home what terror the Germans there must have experienced seeing the armada of ships descending on them. Both the American and Germany cemeteries brought home the human element of the war. The Berchtesgarden extension was very worthwhile and touring Dachau brought the trip to an emotional climax. I highly recommend this trip. I will remember this trip for years to come and made many new friends along the way.

I really enjoyed it. I was on the second trip in August of 1999. I’d like to go again but this disease thing keeps me out this year. I am retired now and can see some changes that will make it better. Berchestgarden wasn’t available then. Can’t say when but I’m going again.

My son and I took this tour some yars ago and are still talking about it. The tour and it’s guide were fist class. I have been to Normandy since and it was more impressive having been with Ambrose before.

Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours is the place for D-Day Tours

Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours is by far the leaders in keeping younger generations informed with regard to historical events and history of World War II on Facebook.

Content with regard to tours, past and future are encouraging and reminding people of the importance of the outcome of the war for present and future generations is informative.

The acknowledgement they give to the men who sacrificed themselves, especially on D-Day, not forgetting but honoring those who have been blessed to live a long and fulfilled life, must be the only place where these men to whom we all owe the life we enjoy today are really honored.

Their D-Day Tours are well known and if one ever decide to attend a D-Day tour Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours is the place to do it, first on Facebook and then joining the actual tour.

Thank you for keeping us informed and all the best I hope you will be with us for a long time. Your valuable input in the most important time in world history is to be commended.

Dream trip for any WWII history buff

This D-Day tour is a dream trip for any WWII history buff who wants to stand on the beaches at Normandy, experience the powerful emotions brought forth by the military cemeteries in France and Luxembourg, stand in a foxhole in the Ardennes, and tour General McAuliffe’s office in Bastogne.

Best experience!

Overall, the tour was the best experience Ive had. I will remember it for the rest of my life. I took over 600 photos. I got to see where my dad was at and wondered what made him what he was.

We saw so much

We saw so much – places I’ve read about but never thought I’d see.

Outstanding Trip!

I am a history and WWII buff and I felt this was an outstanding trip. My wife, who does not have a great interest in military matters, also feels this was one of her best trips.

Excellent tour

Excellent tour. I would highly recommend it to anyone with WWII interest. Best company and historians.

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Normandy, Private Plane from London

An amazing aerial and land tour of the Normandy D-Day Landing sights from London.

• Private car/minibus
• Private plane

Please contact us for touring options

This tour is available in most languages. Select your language on checkout.

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About The Tour

A British Tours Ltd guide, specialising in WWll and the Normandy landings, will meet you in the morning at your London hotel and drive you to Fairoaks Airfield in Surrey.

Boarding a twin-engined aircraft, fly over Portsmouth Harbour before crossing the Channel. During the hour's flight your guide, with the help of charts, will brief you on the strategic situation in Europe during the months leading up to D-Day - naval, air, military strengths on both western and eastern fronts; Hitler's command style against Churchill and Roosevelt's and the tactical dilemmas facing both sides.

Landing at Cherbourg Airport in France meet your driver to start an overland tour of the Normandy D-Day Beaches .

Visit Omaha Beach, still referred to by its wartime name, a peaceful four mile stretch of sand which belies the ferocity of the fighting that befell it on June 6th 1944, the Normandy American Cemetery at St Laurent where almost 10,000 Americans lie buried and over 1,500 missing Americans are commemorated, and the Pointe du Hoc cliffs scaled by 2 US Rangers on D- Day. The cliff heights are still deeply pitted with German bunkers and shell holes.

Stop at a local fishing port for lunch, and visit St. Mere Eglise, the first town to be liberated by the Allies, where a replica of the paratrooper Private John Steele hangs from the church's tower.

On your return flight circle St Mere Eglise, fly low along Utah Beach where 4 US Infantry Division came ashore, the Pointe du Hoc cliffs, and continue along the coast over Omaha Beach. Tide permitting, also take in stunning views as you fly over the wreck of Mulberry Harbour - an artificial harbour that protected the landings of the vast numbers of of men and vehicles during the invasion.

Head back to coast over Port en Bessin and Arromanches, flying along Gold Beach where British Commandos and the XXX British Corps came ashore, and Juno & Sword Beaches where British Commandos, the 3rd British and 3rd Canadian Infantry Divisions came ashore. Turn south to Pegasus Bridge over the Orne Canal and then fly over the Merville Battery and landing grounds for the 6 British Airborne Division.

Cross the English Channel near Chichester and circle over Arundel Castle, then north over Sussex and Surrey before landing at Fairoaks around 6 pm - and your drive back to London.

Bring your passports. Above all your cameras and plenty of film/batteries.

Touring Normandy As well as by private plane from London, you can visit the D-Day sights with us by train or private car from London and Paris. See our Normandy tours .

Important: remember to bring your passports!

YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN.

Normandy beaches & battlefields, normandy, mont-st-michel, the loire, overnight normandy from london, we had the lovely jonathan and omg he was amazing he took into account everything we wanted to do and see and made it happen.

Doncaster, UK

Why choose us?

Because you insist on the longest-established and most experienced service available in Britain. Founded in 1958, British Tours is still under the same management. About Us

Who is your Guide?

Our guides are personable educated men and women, chosen for their knowledge, special interests, backgrounds and personality. They will collect you by car from any central London location and guide you inside places of historic importance

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• To the North
• Trip to Normandy ...

Trip to Normandy from London

What is the best way to get to the Normandy beaches from London? Can I do it in one day?

The best two options are to either rent a car or take the train. With the car you can do your own tour, however, with the train you will need an organized tour to visit the beaches (best option from either Caen or Bayeux). Either way, my opinion is that it is not a possible or worthwhile trip for one day.

"The best two options are to either rent a car..."

I just hate that drive across the Channel.

Yes, I was hoping to leave London early in morning, tour the beaches and return to London that night. From what I read, it doesn't seem practical. What is the best way to get from London to the beaches? Train to Calais and then car? Ferry?

Rail only goes to Bayeux or Caen, thus by process of elimination it gets down to renting a car when you get off in France. You won't get back to London that day.

That's going to be a very difficult trip to accomplish in one day! Is there any possibility you could make an overnight trip to Normandy? I'm sure it would be a much more interesting and rewarding experience than just stopping for a few hours and having a brief look.

The most direct method would be EuroStar from London St. Pancras to Gare du Nord, transfer to Gare St. Lazare and train to Caen or Bayeux. I haven't checked the timing of the connections, but the trip would probably be 4-6 hours each way! That doesn't leave much time for touring.

It's quite likely that travel by budget airline would be about the same, after allowing time to and from airports (in England probably Luton or Stansted and France probably Orly or Beauvais), waiting, check in, security, etc. Add to that the train time to Normandy.

If you had an unlimited budget, hiring a Helicopter would be the fastest method, but that's not an option for most of us.

If you were able to manage an overnight trip, train to Bayeux and then take a BattleBus tour the following morning (tours depart at 08:00 sharp!) would be the preferred method.

There may be some way to accomplish this? Hopefully someone else here can provide that information.

Good luck and happy travels!

Another way would be by ferry from the South Coast and perhaps a rental car or bus the other side, but still not a comfortable day trip. This site will show you the routes available to you. I don't know whether booking through them is the cheapest way but you could compare their prices against booking direct with the ferry companies.

http://www.directferries.co.uk/normandy.htm

We had the same question a month or so ago. The best wisdom was that this is not a reasonable day-trip destination from London. It is best to stay overnight in Bayeaux or nearby.

