self guided d day tours

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Sipping coffee & chasing dreams, a self-guided tour of historic d-day sites in normandy.

Visiting the historic D-Day sites is an unforgettable way to spend the day.  It is one of those bucket list trips that leave you better for having made them. June 6, 1944, is one of the most historic dates in world history. The victory achieved on D-Day changed the course of the world.  

The freedoms I have today are in large part due to the battles fought on the shores of Normandy. If you have an opportunity to travel to France, take some time to visit the D-Day sites in Normandy. You’ll never forget it.

In this post, I share my one-day self-guided itinerary to some of the D-Day sites in Normandy, France.  You’ll get a chance to learn about my experience and also see how easy it is to plan your own trip to this historic region. Although I would have preferred a minimum of 2 days for my visit, even with only one day to see the D-Day sites, you can cover a lot of ground and still have an unforgettable trip.

Overview of Our One-Day Itinerary to D-Day Sites in Normandy

Click on the map below to view trip details and driving directions for this route., what we saw on our one day self-guided tour:.

• Church of Sainte-Mere-Eglise
• Airborne Museum at Sainte-Mere-Eglise
• La Cambe German war cemetery
• Pointe du Hoc
• National Guard Association Monument at Omaha Beach
• Omaha Beach Memorial
• Lunch at D-Day House at Omaha Beach
• Normandy American Cemetery

Where We Started Our Road Trip

We took a direct train from Paris to Caen, where we’d booked our hotel and rental car.  In addition to spending one day seeing the D-Day sites, we also spent one day driving to Mont-Saint-Michel . For our one-day D-Day itinerary, we drove from our hotel in Caen to our first stop, the Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mere-Eglise. Then we worked our way back in the direction of Caen for the remainder of the itinerary.

Tip: You could easily make this trip in reverse, and depending on what time of year you go, you may want to.  We discovered during our visit here in October, that places open later and close earlier in the fall and winter.  

So in the case of our route, we arrived at the Airborne Museum, thinking it opened at 9:00 a.m. (according to Google) only to discover it did not open until 10:00. Thus, we could have started at the Normandy American Cemetery, which opened at 9:00 and closed at 5:00 and then saved the Airborne Museum for last, which closed at 6:00 p.m.  Live and learn!

Benefits of a Self-Guided Road Trip to See D-Day Sites

By driving yourself to the D-Day sites, you have more flexibility and choices in which places you see and how long you spend there. Driving in France was easy for me since they drive on the same side of the road as we do in the U.S. As long as you can drive a car with a manual transmission, it is pretty much the same as driving in the States. The road signs may look a little different, but all in all, it’s a very similar experience.

However, if you’re not comfortable with driving on your own in France, there are a lot of tour companies that will drive you around to the historic D-Day sites. You can take 12-hour day trips from Paris, or local tours starting at Caen and Bayeux. So decide on whichever option works best for you and your itinerary.

A Little Background About This Trip

My visit to Normandy, France, was a part of a 2 1/2 month backpacking trip I took with my friend through Europe.  As I planned our route and the “must-see” stops along the way, I knew that visiting Normandy, France, and the historic D-Day sites was a must for me.  Our visit to Normandy was during the final three weeks of our trip through Europe.  

Before arriving in Normandy, we toured the house where Anne Frank hid in the attic before being captured by the Nazis. We visited Berlin and walked over what was once Hitler’s underground bunker and wandered through the Memorial to the Murdered Jews.  Then we traveled to Krakow, Poland, where we took a day trip to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps. Finally, we went to Normandy, France, and visited some of the historic D-Day sites.  

It was a journey through World War II history, starting with the atrocities that forced people into hiding and ultimately led to the death of millions of people. Our travels brought us full circle to Normandy, and the history surrounding D-Day, the battles leading up to it, and the battles fought afterward. 

Although the history surrounding D-Day was one of tragedy, it was also one of triumph and hope. I saw the bleakness of death at Auschwitz, which only made my visit to the D-Day sites all the more impactful. The price was high, the sacrifice great, but freedom demands we risk everything or end up with nothing. I am so grateful for those who gave their lives so I could live in freedom.

Site 1: Church of Sainte-Mere-Eglise

We started our day of sightseeing in the town of Sainte-Mère-Église. We arrived a little after 9 a.m. and found that the Airborne Museum didn’t open until 10 a.m. So we wandered over to the Church of Sainte-Mère-Église, where a mannequin of a paratrooper’s body hangs from the church steeple.

John M. Steele

We learned more about the paratrooper represented on the church steeple during our visit to the Airborne Museum. His name was John Steele, and he was a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division. During the drop into  Sainte-Mère-Église,  one of the houses caught fire, which unfortunately illuminated the night sky, and thus the paratroopers dropping in. 

John Steele was hit in the foot on his way down and lost control of his parachute. His parachute caught on the church steeple. He hung there for around 2 hours, pretending to be dead before German soldiers came up and brought his body down. They took him as a prisoner, but three days later, he escaped and returned to his division. He survived WWII and returned home after the war was over. 

A beautiful stained glass window in the Church at Sainte-Mere-Eglise.

There is so much more to John Steele’s story and to the paratroopers that dropped that night. For any of you who have watched “The Longest Day,” you might remember seeing the scene of the paratroopers dropping in.

The real story is full of heroism, as one of his fellow troopers on the ground gave his life to save John’s.  The chaos was compounded by the house fire, which lit up the sky and made them glowing targets.

Go inside the church and take a look around. There is a beautiful stained glass window created in memory of the paratroopers that lost their lives here. There is also another one portraying the angel Michael surrounded by the symbols of the various Allied forces who fought to free  Sainte-Mère-Église.

Time Spent Here: (~ 30 minutes) Location: Church of Sainte-Mère-Église, Rue Koenig, 50480 Sainte-Mère-Église, France Commute Time to Next Site: ~ 1-minute walk across the parking lot.

Site 2: The Airborne Museum at Sainte-Mere-Eglise

The Airborne Museum  is a thoughtfully designed museum made up of multiple buildings as well as an outdoor area. At the ticket desk, you receive a tablet to carry with you as you make your way through the different areas.  The tablet provides additional information about the exhibits and includes interactive features, which if you have kids, they will especially enjoy this feature. For the most part, you won’t need the tablet. However, it guides you in a particular order throughout the museum complex.

The first building we entered after purchasing our tickets was the building designed like the inside of a big parachute.  Inside there are numerous displays of paratrooper’s gear, mementos, and stories of some of those involved in the liberation of  Sainte-Mère-Église . The museum does a beautiful job portraying the details of what these paratroopers must have gone through to prepare for their mission.

In the next building is a large display of an airplane, and on one side is a mannequin of President Eisenhower and a printed copy of his D-Day order.  Many of these guys were barely out of high school. They didn’t have much training, and yet they were going into one of the biggest and most important battles in US history. They would be some of the first boots on the ground for the US military in Normandy, France.

“You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.” ~ General Dwight D. Eisenhower

One of the Airborne Museum’s life-sized displays.

In another room, audio speakers play the sounds of battle along with a display of an aerial view of  Sainte-Mère-Église . I also learned during my visit here, that the paratroopers had to carry packs that weighed anywhere from 90 lbs to 180 lbs!  Can you imagine jumping from a plane with a pack the size of a human strapped to your back?

The Soldier’s Stories Helped to Connect on a Personal Level

It was incredible to hear their stories and to take a glimpse into what those men went through. It was heroic yes, but also scary. Real courage isn’t without fear. It’s acknowledging the fear and moving forward in spite of it. Courage understands what’s at stake.

We watched a touching film that showed the images of Holocaust survivors and also the piles of dead bodies. Tears sprang to my eyes as it put in perspective what was being fought for.  All of our future freedoms were at stake if Hitler, and the other countries fighting against democracy, had not been stopped.

I highly recommend making the Airborne Museum a part of your itinerary when visiting D-Day sites in Normandy. They took excellent care to make it a moving and thoughtful museum and memorial to 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions.

Time Spent Here:  (~ 1.5 hours) Location: Airborne Museum, 14 Rue Eisenhower, 50480 Sainte-Mère-Église, France Commute Time to Next Site: ~ 30-minute drive

The entryway in the German war cemetery at La Cambe.

Site 3: La Cambe German War Cemetery

Our next stop is the La Cambe German war cemetery . It is a simple and somber graveyard, and it is also the largest war cemetery in Normandy. There are over 21,000 bodies buried here as compared with the less than 10,000 buried at the American cemetery in Colleville-Sur-Mer.

As you walk through the entrance to the cemetery, you notice straight in front of you, a mound of raised earth (also known as a tumulus). Sitting on top is a giant dark stone cross with a man and a woman on either side. I assume this represents the mother and father of the dead. I recommend you walk to the top and get a bird’s eye view of the enormous size of this cemetery.  

Most of the graves are marked with simple bronze-colored stones set in the ground. There are also rows of dark stone crosses spaced here and there across the cemetery. As I pass by the markers, I notice that most of the soldiers buried here were only 18 or 19 years old.  According to the cemetery , most of the soldiers buried here died between June 6, 1944, and August 20, 1944.

The German soldiers buried here were teenagers sent off to war by the command of their country. A surviving German soldier said that some of the soldiers enlisted in WWII were only 16 years old, forced to go to war, scared to death, wanting to run, but told they’d be shot if they did.  They had families who loved them and mourned their loss.  War is ugly no matter which side you’re on.

A view of the German cemetery at La Cambe from atop the tumulus.

A Comparison of Two Cemeteries

My visit to the German war cemetery at La Cambe provided a thoughtful comparison with my visit to the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-Sur-Mer. I left the La Cambe cemetery feeling sorrow at the tragic loss as a result of this war.  Although there is still certainly a sense of loss at the American cemetery, I left it feeling a sense of pride and gratefulness. It was a cemetery that celebrated and thanked those buried within, rather than only mourning their loss.

Time Spent Here:  (~ 30 minutes) Location:  La Cambe German war cemetery, Les Noires Terres, 14230 La Cambe, France Commute Time to Next Site: ~ 20-minute drive

Looking down the path to the memorial for the fallen Rangers at Pointe du Hoc.

Site 4: Pointe du Hoc

Next, we drive to the parking area for Pointe Du Hoc . Near the parking area is a memorial to the Army Rangers who gave their lives during the bloody battle fought here.  It is a moving tribute to their courage and sacrifice. It tells the story of the Ranger’s persistence to scale the cliffs soaking wet in the middle of a storm while being gunned down by Germans from above.

What courage and commitment it took for them to continue scaling the almost 100-foot cliffs! Their fellow soldiers were dying one after another, and yet they continued to climb until at last some of them reached the top and claimed Pointe du Hoc as an Allied stronghold.

The same cliffs at Pointe du Hoc the Rangers once scaled.

This, of course, is the short version.  The entire story of what occurred at Pointe Du Hoc on June 6, 1944, is an incredible tale of heroism. It is almost unbelievable, like something out of a Hollywood movie, and yet it’s true. These men defied unbelievable odds. 

The craters from the aerial bombings dot the landscape.

Lunar Landscape

F rom the memorial near the parking lot, you continue down a trail leading to the very cliffs these Rangers climbed on that dark and stormy night. You walk past large craters from aerial bombings and get a chance to step inside the bunkers the Germans built to house their 155mm arterial guns. These guns could target ships up to 12 miles offshore! You can understand why it was so crucial for Allied forces to overtake these strongholds to win the fight on D-Day.

The walk to the stone memorial overlooking the water is memorable in itself. It gives you a scope of the type of battle fought here.  Kids will enjoy exploring the craters and empty bunkers. The walk from the parking lot takes about 10 minutes.  Make sure to wear sturdy walking shoes and give yourself enough time to explore the grounds before heading on to your next stop.

Time Spent Here:  (~ 1 hour) Location:  Pointe du Hoc, 14450 Cricqueville-en-Bessin, France Commute Time to Next Site: ~ 15-minute drive

The National Guard Association Monument built atop a former German pillbox.

Site 5: National Guard Association Monument at Omaha Beach

The  National Guard monument  located along Omaha Beach is an inspiring monument dedicated to the soldiers of the National Guard who fought not only in World War I but also in World War II.  That was one of the things written on the monument that stuck out to me. It mentioned how the sons of the National Guardsmen would fight for freedom in WWII just as their fathers had fought for freedom during WWI. What a powerful legacy.

Take time to read the words and quotes engraved on each side of the monument. Close to the monument is another memorial of a National Guardsmen carrying his fellow soldier out of battle. This memorial is in tribute to the National Guardsmen of the 29th Division’s 116th Infantry Regimental Combat Team. 

They were some of the first to land on the area that is now referred to as “bloody Omaha.” They came with brothers, and boyhood friends, never to return home to their families or to live out their lives.  They were so young and so courageous. The soldiers who fought in WWII are true superheroes. 

The tribute to the National Guard titled “Ever Forward.”

Walk along the beach while you’re here and look up at the cliffs. Imagine what it was like for the soldiers who landed on these shores, wet, cold and disoriented, being gunned down in the water before they even had a chance to fight. No matter what, they wouldn’t be stopped.  They knew what they had to do, no matter the cost!

Time Spent Here:  (~ 15 minutes) Location:  National Guard Monument (Secteur Charlie), 12 Boulevard de Cauvigny, 14710 Vierville-sur-Mer, France Commute Time to Next Site:  ~ 5-minute drive

Site 6: Omaha Beach Memorial

We drove along the waterfront for another 5 minutes before reaching the parking area for the Omaha Beach Memorial.  The wind was blowing and the cold air bit into our skin. The skies were blue and clouds dotted the horizon. It made me think of the weather conditions the soldiers dealt with during the early morning hours on June 6, 1944. 

I tried to imagine a much darker and stormier scene.  The first wave of soldiers arriving soaking wet, many drowned before they ever made it to shore. Gunfire raining down from German soldiers perched on the cliffs and the beach. This was war, ugly and chaotic with freedom on the line.  

I live in the light of victory, but on D-Day, victory was still being fought for. It was a scene of tragedy, and decades later, many survivors would continue to have a hard time talking about it. I’ll never truly understand the full cost, but I’ll do my best to live gratefully.

A stone memorial at Omaha beach commemorating D-Day.

Next to the parking lot, there is a large stone marker, which is a memorial to the Allied forces landing here on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944.  On one side of the stone memorial is the inscription: —No mission too difficult —No sacrifice too great. Duty First. Forced Omaha Beach at dawn 6 June. The other is etched with the images of soldiers and reads:  Erected in memory of those —The 116th RCT 29th Infantry Division AUS landed here June 6, 1944.

Just behind it is a beautiful metal sculpture rising out of the sand just off the shore. The sculpture created by French sculptor Anilore Banon is titled “Les Braves.” According to Banon, the sculpture consists of the following three elements:

The Wings of Hope –  So that the spirit which carried these men on June 6, 1944, continues to inspire us, reminding us that together it is always possible to change the future. 

Rise Freedom! –  So that the example of those who rose against barbarity, helps us remain standing strong against all forms of inhumanity. 

Wings of Fraternity –  So that this surge of brotherhood always reminds us of our responsibility towards others as well as ourselves. On June 6th, 1944, these men were more than soldiers, they were our brothers.

“Les Braves” sculpture on Omaha Beach.

The people of Normandy are still very grateful to the American and Allied forces for freeing them from the Germans.

If you have extra time and want to stop, there is the  Omaha Beach Museum  about a 5-minute walk from the Omaha Beach Memorial.

Time Spent Here:  (~ 1 hour) Location:  Omaha Beach Memorial, Avenue de la Libération, 14710 Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, France Commute Time to Next Site:  ~ 15 minute drive

Lunch Break

We ate lunch at the D-Day restaurant across from the Omaha Beach Memorial parking lot. It was a choice of convenience. However, it was warm and cozy inside the restaurant. My lunch consisted of some toast topped with ham and cheese. It was a warm break from the chilly weather outside.

I recommend packing snacks and water in your car, and possibly a picnic lunch if you’re able to. I didn’t see too many dining choices along this route.  However, that may be due in part to the time of year when we visited. In the summer, you might find more options available.

Location: D-Day House, 1 Rue Désiré Lemière, 14710 Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, France

This beautiful cemetery dotted with white crosses is a serene resting place for the heroes buried here.

Site 7: Normandy American Cemetery & Memorial

Next, we drove to  the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer. Due to the delay at the Airborne Museum, we only had about an hour to spend at the cemetery before it closed at 5:00. So we quickly parked and headed down the long path.  We bypassed the visitor’s center, knowing what little time we had and instead continued to follow the path towards the ocean, along the infinity pool, and then curving around to the cemetery.

The beautiful mosaic on the chapel ceiling.

The rows and rows of white crosses stretched out almost endlessly in front of us.  People were milling about through the rows of crosses, searching perhaps for the grave of a loved one.  As you walk throughout the Normandy American cemetery, you feel almost as though you are in a park and not a cemetery. The setting is so lush and green. It is very peaceful.

