D-Day Route in Two Days
16 hFrom age 10April to October, with long opening hours
Road route · 2 days · From Bayeux
BaseBayeux
Minimum time2 days
CarNeeded for the five beaches
CemeteriesFree entry
The Bayeux Tapestry is not in Bayeux. The museum closed in September 2025 for works and is due to reopen in autumn 2027. Until 11 July 2027 the tapestry is on show at the British Museum in London.
What to do
What to do in D-Day Beaches
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Omaha Beach and the Colleville American Cemetery
2 hFrom age 10; with small children, the beach onlyAll year · closed on 25 December and 1 January
American cemetery with almost 9,400 graves above Omaha, the 6 June beach: free, 9:00 to 17:00, flag lowering at 16:00.
Pointe du Hoc
45 minAll ages, holding children's hands near the cliffAll year · works until mid-2027
The cliff the Rangers scaled on 6 June, still pitted with craters: free, 9:00 to 17:00, only the west trail open because of works until 2027.
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Plan the trip
D-Day Beaches, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to D-Day Beaches
May and September: everything open, long days and fewer people than in summer. In the weeks around 6 June there are ceremonies, road closures and hotels full months ahead; in 2026 the D-Day Festival ran from 30 May to 14 June. From November to February opening hours shorten, guided tours stop and some museums close for weeks.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
D-Day Beaches your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
The Usual: Two Nights in Bayeux
With a car you can see the coast in two days, one sector a day, and on the third go to the cider route or Mont-Saint-Michel. Bayeux is in the middle and distances are short.
90–140 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotels with parking in Bayeux
- Getting aroundDay 1 to the west…
- EatingRestaurants in the centre of…
- ServicesFree parking at the American…
Where to sleep
- Hotels with parking in Bayeux
- A hotel next to Omaha, in Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, to be on the beach at dawn
Getting around
- Day 1 to the west: Sainte-Mère-Église, Utah, Pointe du Hoc, Omaha and Colleville
- Day 2 to the east: Longues, Arromanches, Pegasus Bridge and Caen
- Limited parking at Pointe du Hoc until 2027
Eating
- Restaurants in the centre of Bayeux, with menus from €24
- Arromanches or Saint-Laurent at lunchtime, depending on the day
Services
- Free parking at the American cemetery
- Explore Normandy Pass for the museums
Flying to Paris and a Train or Car to Bayeux
From Spain the practical option is to fly to Paris, where there are direct flights from the main cities, and continue by train or car: Bayeux is about 270 km from the capital. Caen-Carpiquet airport is half an hour from Bayeux, but has few routes: check whether there is a flight from your city that season before counting on it.
- Getting thereParis-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and…
- Getting aroundHire car at the Paris…
- Where to stayHôtel de la Gare, opposite…
- ServicesCar hire in Bayeux, Monday…
Getting there
- Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Paris-Orly (ORY): metro or RER to the centre and a direct train from Saint-Lazare to Bayeux, about 2 h 15 – 2 h 30
- Caen-Carpiquet (CFR), the nearest, with limited connections
Getting around
- Hire car at the Paris airport if you want to see the five beaches independently
- Or a train to Bayeux and a hire car there for a day, in the Vaucelles area
- Guided minibus tours from Bayeux, April to October
Where to stay
- Hôtel de la Gare, opposite Bayeux station, where the tours depart from
- Hôtel Le Lion d'Or, in Bayeux's historic centre
Services
- Car hire in Bayeux, Monday to Friday during office hours
- Explore Normandy Pass for the D-Day museums
By Train to Bayeux and Minibus to the Beaches
It can be done, on two conditions: travel from April to October, when the minibus tours run, and accept that the guide chooses the sites. Bayeux can be explored on foot and has a direct train from Paris.
150–220 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotels next to the station…
- Getting aroundDirect train Paris Saint-Lazare…
- EatingRestaurants and market in the…
- ServicesTours depart from the reception…
Where to sleep
- Hotels next to the station or in the centre of Bayeux
- Best with two nights: one day of guided tour and another in Bayeux
Getting around
- Direct train Paris Saint-Lazare – Bayeux, about 2 h 15 – 2 h 30
- Guided minibus: half day around Omaha from €95, full day with Utah €160
- Train to Caen and bus 6A from the station to the Mémorial
- The Nomad 120 makes few journeys a day to the cemetery: check the timetable first
Eating
- Restaurants and market in the centre of Bayeux
- On the tours, the lunch stop is chosen by the guide
Services
- Tours depart from the reception of the Hôtel de la Gare
- Car hire next to the station if you want a free day on your own
Municipal Areas in Bayeux and Arromanches
The coast is well equipped: Arromanches has large areas above the village and Bayeux has one ten minutes' walk from the centre. In winter the Bayeux campsite closes and the areas remain.