Swan referred to a thread on this subject last month. Here's what I said there:

If you take the first Eurostar from London to Paris and catch a train from there to Caen, the earliest you would arrive is 11:59. That might give you enough time to catch an afternoon tour, most of which end at 17:30. If you can catch the 17:58 train to Paris, you'll arrive in time to catch the last Eurostar to London which departs at 21:13 and arrives at 22:34. Important note: The times I gave you are for weekdays. Service is more limited on weekends.

If you want to take a tour out of Bayeux, the above plan won't work. While you might get to Bayeux in time for an afternoon tour, you won't finish in time to cach the last train you could take to connect with the last Eurostar.

Having spelled out everything above, I strongly encourage you not to attempt this. If you're going to all the effort and expense of getting from London to Normandy and back, don't shortchange yourself. Stay overnight and take an all-day tour.

Well said, Tim.

It is possible to get a car across the channel quite rapidly by taking a Le Shuttle train from Folkestone to Calais ( http://www.eurotunnel.com ). These are car-carrying trains through the Channel Tunnel and are much faster than car ferries. Normandy is still not a practical day trip from London though.

Thanks, everyone. This really helps.

This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity.

How to Get to Normandy from London: The Ultimate Guide

To get to Normandy from London, the best way is to take a ferry from Portsmouth to Caen or from Poole to Cherbourg. Another option is to take a coach from London to Paris and from there either take a train or a coach to Normandy.

These options provide convenient and efficient ways to travel from London to Normandy, allowing you to experience the beauty and charm of the region. Whether you choose the ferry or coach option, you can enjoy a seamless journey to Normandy from the UK.

To get to Normandy from London, taking the train with South Western Railway is a convenient option. Before you embark on your journey, it’s important to plan your route and book your tickets in advance. This will ensure a smooth and hassle-free travel experience.

When traveling by train, there are a few tips that can enhance your comfort. Dress comfortably, pack light, and bring some entertainment to keep yourself occupied during the journey. Additionally, consider booking seats in advance, especially during peak travel times.

Following these tips will help you make the most of your train journey from London to Normandy with South Western Railway.

Driving from London to Normandy offers several routes and options for travelers. Whether you decide to rent a car or use your vehicle, there are a few things to consider before embarking on a road trip to Normandy. Firstly, you’ll want to choose the most convenient route based on your starting point in London and your desired destination in Normandy.

Additionally, you should factor in the duration of the journey and any potential toll roads. It’s also important to check the driving regulations and requirements in both countries, ensuring you have the necessary documentation and insurance coverage. Lastly, don’t forget to plan for rest stops and fuel stations along the way.

By taking these factors into account, you can enjoy a smooth and enjoyable drive from London to Normandy.

Normandy provides a convenient and scenic journey. Several ferry companies offer services from the UK to Normandy, allowing travelers to choose the option that best suits their needs. When selecting a ferry company, consider factors such as the departure and arrival locations, as well as the duration of the trip.

It’s also essential to plan and book your tickets in advance to ensure a smooth and hassle-free journey. On the day of your ferry trip, arrive early at the port, and be prepared for security checks and boarding procedures.

Once onboard, sit back, relax, and enjoy the crossing, taking advantage of the amenities and services available on the ferry. By following these tips, you can make your journey from London to Normandy a pleasant and memorable experience.

Additional Tips And Information

To travel from London to Normandy, there are several options available. One popular choice is taking a ferry, as it allows you to reach the heart of the region quickly. Another option is the channel tunnel crossing, which is similar to a short ferry trip.

If you prefer a train journey, you can take a train from London to Normandy with South Western Railway. Additionally, flights are also available for those who prefer a quicker mode of transportation. Once you arrive in Normandy, it’s essential to plan your itinerary carefully and make sure to visit the must-see attractions in the area.

Getting around in Normandy is made easy with various public transportation options. Overall, there are several travel options to consider, each with its pros and cons, allowing you to choose the best one based on your preferences and needs.

Overall, the best way to get to Normandy from the UK depends on your preferences and travel plans. Whether you choose a ferry, tunnel, or combination of transportation methods, you’ll find that reaching this beautiful region from London is a straightforward and enjoyable experience.

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London, Normandy & Paris

4.5 out of 5 stars

You have up to 60 days to get a full refund

Feel good about putting a tour on the calendar today: Enroll in AutoPay or pay in full when you book, and if you change your mind,  you’ll get your money back .†

Striking scenery and rich history—all yours to explore.

Journey from the banks of the Thames to the Seine, making your way along the beautiful French coastline in between. Experience the local lifestyle and see iconic sights in London. Then, zip below the English Channel on the Eurostar train to France to discover the past along the beaches of Normandy and Brittany. End your trip in Paris for your fill of mouthwatering cuisine and awe-inspiring landmarks.

Your tour package includes

• 10 nights in handpicked hotels
• 10 breakfasts
• 4 dinners with beer or wine
• 1 brandy tasting
• 5 sightseeing tours

Included highlights

• Buckingham Palace
• Eurostar train ride
• Honfleur harbor
• D-Day beaches

An expert specializing in tours of this region is here to help.

Day-by-day itinerary

Board your overnight flight to London today.

Welcome to England! Meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers at tonight’s welcome dinner.

View the regal landmarks of England’s vibrant and cosmopolitan capital on a guided sightseeing tour.

• Pass the grand Trafalgar Square and Baroque-style St. Paul’s Cathedral, perched atop Ludgate Hill.
• See Westminster Abbey, the setting for royal coronations, weddings, and funerals.
• View icons like Big Ben, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, and the UNESCO-recognized Tower of London.
• Stop by Buckingham Palace, where you may catch the Changing of the Guard.

Enjoy a free afternoon in London or add an excursion.

Windsor Castle

From $125 per person

Spend a free day in London or add an excursion.

Stonehenge & Oxford

From $145 per person

Board the famed, high-speed Eurostar train and ride beneath the English Channel as you journey to Lille, France. Then, travel through historic cities and pristine port towns on your way to the Normandy coast.

Please note: Depending on train schedules, you may have a connection in Paris.

• Enjoy a tasting of Calvados, the region’s distinctive apple brandy, with local cheese.
• See the untouched Honfleur harbor, once an important port.

Please note: Porterage is not included for the train transfers. Travelers must be comfortable lifting and carrying all luggage over steps, onto platforms, and into luggage storage

Dive into World War II history with your Tour Director during a visit to Normandy, where the Allied troops landed in June, 1944.

• Travel to the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, the burial place for more than 9,000 American soldiers who lost their lives during the Battle of Normandy.
• Walk along Omaha Beach, the landing site of American troops on D-Day.
• Visit Pointe du Hoc to view the granite monument that honors the American 2nd Ranger Battalion, which seized German cannons here before they could be used to fire on American troops.
• Stop in the seaside town of Arromanches, home to one of the main Allied landing harbors, and enjoy free time to explore.
• Pay a visit to Juno Beach and the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery (time-permitting).

Sit down for an included dinner this evening.

Travel to the Brittany region today, making several stops en route.

• Visit the Bayeux Museum to view the famed Bayeux Tapestry.
• Explore the striking 8th-century island monastery of Mont-Saint-Michel on a guided sightseeing tour.
• See how the UNESCO World Heritage-recognized monastery, perched high on a granite rock, is surrounded by water at high tide and quicksand at low tide.
• View the Benedictine Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel with your local guide.