Sculptures & Artistic Tributes to the Fallen

Make sure to stop in the cemetery’s chapel.  It is the rotund building at the center of the cemetery. Step inside the small chapel and admire the beauty and thoughtfulness put into the gorgeous mosaic on the chapel’s ceiling. American painter Leon Kroll created this beautiful portrait symbolizing American on one side, sending out her son to battle and France on the other side, taking our fallen soldier in her arms.  It is such a beautiful image.  

After you finish your walk around the cemetery, make your way to the large reflection pool where you’ll see a tall bronze statue rising above from the far end.  This beautiful sculpture created by  Donald Harcourt De Lueis titled “Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves.” It bears an inscription at the bottom that reads “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” On the walls close to it, you’ll find huge maps displaying all of the various forces along the shore and their routes.  It is awe-inspiring!

“The Spirit of American Youth Rising.”

If you have time, walk along the shores of Omaha Beach below the cemetery. Make sure to stop in at the visitor’s center for more helpful information regarding those buried here and to view the beautiful infinity pool.  They have volunteers on staff who can also help you locate any loved ones who are buried here.  

Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer is a beautiful park-like setting, very peaceful.  A wonderful resting place and memorial to these soldiers.

Time Spent Here:  (~ 1 hour) Location:  Normandy American Cemetery, 14710 Colleville-sur-Mer, France Commute Time to Next Site: This was the final stop, and it was about a 45-minute drive back to Caen.

The reflection pool at Normandy American Cemetery.

Tips & Recommendations for a Self-Guided Tour of D-Day Sites

Planning tips.

• Always check the hours for each museum directly on the museum’s website. Google is not always up to date on its listing for hours and operations.
• Pack snacks and drinks in the car to keep your energy up in between stops.
• Make sure you can drive a manual transmission before renting a car in Europe.
• Organize your day, so you have the most time at the sites you want to see. Then if you can’t make it to all the stops on the list, you will at least have seen the ones most important to you first.
• Wear layers and sturdy walking shoes.

How Much Time To Spend Here

There is so much to see that you could spend days or possibly weeks here, depending on your interests.  However, with only one day, you’ll need to pick the top sights you want to see and save the rest for your next trip. One site I would have liked to have fit into our day was Utah Beach. I guess I’ll save that for my next trip!

Getting Here:

You can take a direct train from Paris’ Saint-Lazare station to Caen. This takes approximately 2 hours, 15 minutes. You can also take a train from Caen to Bayeux if you prefer to stay there.  In Bayeux, bus #70 takes you to many of the D-Day sites if you prefer not to drive.  You can also, of course, book a tour of the sites. Caen also has an airport so if you’re coming from somewhere other than Paris, you might check to see if they have flights that go through it.

Recommended Apps to Download Before Your Trip

Google Maps:   This invaluable tool will help you get to each destination along your journey. If you plan to do a self-guided driving itinerary, then you will want to install Google Maps on your phone ahead of time and also download it for offline use.

Normandy D-Day 1944 (by Spot on Locations Ltd):  This  Normandy D-Day app  provides the names and locations for all the various D-Day sites in Normandy. It gives historical details associated with each area and includes over 500 photos and 100 locations. If you like learning more about the history, then consider downloading this app before your trip and looking through the areas you’ll visit and read up on the history associated with each.

Rick Steves Audio Europe:  Consider downloading this app before any trip you take to Europe.  If you enjoy self-guided tours, then you will appreciate this app. Just put your earbuds in, and Rick Steves will guide you on your walking tour to whichever destination you’ve chosen on the app. 

 So say you choose France, you will then see a list of all the audio guides the app has for France.  Look for the one titled “Normandy: D-Day Sites” and listen to this before your trip to D-Day to get an idea about what there is to see and learn more about the history of the region. The app has not only audio walking guides, but also interviews with local experts on a variety of subjects relating to each location.

Roses and flowers left by crosses. Reminders that they are not forgotten.

Closing Thoughts on D-Day

Visiting the D-Day sites in Normandy was like walking through the history books. It is one thing to read about this incredible date in history, but it is something else to see the area firsthand. To see the graves of the thousands of soldiers who lost their lives here, and to read about their individual stories is an incredible and moving way to spend the day.  

Visiting sites like D-Day or even Auschwitz remind me of the beauty of the human spirit. Yes, there is an ugly side to humanity. However, there is also resilience and a determination to overcome even the worst odds for the good of mankind.

I hope you plan a trip to visit Normandy, France, and the historic D-Day sites. However, if you can’t do that right now, why not visit a local Veteran’s Cemetery or museum near you, dedicated to those who gave so we could have freedom.  Say thank you the next time you see a veteran, and let’s use our freedom to show compassion and grace to everyone we meet.

Thank You to All Who Served and Continue to Serve

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10 comments.

I enjoyed your article, very informative and clear. Great tip about a packed lunch. Gives that bit more freedom to go at your own pace and wander away from the bigger sites. Also big thanks for mentioning my app Normandy DDay 1944. It’s not exhaustive on locations but gives a taste for smaller cemeteries and locations off the beaten track. All the best, Evelyn

Hi Evelyn, thank you so much for responding! I think your app is a wonderful way to learn more about the history of the area that I would not have known otherwise. Thank you so much for creating such a valuable tool!

What a wonderful article and very well written. We’re going to Normandy in September. I and excited to visit the area my dad fought in! Thank you for all this information.

Thank you Robin! I am so excited for you to get to visit that area, especially since your dad fought there. I know it will be a special trip!

Excellent overview on visiting normandy sites in a day

Thank you! I hope you enjoy your visit there!

I just got back to my hotel room in Caen. I followed your day, nearly identically, down to the restaurant. I did add Utah Beach to my itinerary, and the finished at the Overlord Museum. What a full and awe-inspiring day. I was so grateful I found your blog. It was the perfect guide to the perfect day.

That’s wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing, it made me smile. I am happy to know you had an inspiring visit. The Normandy area is so beautiful and rich in history.

We followed your itinerary closely and had a magnificent day with lots of things to think about. Thanks you so much Charity for sharing this.

Hi Paul, thank you so much for letting me know how your trip went! I am happy to hear my post helped. It is such a beautiful and historically rich area, you are right in saying it gives one lots to think about.

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D-Day beaches self drive tour (2023): a 3 day itinerary in Normandy, France

With the echoes of the past whistling around every beach, town and bunker, Normandy is the place to go to reflect on world war 2 and the pivotal events that happened there. It can be a hard hitting place for sure so having the ability to explore at your own pace, or have an afternoon off if needed, is a good idea. That’s where a self drive tour comes in.

When we self drove the coastline of Normandy we really appreciated being able to take in what we needed, explore different kinds of sights (not just museums) and take more than just the war stories too. We traveled with our kids so it made it even more essential we could pick and choose our destinations.

If you’re looking to explore the Normandy World War 2 sites then read on for our guide to a D-Day beaches self drive tour. It really is a perfect way to see the area!  Since it’s a fairly compact region with plenty to see and do whether you’re a complete history addict or just want to pay respects to the troops who lost their lives so many years ago.

This article probably contains affiliate links. This means that if you buy or book after clicking, I may get a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

I’ve based this self drive itinerary on our own experiences driving the route and also for it to be perfect for someone going to Normandy from the UK on a ferry to Cherbourg.  If you find yourself coming from the opposite end of the country, perhaps arriving in Dieppe or Calais, or if you’re travelling internationally and starting from Paris, feel free to reverse the route.

Essentials for your D-Day explorations:

• Guide book with background info on the D-Day Sites
• Normandy Road map

Guided tour from Bayeux

• Half Day Small group tour to Omaha Beach

Accommodation for your self drive D-Day tour

It is possible to just base yourself in one town for the duration of the trip and if you’re going to do that then I recommend staying in Bayeaux as it’s fairly central to all the beaches and D-Day sites.  This is a great idea if you don’t want to be changing hotels every day and want to be able to relax on an evening in familiar surroundings.  

• Grande Hotel Du Luxembourg : A 4 star hotel with pool, comfortable rooms and a restaurant on site. Parking is available but paid.
• Château de Bellefontaine : A hotel close by to the town but with the feel of the countryside. Free parking available.
• Villa Des Ursulines : Vacation rental apartments in Bayeaux. Free street parking nearby

If you want to maximise your time in the area and also want to see some new towns then I’ve given some ideas below on where to stay that is near to the days sites.

You might also like to check the map below for some other accommodation ideas in Normandy:

3 day D-Day beaches itinerary – quick look

Why do a d-day beaches self drive tour.

Normandy, and specifically the D-Day beaches , are such important places that are inspiring, sad and unbelievable all at the same time. To me it’s vitally important that we remember what happened in world war two and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom and their country.

Many people have relatives who served at the time and want to retrace their steps, see what difficulties they faced and pay respects to them and their fallen friends. Other people want to know what happened and for them seeing the place in real life can bring the time to life.

I include myself in this last one – I knew of D-Day but not a great deal really, but seeing the sites for myself really brought home the loss of life, the commitment our countries had to winning the war and the huge scale of the operation. Visiting inspired me to learn a lot more about the time period and as we went on our trip with our kids, means they learned a lot too!   As living veterans who served there are getting less and less each year, passing on the knowledge of these times is extremely important I feel.  

Why self drive rather than doing a tour?  

I’m personally someone who likes to do it myself when travelling so I’m always keen to see places with my own timescale.  When we visited Utah beach it was terrible weather and we just couldn’t stay there so we were free to move on.  If we were on a tour we’d have had a very wet day!

I find self guided tours to be great for those who aren’t just there for the war history and want to just incorporate it in to a road trip and exploration of an area.  We travelled with kids, one of whom loves anything to do with war history and one who can tolerate it but it’s not her idea of a fun day out – if this is you, whether you have kids or just another travelling companion who isn’t quite as keen as you are on the sites you can tailor the days to suit you.  If spending time at a cemetery is going to be too upsetting or a museum is boring then you can wrap it up and move on.

Tours can be good if you’re really interested in getting all the information that you need from experienced tour guides and also if you don’t want to navigate the roads.  

If you’re coming from the UK you might find some coach tours like this one good and if you’re based in Paris there’s quite a few from there too.  

The best place to base yourself if you want to have just a day tour is Bayeaux as many go from there.   I’ll not be talking too much about the history of what happened in this Normandy itinerary – if you want to know a little more about the places mentioned here and what happened do take a look at my guide to the Normandy beaches and WW2 sites .

A note about museums – there are a number of museums in the area, loads in fact and probably more than you can ever fit in to a small trip.  Feel free to pick and choose as to what appeals to you and your interests – it’s unlikely you’ll want to do them all and I’d probably suggest not trying to do too many since it will likely lead to museum fatigue!  I’ve added links to the websites so you can figure out which ones to spend your time in.  

Notes for visiting around D-Day (June 6th)

This itinerary works really well at any time of the year but if you’re planning to visit Normandy for the anniversary of the landings you might need to consider some other things:

• From the end of May to the middle of June The D-Day Festival takes place

Fairs, reenactments, special museum displays and parades take place in the days around the 6th of June. Way too many to mention but plenty to take your pick from. Here’s a look at the 2022 programme so you can see the kinds of things happening.

• Accommodation will be in much higher demand

It’s highly recommended to book well in advance if you’re set on visiting at this time of year. Booking is my suggested place to look, and they have the best cancellation policies I find as well as often the best prices.

• It’ll be a much different experience than you’d get any other time

With sombre remembrance and also celebrations of the feat of the Allies it’s one of those unique times to visit that will be much different to coming at other times of the year

3-day Normandy Road Trip Itinerary

Optional – spend the night before your driving tour just by Utah beach at Le Grand Hard for a small French countryside hotel experience or Relais de la Liberte which is a small guest house – both have excellent reviews and have plenty of free parking.  

Morning: Utah beach

55km from Cherbourg or 60km from Bayeux

We start our Normandy D-Day itinerary at the most western of the landing beaches – Utah.  Landed by the Americans, this was one of the more successful operations.  If you’re coming from the ferry or starting in Bayeaux it should be less than an hour to get here.

You can spend your time walking on the beach, taking in some of the monuments around to the various companies involved or you can also start off your D-Day trip in the Musée du Débarquement and learn about the landings.  

I suggest allowing for a couple of hours here, depending on if you decide to do the museum or not.  Its a nice beach and a really nice place to walk along.

Be sure to look out for the monument to the the liberation of France.  This is called Milestone 00 and commemorates the United States involvement in the liberation of France along this road.

Parking – there is plenty of parking available at Utah beach and also picnic benches if you want to bring some food too for lunch.  

Afternoon: Sainte-Mère-Église

Driving time- 20 mins.  17km from Utah beach

It’s easy to assume Normandy is just the beaches and the landings there – as I found when I visited there’s so much more that went on!  

One well known story is that of the airborne forces who landed troops just prior to the beach landings and who played a part in securing towns and strategic points. Sainte-Mère-Église received some of these forces who actually landed there by accident, and who planned to land further out.  This wasn’t great for the Allies and many died and one man even got his parachute caught on the church steeple and he had to pretend to be dead to avoid being shot at.

Sainte-Mère-Église is a lovely town to walk around and explore.  There’s one thing I love in France and it’s the feeling of the villages with cafes and bakeries just waiting to be enjoyed!  You can see the church where the paratrooper got himself caught, there’s a dummy still on the steeple as a monument to him.  

We also enjoyed the museum which talks about the role of the airborne troops in D-Day and what planes and gliders they used.  

Parking – plenty of parking in the village itself.    

If you have time: On the way to Carenten from Sainte-Mère-Église is the D-Day experience museum  just outside the village of Saint-Côme-du-Mont

Overnight : You could choose to spend the evening in Sainte-Mère-Église itself – Logis Le Sainte Mere is a recommended hotel. Alternatively spend the evening in Carentan at the Hôtel Le Vauban   and be a little bit closer to the next day’s sights.  

Morning – Maisy Battery

Driving time – 20 mins.  20km from Carentan

Our second day starts at Maisy Battery which is a little known site near to Pointe du Hoc and which played a big role in what went on there.  It’s basically a myriad of tunnels that the Germans used to attack the Allied forces from but the interesting part is that the whole story and site was lost to historians until just recently and when it was discovered it changed a lot of the perceptions of what actually happened on the day.  

It’s only open in summer months but if you can add it in to your itinerary then it would be a great addition.  Check their website here .  

Pointe du Hoc

Driving time – 10 mins.  7 km from Maisy Battery

A short drive from Maisy Battery is Pointe Du Hoc itself.  There’s a lot to look at here with many paths taking you around the site showing shelters and gun placements as well as a moving memorial right by the cliff’s edge.  I found this site really moving myself and would definitely recommend a trip here – there’s a small visitor centre with a movie playing to help you get your head around what went on here.  

Afternoon – Omaha beach

Driving time – 15 mins.  9km from Pointe Du Hoc

Omaha beach is another of the landing beaches that the American troops landed on and this one was not as successful as the Utah landing.  As such there was a great number of lives lost here and many people come to pay their respects from all countries.

At the centre of the beach itself is a very moving memorial and the Memorial Museum of Omaha Beach and towards the eastern end (as you drive from Pointe Du Hoc) there is also another museum about D-Day at Omaha beach .  

Parking – there is parking at either end of the beach or by the memorial in the middle but bear in mind how much walking you want to do before you decide where to park!  It’s a lovely long beach with houses dotted along the beach front – plenty of time for walking and reflection.    

American Cemetery

Driving time – 10 mins.  5km from Omaha Beach

Just up from the beach is the resting place for many of the Americans who lost their lives not just at Omaha but on the whole Normandy landing campaign.  It’s a sombre and moving place but one that I feel should be seen if you’re going to the effort of visiting the WW2 sites.  

There is no pathway from the beach at present – check their site out here for more information.    

If you have time: just by the American Cemetery is the Overlord Museum with more artefacts and exhibitions about the Omaha landings  

Overnight in Bayeux – The Hotel Du Luxembourg is a highly recommended 4 star hotel which would be a good option in the town.  

Morning – Arromanches-les-Bains (Gold Beach)

Driving time – 20 mins.  12km from Bayeaux

Arromanches was one my favourite sites to visit myself, coming from someone who knew very little about the landings.  You can see remnants of the artificial harbour that was created once the beaches were secured and when the tide is out actually walk up to them.

This is part of Gold beach which was one of the beaches that the British soldiers were charged with.  There’s a museum here all about the landings and also the building of the harbour and how they used it to bring supplies to Europe.  

Courselles-sur-Mer (Juno beach)

Driving time – 20 mins.  13km from Arromanches

Juno beach is just a small drive from Arromanches and you can see where the Canadian troops landed and fought.  Again there’s a museum here dedicated to that story called the Juno Beach Centre . The town by Juno beach is called Courselles-sur-Mer and it’s a pleasant place to walk around and have lunch with a marina and cafes.  