50–80 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepArromanches area, 60 pitches, open…
- Getting aroundArrive early at Pointe du…
- EatingSaturday market in Bayeux to…
- ServicesWater and waste disposal in…
Where to sleep
- Arromanches area, 60 pitches, open all year
- Camping des Bords de l'Aure in Bayeux, April to October
- Bayeux municipal area, entered via rue de Verdun, for vehicles under 8 m
Getting around
- Arrive early at Pointe du Hoc: parking is limited until 2027
- From the Arromanches area, the museum and the beach are within walking distance
Eating
- Saturday market in Bayeux to fill the fridge
- Pays d'Auge cider producers with direct sales
Services
- Water and waste disposal in Bayeux and at the Arromanches area
- Bayeux service area: water at €3 per 100 litres, by card
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
D-Day Beaches for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
What They Can Touch Tells Them More Than Display Cases
From 12 or 13 years old, the D-Day coast tends to interest them more than they expect, especially if they have seen a film or series. What works is what you walk around: craters, casemates, the beach. What tires them is linking one museum after another.
- What works bestPointe du Hoc: the bomb…
- Where to sleepBayeux, so they can get…
- EatingThe Saturday market in Bayeux…
- Keep in mindMore than two museums a…
What works best
- Pointe du Hoc: the bomb craters and the shattered bunkers
- The Longues battery, where you walk into the casemates with the guns
- The flag lowering at Colleville: a few minutes, and they remember it
- The Mémorial de Caen, from about 15 years old and for no more than half a day
Where to sleep
- Bayeux, so they can get around the centre on their own in the evening
- Rooms for four in the centre, like those at the Hôtel Churchill
Eating
- The Saturday market in Bayeux, so each can choose
- Arromanches at lunchtime, with the beach in front
Keep in mind
- More than two museums a day is too much: alternate with outdoor sites
- The Mémorial and some rooms at Utah have harsh images; ask them beforehand
- Mont-Saint-Michel or the cider route on the third day gives a break from the war
- At the cemetery, explain beforehand what is expected: silence and stillness during the flag lowering
What to do with teenagers
Few Museums, More Open Air and a Day Without War
With children of different ages, the key is to choose. The batteries and the beaches can be explored at everyone's pace; museums, one a day and a short one. With children under 6, the trip becomes long: nothing is designed for them and the cemeteries ask for a silence they won't keep up for long.
- What works bestThe Longues battery and Pointe…
- Where to sleepCamping des Bords de l'Aure…
- EatingA picnic with what you…
- Keep in mindAt Pointe du Hoc, hold…
What works best
- The Longues battery and Pointe du Hoc, outdoors and free
- The museum at Arromanches, with models, and the beach with the harbour remains
- The Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mère-Église, with a comic-book exhibition in 2026
- Mont-Saint-Michel or the cider route as a rest day
Where to sleep
- Camping des Bords de l'Aure, with mobile homes, April to October
- Hotels with rooms for four in the centre of Bayeux
Eating
- A picnic with what you buy at the Bayeux market
- Apple juice at the Pays d'Auge tastings
Keep in mind
- At Pointe du Hoc, hold children's hands: the paths run beside the cliff
- Under-6s do not pay at Utah or the Airborne Museum; at the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel, neither do under-18s
- At Mont-Saint-Michel there are many stairs: a baby carrier is better than a pushchair
- A small child copes poorly with more than an hour of museum at a stretch
What to do as a family
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingif you're flyingwithout a carin a campervan
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hôtel Le Lion d'Or
Why we like it: An 18th-century coaching inn on the pedestrian street in the centre, with its own restaurant. From here you can walk to all of Bayeux.
From €99
View details
Hôtel d'Argouges
Why we like it: A hotel on rue Saint-Patrice with its own car park: you set off early for the coast without hunting for a space.
Hôtel de la Gare
Why we like it: A family-run hotel since 1962, opposite the station. The minibus tours to the beaches start at its reception: you arrive by train and need nothing else.
Hôtel Churchill
Why we like it: Rooms for up to four people in the centre, within walking distance of the cathedral and the restaurants. Closed from 30 November 2026 to 28 February 2027.
From €150
View details
La Sapinière
Why we like it: To wake up facing Omaha and be at the American cemetery in five minutes. It has a garden, a restaurant and admits pets.
Camping des Bords de l'Aure
Why we like it: A three-star campsite on the banks of the Aure, on boulevard Eindhoven. It has mobile homes and tents for cyclists, and the centre of Bayeux is close.
From €23
View details
Campervan area
Arromanches Motorhome Area
Why we like it: A municipal area beside the Arromanches 360 cinema, above the village, open all year. You can walk down to the museum and to the beach with the Mulberry harbour.
From €12
View details
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in D-Day Beaches
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Le Pommier
What to order: one of its two menus, with regional produce.
38-40 rue des Cuisiniers · menus at €28 and €42 · closed Wednesdays, Thursdays and in January
La Table du Lion
What to order: the lunchtime menu.