Then, continue your journey towards to the Brittany region and sit down for an included dinner.

See Saint-Malo’s narrow streets, tall granite homes, and medieval ramparts on a guided walking tour.

• Walk along the old walls of the port city, which was once home to many privateers.
• View the burial site of the French writer Chateaubriand on the tidal island of Grand Bé.

Enjoy a free afternoon in the Brittany region or add an excursion.

Brittany's Emerald Coast & Cancale Lunch

Travel through the French countryside to Paris today, stopping en route to visit the town of Chartres.

• Enter the impressive Chartres Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Explore the surrounding square and medieval houses that line the streets of the old city on your own.

Later, arrive in Paris and enjoy a free evening or add an excursion.

Dinner in Paris & Seine River Cruise

From $129 per person

A guided tour introduces you to the architecture, scenery, and history of the City of Light’s many neighborhoods, called arrondissements.

• Drive down the sycamore-lined Champs-Élysées to view the Arc de Triomphe.
• Pass Pont Neuf and the legendary Notre-Dame Cathedral, located on an island in the Seine River.
• See the Eiffel Tower, the Palais Garnier opera house, and Place de la Concorde, the city’s grandest square.
• Marvel at the iconic architecture of the Louvre and Hôtel des Invalides.

Spend a free afternoon in Paris or add an excursion.

Versailles Palace & Gardens

From $139 per person

Explore Paris on your own today or add an excursion.

Then, join your group at a farewell dinner this evening.

Monet & the Landscapes of Giverny

From $109 per person

Transfer to the airport for your flight home or extend your stay to continue exploring Paris.

Spend a free day in Paris or add an excursion.

Food of Paris Walking Tour

Enjoy a free day in Paris or add an excursion.

This evening, enjoy a farewell drink as you celebrate your trip with your fellow group members.

Paris Home-Hosted Dinner

From $95 per person

Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Book for just $99 down

That’s all it takes to secure your spot on tour with AutoPay. Then, pay for your trip in interest-free, monthly installments.†

Overall rating 4.5 out of 5

5 out of 5 stars

Tom made the trip fun and exciting. His outstanding leadership and sense of humor got us safely through the sometimes-complex day to day running of the tour. I would love to take another tour with him in the future. Than you.

If you can possibly request Tom as a tour director, you should! He takes care of all then bormally scheduled stuff plus helps out with explorations you want to do on your own! This is definitely a tour where you will need your good walking shoes, but there is so much to see!

Traveler photos

Hotels, flights & FAQ

This urban hotel is located in London's artistic East End. Guests enjoy the fitness center, bar, and bicycle rentals. Nearby you’ll find the Old Stree...

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Finding the Universe

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2 Days in Normandy: The D-Day Landing Beaches & Mont St. Michel

Last updated: April 19, 2024 . Written by Laurence Norah - 35 Comments

Despite living in France for three years, I didn’t do much sight seeing. So when the opportunity arose to spend 2 days in Normandy, visiting Mont St. Michel and the D-Day Landing beaches in the north-west of the country, we leapt at it.

We didn’t have a great deal of time to play with as we were visiting my parents further south in France, but we gave ourselves a couple of days in Normandy, basing ourselves near Mont St. Michel, with the aim of exploring both that and the Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches.

Which was what we did. In this post, we’re going to share everything you need to know to spend two days in Normandy, including some tips on where to stay.

We’ve also put some tour options together in case you don’t want to do this all yourself. The closest tour to the itinerary we have described is this one , which departs from Paris, but we have a number of options including tours departing from Bayeux.

Now though, let’s get started with our guide to exploring the Normandy Landing beaches and Mont St. Michel over two days.

2 Days in Normandy

Day 1: visit mont st. michel.

When we visited Mont St. Michel and the D-Day beaches we were travelling from the UK. We took the overnight ferry with Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth to St. Malo. This meant that we had a good night’s sleep, arriving into France at around 9am local time.

Our guest house was an hour’s drive from St. Malo, and they were fine with us arriving early, so we did just that. After dropping our belongings off and parking the car, our first day was largely spent exploring Mont St. Michel.

This was, very conveniently, within walking distance of our guest house . This is a handy tip – if you’re going to stay near Mont St. Michel, stay within walking distance.

There’s no way to drive to the island on your own, and if you park there’s a daily fee for doing so (unless you park in the evening when it becomes free). And I’m sure you’d prefer to spend that money on a nice bottle of local cider, or a few glasses of wine, like we did.

There is a causeway to the island, and a free shuttle bus runs from the car park to the island. However, I’d suggest that for your first visit, you walk all the way to the island. The views are gorgeous all the way, and you can really appreciate the magnificence of the island as you get closer to it. Then, you can get the shuttle bus on the way home!

The island itself had more on it than I was expecting. There’s a whole village, with shops, two ATM’s, a number of restaurants and of course, plenty of places to buy souvenirs from your visit. There are even hotels on the island, so you can stay over and enjoy Mont St. Michel when the crowds dissipate for the night.

Speaking of crowds, the streets are narrow, so it can get crowded. We visited on a less busy than average day, and it still got tight in places, so I imagine that in summer it must be very busy!

After stopping for lunch (many places do a menu of the day option for €17 – €20), we followed the street up to the Abbey which crowns the hill. This is the key point of pilgrimage for visitors, and the focal point of the island.

It’s not free to visit the Abbey, with opening hours varying depending on the season. Check the latest opening hours and prices here .

We suggest buying your ticket in advance online here to skip the queues. The online price is the same as buying it in person.

The good news is that entry includes an hour-long guided tour. Tours depart somewhat regularly and are offered in both French and English.

Obviously, we went for the English language option, and had a wonderful tour that taught us about the history of the abbey, the key events that led to its construction and look today, as well as the function of many of the rooms.

If you visit, I’d very much recommend taking the tour to learn a bit about the place. But if there is not a tour going during your visit, you can also purchase an audioguide or just do a self-guided tour with the free leaflet included.

Finally, once the tour was over, we headed out of the abbey and took the bus back to the mainland, where we had a spot of dinner accompanied by some excellent Normandy cider.

I then spent the evening capturing the sunset over the Mont, which was just gorgeous. So good in fact that I went the next night as well!

Day 2: Visit the D-Day Normandy Landing Beaches

Our second day in Normandy was a busy one. Having had a full day to explore Mont St. Michel at our leisure, we set ourselves the challenge of visiting some of the D-Day landing beaches in France.

There are quite a variety of sights, museums, memorials and attractions to visit, but we only had a day, so put together an itinerary that we felt was going to give us a good overview of the area and history. Here’s what we did, which we think makes for a good day of exploring the D-Day landing beaches and museums.

1. Utah Beach & Utah Beach D-Day Museum

We started by visiting Utah beach, where there is an excellent D-Day museum dedicated to the landings at Utah Beach.

From our research, this was indicated to be one of the best D-Day landing museums, and even though time meant we didn’t visit any of the others, it was certainly an excellent way to start our journey.

With a focus on the events at Utah Beach specifically, one of the US landing beaches, the museum went over the key highlights of 6th June 1944, including the planning leading up to it, and the story of the day itself.

There was an excellent video about the day, oral histories as well as objects and vehicles that were used.