Afternoon – Ouistreham (Sword Beach)

Driving time – 30 mins.  20km from Courselles-sur-Mer  

Finally our trip concludes with the British landing beach of Sword which is a wide open beach at the town of Ouistreham.  This was the first beach we ever saw and it was very weird to see such a ‘normal’ looking beach with such history – wasn’t what I was expecting!  

The town is big and perfect for supplies and to enjoy restaurants and other amenities. While in the town make sure to head to the Pegasus bridge memorial for another slightly different story – this is where British Commando troops were parachuted in the day before D-Day to secure the bridge.  A museum tells the story and you can walk around outside to learn about what went on that day.  

If you have time:   Longues Sur Mer just east of Arromanches might be worth checking out at the beginning of your day – it’s a battery placement site which is free to enter with some tours also taking place that are good value. Ouistreham has a number of museums in the town too including one about Commandos and one about Hitler’s Sea wall.

Overnight :  For your final night enjoy the small seaside town of Ouistreham, an evening walk on the beach and perhaps a French Pastry or two.  There are number of good hotel options in the town like Hôtel le phare or La Villa Andry

Ouistreham is the port that Brittany Ferries uses (but actually calls Caen) so if you’re using them to get home this is the perfect stop for you.  

More days in Normandy?

If you have more time to spend in Normandy then I suggest adding in some time in the towns of Caen, Bayeaux and really just slowing down and exploring the area.  There’s so much more to Normandy than just the World War 2 sites and if you’re visiting with people who don’t have as much of an interest then it’s worth taking some days out from that.  

We also really enjoyed the beaches on the west coast of Normandy on the Cotentin peninsula and of course there’s also Mont St Michel over that way too which is a must see!  

Planning your trip

Useful links for planning your trip:

Brittany Ferries   (Poole – Cherbourg. Portsmouth – Caen or Le Havre)  DFDS Ferries  (Newhaven – Dieppe)  P&O Ferries  (Dover – Calais)   

Booking.com  (Hotels and Apartments)  Hotels.com  (Hotels and Apartments)  VRBO  (Apartments and Rooms)   

Skyscanner  (flights – best airports are Caen from the UK or Paris for international flights)  Discover Cars  (car rentals)

Recommended books

I highly recommend the Liberation Route Europe book by Rough Guide that has recently come out.  It tells a lot about the background of what was going on in the war prior to DDay and the eventual liberation.  Will also inspire you to go to many more sites around Europe – just warning you!

The D-Day Visitors handbook also comes highly recommended although I haven’t seen it first hand. I’ll be sneaking a peak soon as planning to get one as a gift for someone!

A guide book to Normandy like this Rough Guide is also a good idea for the planning phases so you can see what else is around the area – vital if you want to enjoy more than just the WW2 history.

Finally a map is essential for your self drive tour – there are many available like this one  – we ended up getting a ring bound France map since we were doing lots of driving in the country.  

What to take to Normandy

If you’re coming from out of the country and renting a car then make sure to add in a sat nav system to your hire car.  If sticking with a phone system then it’s really important to have a car charging kit so it doesn’t die while driving!

If you’re coming from the UK by car you’ll also need to have a European driving kit – this has the required items that you need by law over in France (each country has different rules and they do change but if I’m honest, having some hi vis vests and warning triangles in the car is not going to hurt – get them!).

You definitely need to have the GB sticker and some headlight deflectors as well as soon as you arrive – you can normally get them on the ferries but at a much higher price so worth getting in advance  

France is a really easy country to navigate especially by car but I’d definitely recommend taking a really good road map with you just in case mobile or sat nav signals go down.   This is like the one that we used .

As for a sat nav system I suggest that you make sure you either have some capability on your phone like we did or get a dedicated system with European maps like this one .  

Pin for later!

Kirsty Bartholomew

6 thoughts on “D-Day beaches self drive tour (2023): a 3 day itinerary in Normandy, France”

Hi His blog was added to Best Travel Blogs 2020 to the WWII Travel Blogs & Tours list Kate Best Regards

Do you have any suggestions how to incorporate this itinerary with festivities on/around June 6? We are planning to go in June of 2024. Thanks

Hi Judy (apologies for the delay in replying – I only just came across this!)

so each year there’s A LOT of events going on around that time, although obviously COVID slowed it down, here was the 2022 programme of events . Quite a lot goes on.

I’d suggest to keep an eye on the Normandy Tourist Board website for when the years timetable gets updated and plan your trip around that.

You could base yourself fairly central to give yourself plenty of wiggle room to attend any events you want.

I’m an experienced guide for the Normandy battlefields and have some great tips for anyone travelling there. 1. If you want to attend for the D-Day anniversary book EARLY as anything within reasonable driving distance will be sold out. I guarantee it. 2. Do yourself a favor and don’t try to do a day trip from Paris. You will miss just way too much. It’s a three hour drive from Paris. 3. Don’t even waste your time with a 3-Day trip. On these itineraries you will drive right past A LOT of extremely historical locations and you won’t even know it. 4. I NEVER stay in hotels there. B&B’s are definitely the way to go. Many speak English and are a fantastic experience. I highly recommend Richard (Dick) Coopers place called Blazing Sky. He can hook you up with info, recommend tours, and his place played a part in the Airborne battles. BOOK EARLY!! 5. I HIGHLY suggest you book a tour. If you are going to do just 3 days, You can take a one day tour with many assorted guys. 5. Do yourself a favour and do at least 5 days. A week is HIGHLY recommended. Book three to four different tours. One to cover the British/Canadian battles. One to do the American Beaches etc. Then one or two days to cover the US Airborne battle locations. For instance, you will drive past 25-35 important locations just from St. Come du Mont to Ravenoville. They can get you access to very important places that you won’t get on your own. 6. If visiting for the DDay celebrations, be prepared to spend a lot of time in gridlock. It’s cool to see all the vehicles and jump demonstrations but you will miss out on seeing many important battle locations. April-September is a great time to visit and with the exception of the DDay dates, it will be easy to hit the important sites AND get a place to stay.

With the extra days you can hit Mont St. Michelle, Cherbourg, German Cemeteries, St. Lo, The Bayeau Tapestry and many other places.

I cannot recommend enough not doing it on your own!! You will miss SO much, even with a guide book.

I haven’t been guiding tours for several years, but I would consider doing fully arranged tours that will encompass lodging, tours, transportation (if need be), food, etc. Basically everything.

Thanks for the tips Mark!

Hi Mark You have provided great information. I can assume you have only scratched the surface! I have a group of 5-6 people who are retired US military interested in WE2 sites. We would like a guide – as you suggest to maximize our time. We intend to get a cruise 1 June 2024 , Le Havre to Paris as we finish Normandy area. What would you estimate the costs for such a group for say 5 days?

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La Basse Cour: B&B near Alencon, Normandy

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The 10 Best Local D-Day Tours in Normandy for 2024: Beaches, Battlefields, & Beyond

Last Updated: January 29, 2024 //  by  Ashley Smith 4 Comments

While many travelers can only squeeze in a day trip to Normandy from Paris , just as many others dedicate a couple of days here to take advantage of the many available Normandy D-Day tours. Booking a local day tour of the many worthwhile D-Day sites is the best way to get the most out of your visit.

Table of Contents

Why book one of the Normandy D-Day tours?

Day tours in Normandy are great for many reasons, for instance:

• Transportation – There’s not a lot of reliable public transportation here, so booking a tour will ensure you can get to all the sites you want to see without having to rent a car.
• Expertise – The Normandy tour guides are experts in their field and can provide loads of historical background on the sites you’ll visit.
• Planning – Or really, the lack thereof. Book yourself on a tour and you won’t have to deal with any of the logistical planning.
• Like-minded travelers – On tours like these you get to meet like-minded travelers excited to discuss the topics at hand and share these experiences. This is especially great if you’re traveling solo.

This post only covers D-Day tours originating in Normandy . You have to already be here to join them, or be able to easily get here before the start time. With the exception of two, all the rest start and end in the town of Bayeux . If you’re looking for Normandy day tours starting and ending in Paris, check out my post on Normandy day tours from Paris .

Choosing the best Normandy D-Day tours

But which of the many available tours out there are the best ones? Which ones go to the best places and cover the most ground? Luckily, you have a World War II travel expert at your disposal to scrutinize them all and help you choose!

I haven’t taken all the tours on this list, but I do have a keen sense of what the average Normandy visitor wants from a tour of the D-Day sites . To create this list, I’ve compared the many available tours against my stringent set of criteria. I’ve taken into account things like:

• Customer rating and reviews
• Length of the tour and start/end times
• Overall benefit (Is it worth your valuable time?)
• Topic/focus of the tour
• Ease of logistics

…and much more. All so you can be sure which of these Normandy D-Day tours are the most deserving of your precious time and money. All the tours in this post are English-language tours and all prices are listed in U.S. dollars.

So how do I go about choosing which tours are the “best?” Well, I’m extremely particular when it comes to booking travel. I’ll never recommend anything that’s rated lower than 4 out of 5 stars, anything with no reviews, or anything that’s offered by a company that looks less than reputable. As always, I only recommend the things I would personally book for myself. (And I’m a hard sell.)

And if you do find yourself in Paris, be sure to check out the many interesting WWII sites in Paris . There are some great museums and memorials here not to miss.

My favorite day tour companies

The two companies I always go to for day tours (anywhere I go) are Viator and Get Your Guide . I’ve booked many tours through them and have always been satisfied. They’re both well-known in the travel industry; Viator is owned by TripAdvisor. They’re both super easy to book with; most tours offer free cancelation; and they always have competitive prices.

I also like Tours By Locals for great private options. You can find some amazing guides here who are fully licensed, with history degrees, years of experience, and unique local perspectives.

So, let’s get to it! All things considered, these are my choices for the best D-Day tours in Normandy for 2024.

For more information on each of the sites and museums mentioned in this post, check out my articles on what to see at each of the five Allied landing beach sectors: Utah , Omaha , Gold , Juno , & Sword Beaches.

Best D-Day tours in Normandy: at a glance

In this post, I’ll dig into what makes these the best D-Day tours to take in Normandy. I’ll tell you why I picked them, what makes them stand out among the others, what they include (and what they don’t), and more. But first, here’s the quick list of my picks for the 10 best Normandy D-Day tours:

• Best overall : Normandy American D-Day Beaches Full Day Tour from Bayeux
• Best half-day tour : American D-Day Sites in Normandy Half-Day Tour
• Best private tour : American D-Day Private Tour with a Licensed Guide
• Best shore excursion : D-Day Landing Beaches Shore Excursion from Le Havre
• Best Band of Brothers tour : Omaha and Band of Brothers Full Day Tour from Bayeux
• Best tour for Canadian visitors : Full-Day Canadian Battlefields and Sites of Normandy Tour
• Most unique Normandy D-Day tour : Half-Day Sidecar Excursion to the Landing Beaches
• Best tour from Caen : Guided D-Day Sites Tour & Caen Memorial Museum
• Best D-Day tour for British visitors : British D-Day World War II Normandy Private Tour
• Best bonus D-Day sites tou r: Utah & Omaha Beaches D-Day Group Tour from Bayeux

That’s the simple list; now let’s dig deeper into which of these Normandy D-Day tours is going to be the best for you .

Also check out: 10 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Normandy’s D-Day Sites

1. Best overall Normandy D-Day tour from Bayeux

My pick for best overall: Normandy American D-Day Beaches Full Day Tour from Bayeux

Without a doubt, my pick for the absolute best D-Day tour in Normandy is this one, for 3 main reasons: it’s a small group tour (maximum 8 people); it has a 5-star rating after almost 1,000 reviews; and it stops at all the right places.

What you’ll see on this tour

This tour includes stops at:

• Omaha Beach
• St-Mère-Église
• Pointe du Hoc
• Utah Beach and the Utah Beach Museum
• Normandy American Cemetery
• La Cambe German Cemetery*

*This stop isn’t listed in the tour description, but many recent reviews say they also stopped here. If you read my post on the best D-Day sites to visit , you’ll know why I recommend a stop at the German cemetery as well.

Why it’s the best

This tour includes all sites I absolutely recommend visiting and no unnecessary fluff. This tour is also ideal for American visitors since it focuses on the American landing zones of Utah and Omaha Beaches. If you have to choose just one day tour for Normandy, this is your best option!

I also love small-group tours because of the individual attention each visitor receives and it’s just a more enjoyable experience overall . (No being herded or not being able to ask questions, etc.) Plus, this tour has a 5-star rating and almost a thousand rave reviews ! Reviewers’ favorite aspects of this tour have been the knowledgeable tour guides and the choice of stops.

What to expect on this tour:

This is a full-day (9-hour) tour that starts and ends in Bayeux . It includes:

• Pick-up and drop-off in Bayeux
• Your own knowledgeable guide
• Air conditioned private transportation
• Free cancelation up to 24 hours before your tour’s start time

It does not include lunch, optional gratuities, or other personal expenses.

How much this tour costs

As of January 2024, this tour is offered 7 days a week and costs just $139 per person . All things considered, I feel this is a fantastic value for such a highly-rated tour that visits many of the best sites. I would absolutely book this tour myself.

A similar option

There’s another tour that’s similar to this one but that trades in the Utah Beach Museum and La Cambe Germany Cemetery for a visit to the small village of Angoville-au-Plain . If you’d like to visit a small local village where a lot of fighting took place (by the 101 st Airborne), check out: Utah & Omaha Beach D-Day Tour from Bayeux Station .

This tour also has a 5-star rating and tons of rave reviews and is also a small-group tour with a maximum of 8 people.

2. Best half-day Normandy D-Day tour

My pick for best half-day Normandy D-Day tour: American D-Day Sites in Normandy Half-Day Tour from Bayeux

If you find yourself on a time budget here in Normandy but still want to see some of the top D-Day sites, this is the tour for you. This 4-hour tour visits the key American locations, has a maximum of 8 passengers, and has a 5-star review rating.

This half-day Normandy tour includes stops at:

If you have limited time for a D-Day tour , these are three sites you shouldn’t miss . It caps the tour at 8 people for a more personalized experience, and it has a 5-star rating after hundreds of rave reviews . All the best reviews go to the tour guide Matt!

Another thing I love about this tour is that you can choose between morning or afternoon start times . Because it’s just a half-day tour, you can opt for either a 9:00 am start or a 2:00 pm start.

What to expect on this tour

This is a half-day tour (4 hours) that starts and ends in Bayeux . It includes:

• Pick-up and drop-off in Bayeux city center
• Private, air conditioned transportation
• Your own knowledgeable tour guide
• Free cancelation up to 24 hours before your tour

It does not include lunch, optional gratuities, or your own personal expenses.

As of January 2024, this tour is offered 7 days a week, two times per day, and costs $95 per person . For a small group tour that visits the three main American D-Day sites with a passionate and knowledgeable guide, this is a great deal.

3. Best private D-Day Normandy tour

My pick for best private D-Day tour in Normandy: American D-Day Private Tour with a Licensed Guide (Pierre)

There was some stiff competition here for best private tour, but ultimately I chose this one offered by Pierre, a local who lives in Bayeux.

The greatest thing about hiring a private tour guide for Normandy is you get to choose which sites you visit . Most guides have a list of sites they think are the best, but all are open to amending your tour to your preferences. For instance, for this tour, Pierre plans to take you to:

• Utah & Omaha Beach (the two American landing beaches)
• Pointe du Hoc (American battleground)
• Sainte-Mère-Église

But again, he’s happy to work with you to choose which sites to visit in order to create the D-Day tour you’ve always wanted.

I chose this particular tour for the best private option for a few reasons. First, the guide Pierre has been a licensed D-Day tour guide for over 8 years. Not only that, his background is in political science with a master’s degree in American history . And because he was born in France and lives in Bayeux, you’ll be able to get a unique perspective on D-Day. You can read his bio here .

Additionally, this tour is available for groups up to 7 people (whereas many of the others can only accommodate 4) and as such is a much better value than many others

This is a full-day (8.5-hour) private tour that starts and ends in Bayeux. It includes:

• Fully customizable itinerary of sites that you choose (or go with the pre-planned ones)
• Your own private expert local guide with political and historical background

It does not include lunch and other personal expenses, optional gratuities, or museum admission if you choose to visit an extra museum.

As of January 2024, this tour costs $1034 for a group up to 7 people , for everything mentioned above. This is a great option for larger groups or families, but just as awesome for couples looking for a personalized experience.

Honorable mentions

In case this one doesn’t work for you or Pierre isn’t available on your required date, the other private options I considered are:

• American D-Day Beaches Full Day Tour from Bayeux for up to 4 people, with Karine , licensed Normandy tour guide for over 30 years
• American D-Day Beaches Tour for 8-16 people with Sabrina , national tour guide and lecturer
• Landing Beaches, Normandy, D-Day Full Day Private tour from either Caen or Bayeux with Jonathan , licensed tour guide with a master’s degree in French history. This tour costs much less than the other ones, and the caveat is that you pick him up and visit these sites in your own car. You’re booking the guide only here, no driver.