71 rue Saint-Jean · lunchtime menu from €24, à la carte in the evening · open all year except 1 and 2 January
La Sapinière Restaurant
What to order: French cooking with local produce, on the terrace if the weather is good.
100 rue de la 2e Division US, next to Omaha Beach · March to early November · closed in winter
Calvados Pierre Huet
What to order: a tasting of cider, pommeau and calvados; juice for children.
On the cider route · shop Monday to Saturday; Sundays and public holidays, April to September · confirm by phone first
Takeaway and markets
Bayeux Market, Bayeux
Map
Everything on the map
The places to stay and services on the map are the ones for the way you travel. Turn on the layers you want and tap a point to see its details.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Nearby
Near D-Day Beaches
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
49.71° N · 0.21° E
Étretat
By car
48.64° N · 1.51° W
Mont-Saint-Michel
By carBy campervanBy bikeCar-free
48.68° N · 1.85° W
Cancale
By carBy campervanCampingCar-free
48.65° N · 2.03° W
Saint-Malo
By carCar-freeBy campervanCampingOn foot
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Leave the cemetery for the afternoon
The flag is lowered every day an hour before closing: around 17:00 from April to September and around 16:00 the rest of the year. The entrance closes half an hour before the site does.
- 2Behave as you would in a cemetery
Speak quietly, don't sit or lean on the crosses and leave food in the car. During the flag lowering, people stand still and silent until the bugle call ends.
- 3Get the Explore Normandy Pass
The premium version costs €1 per person and gives discounts at more than 70 museums and sites in the region. You get it on the website before you go and show the QR code at the ticket office.
- 4Out of season, check the opening hours
In winter museums close earlier and some stop in January: the one in Arromanches was closed from 5 to 27 January 2026. The Mémorial de Caen closes on some Wednesdays in November and December.
Local tip
Book Bayeux in good time if you go in late May or in June. On the anniversary days, the coast fills with ceremonies, period vehicles and road closures.
We'd skip it
The Mémorial Pegasus at Ranville is closed for works until, at the earliest, May 2027. The bridge can be seen from outside in a short while, but doesn't justify a detour just for that.
How many days do you need?
Two full days for the coast. One for the American sector, in the west: Sainte-Mère-Église, Utah, Pointe du Hoc, Omaha and the Colleville cemetery. Another for the British and Canadian sector, in the east: Longues-sur-Mer, Arromanches, Juno, Pegasus Bridge and the Mémorial de Caen. A third day is what makes the trip work for anyone not coming for the history: Bayeux in the morning and then the cider route of the Pays d'Auge or Mont-Saint-Michel.
Why sleep in Bayeux?
It is inland and in the middle of the front: the American sector lies to the west and the British to the east, so no visit of the day is far away. It has a direct train from Paris Saint-Lazare, the guided minibus tours leave from there and it has the biggest selection of hotels and restaurants in the area. British troops arriving from Gold Beach entered the town on 7 June 1944 without a fight, and the old town and the cathedral were preserved. If you want to wake up facing the sea, there are hotels in Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, above Omaha, and motorhome areas at Arromanches.
Do you need a car?
To see the five beaches in two days, yes. Without a car, the alternative is the guided minibus tours from Bayeux, from April to October. The Nomad 120 bus links Bayeux station with Colleville-sur-Mer, but it makes few trips a day and the timetable changes with the season: it works for the cemetery, not for a route.
In what order do you see the beaches?
From west to east they are Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. From Bayeux, go west one day and leave the cemetery for the end of the afternoon, when the flag is lowered. The other day go east and finish in Caen. Sword is today an urban coast around Ouistreham: it is enough to see it in passing on the way to Pegasus Bridge.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many days do I need to see the D-Day beaches?
Two full days for the coast, one per sector. With three, you add Bayeux and an activity that has nothing to do with the war.
Is it better to sleep in Bayeux or Caen?
Bayeux, because it is in the middle of the front and has the guided tours. Caen has more city and the Mémorial, but is at the eastern end.
Can the beaches be seen without a car?
Yes, with a guided minibus tour from Bayeux, from April to October: half a day around the Omaha sector from €95 per person, or the whole day with Utah from €160. By public transport you can only comfortably reach the American cemetery.
How much does it cost to enter the American cemetery?
Nothing. Entry and parking are free and no booking is needed. It is closed on 25 December and 1 January.
Can I go with children?
With children from about 10, yes: the batteries at Longues and Pointe du Hoc are toured in the open air and the museums at Arromanches and Sainte-Mère-Église have models and vehicles. With small children, the route becomes long and the museums have harsh images; choose one or two outdoor sites and the beach.
Can I see the Bayeux Tapestry?
Not until 2027. It is on show at the British Museum in London until 11 July 2027 and the Bayeux museum is due to reopen in autumn 2027.
What is there that isn't history?
The old town and cathedral of Bayeux, the Saturday market, the cider and calvados route of the Pays d'Auge and, a day away, Mont-Saint-Michel.