Most impressive of these is an original B-26 bomber, one of six surviving in the world, and of the same type as those used during the bombing runs that happened in the moments before the men landed on the beach.

We then spent some time on the actual beach, and viewing the various memorials. It’s hard to really visualise what it must have been like here all those years ago, and I have to say that visiting the museum was a really worthwhile way to get a really good overview of how it was.

We then had a break for lunch in the wonderful Le Roosevelt Cafe, built around a bunker which housed a German communications center. Then, we headed on to:

2. Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial

Found in Coleville-Sur-Mer, and managed by the American Battle Monuments Commission, the Normandy American Cemetry and Memorial is the final resting place of over 9,000 US military personnel, the majority of whom lost their lives either during the D-Day landings, or in the days and weeks following the landings.

It was the first US WW2 cemetery on European soil, and was established as a temporary location on the 8th of June – two days after the landings started – a necessity given the high casualty rates, particularly at nearby Omaha Beach, which was the most heavily defended of all the landing locations.

Today, there is a visitor center, a memorial, chapel, and of course, the cemetery itself, all of which are free to visitors.

The visitor center is excellent, telling the story of the landings with a focus on the personal stories and losses of the people involved, particularly at Omaha beach.

It’s very worth taking some time to fully explore this. Then, of course, the cemetery is a sombre reminder of quite how many people died in this conflict.

3. Omaha Beach Monument

From the War Cemetery we headed back down to Omaha Beach itself, and the monument to the D-Day landings.

There are actually two installations here – the huge monument itself, and a huge stainless steel art installation known as “The Braves”, which commemorates the 60th anniversary of the landings.

Both are worth looking at, and of course, you’ll want to spend some time here on the beach as we did, casting your mind back across the decades, and just trying to get a tiny idea of the horrors that were witnessed here.

4. Pointe Du Hoc

Our last stop on our D-Day Landings Day was Pointe Du Hoc. This is a rocky cliff top area, the highest point of land between Utah and Omaha beaches, and during WW2, was a heavily defended German installation and lookout point.

It was thought that the destruction of this stronghold was going to be critical to the success of the D-Day landings, as the six 155mm guns that were believed to be installed here could have wreaked devastation on forces landing at both Omaha and Utah beaches.

To accomplish this mission, a 225 strong force of US Rangers was dispatched in the early hours of June 6th, with the mission of scaling the 100ft cliffs and destroying the 155mm guns.

As it turned out, the guns had all been moved to a nearby orchard to protect them from Allied bombardments, so whilst the rangers did find them and destroy them, the risk was not as great as first thought. The battle for Pointe Du Hoc was also costly, with 70 percent casualties, so even though deemed a success, it was with a brutal loss of life.

Today, Pointe Du Hoc serves as a monument to the Rangers who fought here. Other than the encroachment of nature, the site is not much different today to how it was when the Rangers landed.

Many of the original concrete bunkers, bomb craters and installations are still in place, and you can freely wander the area, and marvel at the challenges that must have faced the men landing here, from the rough seas to the 100ft cliffs to the barbed wire.

There is also a visitor centre, although it had just closed when we arrived. If it is something that interests you though, you can check the opening hours here to be sure that you schedule your day appropriately.

Pointe Du Hoc was the last stop on our tour of the Normandy D-Day beaches. It wasn’t the sort of day that fills you with joy, but I certainly learnt a great deal, and left with a heightened sense of admiration and respect for the many people who gave their lives so Europe and the world could be free.

Now, on to answering some questions you might have, as well as some practicalities.

Where we stayed in Normandy

There are lots of options for accommodation at Mont St. Michel. We found ourselves a little chambre d’hote , which is the French equivalent of a B&B.

This was excellent value, and within walking a half hour’s walk of Mont St. Michel – and more importantly, a ten-minute walk to where I was able to get photos like this:

We actually found that there are lots of these in the Mont St. Michel area, you can see Mont St Michel listings here on booking.com

There were three Chambres D’Hotes near each other, including the one we stayed at , with a price for two people, including breakfast, usually in the region of €70 – €120. Definitely an option worth investigating.

How To Get Around Normandy

Since we took the ferry, we were able to take our own car to France. This was very handy, and definitely meant we got to see everything we wanted to see at our pace.

I’d definitely recommend a car as the best option to get as much in as you can for your trip. If you’re coming from the UK, Brittany Ferries operates to a number of destinations in France, with Cherbourg, St. Malo and Caen likely to be your best options for a trip like the one we did.

If you’re looking to hire a car in France, we recommend searching for your car rental on Discover Cars here . They compare a range of providers so you can find the best deal for your trip.

Tours of Normandy and the D-Day Beaches

If you would rather not have the hassle of planning your car hire or hotels, it’s also possible to visit the D-Day beaches and Mont St. Michel on a guided tour. This will also carry the benefit that you will have someone on hand to explain the significance of what you are seeing.

It is possible to do this as a day trip from Paris, however the day trips will focus on either Mont St. Michel or the D-Day Beaches, as doing both would be challenging in a day from Paris. There are however two day (and longer) tours like this which cover both sights. Here are some options:

• A 1 day tour from Paris of Mont. St Michel , which includes transport and your entry ticket
• A 1 day tour from Paris of the Normandy D-Day landing beaches , which includes transport, museum entry and guide
• A 2-day tour of Normandy, Saint Malo and Mont St Michel from Paris , which includes transport, overnight 4* accommodation, some meals, a guide, and entrance fees. This would be our recommended option from Paris if you have the time as it covers many of the locations in our guide.

There are many more tours to choose from, you can see a selection on Viator here , and GetYourGuide here

These tours all run from Paris as this is the most popular departure point. However, there are also tours from Bayeux in Normandy, which you can reach by a 2.5 hour train from Paris. In this case, we’d suggest booking a 1 day tour of the D-Day beaches, and a 1 day tour of Mont. St Michel. Here are some options:

• A 1 day tour of Mont St. Michel , including transport and guide
• A private 1 day tour of Mont St. Michel , also including transport and guide. This is a similar tour with departure from either Caen or Bayeux.
• A 1 day small group tour of the D-Day beaches , with a particular focus on the beaches used by the American forces.

Getting To Normandy from the UK

As mentioned above, we took the ferry from Portsmouth to St. Malo (and back again!) with Brittany Ferries .

We had a four berth cabin on both crossings, which was particularly handy for the night crossing to France as it meant we could have a good night’s sleep. Each cabin also includes a sink, toilet, and shower so you can arrive feeling refreshed.

The boat was also well equipped, and we enjoyed an excellent dinner on board on our way to France, and a lovely lunch on the day crossing back. In the evening, after our dinner, we went and watched the cabaret show (and partook of the excellent bar!), with Jess having a huge cocktail and me going for a slightly simpler beer option.

Jess also got involved in the magic show (this seems to happen to her a lot!), as a man rather worryingly stuck a sword through her throat. This was a lot of fun, and overall, we’re happy to recommend the Brittany Ferries experience to anyone looking to travel to and from the UK by ferry with a car.

Further Reading for your Visit

We’ve written more about France to help you plan your visit to this lovely country. Here are some resources we think you’ll find useful:

• We have a 2 Day Paris Itinerary as well as a 3 Day Paris Itinerary
• We also have a guide to spending a day in Paris , if you’re on a really tight schedule and just want to focus on the highlights
• Our guide to the Best Photography Locations in Paris
• A full review of the Paris Pass , to help you save money on your visit, as well as a review of the Paris Museum Pass
• A guide to the best afternoon tea in Paris
• A guide to choosing the best Seine Boat River tour
• A guide to recognising and avoiding common Paris scams

And that pretty much wraps up our two days experience in Normandy! Have you ever visited the sights in the article? Have any tips or experiences to share? Let us know about them in the comments below!

