chutney

I would really appreciate any thoughts or feedback on the pros and cons to either Bayeux or Port-en Bissen for a one week stay in September. It seems like most people choose Bayeux. I can't find any feedback on Port-en-Bessin. It looks like a lovely fishing village. I know it has some restaurants, but not sure if they are up to the quality in Baxeux.
We are looking to relax, explore the area (car and bikes) and, of course, visit the D-Day beaches.

FrenchMystiqueTours

I don't know that it's a matter of pros vs. cons but rather which you prefer. Bayeux is a larger town with more services and restaurants and more crowds and Port-en-Bessin is a small town with less to offer in terms of services and restaurants but less crowds and more relaxed. Either place is fine for exploring the area.

bilboburgler

FMT beat me to it.

On a biking note the latest bike path map
http://www.normandie-tourisme.fr/cycling-212-2.html
is here.

bilboburgler

Saw this http://www.bessin-normandie.com/uk/ thought of you

StuDudley

Since '99, my wife & I have spent 2 months (most years) staying in Gites throughout France. We've rented 52 gites, and have four more rented for this year. All total - we've spent nearly 3 years in various regions in France.

We're "cute little village" fanatics, and have visited hundreds of them. I would not put Bayeux in my "top 50%" list. In Normandy, we prefer the Pays du Auge area. We stayed in a gite there in '11 and explored northern Normandy (we had another gite for southern Normandy). If you stay in Port en Bressin or even Bayeux, you're kinda "pinned in" by the sea. If you stayed in the Pays du Auge, you would have more "exploring" opportunities with less driving. However, if you plan to mostly visit the D-Day stuff, then exploring more of Normandy would not be a factor for you. It is about a 1 hr drive from the gite where we stayed to Arromanches.

We stayed here
http://www.gites-de-france.com/locat...e-14G1582.html

Stu Dudley

chutney

Sorry it has taken me so long to respond. Life got in the way!
Thanks for all the great suggestions. Stu, the gite you rented was lovely. Is it realistic to stay in that area and still do the D-Day beaches for 2 or three days?
My other thought was Honfleur for 2 nights and then Bayeux for 5 nights.
When we leave Mormandy we plan to go to Brittany for 2 nights and return rental car in Rennes.

FrenchMystiqueTours

How many days do you plan on exploring the D-Day sites? Unless you are real WWII buffs I would say two days is enough to do the D-Day sites. The Pays d'Auge is not a good base to explore D-Day sites so stick with your plan to base in Bayeux or Port-en-Bessin for that. I would spend two or three days in the Pays d'Auge (Honfleur, Deauville and Trouville can be visited from here) and two days near D-Day sites. I would take any extra days and devote them to spending in eastern Brittany. Spending five days near Dinan/Saint-Malo would be ideal. I wrote a photo report about spending five days in this area and if you want to have a look to get some ideas for that area here is the link to my report:

http://tinyurl.com/86s4v8f

For more info about Normandy you can have a look at this thread:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic....html#39058384

For more info about Brittany you can have a look at this thread:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic....html#37748007

StuDudley

Like I stated above, it is a 1 hr drive from the gite to the center of the D-Day stuff at Arromanches - which, IMO, is not too long of a drive. It is only 30 mins to Caen, however. So, if you leave the gite at 8:30, you'll get to the Caen Peace Museum at 9 - when it opens. That should be the start of your WWII touring. Spend 3 hrs at the museum, have lunch there, and then go to the Pegasus Bridge/museum area.

I agree with FMT about the WWII stuff taking only 2 days. We were there the last time with my FIL - who was part of the D-Day invasion. It was his first return, so we hit every museum in the area, plus the Normandy Tapestry & explored Bayeux (our second visit - wife's third).

Where you stay kinda depends on whether you want to stay in a gite for 7 nights, have more room, prepare a few dinners at the gite, go to a local farmer's market - or if you want to stay in several hotels to minimize driving. It is extremely helpful if you speak a little French if you want to rent a gite.

Do you have my Normandy & Brittany itinerary. We've stayed in this area for about 8 weeks, and I describe our favorite sites, villages, scenic drive, WWII stuff etc in the itinerary. If you would like a copy, e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach one to the reply e-mail.

Stu Dudley

StuDudley

I forgot to conclude my number of days "opinion" at the WWII sites. When we were with my FIL, it took us 1 1/2 days to visit all the museums, landing sites, bunkers, cemeteries, villages, etc. We did not visit the Utah Beach landing area - we finished our tour at Ste Mere Eglise village & museum.

Stu Dudley