D-Day beaches, cemeteries
 

I would like to travel by train from Paris to Bayeux and spend a day and a half (one night) there seeing the D-Day beaches and cemeteries, and be dropped off at the Bayeux train station at the end of the second day in time to get a late afternoon train back to Paris.

I'm a good solo traveler, but the bewildering array of "D-Day tours" has me stumped. Don't want to be herded in a 30-passenger bus, can't afford a personal guide. I would like to see Omaha & Utah beaches, St Mere Eglise, and both the American and German cemeteries.

Helpful suggestions appreciated!

Our family just booked a day with Roel from Victory Tours. The tours are small (8-10 people) and it's a full-day covering most everything one would want to see connected to D-Day. The cost was 80 euros/person so not too bad. We have heard nothing but great things about him and his tours.

Thanks, Kateny. I'm not going until fall, so if you're going sooner, I'd really like to hear whether you still recommend this one.

Unless you absolutely cannot drive, I recommend taking the train from Paris to Caen, renting a car, driving to Bayeux from there. I was a little nervous about driving in France but driving in Normandy was a piece of cake, and having my own car made it very easy to see everything I wanted to see. I don't know how much it would cost to rent a car for two days - maybe not as much as you think. When I did it in 2002, it was much more expensive to rent a car at Bayeux than in Caen, which is a much bigger town. I rented at that time through Europcar at a fairly good price - no idea if they are still good nowadays.

Andrew

A private guide hired in Bayeux is only 95 euros (including tip) for five hours. Two weeks ago we had a charming and very knowledgeable fellow and really enjoyed our tour. If you choose not to drive it is the best option.

Bayeux has a D-Day Museum; the British cemetery has a German section. I found both very worthwhile to visit.

Here's a link to Bayeux I found by googling http://photos.incanus.co.uk/album.php?albumnumber=22

We did a half-day tour last summer with Roel and were very happy. We wanted to do a full-day but between our schedule and his availability, that's all we could fit in. Kateny, you will be enlightened and learn alot!

Thanks to all. Andrew, I've never driven in Europe and just don't feel comfortable as a solo driver. If I had a navigator, it might be different.
Lucky Luc, I have not found a personal guide listed anywhere as inexpensive as the rate you mention. I'd expected to pay 80=85 euros for a full day in a minivan with half a dozen others. Your rate sounds almost too good to be true. Can you give me more details? My email is [email protected]. Thanks.

Logan69, we just did exactly what you said you would like to do. The train from Paris to Bayeux leaves from Gare St. Lazare, and at least our train only made one stop at Caen. The trip took about exactly two hours.

Our hotel, Le Lion d'Or, booked a seven-passenger van tour for us after we got there. The driver was named Stephan (Steff-an), and he works on his own after having worked for a tour company several years previously. The receipt he gave us has an e-mail address of www.d-daybeaches.com, phone 02-31-51-70-52, and fax 02-31-51-74-74. The cost was €75 each for an all-day tour.

Stephan was very knowledgeable and said he had been interested in WWII history since he was seven. (He appeared to be maybe fifty now.) We went to the German cemetery, St. Mere Eglise, Utah Beach, Pointe du Sur, Omaha Beach, the American cemetery, and Arromanches. I learned a lot of things I hadn't known, such as how a great many paratroopers drowned in the fields the Germans had flooded because they couldn't get free fast enough and the weight of their equipment pulled them under the water.

We have only been home a week and a half and haven't yet rented The Longest Day and Saving Private Ryan but plan to do so soon since seeing where they took place.

Obviously not an e-mail address but a website. Sorry.

The "Omaha Beach" in "Saving Private Ryan" by the way is really in Ireland! Obviously, the scenes at the American cemetery are at the real Normandy location.

One of most touching aspects of my Normandy visit was the little road signs showing places and roads named after fallen soldiers. Some of them are out on roads out in the middle of nowhere (another reason to rent a car and drive). It's both touching and surprising to be driving out in the farm country and stop and see a Pvt. Jones Road (generic example) sign way far from where most tourists would ever see it (where Pvt. Jones probably died.) But I saw a bunch of these.