So you know, we received complimentary tickets from Brittany Ferries to and from the UK for two people and a car. All other expenses, including meals and drinks on the boat, as well as our accommodation and activities in France, we covered ourselves. As always, you can read our code of ethics to find out how we choose to work with!

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There are 35 comments on this post

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Michael Giblin says

11th January 2024 at 5:18 am

Hi Jessica Thanks for the interesting article, especially the links to other information. We plan to go to France in Septembers, spend 6 nights in Paris then take the train to Bayeux rent a car and spend 3 days visiting the Normandy sites then spend 3 nights in Tours visiting the Loire Valley. Then take the train To Paris and head home. Your travel log is really helpful because after reading yours and many travel logs, we realize we can rent a car and do self-guided tours and go at our own pace. My wife speaks French so that will be a big help. Thank you.

Laurence Norah says

13th January 2024 at 2:00 pm

It’s our pleasure Michael, have a wonderful trip to France and do let us know if you have any questions!

Eileen Cowley says

9th September 2023 at 2:08 am

I love all this wonderful and insiteful information about a 2 day Normandy visit. We will visit Mont St. Michel on the 1st day, and the beaches you recommended on the second. Should we stay 2 nights in the hotel close to St. Michel. or check out, visit the beaches and choose another location close to Point de Hoc? Thank you!

10th September 2023 at 3:05 pm

Thanks very much! So I would probably recommend checking out and moving on so you don’t have to drive backwards and forward so much. Of course, it will depend a bit on your overall itinerary, but personally I’d find somewhere closer to where you’ll be visiting on your second day.

Have a lovely time in France, let me know if you have any more questions!

Linda Karol says

16th July 2022 at 8:07 pm

Hello! My so is in the Air Force and was recently involved in the DDay Reinactment. I will go onto your Facebook site and post some of his pictures for you.

21st July 2022 at 7:54 pm

Thank you very much Linda 🙂

26th June 2022 at 8:49 pm

we are staying in Dol De Bretagne for a week ( arriving in st Malo) then driving up to normandy on the Friday so we can see the D Day beaches etc before getting the ferry on the Sunday from Caen back to the UK. we will have 2 days and your itinerary has been big help , where do you think the best place to stay is please ? Caen ? Bayeux , or somewhere else. we need to be at Caen for 7.30 on the Sunday morning for the ferry so don’t want to have to travel too far to get there. we are leaving Dol early fri morning so will have 2 full days . thanks for your help

27th June 2022 at 9:50 am

I think either Caen or Bayeux would work. Caen would obviously be easier for your early morning ferry, so I might opt for that, and it’s not too far to the majority of beaches. There are also lots of accommodation options in Caen as you can see here .

Have a great trip and let me know if you have any more questions!

Nicolas Mata says

14th June 2022 at 2:31 pm

Very educational. By the way, how did you create your own blog?

14th June 2022 at 4:19 pm

Thanks Nicolas! I created it initially back in 2010 using Google’s free Blogger service. Then I migrated to a paid service using WordPress. We actually have a complete guide to starting a blog , which you might find interesting 🙂

Patricia says

6th June 2022 at 5:15 pm

Fantastic comments and beautiful photos. Thank you

6th June 2022 at 5:50 pm

Thanks very much Patricia!

Stuart Robertson says

20th April 2022 at 6:55 pm

As the majority of troops to land on D-Day were British, it’s a shame you visited exclusively American sites. For information, Omaha was not the most heavily defended beach, Sword was.

20th April 2022 at 7:55 pm

Thanks for your comment! As my wife is American and had family members who took part in the landings, those were the beaches we chose to visit as they had the most personal connection to us. My grandfather was British, but I believe his war was primarily in Italy. Of course we are grateful for all their service, but don’t feel they would think any the less of us for which beach we visited. Hopefully we will be able to return soon and see more of the landing locations.

In terms of Omaha vs Sword, do you have a citation for that? The Imperial War Museum website here state that Omaha was the most heavily defended of the beaches, but I would add I am happy to change the information if there’s a more authoritative source.

Thanks again for your comment!

Linda Hyers says

4th March 2020 at 9:43 pm

We are going to Paris mid July and want to go to Normandy & St Michel. Looks like most of the tours leave on Thurs. we need to tour on Tues-Friday. Any ideas?

5th March 2020 at 2:05 pm

Hmm, that is a bit of a conundrum. I have a few options for you, depending on your budget.

First, there are a number of private tours you can take, where the day is less relevant. However, these are definitely more pricey. There are quite a few options listed on Viator, such as this one .

You might also try reaching out to Context Travel who do custom private tours of Normandy here . You get a 10% discount with our link too.

If the above options are out of budget, I have another idea.

You could take a 1 day tour of the Normandy Beach locations, like this one .

The advantage of the above tour is that is actually starts in Caen train station, not Paris, so you are not paying for a return trip to Paris as part of the tour. Instead, you would need to book your own train ticket to Caen. The fastest train takes around 2h – 2h30, so if you get an early train you can be in Caen by 9am.

You would then take the full day tour of the D-Day beaches and sights, which are harder to see without a tour or if you don’t have your own transport. You can then overnight in Caen, or head on to Mont St. Michel.

There’s a direct bus from Caen to Mont St. Michel, which takes around 3 hours. You can book this online. You can then spend the day exploring Mont St. Michel before heading back to Paris.

I appreciate this would be a bit more work on your end, but it would be much more cost effective than a private tour, and you would only need to book your train / coach tickets. You can book both of those in advance here .

Let me know if you need any further advice, I’m happy to help!

22nd February 2020 at 2:47 pm

Hi !!! Love the way you write and off course your photografy! My soon to be 15 year old son wants a trip to the D day beaches. We will be in London for 6 days then Paris for two days then we plan to be in Normandy for two days and we want to make sure we see Mt St Michel and the D day beaches! (Great suggestions from you on the aviator tours for 1 day only on those- we most probably book that) Is any way we can go from there back to London (to depart to the US) with out going back to Paris? Somebody suggested the ferry but then is there a train to London ? We obviously won’t have a car.

22nd February 2020 at 2:54 pm

Thanks very much Maria!

So yes, you can definitely take a ferry from Normandy or Brittany to the UK. Ferries depart from Caen, Cherbourg, Le Havre or Saint Malo and go to Portsmouth, and then it’s easy to take a train from Portsmouth directly to London, it takes around 2 hours. There’s also plenty to see in Portsmouth!

A couple of guides you might find useful:

This guide to getting from Paris to London, which actually has ferry information for all the major ports you should find helpful: https://independenttravelcats.com/how-to-get-from-london-to-paris/

This guide to things to do in Portsmouth: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/things-to-do-in-portsmouth-uk/

Let me know if I can help any more, and have a great trip!

Kristi says

12th February 2020 at 1:07 am

This info is fantastic. We’re planning a trip in June from London into Paris, then Normandy. Frankly, Normandy is to be our highlight, as its my husband’s 50th and its a bucket list item. We are taking our three kids (8,12, 14) and all love history. I’m doing my homework and came across your site. Thank you for this info. I’m still trying to figure out the best way to see both MSM and the American beaches/cemetery/museum. should we have a hub in Caen? We do want to take our time in the Normandy region and not be too rushed. Thank you!!

