We are going to be in Normandy for two short days in a few weeks. We were planning to take a half-day tour of the D-Day beaches, but Victory Tours is already booked and Overlord has not responded to numerous inquiries. I feel a full day tour is too much time-wise, as there are other things we would like to spend time exploring.

It seems the next best thing at this point is for us to go it on our own, but the problem is that neither of us know much of the history. I'm afraid it won't be enjoyable and we'll miss the significance of a lot of the sites, as well as the enjoyable stories that tour guides are sure to have. Any opinions? I have seen a lot of folks here recommend self-guided tours- what resources do you use to prepare yourselves and plan your route? Any information or advice would be much appreciated!

A lot of people like Battle Bus tours.

Are you going to be in Bayeaux?
If so, then you can get with a tour company at the Bayeaux tourist office.

Thanks for the suggestion. I've already looked at Battlebus as they have a great reputation. It seems the shortest tour they offer is a full day, which for the above mentioned reason doesn't work for us.

We will be staying in Bayeux. Am I understanding that it is possible to actually book a tour on site when we arrive? That would be a great option if the self-guided idea doesn't pan out. Again, I appreciate the advice! Looking forward to my first time in Normandy...

I can't imagine what could be accomplished in just a half day tour of the D-Day Invasion due to the shear distances involved in the invasion events. If you don't have the time for at least a one day tour for all the more good a half day would do for you, you might enjoy spending the time doing other things. I would also recommend highly the Battlebus tours.

Have a nice time in Normandy whatever you decide.

Larry J

Here is another that I found while researching last year.

http://www.d-daytours.com/menus/main.asp

Go to Rick Steves Graffiti Board and read the "WW Battlefieds" posting board. There is a lot of info there.

We were only able to do a 1/2 day tour due to scheduling and while I would have preferred a full day, a 1/2 day is prefererable to self-drive in my opinion. While you CAN see the same areas, the stories and insights that you will get from a guide are invaluable.

good luck!

I encourage you to go on the full day Battlebus tour. I can't imagine a half day tour in Normandy. It really is worth your time. I don't know what else in the area might be worth sacrificing the tour for. You will see and learn more in a day with Battlebus than you could do on your own in much more time.

Thanks for the input, everyone. The full-day tour sounds like it might be worth it. So here's a follow-up question for you: would it be more worth doing the full-day tour and NOT doing the Caen museum? That would definitely make it possible for us. I had just figured, perhaps incorrectly, that given the wonderful reviews of the museum, it would make a great preface to the sights. In a game of "either/or" though, it doesn't make sense to lose seeing the actual sights for the chance to see the museum ABOUT the sights- am I right?

It's a great museum but if it's either/or and you can book one of the superior tours mentioned above, I'd choose the tour.

If you only have a day, you can still do both. The Caen Memorial has a one-day package which includes a visit and a guided tour of the beaches. If you are driving, you can start at the Memorial, or if not, they will pick you up at the railway station. You can reserve on-line.

For more information, see their website:

http://www.memorial-caen.fr/portail/...n/circuits.asp

Half day is an impossibility, as others have said. If the museum offers a tour, then that would probably be a good idea. Otherwise, rent a car, get the Michelin Green Guide to Normandy and see Omaha, Pont du Hoc, Arromanches, and the American Cemetery. See the museum at Arromanches for sure. You will pass MANY small museums, but only bother with the ones at the large beaches. If you start VERY early in the day, you can probably go on to Caen for the remainder of the day. There are also many good publications at the museums that explain the history.

If its "either or" I would skip the museum in favor of the tour. We enjoyed the museum but it wasn't a "can't miss" place for us.

I agree with Dave in Paris.

My vote would be :
- tour (either half day or full day)
- skip museum in lieu of tour if can't do both
- guided tour is more insightful than do-it-yourself.

We wished we had done a full day after our helf day, but we were time constrained.

ttt

Go for the full day tour.

We took a half day tour, but added Arromanche in our rented car.

My point is most half day tours will omit something that you would like to see. Also, the half day tour only allowed us time to walk half way into the American cemetery (I am not kidding. We were told to go no further than the pavilion in the middle of the cemetery.)

Hi Melissa,
I have been to the Normandy area about 10 times now and I can honestly say that I have seen only about half of the main areas and about a quarter of the less obvious places. I reckon that if I go there for 2 weeks every year for the next 10 years I will still have a long way to go to cover everything.

So half a day, mm puts it into perspective I think. But if half a day is all you have then that's all you have.
So to prepare and make the most of the short time you need to familiarise yourselves with the history of the D Day landings; the day before and the day after.
Use hollywood, watch the 'Longest day' and 'Saving Private Ryan' as your starting point. There are incidents particularly in The longest day that refer to specific towns,
for example: St Mère Eglise where Paratrooper Steele landed on the church roof, there is an airborn museum at ST M E.
Research about Utah and Omaha beaches, where the Americans landed if that's what you are interested in.

Look up the following areas.
Carentan
Azeville (Gun Batterie)
Point Du Hoc (2nd Ranger Batallion)
Graignes (Site of massacre in the church)
I would suggest you stick to a small area and minimise your travelling.

Another idea would be to visit the Ameican cemetery at Omaha, which is very touching and thought provoking.

Once you are equiped with a little knowledge of the area and things that went on, you should be able to plan your visit. Of course a car would be a great advantage.

If you want a recommendation for literature, try to buy Major & Mrs Holt's Battlefield guide.
ISBN 0 85052662-0

Greatly informative book with a map and directions for routes to take.

Good Luck and I hope you manage to extend your stay just a little.

Muck

Hi melissa84:

We just returned from Normandy in May.

We knew the history, the events, had it all planned out (maps, etc) to do on our own over 2 days.

In the end we decided on a full day tour. It is one of the best travel decision we have made in 25 years.

Standing on Omaha Beach and looking down the 5 miles of coastline would have been just that for us, staring down the coast and then looking up at the modern beach bluffs in front of us, with a bunch of 1944 maps in our hands trying to sort it all out.

If you have 2 days, a full day tour is my recommendation. Then use your other day to just enjoy beautiful Normandy.

From Bayeux the museums and DDay sights are all within a 30 minute drive. This allows you to visit anything not covered on a specific tour if you wish to cover more history.

I highly endorse Battlebus Tours:
website htttp://www.battlebus.fr/
email> [email protected]
contact> Myriam Woodadge

Happy travels,
Di

PS: Muck's idea is the best advice if you decide to do it on your own. Your trip is coming up soon so you could divide the research up and then decide
as a group exactly what you want to do.

Hi all,

Just wanted to thank everyone for your advice. I managed to secure a spot for us on a full-day tour, so that's what we're going to do. Your experiences certainly did put things in perspective- I am glad I was unable to find a half-day tour and had to turn to Fodor's for help! I'll report back when we return from what is sure to be a thoroughly enjoyable and informative trip.

Melissa

Great,well done Melissa,I hope you have a brilliantly informative visit.

Remember this is one visit, hopefully you will have many more opportunities in the future. Build on this one and research for next time too.

If I could give you 1 tip it would be to take a small torch with you to see inside some of the gun batteries, there are areas that the young German soldiers lived and slept in WW2 but they are really dark.
Very interesting !!!
;-)

Good luck
Muck

Bookmarking for next spring!

No question in my mind to skip the Caen Museum which covers much more than the DDay trip which is your mission. Any spare time should be spent in Bayeau which has much much more to offer.