4. Best shore excursion Normandy D-Day tour

My pick for best shore excursion to Normandy’s D-Day sites: D-Day Landing Beaches Shore Excursion from Le Havre

If you’re planning to arrive to the area via cruise ship and are looking to spend a day exploring Normandy’s historic sites, this is the best D-Day tour for you, tailor-made for cruise ship passengers.

This full-day Normandy D-Day tour includes visits to:

If you’re visiting Normandy via cruise ship, you’ll most likely dock at the port in Le Havre. But seeing as how most Normandy D-Day tours leave from Bayeux, your options are limited. This particular tour is tailor-made for cruise ship passengers like you.

You’ll get picked up and dropped off right there at the port near your ship by a guide who understands your particular needs as a cruise ship passenger on a shore excursion . The three sites it includes are my top 3 recommendations for anyone visiting Normandy for any amount of time. And most importantly, it has a 5-star rating and rave reviews .

This full-day (10-hour) shore excursion starts and ends at the cruise port in Le Havre. It includes:

• Expert guide to tell you all about the sites you’ll visit plus the relevant history of Le Havre as well
• Round trip transportation to and from your cruise port
• Free cancelation up to 24 hours before your scheduled tour

As of January 2024, this tour ranges in cost depending on which month of the year you book, but starting rates are $209 per person (in the summer). When rates are higher (like in the spring), the price goes down the more people you have in your group. Take a look at their availability calendar to see the different prices.

5. Best Band of Brothers tour

My pick for the best Band of Brothers -inspired tour: Omaha and Band of Brothers Full Day Tour from Bayeux

There’s a good chance that if you’re here looking at Normandy D-Day tours then you’ve either read the book by Stephen Ambrose or watched the Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks miniseries Band of Brothers . (And if you haven’t, go do that… NOW.) If you’re as big a fan of the story as I am, you’ll love this tour.

This full-day tour of Normandy’s D-Day sites includes visits to:

• Airborne Museum
• Plane crash site at Beuzeville-au-Plain
• Marmion’s Farm
• Brecourt Manor
• Angoville-au-Plain
• Drop Zone D

This tour is specifically tailored to intrigue fans of the show Band of Brothers so you’ll visit many lesser-known sites and learn more about the history.

You can watch Band of Brothers here on Amazon and it’s also currently available on Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max.

This tour is operated by Overlord Tour, a leading tour company in the area specifically dedicated to D-Day history. Its itinerary and guides have rave reviews and it’s a favorite among Band of Brothers fans and WWII buffs in general.

I like that it visits the top sites, but also many more obscure sites that the majority of visitors don’t get to see or learn about . You’re sure to make some good friends on this group tour. I also really like the price point—good value here for sure.

This full-day (9-hour) tour starts and ends in Bayeux. It includes:

• Round trip transportation
• Small-group limited to 16 people
• Free cancelation up to 24 hours before your start time

It does not include the cost of lunch, any optional gratuities, or other personal expenses.

As of January 2024, this tour is offered 7 days a week and costs $158 per person . Something I’d like to note about the cost: When you book this tour directly with Overlord Tours instead of through Viator, the cost is slightly lower (€130 which, as of Jan 2024, is about $141 US ).

While this may be tempting, consider this: when you book through Viator , you get the benefit of a full refund if you need to cancel anytime up to 24 hours before the start of your scheduled tour.

When you book directly with Overlord, if you should need to cancel or you simply change your mind, you’ll be subject to a 6% cancelation fee no matter what. If you need to cancel within 14 days of your tour, you now owe a 50% cancelation fee . And if you should want to cancel within a week of your tour, you lose 100% of your booking cost .

That’s just something to think about. Don’t always be so quick to choose the lowest price without digging a little deeper. (Personally, I’d be happy to pay the $17 more for the peace of mind because I know how unpredictable travel planning can be.) By booking with Viator, you still get the highly-rated Overlord tour, but you also get a little bit more freedom and forgiveness.

6. Best D-Day tour for Canadian visitors

My pick for the best D-Day tour for Canadian visitors: Full-Day Canadian Battlefields and Sites of Normandy Tour

You’ve probably noticed that most of these tours center around the American D-Day achievements, but Canada and Great Britain also participated in this monumental invasion. Canadian visitors, this tour focuses on the struggles and achievements of your fellow countrymen.

This full-day tour of Normandy D-Day sites includes stops at:

• Juno Beach and the Juno Beach Center
• Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery
• The communes of Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, Bernieres-sur-Mer, Authie, Abbey d’Ardenne, and Carpiquet to follow the Canadian advance

As far as Normandy D-Day tours go, there are very few that specifically focus on the battles and achievements of Canadian troops . This tour does not only that, but it also maxes out at 8 passengers , has a 5-star rating , and tons of rave reviews about the tour guides. Plus, the price tag makes this a fantastic value.

This full-day (8-hour) tour starts and ends in Bayeux. It includes:

• Your own expert tour guide
• Small-group tour of 8 passengers or less
• Pick-up and drop-off in Bayeux as well as transportation between the sites
• Juno Beach Center admission costs

It does not include lunch, gratuities, or other personal expenses. For a full refund, you must cancel within one week of your chosen tour’s start time.

As of January 2024, this tour is offered 7 days a week and costs $148 per person . This is a great deal, especially considering this is one of the only tours of its kind dedicated to Canadian-only D-Day sites.

7. Most unique Normandy D-Day tour

My pick for the most unique Normandy D-Day tour: Half-Day Sidecar Excursion to the Landing Beaches

For something quite different than all the other Normandy D-Day tours out there, check out this tour of the D-Day sites via fully restored vintage sidecars!

This half-day D-Day sites tour includes visits to:

• Arromanches-les-Bains (one of my favorite spots)
• Longues-sur-Mer
• The commune of Port-en-Bessin-Huppain

And all of your travel between the sites will take place aboard some awesome vintage sidecars. What a unique way to explore Normandy!

I love this tour because it’s something totally different from the rest. Rather than drive between the sites in a sedan or multi-passenger van (or worse, a giant tour bus), you get to see Normandy from a totally unique (and fun!) perspective .

Beyond that, this is one of the few Normandy day tours that visits Arromanches-les-Bains and the German battery at Longues-sur-Mer . The commune of Arromanches is located in the Gold Beach sector and is famous for being the location of the artificial harbors that helped the Allies win the war (which you can still see out in the ocean today).

The Longues-sur-Mer battery is another great site I recommend visiting. Here, you’ll find the most intact German battery that still exists and it really helps to put German defense of the “Atlantic Wall” into perspective.

This tour also has a 5-star rating and nothing but rave reviews . I also love how hard they work to make visiting these somber locations fun and interesting.

This half-day (4-hour) tour starts and ends in Bayeux. It includes:

• Private, round-trip transportation
• Use of vintage helmets, gloves, glasses, and jackets for some fun photo ops
• Fully licensed and insured professional tour guides
• Maximum of 8 people on this tour
• Full refund if canceled up to 24 hours before your tour’s starting time

It does not include the cost of lunch, gratuities, or other personal expenses.

As of January 2024, this tour is offered 7 days a week and costs $244 per person (through April) and then increases to $271 per person from May 1st onwards. For such a unique and fun tour, and one of your only chances to visit Arromanches and Longues-sur-Mer, this price point makes sense, even if it is just a half-day tour. This will definitely be an experience you’ll never forget.

8. Best Normandy D-Day tour from Caen

My pick for the best Normandy tour from Caen: Guided D-Day Sites Tour & Caen Memorial Museum

It’s true that most of the best Normandy D-Day tours start and end in Bayeux, but what if you’re staying in Caen? Rather than having to make your way to Bayeux to start your tour, check out this one that starts and ends in Caen.

This full-day tour includes visits to:

• Caen Memorial Museum

This is one of the only available Normandy D-Day tours that includes a self-guided visit to the Caen Memorial Museum, widely believed to be the best World War II museum in France . I personally consider this museum a must-visit, so I love that this tour includes it. I also like that the museum portion of the tour is self-guided since everyone visits museums in their own way.

This is another small-group tour (capped at 7 people) and it has tons of rave reviews, especially of the guides (5/5).

This full-day (7-hour) tour starts and ends in Caen. It includes:

• Admission to the Caen Memorial Museum
• Maximum of 7 people total
• Full refund if canceled within 2 days of your tour

As of January 2024, this tour is offered 7 days a week and costs $129 per person all year long. Since this includes museum admission (about $22 US), that makes this tour one great value to visit these top locations.

9. Best tour for British visitors

My pick for best D-Day tour for British visitors: British D-Day World War II Normandy Private Tour

Despite the fact that Great Britain was a massive participant in the D-Day landings, landing at two of the five beaches, there are shockingly few tours that focus on the British sectors. However, if you’re willing and able to opt for a private tour, this one is a great option.

• Pegasus Bridge and Memorial
• Main British airborne sites in Ranville
• Ranville War Cemetery
• Sword Beach landing sites and German headquarters
• Juno and Gold Beaches (pass by)

But since this is a private option, you have the ability to customize it to your preferences. Care to also visit Arromanches-les-Bains? Talk to your guide about it!

So few Normandy D-Day tours visit the British sectors and this one is great because you can customize it with the sites you most want to visit. You also have Eric as your guide, a fabulous Scottish tour guide who has lived and tour-guided in Normandy for the past 20 years.

Also, because you can fit up to 8 people on this tour, that makes this one of the best-priced private tours out there!

This full-day (8.5-hour) tour starts and ends in beautiful Bayeux. It includes:

• Pick-up, drop-off, and round-trip transportation between all sites
• Private transportation
• The ability to customize the tour the way you want

It does not include lunch or other personal expenses.

As of January 2024, this tour is offered 7 days a week and costs $899 per group up to 8 people . This is the best per-person rate of all the private Normandy tours I’ve seen.

10. Best bonus D-Day sites tour

My pick for best bonus D-Day sites tour: Utah & Omaha Beaches D-Day Group Tour from Bayeux

This tour visits many of the same sites as the others, but I’m calling this a “bonus” tour because it passes by a number of additional sites you might not otherwise see. Even though these are just “pass-by” stops, they still might interest you.

• Commune of Angoville-au-Plain, drop zone of the 101 st Airborne
• Site of the hedgerows battle (pass by)
• Major Richard Winters Memorial (pass by)
• Sainte-Marie-du-Mont (pass by)

On this tour, even in between stops you’ll get to see interesting things like the famous hedgerows (“bocage”) and the monument to Maj. Dick Winters whom you may know from Band of Brothers .

This tour also has a 5-star rating and is one of the most popular Normandy D-Day tours on Viator (with over 1,100 rave reviews).

This full-day (8.5-hour) tour starts and ends in Bayeux. It includes:

• Admission to the Airborne Museum
• Round-trip transportation
• Air conditioned minivan
• Professional tour guide

This isn’t necessarily a small-group tour since it has a maximum of 20 passengers (if it fills up). It does not include lunch, gratuities, or other personal expenses.

As of January 2024, this tour is offered 7 days a week and costs $159 per person . This price point is par for the course and you get to see so much.

Other Normandy D-Day tours

If you have questions about other Normandy D-Day tours that I didn’t cover in this post, let me know! I’ve examined nearly all of them. So if you find one you’re curious about, leave a comment below and  I’ll tell you why it didn’t make the list .

More info for your Normandy D-Day trip

• Hotels:  Read reviews and find great places to stay  here on Booking.com  (my personal favorite).  Hotels.com  and  Expedia  usually have good deals too though.
• Save lots of money and time  by getting some  Paris GoCity passes .
• Rental cars:  Check out the  best local rental car deals here.
• For more Normandy D-Day tours,  check out all the options from  Viator  and  Get Your Guide .
• Don’t forget a   France guidebook  and this must-have  France customs and culture guide !

Have a great time on your tour of Normandy! I hope I’ve made planning your trip a little easier.

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About Ashley Smith

Ashley is a World War II historian and travel expert who has visited 33 countries. She specializes in quick trips throughout Europe and the Americas with a focus on World War II museums, memorials, battlefields, and other sites of interest. Originally from Memphis, TN, she currently lives in Boston with her husband and two feline commanders.

Reader Interactions

April 28, 2024 at 1:30 pm

what itinerary would you recommend if you have a day and half to visit the area. I’ll be staying in Bayeux.

April 29, 2024 at 4:55 am

Hi Ray! I would definitely check out the sites in this post , and then add in another museum or two according to your interests. Check out this post to see which area you might want to focus on.

April 29, 2024 at 12:48 pm

Thanks Ashley. Can you recommend a private tour for my second day?

April 30, 2024 at 2:33 am

Yes – take a look at the many options here on Tours By Locals . They always have great reviews and are usually customizable.

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Paris WWII Sites Map

Welcome to Normandy Battlefield Tours

Armored Column

in Colleville sur Mer

82nd AB Paratroopers

in Foucarville

Omaha Beach D-day per Saving Private Ryan

JOIN US AS WE EXPLORE THE BATTLEFIELDS & BRAVERY OF THE PAST

Michael Grams

Normandy, the size of Connecticut, witnessed seventy-seven days of conflict that inflicted 600,000 casualties on the opposing armies and population. Focusing only on the events of D-Day limits one to comprehend the magnitude of the conflict that in the following days created 96% of the maiming, death, destruction and sorrow.

All tours will be led by Michael Grams, continuing Carlton’s legacy.

Carlton Joyce

IN MEMORIUM

It’s with a very heavy heart that I inform you of the passing of Mr. Carlton Joyce- Author, Travel Guide, Pilot and good friend. His legacy will carry on. Rest in Peace Carlton

-We’ll miss you.

Small Group Tours

Take a fascinating and informative battle site tour, led by Michael Grams-historical field guide to the battlefields of Northern France. Michael will be your guide and host as you experience the culture of the area and appreciate the epic events of the summer of 1944. Learn more

We can offer your party private tours departing from Paris, Caen or Bayeux with the appropriate sized vehicle and arrange for accommodations and meals. Our Tour Guide Director is a retired British officer who taught battlefield history at the British Military Staff College. Learn more

Self Drive Tours

To be used in conjunction with the book “Stand Where They Fought” Available to order on this website. All tours should be preceded by a visit to the Caen Memorial Museum principally to see the Allied and German films pre D-day and the Normandy Campaign. Learn more

Upcoming Events

We are also available for private tours june – july & september..

Normandy Battlefield Tours

[email protected]

Phone: 847.445.3584

A guide to travelers planning a Normandy trip and a stimulus to those who have not planned to visit our heritage.

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NormandyBattlefields.com

• February 2019
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• October 2015

D Day Tour of the Normandy Beaches

Hey there!  This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please see my legal page for more details.

I wasn’t sure about a guided D Day tour of the Normandy Beaches because my obsession with the history of the Second World War means I envisioned exploring Normandy on my own.

I wanted to wander without a timeline through the area that I had researched, read about, and obsessively watched on Band of Brothers (like 300 times)! Franky, I was cocky enough to believe that I knew it all. (Ha!)

Before I left for France, though, a friend insisted that I take a guided D Day tour of Normandy. I listened, and I’m so glad that I did!

Let’s dive in!

What You Should See on a D Day Tour of Normandy

There are a LOT of D Day tours out there, so it can be hard to narrow down the options.

Whether you choose a self-guided tour or a guided tour of the Normandy Beaches and beyond, make sure that you see, at a minimum, the following sites:

Caen Memorial Museum: D Day Exhibits

You’ll want to start your tour at the Caen Memorial Museum and spend at least half of a day. Many organized tours will include the D Day exhibits at the museum, but I really enjoyed wandering this on my own and recommend that you do the same.

In order to see the Caen Memorial Museum outside of the tour, I took a train from Paris to Caen and joined my guided tour there at the museum after designing my own D Day tour of the exhibits. (This just means I wandered freely for hours!) I actually went back to the museum after the tour as well!

Mind the opening hours on holidays as they can be restrictive. But most days the museum is open from 9 am to 7 pm.

It costs about 20 euros for a full-priced ticket to the Caen Memorial Museum (if you go outside of an organized D Day tour.)

The Pointe du Hoc Must Be a Part of Your D Day tour

Taking the high ground is an enduring idiom for a damned good reason. That becomes very clear at Pointe du Hoc on your D Day tour of Normandy and its beaches.

“WWII Buff” I claim to be, but I had no idea that the 2 nd Ranger Battalion scaled a 100-foot cliff at Pointe Du Hoc to disable the German artillery that was firing on the landings at Omaha and Utah beach.

Standing at the top of those 100-foot cliffs, the highest point between the Utah and Omaha beaches, one cannot physically imagine climbing them at all, let alone against fierce resistance. The 2 nd Ranger Battalion started climbing with more than 220 men.