12th February 2020 at 1:35 pm

Thanks very much! I would definitely recommend having a base somewhere so you can have at least two days to explore. You’ll need at least a full day for the D-Day sites, and at least half a day for MSM. We based ourselves near MSM, but that was purely because I love photography, so I wanted to be within walking distance of the Mount at sunset and sunrise! Caen would make a great base for both, easy for the beaches and other D-Day sites, and within easy driving distance of MSM. It’s also accessible by direct train from Paris in 2 hours, which is going to be the fastest way to get there, and then you can hire a car in Caen.

Let me know if you have any more questions, I hope you have a wonderful trip and happy birthday to your husband 😀

Michelle says

21st October 2019 at 9:49 pm

We are traveling from Paris to Rennes by train. Renting a car and driving to Mont St Michel. I would love to see Dinan but it may possibly be to far “out of the way” and I don’t want to rush MSM but a few hours should be plenty there…? I would like to stay somewhere near MSM for one night. Then the next morning drive to Bayeux and DDay beaches staying in Caen to return car and hop on the train back to Paris. Any suggestions of towns to visit or see along the route from MSM to Bayeux? Also any suggestions of towns to stay in near MSM.

25th October 2019 at 4:51 pm

Hi Michelle!

Sorry for the slow response! We’ve been moving house, which has been a bit time consuming, and left us without internet for a while.

Anyway, you are correct, a few hours at Mont St Michel would be more than enough. It’s around an hour from Mont St. Michel to Dinan, so that would be theoretically doable in the same day.

From MSM to Bayeux is only 1h 38 minutes. So I would suggest just heading up that way and straight to the coast and the beaches, which run for a fair distance along the coast north of Bayeux.

For accommodation near MSM, well, you can either stay on the Mont itself, or one of the nearby villages. If you look at the map on this page , you should get an idea of nearby accommodation options 🙂

Have a great trip!

Susan Haydon says

29th May 2019 at 7:42 am

Hi Laurence,

We are off to Normandy this coming weekend. Do you have an approximate cost of entry fees to museums etc. or can you point me in the right direction to find these? Also, I would love to print this article to take with us. Is there a way to print it without all the ads?

Thank you to you and Jess for the excellent coverage of this wonderful location.

29th May 2019 at 10:59 am

So we don’t have a print feature like that – the best option would be to temporarily install an ad blocking extension I think. Alternatively you could copy the text into a word document and delete the ads / images.

For the museums, the prices are quite well hidden, if you can even find the website 😉 They vary, but i would estimate between €8 and €12 euros on average. For example, here are the Utah Museum prices: https://www.utah-beach.com/information/?lang=en

Have a wonderful trip, do let us know how you get on 🙂

29th May 2019 at 12:48 pm

Many thank, will do ????

17th October 2019 at 6:42 pm

I hope you had a great trip. This is too late for your Normandy trip, but in case you use our site in the future, I just wanted to let you know that we finally figured out how to implement a print feature, so you can now print ad and image free versions of all our pages from the print button on the site.

stephane yao says

29th April 2019 at 3:49 am

Hi Laurence, we plan to take on 1 day trip from the mont st michelle to the destination deauville. During this day, is it possible to follow your 3 landing location in 1 day by a rented car?

sincerly Stéphane

30th April 2019 at 5:41 pm

Hi Stéphane,

This is definitely possible as Jess and I did exactly this 🙂 So you shouldn’t have any problems,

8th April 2019 at 11:34 am

Hi there im heading to st.malo at the end of this month with hubbie is there a tour bus r train that culd take us to utah beach and the ww11 memorial that u mentioned thankyou

8th April 2019 at 11:43 am

It’s around a 2.5 hour drive to the D-Day beaches from St. Malo, so most tour companies instead operate from nearer locations like Cherbourg. From St. Malo, most tours are focused instead on Mont St. Michel. So the best option is likely to rent a car and drive yourself as I have not been able to find a tour from St. Malo. It is of course possible that they exist, but you might have to contact the local tourism office in St. Malo for information.

8th April 2019 at 12:03 pm

Thankyou Laurence

betseysheprow says

2nd February 2019 at 7:54 pm

is it possible to get a group guided tour of normandy and is it worth it?

3rd February 2019 at 11:49 am

It is certainly possible, here are two options, this one from Caen, and this one from Paris .

We have never done a tour like this so I can’t comment if it is worth it, but the reviews are positive, and we think that having a guide to help walk you through some of the history can only be a good thing 🙂

Have a great trip

20th April 2022 at 7:13 pm

Do bear in mind its a 9 hour round trip drive from central Paris to Utah Beach. A day trip from Paris is doable but it’s much better to get an early train from St Laxare to Carentan (depart 7am & 2.5 hrs) and then get a tour commencing there (look up Allan Bryson – a great guide).

20th April 2022 at 7:57 pm

This is absolutely true. We definitely feel the train is a better option and ideally folks should spend at least one night as well in the area if possible, if not more!

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Four days in Normandy road trip: The perfect Normandy itinerary

April 13, 2018 by Karen Turner 25 Comments

Considering visiting Normandy from Paris? You definitely should! Depending on how much you want to do, you can visit Normandy as a day trip from Paris if you only visit Rouen or spend three to four days road tripping in Normandy to enjoy the tranquility of the countryside in Normandy.

If you’re thinking that Normandy will be anything like Paris, get that thought out of your mind. Expect incredibly friendly people, reasonable accommodation options, mind-blowingly good food at the same price as an average meal in Paris, stunning cities filled with history and fantastic drinks.

This Northern region of France has a rich history stemming from the invasion of the Viking tribes.  For those who want to experience the serene beauty of France on an easy weekend trip from Paris will fall in love with the slow pace of Normandy, a sneak preview of how France  outside of Paris is.

If you have fewer than four days in Normandy, you might be able to combine two of these day trips into one day as I’ve purposely kept this Normandy itinerary slow to give you time to savor this region.  Our Normandy road trip left me wanting for far more than our long weekend in Normandy, however there’s always next trip for Mont St. Michel!

• 0.1 Day 1: Drive along the coast in Normandy
• 0.2 Veules-les-Roses
• 1 Petites-Dalles
• 2.2 Étretat
• 2.3 Where to stay in Normandy
• 2.4 Day 2: Honfleur
• 2.5 Day 3: Rouen
• 2.6 Day 4: D-Day Memorial & The Calvados/Cider Route in Normandy
• 2.7 Map of your Normandy road trip
• 3 Have you been to Normandy?

Day 1: Drive along the coast in Normandy

Rent a car in Paris and drive to Normandy’s coast.  Be aware that avoiding toll roads in France is tricky and you should expect to pay up to 20 euros to get up to Normandy.   If you don’t have four days in Normandy, this part of the trip can easily be done as a weekend trip from Paris.

If you’re trying to do your Normandy trip on a budget (or hate toll roads), it  is possible to avoid the tolls with the help of your GPS, but expect to double your time while driving through fields and one way roads. (I honestly enjoyed the scenic drive!)  

Veules-les-Roses

This beautiful town in Normandy is considered one of the most beautiful villages in France and Normandy.  Its stunning timbered houses and scenic canals have long been an inspiration for writers and painters.   

