Paris to Normandy train
#23
Join Date: Jan 2003
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For a self-guided trip you'll need a car, and renting one for a single day costs about the same as renting one for 3 days. You would take a train to Caen, pick up the car, and drive to the beaches, Arromanches, Pointe du Hoc, Ste Mère Eglise, the cemeteries, etc. I would also highly recommend you visit the Mémorial in Caen (takes up to 4 hours, though), and make a stop in Bayeux to see the tapestry. You'd be better off spending a night or two than making it a day trip, as there is much to do.
#24
Join Date: Feb 2003
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This may be of some help to you to plan trip to Normandy and the D Day beaches: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntre...readID=2057610
#25
Join Date: Dec 2006
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I'd agree with StCirq. Without a guide, you'd need at least one overnight to see much of the American D-day sites. It'd be tough to get it all in in 7 or 8 hours - first train arrives in Caen at 9:51 am and last one leaves at 7:08 pm. Kind of tough to rent car, see sites, return car and catch train.
Our March trip involved train to Caen, rent car, drive to Peace Museum, drive to hotel, dinner, sleep. We included a trip to Mt. St. Michel, so we stayed another night and caught the first train out on Sunday. Our Saturday was a long day, but we saw MSM, then came back through St. Lo, went to Pointe du Hoc, the beach, the American Cemetery and were worn out so we went to hotel and then walked around Port en Bessin before going to bed.
But if you're ambitious, you CAN do it in one day.
Our March trip involved train to Caen, rent car, drive to Peace Museum, drive to hotel, dinner, sleep. We included a trip to Mt. St. Michel, so we stayed another night and caught the first train out on Sunday. Our Saturday was a long day, but we saw MSM, then came back through St. Lo, went to Pointe du Hoc, the beach, the American Cemetery and were worn out so we went to hotel and then walked around Port en Bessin before going to bed.
But if you're ambitious, you CAN do it in one day.
#30
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Some Corail TEOZ trains may run this route and if so they require a seat reservation and ticket before boarding - otherwise on the regional trains a ticket can be used to board any of them that day as seat reservations on those are optional and nearly no one makes them. Just hop on.
#33
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Better IMo is to take a train to Bayeux then hop the several mini-bus tours from there that take you in either a half-day journey or a full-day to the top D-Day sights. The Paris Vision type tours often require a very early reveille and may even pack in Versailles or Giverny or Chartres into one very very long day.