Two days later, the damaging German guns were disabled and the highway and German supply lane south of Pointe Du Hoc was cut. But just 90 men of the 2 nd Ranger Battalion were left when their relief arrived.

The ground near Pointe Du Hoc – even to this day – is pockmarked with the evidence of a hailstorm of Allied bombs on this high ground.

From this clifftop vantage point, it’s impossible not to notice that this view is from the German perspective. Exploring the German fortifications with its barbed wire still intact and the mazes of haphazardly built concrete thruways is surreal.

The D Day Beaches

Of course, you’ll want to see the beaches of Normandy on your D Day tour.

It is difficult to explain the powerful emotions of standing on that quiet sand and attempting to picture the peaceful waters as they were on D Day. When these same peaceful waters were filled with the unprecedented naval power of the Allied Forces and the blood of those who never made it ashore.

Or to comprehend the courage it must have taken to storm that beach with its fortified hills and to withstand the Hellfire from above.

The guided portion of my D Day tour had only Omaha Beach on the itinerary, but we had Canadians in our group who requested to see Juno Beach.

I felt lucky to honor the Canadian lives given that day as well as the American lives (and other Allied soldiers).

If you do take a guided tour, ask to see more than one beach and consider visiting a D Day beach that your countrymen did not land on. It helps to understand the immensity of the action on that day.

The American Military Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer

The French Government gave the United States a good chunk of high ground overlooking Omaha Beach for the creation of the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. As an American, it was important for me to see this cemetery.

Here you can walk between the meticulously aligned rows of crosses and read the names of those who stormed the beaches, scaled the walls, or jumped from planes into enemy territory on the “Day of Days”. It is impossible not to notice that the unprecedented air, land, and sea efforts of D-Day meant the ultimate sacrifice from every corner of America.

The artificial port at Arromanches should be part of your D Day tour

The allis manufactured the pieces of two large, artificial ports in Britain to be towed to the Normandy beaches and assembled after the victory of D Day.

You can still the remains of this impressive engineering wonder today. You do get a very good overview of this at the museum as well.

tours of Normandy and its beaches

Best d day tours.

• LinkPark.com is the tour I used. See details below.
• I hear great things about this private D Day tour with Normandy Sightseeing
• I’m also very intrigued by Viator’s Band of Brothers D Day Tour !

I really enjoyed my guided overnight D Day tour with LinkParis.com . I was able to customize the tour, touring the museum on my own, but still utilizing the train transportation that was coordinated for me, the tour of the D Day sites in Normandy with an excellent guide and driver, and the hotel stay.

The tour was about $500 inclusive of transportation, overnight stay, and guide.

I was really grateful that I wasn’t heading straight back to Paris after my guided D Day tour because I really needed some time to decompress in Caen. But there are some well-rated Normandy day-tour options out there if that’s more your speed.

Where to stay in Caen

If you do decide to stay overnight in Normandy outside of an organized D Day tour, check out this map with available accommodations in the area:

Where to eat in Caen

I had one of my best meals in France at Le P’tit B , a French/Italian restaurant in a pedestrian-only street in Caen. Maybe it was the great value of the pre-fixe meal or the great, reflective conversation. That’s bound to happen after such an intense day of touring the D Day sites of Normandy.

More reading on WWII and France

Visit here for my curated list of non-fiction books about WWII . Bookshop allows you to purchase from independent booksellers. You can even choose to support a bookstore near you!

More posts on France

• Never Forget series on WWII sites
• Oradour-sur-Glane: The Martyr Village of France
• Learning to Ride a Bike Again in France’s Vineyards
• Day Trip to Reims: Capital of France’s Champagne Region
• How to Visit Château de Chenonceau & Why You Must Go
• Book Review The Nightingale: A Tale of War in France

About the Author

Hi! I’m Jen!

I’m a freelance writer and travel blogger who quit my nine-to-five after my fiancé, Jeff, died of cancer at the age of 40. When he died, I realized that life is just too short to delay our dreams. Since my dream was to travel and write, I now travel and write full-time. Today I wear hiking boots instead of heels and collect experiences instead of things.

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20 Comments

Just discovered your blog while searching D-Day tours. Love your attitude and your writing. I’ve been living with the belief to live your dreams since I was in my early 20s. D-Day has been on my list for years and now I’m hoping to visit Normandy in May/June.

Thank you Scott! Did you make it to Normandy? I hope so!

Very thought-provoking blog! There are very few who take out time and engage in D Day tour. Bu taking such a tour one can peek into the history and remember those souls that departed fighting for a cause.

Thank you so much for reading! I found that D-Day tour to be just everything. I want to do another. And maybe a Band of Brothers tour in Belgium and beyond!

very nice… i really like your blog. https://www.ethnava.com/ online shopping portal

Thank you! I’ll check out your site as well.

What an interesting and thought-provoking tour! I really had never thought of doing a D Day tour, but I do think it’s a wonderful way to connect with and honor our past, our fallen soldiers, and our veterans. And, I think I would really have to stay in Caen overnight. I imagine these tours make for a very emotional day.

Oh, I’m so glad this is on your travel radar now! Thanks for reading, Cris!

This is such a great post! My husband and I just finished watching the “Greatest Events of WWII in Color” documentary on Netflix, and we were just talking about what an incredible experience it would be to visit Normandy and the sights for D-Day. Such a significant point in history. This is a super helpful guide for when we get the chance to visit. Thanks for sharing!

I loved that documentary! I assume you’ve watched Band of Brothers? It’s wild to stand on the beach looking up at the guns that they dismantled. Thanks for reading Brittany!

It’s difficult to fathom the horrors of what happened here. Thanks for all the tips, as I’d like to visit and pay my respects.

You are welcome, Megan! Thank you for reading!

i learned SO much reading your blog. i hope to see these normandy beaches in person one day…. and immerse myself in such a complex history as you did.

I hope you do! It is a hard but beautiful day. Thanks for reading, Shelley!

Visiting this area of France has been on my bucket list for ages, but I had no idea there were so many historical things to see! I’d love to go on a tour here – thanks for the tips!

You are welcome, Krista! Thank you for reading!

WOW! I would love to take a tour and visit those beaches!

I hope you do, Alex! Thanks for reading!

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France – Best of Normandy Hiking Tour

• 7 Nights / 8 Days
• Difficulty: Fit 3 out of 5
• Self Guided Hiking Tour

• 11-21 km/Day

Normandy Hiking Tour Self-Guided : Discover coastal paths and countryside walks that take you past some of Normandy’s most well-known sites and towns. Normandy is the birthplace of Impressionism, the artistic movement inspired by Claude Monet, who created many of his works of art in Honfleur and other sites in Normandy. Honfleur and its port will leave you impressed and perhaps inspired to paint or draw along the route. Experience the interior lands where apples are grown for cidre and the famous Norman whiskey – Calvados. Finish on the landing beaches of WWII, and feel the immensity of the landing that was the beginning of the end of Nazi Germany in France. Visit the sites between Arromanches and Colleville sur Mer, the site of the somber and beautiful American Cemetery. Back in Bayeux, stroll the old streets, visit the cathedral, and take time to view the famous Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts earlier battles of the Norman’s conquests in England. Hiking through Normandy offers incredible coastal views over impressive cliffs, giving you an authentic sense of the ‘savage beauty’ of this land, as well as the determination of the troops that landed here!

Arrival & Departure Locations

Arrival city is Trouville, which is easily accessible by train from Paris St Lazare (2 hours.) Tour finishes in Bayeux, which also offers trains back to Paris. 

Price Includes

• 7 nights of very charming, deluxe lodging 
• Daily breakfast at the lodging
• Private Luggage transfer between hotels
• Private Welcome orientation and tour introduction
• Private transfer on Day 5
• Detailed Tour Book including details maps, touristic information, a step-by-step itinerary, and cue sheets
• Pre-tour travel information and all necessary details to prepare for your trip
• Emergency local telephone support during the tour
• GPX files to use on your device, available prior to travel if requested

Not Included: 

• Admissions and entrance fees
• Travel Insurance (required)
• Tourist tax of 1€ to 3€ per person per night, payable upon checkout

Included Deluxe Hotels: 

• Trouville: Hostellerie du Vallon **** (2 nights)
• Honfleur: Le Maisons de Léa ****  (2 nights)
• Port-en-Bessin: Mercure **** (2 nights)
• Bayeux: Le Lion d’ Or *** (1 night)

Note: City taxes are not included and need to be paid in cash at the hotels. Superior rooms requested, subject to availability. There is the option to upgrade to 5-star hotels in Trouville (Hôtel Le Normandy) and Bayeux (Villa Lara.) Please inquire at the time of booking.

Optional Add-Ons

• Extra Nights in Paris - ask us for special rates!
• Travel Insurance is Required

Guides & Local Support

Tour Highlights

• Hiking the beautiful Landing Beaches of WWII
• Coastal landscapes, farms, and charming half-timbered Medieval villages
• Art galleries, churches, and museum visits 
• Delicious culinary specialties of the region: camembert, calvados, cider

Need to Know:  

• For parties of less than 4, this trip must start on Saturday or Monday. Other start days are possible with a supplement.
• The terrain is rolling meadows and coastline, with some hilly cliff-sides, and wet weather or coastal winds can happen in a short duration.
• Weather changes rapidly; experienced hikers come prepared with rain jackets and hike in both dry, wet, sunny, warm, and cool conditions!
• Bookings around June 6th dates are hard to book because of D-Day celebrations, and access to sites may be limited due to media coverage. These dates are not recommended.
• Travel Insurance is required on all Pure Adventures tours.
• General Country Information

Day 1 Arrive to Trouville

Today is your arrival day, making your way to a charming hotel in Trouville. You can easily take the train from Paris, or you may prefer to make your own arrangements with a private transfer. Tomorrow, get ready to lace up your hiking shoes and set out to explore beautiful Normandy!

Overnight: Trouville

Day 2 Deauville/Trouville Loop: 9 km / 6 mi

Today’s route consists of a walking loop, and you can do as much or as little as you like. Trouville and Deauville have so much to offer and are just separated by the Touques River. Trouville, an old fishing village, still has a strong fishing culture and also, a lively atmosphere in the evening with lots of restaurants. Deauville is a very famous beach resort built in the middle of the 19th Century by a wealthy Parisian industrialist. It was he who brought the first train route connecting Paris and the Normandy Coast. You are sure to enjoy exploring here, strolling along the well-known boardwalk. There is so much to see: two horse race courses, polo grounds, hundreds of stunning villas, the beautiful 4 km long beach, the occasional celebrity sighting, and more!

Meals: breakfast Distance: 9 km / 6 mi, +57 / -59m Overnight: Trouville

Day 3 Trouville to Honfleur: 18 km / 11 mi or shorter

Today’s walk taking you North-West towards the Seine Estuary, passing through the coastal villages of Villerville and Criqueboeuf. Enjoy the peaceful atmosphere as you hike past numerous orchards, gardens, and typical French Norman houses, all while having the Seine river estuary and the city of le Havre accmpanying you for the majority of the route. Along the way, you will have the opportunity to do a visit and tasting at a local distillery in the village of Pennedepie (cider, apple brandy, etc.) If you want to walk less, our local representative can pick you up in the morning at your hotel and drop you either in Villerville or Criqueboeuf.

Meals: breakfast Distance: 11 km / 8 mi or 18 km / 11 mi, +362 / -372m Overnight: Honfleur

Day 4 Honfleur Loop Hike: 19 km / 12 mi

This day presents you with two options! You can either spend a “rest” day, taking some time to visit Honfleur. This medieval town has preserved its artistic and maritime heritage. Be sure to visit the picture-perfect old harbour, Ste Catherine church, art galleries, the impressionist museum, and many nice restaurants. From that rich past, almost everything is preserved, including the bell-tower, 500 year old buildings, and cobblestone streets. It is a real treasure!

If you prefer to do some more hiking today, you can do a 19 km loop. Starting in the old harbour, hike up to the Notre dâme de Grace’s chapel, pass through some lovely countryside, the Bois du breuil, and have the opportunity for a calvados or cider tasting in the Apreval. The tasting opportunity is located in Pennedepie, and we highly recommend making a stop here! Then, continue on through nice trails that return you back to Honfleur.

Meals: breakfast Distance: 19 km / 12 mi, +253 / -257m Overnight: Honfleur

Day 5 Honfleur to Gold Beach / Port en Bessin: 14km / 8.5 mi

After breakfast you can pack up to move to your next location on the famous landing beaches of D-Day. A one hour private transfer takes you to the start of the walk at Gold beach with the best view from the cliff over the artificial harbor of Arromanches (Mulberry port) . Further west is the the German Battery of Longues-sur-mer. A few more kilometers and you get to the fishing harbor of Port-en-Bessin.

Meals: breakfast Distance: 14 km / 8.5 mi +138 / -175m Overnight: Port en Bessin

Day 6 Port en Bessin Loop Hike: 12 or 25 km / one way or roundtrip

Today’s loop allows you to visit the American cemetery at Coleville sur Mer where you will want to leave some time to visit. A long day overall if you do the full round trip, you can arrange a taxi to return you 1 way back or to the cemetery. The entire loop is 25 km.

Meals: breakfast Distance: 25 km / 16 mi or 12 km / 7.5 mi, +268 / -269m (long route) Overnight: Port en Bessin

Day 7 Port en Bessin to Bayeux: 18 km / 11 mi

You leave the coast, and come to the little Aure Valley. From there you walk south to Tour-en-Bessin where you will see some stunning old granite manors & farm houses showing you this prosperous part of Normandy. You eventually walk westward through the village of Barbeville before arriving to the former allies headquarter through the commonwealth war memorial. The great cathedral will be your land mark to find your hotel right in the center of the extremely well preserved city of Bayeux. We also recommend the visit of the famous tapestry relating the Battle of Hasting – the Bayeux Tapestry. It is an unbelievable piece of art and you will want to allow 50 minutes for this visit.

Meals: breakfast Distance: 18 km / 11 mi, +152 / -107m Overnight: Bayeux

Day 8 Departure Day

Your tour ends today, after breakfast. To depart, you can take a direct train to Paris: 2hr 10min. Please let us know in advance if you would like to book additional nights in the area, or if you would like to add on another Pure Adventures tour!

Meals: breakfast

Dates & Rates

Dates: For parties of less than 4, this trip must start on any Saturday or Monday. Other start days are possible with a supplement. D-Day (June 6) and adjacent dates impact hotel availability; please plan well in advance.

2024 Tour Rates: (based on double occupancy)

• 2 persons: 2013 euros/person
• 4 persons: 1945 euros/person
• Single Supplement: 389 Euros/person (applies when 2 or more traveling but in separate single-use rooms)
• Solo Supplement: ask us for rates
• Start days are Saturday or Monday. To start any other day with less than 4 participants a supplement of 88 euros/person applies.
• New! Travel Insurance is now required to participate in this tour. You can book through our preferred vendors or your own. Proof of coverage will be required.

Make it Custom : Do you like this tour but want to make it different? Tell us your wishes & we will quote it!

Booking Terms:   In addition to our posted cancel Terms and Conditions , our local vendors on this trip have the following:  35 euros change fee for any modification after confirmation, 10% of total trip cost is non-refundable from time of confirmation, 20% of total non-refundable at 60 days to 30 days; then as much as 100% non-refundable at 15 days prior to travel. 

Our trip was great and the weather was really good!!! It was very moving to see the D-Day beaches and the American and British Cemeteries. We added on a side trip to Mont St. Michel and St. Malo at the end of the trip. Those were both quite impressive. Highly recommend this tour program!

We had a fabulous trip. Our guide was outstanding. SiSi was very well informed on the area and knew great restaurants for us to go to eat. She was very accommodating and made reservations for our group of 15 and made sure we had tables together. I became ill half way through the trip and had to finish the trip in the support van. Sisi took me to a doctor and a pharmacy for medicines. Thank goodness we had the support van. The countryside was gorgeous and the hotels were nice. A very memorable trip. Loved staying at Le Grand Hard. Jo was wonderful and made us all feel at home.

This was a great trip. Our support, CiCi, was just fabulous. The accommodations were perfect and the recommendations for meals as well. They did a great job in allowing us to enjoy the trip but not be overburdened with activities and a tight schedule.

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Half Timbered Farms in the Normandy Hinterland - Normandy Tours Calvados Tourisme

Self-drive Normandy Battlefield Tours

Normandy tours: from world war to camembert.

Not too far from Paris, this verdant, hilly region is teeming with history, from the Vikings' invasion and William the Conqueror through to the World War II Normandy landing beaches . The D Day beaches , Utah, Omaha , Gold, Juno and Sword are a vibrant memoir of the 20th-century history and worth seeing while visiting Normandy. Other important historical sites of the Battle of Normandy such as Sainte Mère Eglise, Pointe du Hoc, Caen Memorial or Military Cemeteries are places to honor and remember the sacrifice of the Allied troops.

N ormandy has everything you need for the perfect getaway. 