If you’re looking for a fairytale during your time in Normandy, you must come to Veules-les-Roses, which is a two hour drive from Paris.  Be sure to admire the smallest river in France, which runs through the city center.

Petites-Dalles

We ended up driving through Petites-Dalles. I just loved the Victorian houses in the hills. It’s just a beautiful town along the coast. The roads make it a bit tricky to end up near the water, but you’ll find some parking if you want to admire the cliffs.  (More epic views coming!)

Sassetot-le-Mauconduit

Another beautiful town in Normandy that we passed through after seeing a sign for a chateau. Be sure to stop off to admire  Château de Sissi , an affordable chateau hotel with beautiful gardens.

Fécamp is a historic coastal town in Normandy with some of the most epic cliffs that you’ll find.  It’s famous for the Bénédictine liqueur distillery, which is still done at the nearby abbey.  Save your appetite until you get here as you’ll find a large assortment of seafood at an affordable price. 

We ended up having lunch at  La Cave du Salut , an affordable seafood place with delicious mussels with calvados (a local liquor).  After, we headed to the beach to admire the cliffs.

The highlight of our day along the coast was Étretat.  When I was younger, I had seen a photo of these epic cliffs in Normandy, but I never imagined that I’d have the opportunity to visit them. Most people head there from town prior to heading back the same way, however it’s better to park outside of town, close to the golf course (20 Route du Havre). 

It’s a longer walk along the outskirts of the golf course, but you’ll be able to walk the full length of the cliffs with fewer people compared to the cliff close to town.  Continue walking towards town.  I found Étretat quite touristy compared to the other towns, however it’s worth visiting.

Where to stay in Normandy

I recommend staying in the area at one hotel as your base in Normandy for multiple nights and I particularly loved staying in the  Parc Naturel Régional des Boucles de la Seine.  This park is a protected area meant to preserve both natural environments, historic buildings, and the cultural heritage of this region. 

Driving along the windy roads in the fog spotting chateaux as they popped up was dreamy.  We did this road trip in October, so the leaves turning just added another dimension to it.  I think this area is the perfect base for exploring Normandy by car and our chateau was less expensive than staying at a cozy B&B in Honfleur .

We stayed in this cozy  chateau in Normandy that I found on Airbnb  for $81.  Our host, the owner of  Chateau du Verbosc , and his assistant made us a cozy breakfast while the two adorable cats battled over pets (and food).   It was only a forty minute drive from our chateau to the the coast. We ended up having an incredible locally made dinner at  Auberge du Val au Cesne , a nearby half-timbered guesthouse from the 17th century surrounded by scenic countryside.

For a more luxurious experience, consider staying at  Chateau Du Landin , an epic chateau overlooking the Seine river with a large estate where the staff will cook a candlelit meal for you at your request.  It wasn’t available during our dates and it really disappointed me and I had my heart set on it.

Day 2: Honfleur

Honfleur is one of the most beautiful cities in France and it’s worth the trip to this stunning seaside town, even just for the food and the architecture.  Located in the Calvados region of Normandy, Honfleur is one of the best places to try calvados, a spirit made with apples. 

Its stunning wooden port made me fall in love with the city, however the stunning half-timbered houses on the side streets were my preferred place to wander.  Don’t miss the Saint Catherine’s Church, a UNESCO-recognized church that is France’s largest timber-built church.  If you prefer to stay in Honfleur, you’ll find beautiful old B&Bs in historic half-timbered buildings .

Day 3: Rouen

Rouen is a beautiful city to visit if you’re interested in medieval history. This gorgeous French city with a clocktower dating back to the 14th century and half-timbered houses straight out of a fairy tale has a stunning historic cathedral (Rouen Cathedral) where Richard the Lionheart is buried. 

Rouen also is where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.  You can view her memorial in the city center.  I just loved getting lost in the cobblestoned alleyways here.  Don’t miss  Les Berthom for craft beer.

Day 4: D-Day Memorial & The Calvados/Cider Route in Normandy

For anyone visiting Normandy, Omaha Beach is a must-see.  You might want to switch hotels as you have a 1.5 hour drive to the area around Honfleur, Rouen, and  Parc Naturel Régional des Boucles de la Seine.

I’d recommend staying at one of the many chateaux closer to the Cider Trail to minimize driving back.    This historic manor is right along the cider trail and a nice halfway point between Upper and Lower Normandy.   Alternatively, this refurbished chateaux is right near the D-Day landings.

Pay your respects at the five beaches where the troops landed in World War II and the various cemeteries for the fallen soldiers. Click for more information about visiting Omaha Beach .   I recommend taking a tour if possible to learn more about  history .

Following this somber visit, head towards Normandy’s Cider Route for some cider tastings.  Although many foreigners aren’t aware of this, some of the best apple cider in the world comes from Normandy.  For a couple of euros, you can try calvados and cider directly at the source along the 40km cider route. 

I recommend stopping off in  Bonnebosq in particular as it’s particularly well known for cider and on your way back to Paris.    Note: Please ensure that the driver doesn’t drink and drive. You can buy a bottle to enjoy at home! Click for a map of the cider trail.

Even if you don’t have time during your four days in Normandy to get out to the cider towns, you’re likely to pass a farm with a sign that says VENDRE with an apple on it if you’re driving on non-highway roads close to Calvados.  It usually means that you’ll be able to buy fresh Normandy cider!

Map of your Normandy road trip

Have you been to Normandy?

Please let me know what you thought of this Normandy itinerary and share this post!

About Karen Turner

New Yorker–born and raised. Currently living in the Hague, the Netherlands after stints in Paris and Amsterdam. Lover of travel, adventure, nature, city, dresses, and cats.

Reader Interactions

April 28, 2018 at 11:52 pm

This sounds like a dream! Beaches, history, craft cider, beautiful buildings, and delicious food?! Yes please!

June 25, 2018 at 8:15 am

Thank you. I am going with my family this summer. This is so helpful

July 11, 2018 at 4:33 am

Very helpful guide for variety of activities – thank you so much!

August 14, 2018 at 1:12 am

Hi, so thankful for your blog. We booked our flights gets to Paris, but with a lot of family emergencies, we’ve had no time to figure out where to go. We just booked the chateau you recommended that you didn’t get to stay at. It looks amazing. We want to stay in Paris, but are not sure on which bank to get a hotel. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks Karen

August 14, 2018 at 8:45 am

Hope the family emergency is improving. I generally recommend the right bank, especially the 3rd/4th arrondissement (Le Marais). It’s a good central location with a good selection of hotels for all budgets and typical Parisian buildings, so you can walk a lot of places easily.

Hope your vacation is restorative and you love the chateau! 🙂

Best, Karen

August 17, 2018 at 10:11 pm

Great tips! We visited Normandy last summer and only allowed one night which wasn’t enough! We stayed in Bayeux and absolutely loved it. We’re heading back next summer and will be staying 1 night in Bayeux, 1 night in Mont St. Michel and 1 night in Honfleur. Can’t wait!

September 5, 2018 at 5:18 pm

This is great and timely info. My wife and I are planning a trip for next Sept ish that includes visiting Normandy. Conceptually, we will travel from Amsterdam (by car or train or ?) to Normandy and then from Normandy to Paris and Paris to Dillingen (Saar), Germany. Originally, I was considering a rental and then driving the entire route, but my initial research is indicating that there are sizeable fees for renting/returning vehicles in different countries. Do you know if this is the case? Any suggestions on the leg of the trip from Amsterdam to Normandy? We’d prefer a way that keeps us close to the countryside – we want to experience the country – not just get from Amsterdam to Normandy. Mahalo!

