Bayeux-Three nights too many?
 

Does anyone have a hotel recommendation for Bayeux, France and would three nights be too much there? We will travel in late April and it is looking like we'll start in Amsterdam, then to Brussels. We'll train from Brussels to Bayeux. We're thinking when we're there, it would be a good time for "the rest day" before we go back into Paris for our first EVER trip there. Any advice is appreciated. We're a couple in early 60s. our first trip to any of these places.
Thanks !

If your first time there, it's a good base to explore a bit of Normandy. Perhaps one day for the WWII beaches and the Caen museum (does make a full day, but can be done), and one for Mont St-Michel (you could also fit in St Malo, but it does again make it a full day). This is all easiest with a car, of course, but tours are available - but not sure how many run out of Bayeux if you will be automotively challenged.

I don't have a hotel recommendation as we stayed in a wonderful chateau not far away.

We spent one day seeing the D-Day sites with a wonderful guide, Nigel Stewart, that picked us up and drove us around. This was our 16 yr olds favorite day.

We spend another day seeing the Bayeux tapestry which was very interesting. The rest of this day was spent exploring Bayeux itself.

Our last day we drove to Mont St. Michel. Because I love to cook, we stopped in the town where they make the Mauviel cookware where I was able to purchase several pieces all for the price of one in the states.

So, to answer your question, no, 3 days is not too much. There is way more to see than we did. There are so many little towns and villages that all have something to offer.

I agree, 3 days is not too much. Last summer we stayed at the Hotel Churchill right in town and loved it. The location was perfect, the staff extremely helpful, and our rooms were nice. Not fancy, but well kept and comfy. One room was small, but the other quite large. We are headed back in about a year and are planning on even more time in the area, and we would definitely stay at the Churchill again.

We were sorry we had to leave Bayeux and the Hotel Lion d'Or after three days. The hotel is right in town and has easy parking in its courtyard. It has been owned by the same family for several generations and they were very helpful.

The Lion d'Or has a fantastic location. Last spring we stayed at
www.hotel-dargouges.com
The hotel was attractive; it has no elevator. The bed was comfortable and the room had a handy full-length mirror and a good hair dryer. No tissues, no English-language tv stations. The hotel has a good location, but not a perfect one. The Cathedral and the Tapestry Museum, two of the town’s major attractions, were about a 20-25-minute walk away.

I have files on my Normandy trip and on Paris; if you'd like to see them, email me at [email protected]

In my opinion, 3 nights might be too much in Bayeux itself. Depends on your interests.

It certainly makes a good base so you can decide when you get there if you want to get out and about and see more of the area by car or tour.

Thank you all for your advice about Bayeux. What a wonderful group of people Fodorites are! I can't get anything else done because i'm reading everyone's postings.

Hi 2Rovers - My son and I will be in Bayeux next month and we plan to be there for three nights also. We haven't been before so don't have any first-hand knowledge, but after doing a bit of research I am seriously wondering whether three nights will be enough! It is the mid-point of our trip so our first afternoon/evening will be spent doing our laundry (we've got reservations at Hotel D'Argouges and there are apparently two laundromats very nearby; I'm a firm believer in packing light and finding a place to wash the clothes about a week into the trip, have had lots of adventures and met some fun people this way, in addition to the obvious added benefit of packing light!); then the next day we've got an all-day tour with Battlebus, and the final day we want to explore Bayeux itself, along with the tapisserie, the cathedral, the Battle of Normandie Museum and the British cemetary. This leaves no time for the Caen museum (which I've heard is amazing), or a day trip to Mont St. Michel, both things that I would love to do.

Anyway I guess what I'm saying is that I would be happy to have five days on our itinerary for that region, but we have other things on the itinerary that are "musts" (such as visiting a German friend and her new baby in Freiburg!) so we'll just have to save some of our Normandie sites for another day, I suppose.

I think 3 days is perfect for Bayeux. We spent 4 there last time we were in Normandy. We spent two days at the beaches and cemeteries and the musuem in Arromanches, one day visiting the Mérmorial in Caen and poking around the city (I wouldn't recommend that - Caen got totally bombed to bits and is all rebuilt and none too attractive), and one day visiting the tapestry and cathedral in Bayeux itself and wandering around town.

We stayed at the Château de la Bellefontaine right on the edge of town and loved it.

Bayeux is a very compact walkable town. We stayed three nights at "Le Petit Matin", a tiny B&B very nicely cared for by the owners, Pascal and Antoine. It is located in the heart of Bayeux, within easy walking of the Cathedral and the Tapestry Museum.

Restaurants we ate at and recommend include "Le Pommier" and "Le Petit Bistrot". (The latter is tiny; make reservations in advance.)

2Rovers - Three day in Bayeux seems perfect to me. We saw the Bayeux tapestry. We visited and stayed at Mont St. Michel. The name of a GREAT private tour guide in Normandy is Ellwood von Siebold. www.ddaybattletours.com or [email protected]. I will always remember my day touring Normandy.

three days is not too much at all as a base for seeing all around the area. It is an easy drive to the western DDay beaches. The tapestry is a must see. The cathedral is very interesting.
There is a not to be missed restaurant across from the Cathedral--Le Petit Bistro. Make reservations. We had the best meal of our 2 week trip there.
I hope you are renting a car while in that area. You could even do a day trip to Mont St. Michel from Bayeux.

We stayed 5 nights in Bayeux and still had things left to see. Lion D'Or as mentioned previously is a great hotel, lovely dining room, location, parking, etc. We spent two days with a guide doing the D-Day beaches and sites, one day in bayeux seeing the tapestry, cathedral, markets, etc; one day Mont St Michel and one day driving to Utah beach, St Lo and St Mere Eglise. Be sure to stop in Canne at the Peace Museum - well worth a half day if you can do it.

Finding a restaurant open for dinner in Bayeux on a Sunday evening can present a challenge, but I’d reserved us a table at Le Pommier, quite near the Cathedral, at 38-40 rue Cuisiniers, Bayeux.
Website, with menus: http://www.restaurantlepommier.com/e...e-pommier.html
The food was very good and the prices moderate: Dinner for three, which included the tasting menu, a bottle of Beaujolais, and water, came to 120 euro.
We later heard a recommendation for another Bayeux restaurant that is open on Sundays,
Le Petit Normand, 35 rue Larcher, phone 02.31.22.88.66

2Rovers,

I'm wondering how your trip went?

I'm heading in June to Bayeux with my 17-year-old. Our primary goal is to see the WWII sites and the Caen Memorial museum.

I'm wondering where you stayed, if you used a tour guide, did you rent a car and what you liked, etc.

Thanks for any feedback!

And thanks to all the posters here for some great ideas.

gruezi

maadimom,

Wondering how you found Nigel Stewart for your tour?

I'm taking my 17-year-old and would love a great tour guide.

Thank you.

gruezi

bookmarking

gruezi and dawn--I had my 16 yr old DD with me (as well as my mom) and we took the one day tour with Battlebus. Excellent! All 3 of us were kicking ourselves for not doing the 2 day tour. Our guide was excellent, and I have heard the same thing about all their guides. On our trip back next year it will just be DD and myself and we will definitely use Battlebus again. Another place for dinner in town that we really liked was La Fringale. The hotel recommended it and it was very good.

mms,

Thanks so much for your feedback!

gruezi