My wife and I took a road trip in the Normandy, Loire Valley and Burgundy regions of France last May. The road trip was 17 days long. The trip was planned by Emilie, the owner of …

My wife and I took a road trip in the Normandy, Loire Valley and Burgundy regions of France last May. The road trip was 17 days long. The trip was planned by Emilie, the owner of "France Just For You". Emilie sent us a 400+ page personalized guide book before we set off to France. She booked our rental car, all the B&B's and 3 guided tours. We got to know the people who live in those regions, we enjoyed the local food and wine.The B&B's were top class and the tour guides were true professionals. It was an incredible experience. We will definitely recommend Emilie's services to others and will use her again for our trips in other parts of France.

Our Self-Guided Tours in Normandy

From history to countryside, from the painters to the apple brandy makers...Normandy has a lot to offer.

Langeais town in the Loire Valley David Darrault

Normandy & the Loire Valley Loop

Normandy & the Loire Valley are 2 regions of France you should not miss: the climate is mild, the people are very welcoming and history is around every corner.

Burgundy wine tasting ©Alain Doiré

The Center of France on the Back Roads

Exploring by the back roads is the best way to experience France and immerse yourself in the culture. Get a real feel for the authentic France, and enjoy at your own pace.

La Concorde in Paris David Lefranc - OT Paris

Heritage, Wine & Back Roads

Get a taste of the real France in very typical regions, famous for their cultural heritage as well as their sweet way of life.

Arromanches cliffs L.Durand - Calvados Tourisme

Normandy beaches, the Loire river banks & Paris

Follow the waterways in France from the Norman beaches on the Atlantic coasts to the Loire river, its castles and wonderful gardens . . . ending along the Seine river banks in Paris.

Honfleur - Chateaux of the Loire tour - loire valley castles tour OT Normandie

Chateaux of the Loire & Norman History

From the Loire Valley castles, the famous village of Mont Saint Michel surrounded by water, the landings beaches and the Norman countryside . . . to end the trip at Monet’s house and gardens in Giverny: you’ll have to keep your eyes wide open!

You may not believe it but this is a Paris street... David Lefranc - OT Paris

Northern France at your own pace

This itinerary gives you the perfect tour of Northern France, including Paris, the Loire Valley castles and gastronomy, and ending in Normandy with the landing sites, the hinterland and beautiful Giverny.

on the Loire River David Darrault

Northern France Must Sees & Hidden Beauties

This is the best itinerary to thoroughly discover the Northern part of France: Burgundy vineyards, Loire Valley castles, Normandy WWII history . . . and ending in the most famous and beautiful capital in the world - Paris.

Mont Saint Michel Mont Saint Michel

A Day in Mont Saint Michel

Spend a memorable day exploring the mythical Mont Saint Michel! How to get there This tour starts in Avranches, near Mont Saint Michel. You may take a train or a bus from Paris. If you stay in the area, we may also meet you directly in Mt St Michel parking lots. Mont Saint Michel is one of the most visited sites in France and many travelers are caught in the crowds. We will plan your day for you to enjoy this unique site at its best. ppen in the morning or in the afternoon.

WWII landing sites on the beach CDT Normandy

Bayeux & WWII Sites in a Day

Get immersed into the Battle of Normandy and Bayeux history. How To Get There This Day Tour starts in Bayeux. From Paris, you can take a direct train. Bayeux Old City Bayeux may not be well known compared to Omaha Beach but the city has a lot to interest travelers. We plan for you to walk around Bayeux old city in the morning. We will provide a detailed map and information: restaurants, special shops, streets you don’t want to miss. You will also see the famous Bayeux Tapestry which is a beautiful testimony of the Middle Ages and William the Conqueror history. The WWII Landing Sites In the …

france itinerary 4 weeks CRT Bouches du Rhone

Self-Driving around France - from Paris to Nice

Spend about a month traveling from Paris to Nice on the French Riviera and get a real feel for the authentic France!

Lovely Dordogne town CDT Dordogne - Cochise

The Many Facets of France

This itinerary is for independent travelers who may already know the southern coast of France and who are looking for discovering the “inside” of the country. Five regions that are totally different from each other, showing you the diversity of France.

Utah Beach C.S Frères - CRT Normandy

World War II History Tour

If you are interested in WWII history and/or have a family member who fought in the Battle of Normandy, this tour is just for you. We can plan a general itinerary based on what we think you would be most interested in, or you can tell us. For example, North Americans may like to visit the American and Canadian beaches of Omaha, Utah and Juno, and the American and Canadian war cemeteries. If you have a family connection, we will plan an itinerary that follows the route your family member took with their battalion during the Battle of Normandy. WWII Family History Tour What is truly unique about …

Calvados Tourisme - L. Durand

Paris, the Loire Valley and Normandy at a slower pace

This itinerary will take you to three of the culturally richest regions of France, at a relaxed pace and away from the beaten tracks. We recommend flying into and out of Paris for this itinerary.

Colleville American Cemetery in Normandy Vincent Rustuel - Calvados Attractivité

World War History Tour of France

Many of us are related in some way to the World Wars' history : a father, uncle, grandfather, family friend, or a famous soldier we admire, who fought amongst the Allied troops on French soil. We are very happy and proud to plan itineraries for you to learn more about the history of the two World Wars of the 20th century. The below tour is a sample and we will craft your own trip based on any information you may have available or are willing to discover.

Royal Fortress in Chinon Jean-Christophe Coutand - ADT Touraine

The Very Best of Northern France

From East to West, discover the Northern half of France at your own pace. Visit Alsace, Burgundy, the Loire Valley, and Normandy, ending your wonderful adventure in Paris.

Marc Schaffner - Morbihan Tourisme

Normandy, Brittany & the Loire Valley Tour

From the landing sites in Normandy to Mont Saint Michel on to Brittany ending in the Loire Valley, this itinerary will have you discover all the history, traditions and gastronomy of the North-West of France.

Slow Travel to Normandy, Brittany & Paris

This itinerary will uncover the treasures of the North-West of France, at a very relaxed pace...so you really have the time to meet with locals.

How to get to Normandy

Normandy from paris.

Normandy is very easy to reach from downtown Paris or Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. Drive out of Paris or CDG Airport and you will reach Monet's house in Giverny in 1 hour, then Rouen in about 1h30. If you plan on staying in Caen or Bayeux (3hr drive from Paris), you can stop over for lunch in the beautiful Honfleur or Deauville areas. Normandy tours are very easy to organize from Paris. There are also direct trains from Paris to Normandy - however, hiring automatic rental car in Caen or Bayeux can be difficult.

Normandy from the Loire Valley

If you come from the Loire Valley - or Castle Country as it's known - Mont Saint Michel or the D-Day Landing Beaches are about 3 hour 30 drive. Most travelers drive to Normandy from Paris then to the Loire Valley. However, there is also a lot to be said for doing the journey in reverse: starting in the Loire Valley, then heading to Normandy. Also, if you want to avoid spending the last night of your trip to France in CDG Airport, you can consider staying in Giverny which is only 1 hour drive from CDG, and just heading to the airport the day you fly. 

Ma p of Normandy

The touristic region of Normandy spreads along the French coast of the English Channel  from Rouen (1hr30 drive from Paris) at the Eastern end, all the way to Mont Saint Michel at the Western end . As one of the most visited regions in France, our Normandy driving tour has a lot to offer to independent travelers. A self-guided driving tour of Normandy in France is the best way to get a real feel for this region.

Click on the map to enlarge and read more about Normandy geography and sightseeing. You can also take a look at our other maps of Normandy .

Wh at to do in Normandy

Monet's house & gardens in giverny.

One of Normandy's main selling points is its culture, a prime example being Giverny and its marvelous gardens and water lilies, home of Claude Monet and a number of other Impressionist painters. We will be happy to include a skip-the-line visit to Monet's house and gardens in your Normandy driving tour.

Despite its international fame, especially in the US, it might surpise you to know that most French people aren't familiar with this place. To us - the Frenchies - Monet is associated with the Musée D'Orsay in Paris, as it's where you will find most of his paintings.  Monet's gardens  at Giverny are beautiful, especially from May through July, but they can get very crowded.  

Waterlilies in the Japanese garden in Giverny

World War II Sites: Battle of Normandy Tours

D-day beaches self drive tour.

Many of our travelers come to Normandy to learn the history of their father, uncle or grand-father who were involved in the D Day landings in 1944 . This is always an emotional experience, regardless of whether you have relative who fought or not, and so we do our best to make sure our travelers get as much detailed information as possible about what happened to those brave soldiers. For those who have names, dates or places they want to learn about – we will be happy to craft the itinerary accordingly.

We have selected a very few English-speaking guides who specialize in Normandy D Day tours. They will be happy to take you on a Battle of Normandy tour and bring the history of this area alive and answer all of your questions. To us, this is a must – at least if this is your first visit to Normandy. 

Normandy Beach Tours

For American travelers, Omaha or Utah Beach as well as Sainte Mere Eglise and Pointe du Hoc are a must see. The American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer  – right above Omaha Beach - is also incredibly impressive and illustrates the enormity of the sacrifice the Allies made to free the French people. The German, British and Canadian cemeteries are equally awe-inspiring.

Canadian travelers will get the chance to learn about the Canadian landing at  Juno Beach Center , which is very interesting. British people can visit Sword Beach , North of Caen to discover the history of their ancestors. It is also worth checking out the impressive remains of the  Arromanches artificial bridge which was built in a night.

Whether you like better a self-guided tour of Normandy beaches or you rather take a battlefields guided tour, we can craft your days in Normandy to make the most of your time. 

©Calvados Toursime - Arromanches Artificial Port

Mont Saint Michel Village & Abbey

A day visiting Unesco World Heritage site and popular tourist attraction  Mont Saint Michel is a must, too. This 8th-century abbey sitting atop a tidal island off the Normandy coast is a sight to behold and is definitely worth your time. In your Normandy itinerary, we will tell you the best way to visit Mont St Michel so that you avoid the tourist crowds and learn all the secrets of this mystical place.

Many people visiting Normandy plan a trip to Mont Saint Michel, a small village built on a rock off the Norman coast. It is the most visited site in France and is likely to continue to be thanks to its beauty, history, architecture and the rhythm of the tide as it laps against its shore. The fascination we feel standing in front of this mystical site never ceases. Mont Saint Michel and its bay became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Click here to read more about Mont Saint Michel . 

©Ben Bard - Mont Saint Michel Village & Abbey

The Normandy Hinterland

Thinking about Normandy might conjure up images of sandy beaches, but that's not all the spectacular region has to offer.  Normandy’s hinterland is a beautiful part of the country and well worth taking the time to explore. Its rolling green hills, black and white cows and apple orchards give the area a unique character. Combine that with some of the most beautiful villages in France featuring gorgeous half-timbered houses and cobblestone streets, and you’re all set for the perfect Normandy driving tour! 

Make sure you spend some time in the  Pays d’Auge , admiring its picturesque villages, such as Beuvron-en-Auge with its beautiful half timbered houses.

©Dieter Basse - Half-Timbered Houses in Normandy

Normandy Beach Resorts : Honfleur to Cabourg

Along the Normandy coast, from Dieppe in the North of Rouen to Honfleur , Deauville and Cabourg , Normandy was - and still is - one of the main getaway destinations for the Parisians.

In the 19th century, famous painters such as Eugène Boudin immortalized these weekends in Deauville or Honfleur through their art. Later Monet and Manet – impressionist painters – also tried to reproduce the very special light that shines down on the Normandy beaches in the morning, at dawn or on a stormy day.

Top tip: if you are planning on driving from Paris CDG airport to Normandy direct on the day of your arrival, make sure you have " moules frites " for lunch in Honfleur port, followed by a stroll along the Deauville boardwalk. This is the perfect way to start your Normandy tour and unwind after your flight and get your first taste of French life !

Bathing Time in Deauville by Eugène Boudin in 1865

Normandy's Old Cities

Many historical sites were bombed during the Invasion of Normandy . However, many sites remain untouched (or were rebuilt after the war). 

• Bayeux's old town  with its majestic cathedral and millennium old Bayeux Tapestry  depicting the Norman conquest of England in 1066 are must-sees. Bayeux city, 5 miles inland behind Arromanches' artificial harbor, is the only big city that remained untouched by WWII and is perfect for strolling around, soaking up the atmosphere of Normandy. 
• Those passionate about impressionist painters or Joan of Arc will also enjoy visiting Rouen . 

©Ben Bard - Bayeux Old City

Normandy Gastronomy: if you like apples and dairy products...

You'll find out while self-driving in the Normandy, that the people there know how to enjoy life! Reputed gastronomes, they love a good home-made meal with a drink. Normandy is affectionately called the "butter land of the gods" because of its important production of some of France’s finest dairy products. With its seafood, cheese and apples, Normandy cuisine is one of the best in France. 

Why You Should avoid Day Trips from Paris to Normandy

Normandy is famous worldwide for playing a vital role in the Second World War . The American landings on Omaha and Utah beaches and the Canadian and British landings in Juno, Gold and Sword beach marked the beginning of the end of a terrible war. Today, thinking about Normandy, we all have these images in mind: military cemeteries, memorials and bombarded cities. A day trip from Paris is simply not enough to truly make the most of this fascinating part of France : a self guided tour of Normandy for several days is the best way to discover the region.

There is so much more to this authentic region, which is why it's worth giving it as much time as you can afford. Here are three great reasons to spend more than a day in Normandy!

Over 1000 years of Normandy history

Of course, the history of Normandy extends far beyond the 20th century. It was first invaded by the Vikings in 845 (find out more aout the Siege of Paris ). It bore witness to Joan of Arc ’s bravery in the early 15th century, when  she was burned at the stake . It saw  William the Conqueror ’s endless thirst for greatness, followed by the Hundred Years War (between France and Great Britain) and then World Wars I and II . Too much to see in a day ! You should take your time and enjoy our self-guided tours of Normandy battlefields. 

Normandy Gastronomy

Normandy cuisine is renowned for its mouth-watering taste, with a particular focus on dairy, alcohol and seafood . Local specialties include butter and other dairy products, as well as Norman cider and Calvados (apple brandy). The apples come from the local orchards that you will spot as you make your way through the Norman hinterland and seaside.

The People of Normandy

Perhaps one of the best things about Normandy is the people who live there . It’s always difficult to generalize on these matters - and neither Guillaume nor Emilie have Norman roots. However, speaking objectively, we know the people of Normandy are joyful, open people who are easy to talk to and eager to welcome you to their region.

Before or After Normandy, where to ?

Normandy is only a 1 hour to 4 hour drive from Paris , depending if you want to reach Giverny or Mont Saint Michel. 

It is also about 2hrs30 to 3hrs drive to the Loire Valley , which makes a Paris, Normandy and Loire Valley wonderful itinerary without driving too much in between the different regions.

Also, Brittany region is right next to Normandy and a great addition to your self drive trip in France.

We take pride in crafting personalized tours of Normandy that take people to the popular places and attractions but avoid the worst of the tourist crowds. Better than an organized group tour, this self guided tour allows you to explore Normandy by car at your own pace. Scroll down to see a list of tours that include Normandy, or contact us to let us know your wishes and we can craft a tour just for you.

Explore Normandy at your own pace on a self drive tour with France Just For You

FAQs about Normandy

To fully understand the history of the Normandy region, we suggest a self-guided driving tour of Normandy for about 3 to 5 days (or more). Then, for travelers interested in history, we will plan for a Battle of Normandy tour with a local guide. For history lovers we will recommend a mix of D-Day beaches self-drive tour (for the site where you won't need a guide) and guided tours (private or with a small group depending on your budget) for the rest of the time.

All the D-Day beaches are open to the public freely. Some travelers may be surprised to see locals bathing in this area but for les Normands, it's part of history, but it's also the place you come with your children and enjoy the nice weather. Normandy beach tours are very popular with Northern American and British travelers.

It depends on the season you are visiting. June, with D-Day anniversary celebrations, gets booked at least 6 months in advance and our best guides are book over a year ahead for all the month of June. 

If you come another month of the year, booking about 4 months ahead gives us flexibility to craft your self-guided driving tour of Normandy and include all your wishes. 

Blog posts about Normandy

All the Light We Cannot See - Recommended Netflix Series

Uncovering the Mysteries of Medieval France

Raphodon , CC-BY SA 3.0

Rouen Armada 2023: France’s Tall Ship Festival

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Explore your Ancestry in France - Interview with a French Genealogist

France in September

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France in May

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France in June

Basket of apples Needpix

Guest Chef Judy Link's Normandy Chicken Recipe

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Our travelers’ reviews.

