Ferry or Train to visit Normandy
 

I am visiting UK 3-12 July 2009. We are considering a trip to D-Day invasion beaches.

I understand that one can get to Caen/Bayeux via Train and/or Ferry. I am considering taking a full day tour with Victory Tours, http://lignerolles.homestead.com/victorytours.html, but need to arrange transport to/from London.

I like the idea of taking an overnight Ferry that arrives in the morning in Caen, but have some concerns regarding motion sickness. ( I wear Sea-Bands to control this, when possible). How rough are the seas in the summer months? Are my concerns justified?

Does it make sense to try to visit without staying overnight in France? There are so many things to do; Spending one night kind of makes sense, but it cramps an already tight schedule!

Taking the train through the tunnel seems to be a fun idea, but it is such a round-a-bout way of getting to the coast.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I am confused--if you take Victory Tours, you would pick that up in what city? It sounds like you are biting off alot, but I saw the Beaches last year and it was marvelous and unforgettable. It is a long day trip....we happened to go on the anniversary of D-Day and the Brits really have a hoot of a time that day. If you go, you shiould try and also see the German cemetery. It is austere and worth spending a few minutes at. It is good to have a guide of some sort since it is hard to navigate on your own because of all the little inlets and towns.

If I choose to use Victory Tours, tour would start at 0945 from Bayeux.

Anybody taken a ferry to Normandy from England, for instance from Portsmouth to Le Havre? I understand other ports of call include Caen and Cherbourg. Anyone?

You need to overnight somehow. And Bayeux is a bit inland -- it's not on the beach so if you take a ferry you'd have to arrange transport to Bayeux from the disembarkation point.

I took the overnight ferry (Brittany Ferries) with a twin-bed outside cabin from Portsmouth to St. Malo, toured a bit of Brittany, Mont St. Michel, then did the D-day beaches, Bayeux, etc. returning from Caen to Portsmouth. This was a 6-day trip. I think you can do an overnight which will get you to Caen.

The ferries get in early, you should have plenty of time to join up with the tour from Bayeux, maybe by taxi or bus.

But, check out battlebus (sp?) tours (which have received good reviews on this site) and the tours offered by the Peace Museum in Caen--they might be easier for joining, particularly if you aren't bringing over a car.

If you have time, try to see the museum.

I recently took the ferry from Oustreham (five miles from Caen) to Portsmouth

it was rather rough during that night - i rarely get seasick and felt a bit of it - but who can say? That boat was expensive - i just showed up and paid about $90 and only got a Pullman seat (barely reclines i ended up sleeping on the carpet)

day boats from Cherbourg to England were as low as 29 euros but i wanted to go overnight. Check the web site to see if online advance specials IMO

You can also fly i believe on puddle jumpers from England to Cherbourg or Caen

From the Oustreham docks there are public buses that take you to the Caen train station for about hourly trains to Bayeux - but the same tours that leave from Bayeux also leave from Caen - the tourist office there books several ones on the spot. But Bayeux is a neat town - the only town not blitzkreiged in the invasion - a wondrous cathedral and of course the famous Queen Matilhda ?sp Tapestry portraying the Norman Invasion of England in 1066 and woven just after.