There are some terrific books about D-Day that I read before going on my Normandy tour in 2002 and they greatly enhanced my tour. One of Steven Ambrose's books may be the best choice.

Andrew

We are leaving in a week so I will certainly let you know how it went!

You all are being very helpful, and I appreciate it. Carolyn, you're right; your trip hits everything I want to see; I hope the fact that I'm traveling alone will not be a detriment; I assume they'll just pair me with some more people.
By the way, "The Longest Day" is on Turner Classic Movies RIGHT NOW. Going to go watch it again.
--Logan

Logan, I'm sure it won't matter that you are alone. Our group was made up of 3, 2, and 2.

Merci, again, to all for these suggestions.

My choice of touring van companies may hinge on which one will drop me off at the train station on the south end of town instead of at the D-Day beaches' bus stop on the north edge of town. I figure I will be cutting it close on catching the last train back to Paris.

Logan69 -- We will be going to the D-Day beaches in a few weeks, and, like you, didn't want to go on a guided tour.

We just watched the PBS program called "Secrets of the Dead: D-Day" which was excellent. It gave a good overview of D-Day, especially all of the engineering involved in the various vehicles used. It also included reminiscences from a number of veterans who had experienced D-Day. I would recommend it as a good introduction to the subject. Also, I've been told that the museum in Caen (www.memorial-caen.fr)is very good, and provides an excellent introduction to the topic. That's where we plan to start our day.

Hi Logan69:

I just returned from the Normandy region. I went with Battlebus (www.battlebus.fr) for the 2 tours I did (separate days). The tours were amazing, in my opinion. The guides were very knowledgeable and a lot of fun.

One tour price was 80 Euro and the other was 65 Euro. The max number of people were 8. I'm not sure what your budget is, though.

Depending on which tour you decide to do will determine what you will see. I did not see the German cemeteries in detail, only in passing.

Hope that helps.

TravelRibbon

Glad to hear you had a good experience with Battlebus, we have reserved a place on their tour for October.
We are taking the one day tour.

Hi Logan69:

I believe that either Victory or Battlebus will satisfy what you wish to see about DDay. Personally, I can only share about Battlebus.

The American Highlights tour from Battlebus covers what you want to see except the German cemetery. However, the cemetery is off the public bus route if you wish to visit on your own.

We just returned and had (2) different
tours with BattleBus. They take up to 8 people in a van. The cost is 80E for a tour.

Enough can not be said about their knowledgable guides, their way of doing things, and the passion they have for this subject matter.

They were kind enough to drive a daytripper to the train station after the tour so he could catch his train to Paris. Tours run 830am-530pm.

We watched "The Longest Day" the other evening. From our excellent tour, we now know what is real in the film. We understand what did or didn't happen on June 6 and the why of it. Our guide shared stories with us that were told to only him by actual veterans of DDay.

The film and the history, has all become more personal to us since our time spent with BattleBus.

Their passion for the truth, their endless research to have the correct information and proper details, and their personal communication with the veterans by bringing them back to Normandy each year to share their experiences, are testamnets to why BattleBus provides you with a superior tour.

We were also greeted by the mayor of a small village at an unscheduled place that we visited, which was one of the those 'little extras' they advertise.

We dined in the evening with a mother and her 2 adult children that we'd met. There were also solo travelers on our tours. You will only be stumped by what you learn when you're there.

They are a small company so book ahead when you're sure of your dates.

Di

On your way to the Beaches remember to visit the Canadian museum at Juno Beach Centre in the village of Courseulles-su-Mer 14470 . Visit www.junobeach.org for info. also I highly recommend the Caen Memorial. It is well worth the visit. www.la-cremaillere.com is a great restaurant and hotel/motel. If you fly to Paris and rent a car never travel alone. I have the scars to prove it. Jet lag and fatigue are common.