France Just For You is a service I highly recommend regardless of how much experience you have traveling through France. Emilie does an amazing job of putting together an exciting and interesting itinerary, taking you to places and meeting people you would never find on your own. Not only are her ideas great, but she is also very thorough. Her trip …

France Just For You is a service I highly recommend regardless of how much experience you have traveling through France. Emilie does an amazing job of putting together an exciting and interesting itinerary, taking you to places and meeting people you would never find on your own. Not only are her ideas great, but she is also very thorough. Her trip planning book is the bible, giving you not only the customized information about your trip, but also lots of tips and information about language, travel, and local customs. Our 25th wedding anniversary in France was fantastic, in large part, because of the planning and help we received from France-Just For You and Emilie.

For my wife and me, Emilie planned three weeks of wonderful experiences. She was quick to respond to questions and crafted an itinerary which suited us. The selection of places to see, things to do, and where to eat were superb. Emilie added a charming personal touch. As it was our 30-year anniversary, she arranged for an accommodation to welcome …

For my wife and me, Emilie planned three weeks of wonderful experiences. She was quick to respond to questions and crafted an itinerary which suited us. The selection of places to see, things to do, and where to eat were superb. Emilie added a charming personal touch. As it was our 30-year anniversary, she arranged for an accommodation to welcome us with a lovely bouquet of red roses and at another, we were greeted with a nice bottle of local wine. In the Loire Valley, she arranged a personal wine tasting at which we tasted and received an excellent bottle of Vouvray, Val de Loire, 1987, the year of our marriage. I try not to write in superlatives but I can say, we have never had such great service and personal attention. Thank you Emilie and family!

We used France Just For You to make all the arrangements so we could travel without having deal with all the details, and they did a beautiful job of doing so- our lodging, car rentals, entry vouchers, everything! We saw a lot in eleven nights, and France Just For You made it seamless- Thanks so much!

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A cycling tour of the Normandy D-day landing beaches

Taking in the heroics and horrors of the D-day sites is a moving experience for our writer – and a fitting way to mark the 75th anniversary

P recariously small landing craft lurching about in an unruly sea. Young men’s faces set in a mixture of determination and trepidation. The beach before them a morass of tank traps and barbed wire. “As our boat touched sand and the ramp went down, I became a visitor to hell,” US private Harry Parley later recalled.

The horror and the heroism of the D-day landings came home to me once more as I watched a film at the Musée du Débarquement (D-Day Landings Museum) in Arromanches-les-Bains. Seventy-five years ago, on 6 June 1944, this small town was at the western end of Gold Beach – code name for one of the five stretches of the Normandy coast chosen for the allied invasion of German-occupied France.

The museum’s panoramic windows look out over a wide strand where the vestiges of those landings are still clearly visible: mighty fragments of the portable Mulberry harbours – shipped across the Channel in sections to form a huge makeshift port – still resist the waves out at sea, or sprawl on the sand like mighty beached whales.

In stark contrast to the hardships faced by the troops in 1944, I stayed in comfortable hotels, with my luggage transported ahead. So I was unencumbered as I explored Normandy’s Calvados départment on an electric bicycle that was something of an indulgence – the flat terrain here is hardly taxing.

I bowled along quiet country lanes, riverbank paths, rutted farm tracks and the occasional outbreak of cobbles. Indeed, I often found myself turning my electrical helpmeet off so that I could slow down and savour the little stone villages, blossoming apple orchards and seemingly endless fields of deep green flax and bright yellow rapeseed that gave the scenery the look of a vast inland sea.

The first of my self-guided tours took me on a 12-mile loop from the village of Crépon (a church, a bar-tabac, a bespoke umbrella factory) to Courseulles-sur-Mer on Juno and Ver-sur-Mer on Gold Beach, where David Williams-Ellis D-day sculpture , the centrepiece for the new British Normandy Memorial, was unveiled on the 6 June, the 75th anniversary of the landings.

It was at the former that I first encountered what would soon become a familiar sight: banners attached to the lampposts, each bearing a photograph of an allied soldier, sailor or airman, with his name and the words “WWII Heroes”. These served as a constant reminder that the largest amphibious landing in history was composed of hundreds of thousands of personal stories, many of which ended in tragedy.

One soldier who survived to tell the tale was Canadian sergeant Garth Webb, who co-founded the Juno Beach Centre museum with two fellow veterans to mark the contribution made by his fellow countrymen. It’s a worthy tribute to the 14,000 Canadians who fought in the Battle of Normandy, 359 of whom perished on D-day itself. “Every single man under Webb’s command had been killed in the first hour,” my guide, Louis, told me.

Rather than give a blow-by-blow account of the landings, the museum attempts to explain the reasons why Canadians volunteered to fight here, with combatants telling their own stories to camera. To remind visitors just how young they all were, the museum deliberately employs youthful Canadians as guides. A new exhibition also tells a largely unheard story: that of women whose active service contributed to the allied victory.

“It’s also the only museum to offer tours of bunkers,” Louis informed me proudly. Dug out by volunteers from the sand that had engulfed them for decades, the two bunkers he took me into had been built in 1941 and 1944 and demonstrated how the course of the war had changed between those years. The first is a comparatively flimsy affair, thrown up by a conquering German army with little to fear. The later bunker has concrete walls two metres thick and openings at the sides from which guns could strafe the beach.

My hotel in the village of Crépon was a fortification from a far more distant era. La Ferme de la Rançonnière is a 13th-century semi-fortified farm rebuilt in the 17th century and reputedly equipped with a tunnel connecting it with the Château de Creully two miles away.

It offers guests a welcome tot of calvados, the cockle-warming apple brandy. It’s one of a trio of local apple-based alcoholic drinks (there are no vineyards hereabouts) and takes its name from the départment . The others are pommeau – partly fermented farm-produced apple juice mixed with calvados, which has a reputation for undoing the unwary – and cidre in many forms.

Each night, with a clear-ish head, I studied the copious trip notes supplied by tour operator Inntravel. These included instructions for marking up the next day’s trails on the map provided. Much of the time I was following véloroutes , the well-signposted cycleways that crisscross France. There were also detailed instructions of the “take the first left after the red barn” variety. You would really have to make an effort to go wrong: I only managed it once when, with my boundless capacity for self-sabotage, I heeded neither map nor instructions.

I did make it without mishap to Arromanches-les-Bains, where I slipped into the Arromanches 360 Circular Cinema to watch the film, Normandy’s 100 Days. Projected on to a 360-degree screen, the film uses actual footage from the campaign. With half a dozen clips all playing at once around me, and a soundtrack of battle noise that I felt in my stomach as much as my ears, it induced a powerful sense of disorientation. I could only guess what it must have felt like for those who were there. It was impossible not to feel both awed by their courage and audacity, and also aghast at the sheer insanity of war.

The following day, at the small harbour town of Port-en-Bessin, I climbed the hillside to watch the revolving bridge below me swing open, admitting a string of little trawlers into port, their catch soon to be sold at the market on the pier. On the summit of the hill above me, one Captain Terry Cousins gave his life leading a final, desperate but ultimately successful assault on what had seemed an impregnable German position. The taking of Port-en-Bessin meant that Operation Pluto (Pipe Lines Under the Ocean) could make landfall, supplying the allies with much-needed fuel.

From there it is just a few miles to the low dunes on Omaha Beach. Swallows darted about the waves as I gazed out to sea, while a lone wheatear, tail bobbing furiously, hunted for lunch in the sand at my feet.

Omaha was taken by the Americans, and it was with a brine-laden breeze filling my lungs that I pedalled to the immaculately maintained Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer. Herds of schoolchildren crowded into a gargantuan memorial to inspect enormous murals showing how the beach-head was established and how its creation would eventually lead to VE Day.

Part of the price for that victory lay behind them: the graves of 9,388 soldiers, their identical white crosses standing stiffly in ranks of military straightness above the five miles of beach where many of them had fallen.

Two days after D-day, Bayeux, which had been largely spared by the war, became the first town in France to be liberated. I enjoyed a leisurely stroll around its cornucopia of medieval buildings, including the magnificent cathedral. My hotel, the Lion d’Or , an 18th-century coaching house, was relatively modern in comparison. It also served up an unusual dessert for a region so obsessed with la pomme – a carrot mousse cake confection with orange chantilly cream and tarragon ice-cream that sent my dining companion into raptures. I discovered that the hotel had played its own part in the war – Generals Montgomery, Eisenhower and de Gaulle had all slept here.

But, of course, Bayeux is best known for its tapestry (or, more correctly, embroidery). The cloth tells the story of another successful invasion – that of England in 1066. I confess I hadn’t expected to be quite so bowled over by seeing it in the flesh (or rather the flax) but it was a remarkable experience.

The details are extraordinary – right down to the mace flourished in battle by Bishop Odo (soon to become the Earl of Kent), William the Conqueror’s half-brother. According to the excellent audioguide, he had chosen this club-like weapon to finesse one of the stickier points of medieval theology: “A prelate wasn’t allowed to draw blood but he could knock people out.”

It’s fitting that at the Bayeux War Cemetery and Memorial – where the dead from both sides lie – an inscription in Latin draws the ancient and modern conflicts together: “Nos a Gulielmo victi victoris patriam liberavimus,” it reads. We, once conquered by William, have now set free the land of the Conqueror.

The trip was provided by Inntravel, whose self-guided Bayeux & Beaches of Normandy tour includes six nights’ B&B, four dinners, cycle hire, maps and luggage transfer and costs from £9 45pp excluding transport (or from £1, 175pp with train travel from London to Bayeux; from £1,020pp self-drive, including Dover-Calais ferry; electric bike £80 extra). Further information: normandy-tourism.org

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Your Self-guided 'D-Day Tour' of Normandy

Where to go and what to see.

by Melissa Stanton, November 8, 2010

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The D-Day invasion beaches.

An assortment of travel companies offer World War II-oriented guided tours of the Normandy coast, site of the Allied invasion on D-Day — June 6, 1944.

See also: Trip to Normandy still tells the real D-Day story

But if you're up to renting a car and heading out on your own (the French drive on the same side of the road as we do, just faster), you can pass on the tour bus option and explore the French countryside and coastline at your own pace.

• Heirs of War: Uncovering Parents’ WWII Stories. Read
• D-Day as One Young GI Saw It. Read
• Making Waves: Navy Women of WWII. Watch
• Veterans’ Voices: An Oral History Project. Read

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The Land and History

The Normandy region features rugged English Channel beaches beneath towering cliffs, expansive stretches of farmland dotted with small villages, and the remains of both medieval and 20th-century warfare.

Although the distance from Paris or Charles de Gaulle airport is suitable for a long day trip (the drive takes about three hours each way), you should spend at least a night or two at one of the area's many historic inns and small hotels. From Paris, you approach the Normandy coastline from the east through the city of Caen or town of Bayeux. They lie just south of the 50-mile stretch of D-Day landing sites that Allied forces dubbed — from east to west — Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah beaches. (Note: On the map above, north is at the bottom.) By the spring of 1944, Nazi Germany had controlled France and its northern coast for four years. As supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, U.S. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower planned and supervised the invasion, called Operation Overlord. British and Canadian airborne and infantry forces were responsible for the eastern portion of the invasion, hitting Sword (British), Juno (Canadian) and Gold (British) beaches. American forces handled the western half of the assault, covering the region running from Bayeux to Carentan. Most American visitors gravitate toward Omaha and Utah beaches, behind which paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st Airborne landed in support of the seaborne assaults by U.S. infantry divisions. Omaha, considered the bloodiest of the invasion beaches with more than 2,000 casualties, was a fearsome place to come ashore; the Germans had fortified the beach with barricades and obstacles to ward off invaders, and high cliffs provided a perch for them to fire down upon arriving Allied forces.

Things to See and Places to Go

Caen: An 11th-century city that was almost entirely destroyed during the war, Caen is home to a visitor center and museum, the Caen War Memorial , which is used by many as a starting point for touring the Normandy beaches. The Pegasus Bridge across the Caen Canal, in nearby Ranville-Benouville, was the first bridge to be liberated by the Allies after the invasion. (The original bridge is on display at the Pegasus Memorial Museum .) Bayeux: The first town liberated by the Allies, Bayeux Medieval Downtown, attracts tourists with its shops, restaurants, hotels and famous Bayeux Tapestry , a 230-foot-long wall hanging that depicts the history of William the Conqueror's Norman invasion of England in 1066.

Arromanches: At the center of the invasion beaches, this British-run area housed the "Mulberry B," the huge artificial harbor the Allies brought from England to offload men, vehicles and cargo onto the beaches. Ruins of the harbor can be seen today and a museum display explains how the structure was built, transported and operated. Omaha Beach/St. Laurent: The 172-acre American Military Cemetery in Colleville-Sur-Mere sits on a bluff high above Omaha Beach and contains more than 9,000 graves marked by white crosses and stars of David. The cemetery and its informative visitor displays are somber, worshipful memorials set against spectacular water views. The Normandy region contains nearly 30 cemeteries that hold the remains of some 100,000 American, British, Canadian, French, Polish and German soldiers. Pointe du Hoc: U.S. Rangers scaled this strategically located, 100-foot-high cliff on D-Day to capture a German stronghold on a promontory near Grandcamp-Masey. The Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument (currently under construction) and the ruins of bomb craters and German bunkers are present on the site. Utah Beach: Paratroopers landing in and near the villages surrounding Carentan and Sainte-Marie-Du-Mont helped protect the arriving forces on Utah Beach . Now home to the U.S. Navy Monument at Normandy . Prior to the statue's dedication in 2008, U.S. sailors were the only service among the Allied forces without a D-Day beach memorial. Sainte-Mère-Église: The Airborne Museum tells how U.S. paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions landed in this town and secured the western flank of the invasion. The roof of the town's church features a replica of paratrooper John Steele, who became entangled in its spires during the battle (yet survived).

Melissa Stanton is an editor at AARP.org.

Published November 8, 2010

Visiting Normandy and the D-Day Beaches

• Normandy Tourism. Go    
• The National World War II Museum. Go
• France for Visitors: Normandy Invasion Beaches. Go

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Eric TURNBULL

D-day landing tours.

Battlefield tour guide

American D-Day & Battlefield tours

British d-day & battlefield tours.

Canadian D-Day & Battlefield tours

Bespoke and multi-day d-day & battlefield tours.

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Omaha Beach

Ranville cemetery

Sword Beach

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Breville ridge

Arromanches

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Pointe du hoc

News from Eric Le Doux-Turnbull

30th Infantry Division Tours

The German cemetery La Cambe

Falaise Pocket Tours

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Welcome to Allied Victory Tours

Private guided tours of the D-Day landing beaches and battlefields of Normandy by historian Mike van den Dobbelsteen.

Nearly 2 million Allied forces were involved in the largest military operation the world has ever seen. 156,000 American, British, Canadian and French troops land along nearly 100 miles of Norman coastline, and breach Fortress Europe within hours. It is 6 June 1944… the Allies have launched Operation Overlord… it’s D-Day.

Allied Victory Tours offers tours to American, British, Canadian and French landing sites. Utah Beach, Sainte Mère Église, Carentan, Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, Longues-sur-Mer, Gold Beach, Arromanches, Juno Beach, Sword Beach, Ouistreham, Pegasus Bridge, Merville Battery and many more…

All tours are fully English or Dutch spoken and can be personalised, and even tailor-made.

Join me to discover the many historical locations, experience walking in the footsteps of the Greatest Generation, learn about this incredible moment in world history, and take time to reflect and pay your respects at one of the many war cemeteries.

I am looking forward to welcoming you to historic Normandy!

– Mike van den Dobbelsteen

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D-Day Tour / Paris - Normandy | Self-guided Motorcycle Tour

• TYPE Self-guided tour
• REGION Europe
• PERIODE June, July, August, September
• DURATION 9 Days

D-Day Tour / Paris - Normandy - Tour description

The region of Normandy known as the land of horses is blessed with an amazing natural beauty and dressed with colorful farming fields and lush forests. It is also known for being the region where the Allies troops landed in 1944. Our tour provides delightful surprises and visits of the must-see sights in this area. We start from the ritzy seaside of Deauville, landing on the D-Day beaches, stopping by the Saint-Michel-Mont and finishing with the centerpiece : the Palace of Versailles . Food lovers will be like surrounded by local specialties: “crêpes Bretonnes”, tasty seafood, including a glass of cider. Come and discover the French “art de vivre”!

Ride along the white cliffs of Normandy

Spirit of this motorcycle tour

This ride is rich in cultural and historical discoveries, without being a typical tourist trek. Your guide will make you discover every secret nook and corners of the regions. You will enjoy comfort and pleasant riding along the seaside and through the wooded Norman Landscapes. Fine food, gold beaches, green countryside, cultural monuments and exciting rides through the hedges and ditches: this tour has something to please all tastes.

Best time to do this motorcycle tour:

• Departures between May and September,
• Arrival days to Paris : Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday,
• Best months: June, July, September.

