sanderskn

I am going to France in a couple of weeks. We will be going to Normandy and the DDay beach sights. I am overwhelmed by the number of museums for the Normandy invasion! Does anyone have any recommendations on which are the best? I'm looking for comprehensive but not too large. We'll be staying in Bayeux so I really want to skip the big one in Caen. I would like to see 2 museums plus the American Cemetery Visitors Center. Also, we will have 2 full days in Bayeux, 3 nights. Thank you!

flpab

The visitors center at the American cemetery was very good. We also went to the one at St Mere Eglise since my Dad was a paratrooper.
You will love Bayeux. Great places to eat but make reservations. I really enjoyed the three course dinner at La Fringale. My husband did the four course dinner and it was so good. I loved how they grow apples on the trained vines. Walk around town and you will see this.

Some people have a problem with this but La Cambe, the German cemetery was very interesting. Many very young men three to a grave. www.volksbund.de/

StCirq

Why would you want to skip the Mémorial in Caen? It's not about DDay in particular, but it's one of the greatest museums in the world, IMO. Why would you want to miss it?

The museum in Arromanches is well worth a visit also.

I trust you will see the Tapestry and cathedral in Bayeux.

tom18

The museum in Caen is more about WWII and peace generally; the one in Bayeux focuses on the landings in Normandy. Depends on what you want to see.

flpab

Pointe du Hoc, make sure you go there. My husband really wanted to see the new Navy Memorial and we spent a lot of time at the American Cemetery, in the visitors center, on the beach and walking the grounds. We didn't go to the museum in Caen. We spent part of one day just enjoying the countryside and small villages. It is beautiful there.

Robert2533

Just a tickling of Arromanches: www.pinterest.com/sanfermines/arromanches/

There is so much to see that two days was hardly enough and we've been three times in the last 30 years.

texasbookworm

We found what tom18 said to be true. We're glad we went to Caen, but liked the one in Bayeux better for specifically DDay stuff, and with your time, I think you might have plenty for the short trip to Caen--but the museum will take several hours at least to explore.

as StCirq says, I assume you aren't skipping Bayeux's two treasures--the Tapestry and the Cathedral?

And yes there are soooo many little museums it can be overwhelming. I think as long as you do these things, you can't go wrong and whatever else you include will be great: the DDay museum in Bayeux, maybe first thing for an overview/review; the tapestry; the cathedral; the beaches (even that can be overwhelming as will take a long time to see them all, so pick); the American cemetery including the visitor center; Pointe du Hoc, with or without a trip to the museum there.

sanderskn

Thank you everyone! Very helpful. Especially @texasbookworm. Definitely spending an afternoon seeing the tapestry and cathedral.

flpab

The Cathedral at night is beautiful, it is all lit. I tried so hard to capture it from our room window but never got it.

Gretchen

We enjoyed the museum at St. Mere Eglise because it covered the paratroop drop and seeing the gliders that brought them (and were made in my home town of Troy, Ohio) was amazing--plywood and canvas!!
The Arromanches museum is special because of how that harbor was built.
The American Cemetery, of course. Pointe du Hoc. and then Omaha. There are really a myriad of "museums" all over the coast--little ones at crossroads!!
I think if you see these larger ones, after that there is a lot of repetition of the memorabilia in them.

flygirl

I highly recommend the Caen Memorial Museum - we got a two day pass (although we didn't go back the second day, we were staying in Bayeux) and it's easy to find with ample parking.

Bayeux itself has a very well done museum on the battles and the British Cemetery is across the road from it. Definitely put this one high on your list.

Do NOT miss the Arromanches 360 movie theater, and, from that vantage point on the cliffs you have a great view of the mulberries.

There is a small museum in a German bunker in Merville which is roughly 5 miles or so from Pegasus Bridge. When I last visited it in 1999, it was small and homey (which was marvelous). I have heard it's somewhat bigger now, I believe they dug out more of the bunker for more room.

American Cemetery and Pointe du Hoc should be on your list.

Do you know about the road signs to follow? There are a few types. Some of them say "D-Day Le Choc" and others say "OVERLORD : l'Assaut" and I think there is a third type. They are all different routes to follow - just something to look out for.

flygirl

ps. some links:

http://www.normandie44lamemoire.com/...smuseesus.html

If you have time, the Pays d'Auge (east of Caen) is quite pretty:

http://www.francethisway.com/tourism...ider-route.php

Vivi004

The Caen Memorial Museum was amazing! Do not miss it!

Percy

I visited all the Cemeteries last year.
I including 2 Canadian ones and their Musuem at Juno Beach.

The distances between place is not great so you can see many places during your travel.

See th Tapestry at Bayeux and the 360 at Arromanche....nice views from here also.

sanderskn

Thanks again. I will find out more about the routes you mentioned, flygirl. I think I am building a good itinerary. Forgot to add we are driving from Rouen to Bayeux so will have that whole day to explore the pays d'auge. Perhaps we should stop at the Caen memorial museum on our way. I am leading our group and have a keen interest in history and my husband served in the Army but I want my sister and mom to get the background info they need.

sanderskn

PS: very very helpful links, flygirl!

Gretchen

I will recommend you get the Michelin Green Guide to Normandy. It has excellent battlefield tour ideas.
It also tells you about the Abbey Road leaving Rouen and heading north--a string of medieval abbeys that are well worth a short look on the way.
Visit a fromagerie on the way--and ciderie (sp). MUCH to do. And as others say, don't miss the Tapestry--and eating at La Petite Bistro in Bayeux--make reservations. The best meal we had in France on that trip.

AlessandraZoe

I personally loved all of them! My husband and kids were not fans of the Tapestry museum though.

We saw the Mémorial in Caen at the end of our trip, and it capped off the entire experience. Everyone in the family loved it.

It's one of the best designed museums in the world--one can move through quickly if one wants, or take several side tours on subjects of interest, or spend eons there taking everything in. It's totally up to you. The message of the museum is strongest if you've just been totally "D-Dayed" before you go, but it's still worth doing.

I hope the tone of my reply is not harsh. I was less than kind, though, to my parents and sister, who when planning their visit to Normandy,told me they had crossed the Mémorial off their list. Not only I but also my husband and kids more or less guilted them into adding it back in.

Just so you know, though, when they came home, they meekly said, "You were right."