September 5, 2018 at 8:35 pm

Hi Bryon, I’d recommend traveling by train to Normandy prior to renting a car in Paris. It’s probably cheaper to just rent it for the Normandy part of the trip. Alternatively, you could take the train through Belgium to Normandy prior to renting a car in Normandy itself–and then just taking the train to Paris. Belgium is full of charming towns and stunning countryside. You can check my blog for some recommendations in Belgium.

Most agencies fine you if you try to return the car somewhere different than where you started. It’s good to check to ensure that the same agencies are where you’re going and the policy of your rental.

January 4, 2019 at 2:17 am

Dear Karen, This is a beautifulj road trip. My husband and I plan to have 4 days in end of May this year.. After read your itineray, it very helpful to us. All places are very amazing. We may copy your plan, thank you very much for share such a beautiful trip. Chalee

May 3, 2019 at 9:57 pm

Used your website as inspiration and ended up having our base in Honfleur. Such a beautiful place. Cannot wait to return to Normandy again.

May 7, 2019 at 8:19 pm

Karen, If I wanted to start from Honfleur and work senicly up to Calais to get to london. Whats your recommendation 🙂 my best, Nicole

November 22, 2019 at 5:58 am

Thanks Karen, this info is very helpful. We, as a family, are planning a trip to the region in March and had no idea where to base ourselves!

January 29, 2020 at 3:41 pm

Hello, this is great! We are traveling to Paris for a few days and then thinking of renting a villa in normandy for a week. Any ideas where a good “base” would be to do day trips to?

February 10, 2020 at 2:24 am

It depends on what you want to see in Normandy. We stuck along the eastern coast, but both sides of the coast are lovely. I found a location closer to Honfleur to be helpful and there are many villas in the Parc Regionale mentioned in my article.

February 22, 2020 at 4:58 am

Thank you for sharing. I literally can not wait to plan this trip.

September 2, 2020 at 5:49 am

We are thinking of visiting Paris and then doing your tour of Normandy. Is there a particular villa in the Parc Regionale that you recommend? Also, if we are coming from Paris, do you recommend we rent a car in Paris and drive to Normandy, or do you recommend we train toward Normandy and rent a car outside of Paris? If so, what town?

September 15, 2020 at 1:32 am

Unfortunately, the one that I stayed at does not host anymore, but I link to a few other options within the post. A car is best for exploring Normandy!

September 8, 2020 at 4:06 pm

Hi Karen! My husband and I are hoping to plan a trip to the Normandy area France in the next year or two. I would love to get your help in planning this trip, we will be celebrating 50 years of marriage. Your post is amazing and it’s been so helpful already…I know this is what we want to do. Thank you, Linda Wyatt

April 11, 2021 at 1:46 am

Friend and i are planning to fly into paris stay 2 nts rent a car and head to normandy. We will take our car and ferry to guernsey for 5 nts then back to normandy area and head to paris to fly home to usa. Want to find a cool village between nrmandy and paris for a couple nts. We just plan to overnite in paris close to airport before we return home. Any suggestions on a quaint village for a noght or two on the way back to paris?

May 10, 2021 at 2:37 pm

Perhaps Rouen or Lyons-la-Forêt ?

June 19, 2021 at 3:28 am

Hello I am planning a trip to France for two weeks next summer 2022. We would like to see Normandy Paris and wine country. Can this be done in two weeks

July 27, 2021 at 12:14 pm

It’s a lot, but I think so if you plan well!

October 29, 2021 at 5:34 pm

Love you post, very informative. Do you have any suggestion for a private tour guide in this region?

February 9, 2022 at 10:28 pm

Your thoughts on city/where to stay when visiting Normandy area. Plan to drive from CDG. Want to see D-Day Beaches, Mont Saint-Michel, other sights of interest. Thinking of staying in Caen or Bayeux. B&B suggestion?

October 10, 2022 at 2:54 am

Greetings from the sunny Panhandle of Florida! Thank you so much for all of the information you have shared, as we have only ever visited Paris and Avignon. My husband has his heart set on WW2 history, while I have my heart set on horseback riding, breathtaking castles, and amazing food!!!! I look forward to any input you can offer; nothing like putting a trip together last minute. Be well, Chance S,

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More From Forbes

D-day 80th anniversary: your guide to commemorative events in normandy.

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80 years ago—a Landing Craft approaching Omaha Beach, Normandy, France, 6th June 1944.

There are many reasons to head to France in 2024—the Olympic Games in Paris, the Euro 2024 football competition or an Impressionist festival—but many will be heading to Normandy to commemorate the 160,000 Allied troops who landed on its beaches in World War II in the biggest military seaborne invasion in history.

The festival for the 80th anniversary of D-Day will take place from Pegasus Bridge to Sainte-Mère-Eglise—it's a stretch of almost 100 km of coastline (about 60 miles) that takes in the towns of Ouistreham and Arromanches-les-Bains (the latter was where Allied forces built Winston Harbor, to bring in supplies).

From 1-16 June 2024, there will be commemoration ceremonies as well as festivities (parades, picnics, reenactments and fireworks) along the same stretch of coastline, including across all five landing areas for the Allied troops in 1944—Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, Gold Beach, Juno Beach and Sword Beach.

The program has something for everyone (book fairs, jives), but there are several must-see events including a 30-minute light and sound show across all five landing beaches simultaneously on 31st May, an International Peace March (Utah Beach to Carentan) on 1 June and the parachuting in of hundreds of international soldiers above Sainte-Mère-Eglise.

The official state commemoration takes place on 6 June 2024 at Omaha Beach, in the town of Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer (Calvados) where 2,500 American soldiers died. It will be attended by President Emmanuel Macron and other global heads of state, as well as veterans, but it isn't a public event. There will be a giant public picnic afterwards though, on Omaha Beach, followed by a concert with fireworks.

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The U.S. will hold its own ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer that commemorates the 9,386 American soldiers who were killed in total. It will be open to 5,000 people but tickets must be secured in advance here (the site is currently closed due to high demand, but promises to reopen soon). It is expected to begin around midday.

Secretary Charles Djou of the American Battle Monuments Commission said of the American event, "we have a solemn duty to honor the courageous service of those who gave their all on June 6, 1944, and to reflect on the profound impact their sacrifices had on turning the tide of World War II. The anticipated gathering of over 10,000 visitors from around the globe underscores the indelible mark that D-Day has left on our shared history."

6th June 1944: Reinforcements disembarking from a landing barge at Normandy during the Allied ... [+] Invasion of France on D-Day. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

The British Normandy Memorial in France at Ver-sur-Mer commemorates the 22,442 people who died under British command on D-Day and during the Battle of Normandy. It too will hold a memorial service on 6 June 2024 (time to be confirmed) that will be broadcast live on U.K. television. Likewise, Canada will be holding its own commemoration ceremonies, as will other countries at memorials across the region.

Incidentally, two of France's biggest tourist draws of the summer collide on the morning of Thursday 30 May 2024 as the Olympic Flame passes across Omaha Beach.

For anyone planning a trip to the area to visit the D-Day landings, the official French tourist board has a 48-hour program of unmissable spots here and the D-Day commemoration program can be found in both French and English here .

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