Rates for this self-guided tour (8 nights only) - 2016:

• Driver in Double room: 2 930 €
• Driver in Single room: 3 892 €
• Passenger in Double room: 1 051 €
• High season supplement (July & August):
• 140 €/person in double room
• 260 €/person in single room

Requirements:

• All motorcycle renters are required to be minimum 25 years of age with two years of riding experience on a 600cc or larger motorcycle. They must have in their possession a valid driver’s license with a motorcycle endorsement from country or state of permanent residence.
• A 500 USD refundable deposit will be required regarding the GPS rental.

Tour services:

• 8 overnights in comfortable premium hotels,
• Breakfasts,
• 7 days rental of a motorcycle with comprehensive vehicle insurance (deductible depends on the selected model),
• 1 pre-programmed GPS,
• Tour information package including safety tips and road map,
• 1 area map for back-up,

Services not included:

• Flight tickets,
• Hotel to airport transfers,
• Charges to hotel rooms (phone, laundry, etc),
• Individual activities.
• Parking and tolls,
• Travel insurance ,
• Any other service not mentionned in « tour services ».

More informations about your motorcycle tour in Europe

Find out what is the best time to visit Europe . All the travel documents you need to visit Europe. This motorcycle tour is also available as a guided tour .

Tour Itinerary

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In the heart of provence | self-guided motorcycle tour, the route of the alps | self-guided motorcycle tour, the colours of tuscany | self-guided motorcycle tour, west forever - motorcycle touring.

We’re open and available for tours all year round. 

Read our tripadvisor reviews.

Read some TripAdvisor reviews from past clients. We work hard to make sure every tour is successful and we’re proud of all these great reviews and of our Certificate of Excellence.

A SHORT VIDEO FROM MAY 2022

In May 2022, one of our clients was kind enough to send us this lovely video, shot during their tour, and they gave us their permission to post it on our site. Turn the sound on to hear Malcolm’s commentary.

ONE DAY TOURS

One-day guided tours of the landing beaches and battlefields. Choose from U.S., British or Canadian Sector tours. The very best experience.

FOLLOW A SPECIFIC UNIT

Follow in the footsteps of a specific regiment, company or unit, from the landing beaches to the battles for Normandy.

THREE DAY TOURS

More detail, more knowledge and more impact. Experience the sights and sites that shorter tours can’t cover. Get off the beaten track.

CUSTOM PRIVATE TOURS

Custom designed tours are a specialty. Let us know in advance what you want to see and Malcolm will design a specific tour just for you.

D-Day Tours. The Normandy invasion brought to life. 

Check availability here.

Please note we have NO availability from 3 – 10 June 2024, during the 80th anniversary commemorations.

RELAXED, FRIENDLY, EXPERT APPROACH

The best D-Day tour guides, the best locations, the most detail. We cover the ground but you’ll never feel rushed, hurried or short changed. Bringing history to life.

BATTLE OF NORMANDY TOURS

Battles raged through Normandy until Sept. 1944. We go beyond the beaches and show you the locations of the key engagements in the campaign to push further into France, away from the landing beaches..

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GUARANTEED QUALITY TOURS

Quality, value for money and total customer satisfaction are at the centre of everything we do.

D-DAY CEMETERY TOURS

Pay tribute to fallen heroes in the moving atmosphere of the D-Day cemeteries

I just thought I would drop you a little note to thank Malcolm for the fabulous day we had with him on Saturday, the one day tour he took us on was perfect in every way and his enthusiasm for the subject is portrayed in the way he delivers the lectures/talks at the various locations he took us to, we ended up feeling that we were actually there on D Day so much is his passion for the subject, bearing in mind he has most probably delivered the same talks numerous times, but you could not tell. The numerous locations he took us to where perfect and I know we would never have found most of them and as such we would have missed some important locations/events that happened in the areas on D day. I would like to thank yourself for the lovely picnic lunches that you provided, they were just the right amount of food and a perfect mix of foods, and the location Malcolm took us to have our food was excellent. So I would like to thank you both for making the day absolutely perfect in every way and it totally exceeded our expectations.

Engrossing, informative, and intimate D-Day tour with a true expert on the subject! If you are looking for an engrossing, informative, and intimate D-Day tour that you will remember for years to come, look no further. Working out scheduling and meeting arrangements with Allison and Malcom was a breeze. When the day came, it was everything my partner and I could have wanted in an eight-hour tour. Malcolm’s understanding of the scope of the Day of Days (and the days beyond), is astonishing, and he is able to present his knowledge in a way that is wholly digestible and easy to understand. He expertly relays the macro and the micro of the European Theater of War through interweaving facts, statistics, and data, with amazing personal stories of individual persons or groups. This gave my partner and I an appreciation of both the broader global consequences of WWII, as well as the most important side – the war at the human level. Malcolm’s tours are a gem, and I would happily go back to schedule a week long sojourn with Malcolm across Normandy. If you are looking for a fantastic Normandy tour, this is it. He was even nice enough to stop at a local store so my partner and I could grab more power outlet adapters! Thanks for the lovely day, Malcolm!

It’s barely a week since we returned home to the states from a wonderfully memorable trip, of which you and Malcolm were such a big part. I think that by now, Malcolm might have mentioned to you what I had revealed to him in the last few moments of our tour – I am a Private Tour Guide in New York. Of course I did not want to reveal that info prior to or during our tour with Malcolm, because I knew it could make a fellow guide just a wee bit uncomfortable about being judged. Malcolm was a masterful tour guide and mad our tour of the D-Day Beaches and the Normandy area so much more remarkable, revealing, but most importantly – moving. The best tour guides, have a real knack for relating stories that bring history alive and Malcolm has the passion and the interest in the subject that make the D-day experience with him something very special. …I wanted to thank you for being so accommodating at the last minute (twice)… Thanks for offering to put us up at your property and then eventually changing our private tour date that allowed us to catch a ride to Mont St. Michel. Also, your lunch box you prepared for our tour day was delicious – in particular the ham and cheese baguette, and the wonderful homemade apple cake dessert – loved it. Good job ! Malcolm, like me, has found later in life, what he is truly built to do – relate incredibly important history that changed the world (in a very positive way) and show where it all happened.

Absolutely mezmerizing! From first contact to after the trip concluded Malcolm and his wife Allison treated us like family. Arriving in Bayeaux and seeing massive tour buses and large vans loading dozens of tourists it was refreshing seeing Malcolm standing alone and escorting us to his SUV. He prepares a folder for each tour and provides visual aides to reproduce the soldiers first hand accounts. Books and Hollywood do nothing to bring out the TRUTH and personal visceral feelings one encounters as you step in the footsteps of history. See and feel the bombed out bunkers, craters and turn off your phone/camera, place yourself upon those sites and just close your eyes. Malcolm is not just a guide but a story teller. He is so passionate about this subject. We talked the entire time. He took the time for personal interaction with both my 30 yo and 16 yo son along with my wife and myself. No one felt excluded. Halfway through the tours, his wife Allison provided a nice homemade picnic (optional and recommended) included sandwiches, quiche, fruit, wine and waters in a nice farming area away from the tour groups. Luckily we arrived with very low crowds and never saw more than 10-20 people at any of the sites. He truly is private and allows you to customize the tour, but follow his recommendations. You won’t be disappointed. If you want to see gift shops, this isn’t the guy for you! We just got home to the US and I can not stop watching war documentaries. I feel I have a much better understanding and can honestly say, “Hey, I saw that”! Thank you Malcolm and Allison.

Came to France to do the Normandy tour. Learned more from Malcolm in two days than I did in ten years at school. The accommodation was excellent and we recommend the old railway cycling track as an outdoor activity. We were privileged to avail of Alison’s cooking – and it is to be highly recommended. Both Alison and Malcolm were the perfect hosts and we can’t forget little Archie & Hendley (the dog and cat!).

Thank you so much for the excellent 2 day tour. It was a great experience. I had expected to see bunkers, guns, tanks, and so forth, as we did. But I had no idea that we would be treated to the many anecdotes and stories you tell so well, like that of the extraordinary bravery and skill of the glider pilots that made it possible to seize Pegasus Bridge. Or the stories of John Steele at Sainte-Mere-Eglise, of Lt. Richard Winters and Easy Company at Brecourt, of Lt. Col. Robert Cole, and others. Your extensive knowledge of the heroic exploits of the men that made D-Day a success is remarkable. That fund of knowledge combined with your passion to tell their stories made for extraordinary experience for Matt and for me, an experience that surpassed even our greatest expectations. So thank you. And a hearty thank you to Alison too for the delightful lunches. I feel very fortunate to have had you as a guide and would recommend you to anyone who wants to understand the events of D-Day.

Thank you for such an incredible day. This was the part of our trip that we were looking forward to the most, and it turned out to be the absolute highlight of our entire week. We truly felt like we were in a graduate level history course going to the various battlefield sights, churches, monuments, and beach landing sites with you. Having the opportunity to learn more about our great-uncle’s experience once he was dropped behind enemy lines was truly incredible, and it was absolutely awe-inspiring to visit the American cemetery where he is buried. The personal touch that you and Alison, with her fantastic picnic lunch, added to our day was so unique. We’re looking forward to sharing our experience with the rest of our family, especially our grandfather.

In Sept. 2014 my husband and I spent three wonderful days staying with the Cloughs and touring the Normandy Battlefields. The cottage, the meals, the extensive tour – all were wonderful ! Malcolm has such an extensive knowledge of the war and presents it in a professional, knowledgable, entertaining manner. We saw so many sites that wouldn’t be included on shorter tours. This was a Christmas gift to my husband and I thought I might be bored touring so many war sites, this was never the case. Malcolm’s wife, Alison, provided delicious breakfasts every morning, lovely lunches to be eaten while on the tour, and grand dinners. We ate in their dining room and they made us feel like old friends rather than guests. The cottage we had was spotless and decorated with care, plus, after Malcolm picked us up at the airport Alison had a basket with bread, cheese and other treats waiting for us. We have traveled to many places and this tour and the wonderful accommodations/meals are at the top of our list of 5-Star experiences.

What a wonderful day we had with you! Your knowledge was incredible and your enthusiasm was contagious. And your willingness to go at our pace displayed a level of customer service from which others could well learn. We all agreed that the day was extremely informative and enjoyable, and that we would gladly do it again with you as our guide. As Glenna (aka Grandma) said yesterday as we were re-living our day with you, “anyone who is doing a D-Day tour needs to use Malcolm”. I don’t think there is any higher praise than from an 89-yr old woman whose husband served in the war and who lived it herself. Thanks you so very much for you knowledge, enthusiasm and kindness. If you and your wife ever come to the States and decide to pass through St. Louis, Missouri, we would be happy to host you. Best wishes in your endeavors and thanks again!

Although we were pretty ignorant about the D-Day Invasion and had no personal connection to that part of WW2, it was a subject that interested us. So we did a detour from Cape Town, South Africa, via Normandy en route to see our family. We spent three nights with Alison and Malcolm Clough in their lovely home in the country and Malcolm was our personal guide for 2 full days. Malcolm’s incredible knowledge of the Invasion and his passion for the subject brought history alive for us. We stood at inland battle sites, had the drama of capturing bridges played out, visited all five beaches heard amazing stories of heroes – some of whom survived and some of whom sadly died in active service during the Invasion. At the end of each day we visited a war cemetery which was emotional and very sobering. Our days were long but relaxed and totally absorbing. Alison provided a delicious picnic each day and Malcolm always found the perfect place to enjoy it. We found this so much nicer that sitting in a restaurant and ‘wasting time’. There was so much to hear and see. I “found” Malcolm on the website and we reckon we hit Number One. Thank you Malcolm for imparting your knowledge in such a relaxed manner and so patiently. We were enthralled and give you a 5 Star rating. Alison, thank for our lovely studio accommodation, all the goodies in the fridge and your delicious meals. We loved it all and felt very much at home with you.

Of all the things we saw and did during our adventures, two stand out. One was kayaking in the Shetlands and the other was the time we spent with you in Normandy. I looked forward to every day we were in your care, and you two and Peter did a marvelous job. The accommodations were first class, the food was great, and most of all your companionship was the key to a truly wonderful experience. Such good care you took with us to insure we had a good time. Malcolm meeting us at the ferry. Alison’s cooking. Peter being Peter. What fun we had! I couldn’t help but feel, as I looked at the other tour groups being herded along, that no one was getting the quality experience that we were having. Malcolm and Peter’s knowledge of the events and locations was superb (I like to think I know a little about them myself), and brought to life so vividly with their narrative and stories that it stirred up emotions and feelings that surprised me with their intensity. And how many of those other people got to retire to such a nice bit of France, and have dinner and conversation with their hosts in their home at the end of the day, and even get to see their wedding pictures? You made us feel special, but I suppose you make everyone that crosses your threshold feel that way. To get to walk along the beaches, stand on the bluffs, walk through the shell craters and look down from the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc! I will never forget my moments at the American Cemetery. We thank you so much!

“My wife and I have been stationed in Europe with the United States Army for the past three years, and we recently took a vacation to visit Paris and the Normandy Coast. We planned for a single day to visit Normandy and scheduled a tour with D-Day Tours of Normandy, which is owned and operated by Malcolm Clough. Malcolm was waiting for us at the train station and immediately after showing us to his SUV, the tour began. He was more than willing to modify our trip based on our timeline and interests, and his extreme knowledge and personal excitement regarding all aspects of the D-Day invasion made the trip so much more fulfilling for my wife and I. Malcolm was able to take us to every major site on each of the battlefields, to include the American cemetery, all the while supplementing the experience with his extensive historical knowledge. The tour lasted the entire day and included a lunch packed and prepared by his wife Alison, who operates their catering and B&B business. I highly recommend Malcolm and his tours, he was extremely helpful and willing to work with us based on our schedule. He was a fantastic guide, and the only person I would hire to take my family and friends to the D-Day battlefields.”

‘Thanks so much for the fantastic day. Your tour of the D-Day sights was the highlight of trip for my aunt and I. Your narrative at Omaha beach made D-Day tangible for me. The tour you gave us of the American cemetery was poignant. The visit to Pont du Hoc was spectacular. We truly appreciate the bespoke approach you took with us- accommodating all of our requests, adjusting on the fly, and giving us a full day that we will always remember and treasure’… Kate Downes, Phoenix, Arizona, USA. “Our tour … had a definite impact on each of us. We appreciated your style, and the personal nature of the tour. I think when you told us that we were taking the same steps as the soldiers, it really made us think. Also, that the entire world might be a very different place if not for the brave soldiers on D-Day. …Thanks again, you were an important part of our holiday this year”

Stephanie and I are finally back from our French trip and write to express our profound appreciation for your company/services last week. Not only did you enlighten us as to the events on the D Day beaches and beyond, but you made us feel we were touring with a kindred spirit. We have much more of an understanding for the role Steph’s father played in the war, which whilst emotional, especially for Steph, only increases our pride of him – especially having seen the exact places where he fought and some of his friends fell. It was frighteningly easy to picture him defending the troops with his machine gun in the various woods, fields and ridges on our trip. This was his story. Having now visited Normandy and the battlegrounds, I can understand why he chose not to tell it. But it was important to Steph and I that it was told, and that his children and grandchildren know what he did. You bought that story to life for us with both facts and understanding, and we thank you. … It looked like it was a great deal of work for you, but rest assured every second of it was absorbed by us with great gratitude….

Malcolm and Alison provide an unparalleled experience for a visit to the beaches. His depth of knowledge is extremely impressive. Alison’s culinary skills will cause you to want to return solely for her delicacies. If a competitor offered a free guiding service I would turn them down, and still pay for another visit with Malcolm and Alison.

I’ve been on a number of battlefield tours over the years but none have been as informative or as interesting as yours. It was truly a memorable day and the highlight of my holiday. Your flexibility in accommodating the changing itinerary meant I came away feeling as though I had seen the key sites. You really made the whole experience come alive with your stories and expert knowledge.

Contact Malcolm or Alison today. We look forward to hearing from you.  .fusion-button.button-1 {border-radius:2px;} Click here to email

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Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

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Things to Do in Noginsk, Russia - Noginsk Attractions

Things to do in noginsk.

• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Good for Kids
• Good for Couples
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Budget-friendly
• Hidden Gems
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Summery House A.I. Morozova

2. Moscow State Drama and Comedy Theater

3. Epiphany Cathedral

4. Tikhvin Temple

5. Noginsk Museum and Exhibition Center

6. Patriarch Pimen Monument

7. Fly Factory

8. Volkhonka Park

9. Dam at River Klyazma

10. Temple of St. Martyr Konstantin Bogorodskiy

11. Monument to Yuriy Stoskov

12. The World's First Monument to V.I. Lenin

13. Water Tower

14. Monument to Catherine the Great

15. Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

17. Palace of Sports Znamya

18. Gusi-Lebedi Bathing Resort

19. Mozgoboynya in Noginsk

20. Bezvykhodnost

21. Quest Museum Einstein

22. Trampoline Center "Arena"

23. Club ADRENALIN

24. Hookah Time Noginsk

25. charuni.

26. Bogorodskiy Cold Store Facility

27. Diving-Club Odyssey

What travelers are saying.