deb321

Can anyone recommend a tour operator for a one day visit to the Normandy Beaches? My husband and I will be staying in Paris.

MelissaHI

I'm basically topping to help you. When I went to Normandy from Paris, I went straight to the tourism office and then the museum. There is a tour that embarks from the museum and it wasn't in a big bus--it was just me, my sister, and another couple in a van. It ends in time for you to be able to check out the museum for a while, and still make the train back to Paris. Just a warning: If you loll around too long, you will miss the train and have to stay overnight. Yes, that was us!

Underhill

I think that both CityRama and ParisVision offer one-day tours to Normandy.

Ryan

I arranged a 1 day tour for 5 of us a few years ago. We left Paris very early in the morning and stopped at the Peace Museum in Caen on the way. I'd strongly suggest that any tour you take include that as part of the tour.

I arranged the tour through American Express and I'm not even sure the name of the operator they contracted it out to.

Fodorite018

We had planned on using a tour operator, but through a series of mishaps it did not work out. Our hotel really helped us out though, and arranged for a private driver for the day. There were 4 of us and he picked us up at the hotel early in the morning and we arrived back in Paris later that evening. We really enjoyed our trip this way, as having lunch with this man was lots of fun...gave us the opportunity to hear about normal French living and day to day things. Our hotel was not fancy (a 3*), but they went out of their way to make sure that we were able to visit Normandy.

I agree that a visit to the Peace Museum in Caen is a must!

oberost

Don't know how long you will be in Paris but my wife and I, while in Paris, took a train to Bayeux, booked a room at the Hotel D'Argouges for one night giving us time to check out the town, restaurants, Bayeux Tapistry, and still have most of a day in Normandy. We arrived in AM on day 1 and departed in late PM on day 2.

jennymary

I'm visiting Normandy in November. I haven't booked anything yet...but am planning to book a one-day tour through www.battlebus.fr

The tours looks great and I've read good things about this company on Fodors.

deb321

Thanks for the advice! For my own reference, what do people mean by 'topping'? I did search Normandy and found quite a few strings but not many regarding one day trips.

tmh

deb321

Maybe the reaosn you don't see much as most folks don't recommend 1 day trips as the day will be so long and exhaustive. I've been to Normandy twice and have stayed 3 days each. Too much to see and learn and not all WWII related.

As one responded, spending even one day gives you some breathing room and an idea of the area. If you go in the summer, it stays light til 11 pm making a 1 day trip seem more doable.

Topping means replying to get your message back on top so people can see it to reply.

MelissaHI

sorry, that was my bad, too--when I wrote my post about "topping," I was half asleep! I was going to say that I couldn't remember the name of the tour I took but as I started writing, I remembered I started from the museum.

StCirq

My Parisian friend Véronique works part-time for ParisVision, which gives a one-day tour of the Normandy Beaches, and I can tell you that if you get her for a guide you will be blessed with the best possible guiding you can get. At the same time, be advised that a one-day tour of Normandy from Paris can only just skim the surface, and it will be a long, long day. One could easily spend a week or more in the Normandy D-Day beach area seeing the sights and visiting the museums. So don't hold out high hopes - a one-day tour will barely hit the highlights.