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
geocalia
Day itinerary · 49.34° N · 0.78° W
From the artificial harbour to the American cemetery, in one long day by car from Paris.
An early start, the Arromanches artificial-harbour museum, the Longues guns, lunch in Bayeux, Pointe du Hoc and the lowering of the flag at the American cemetery.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Rennes fromSevilla 2 h 15
Part of D-Day BeachesSecond World War routes
Add to my trip
Total time14 h
By car3 h 15 each way
From ParisAbout 3 h 15 by car
Driving on the coastAbout 60 km
WalkingAbout 2 h 30 in total
DifficultyEasy
Cost€40–75 pp without the car
With childrenFrom about age 10
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Paris 3 h 15 by car
leave by the N13 and A14 while the Saint-Cloud tunnel on the A13 is closed towards Normandy
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1
Arromanches and the Remains of the Artificial Harbour
museum €12.90 for adults, at the ticket office · on Sundays it opens at 10:00, except in summer
- 11 min by car7,6 km
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2
German Battery at Longues-sur-Mer
four casemates with their guns · free access
- 13 min by car8,6 km
- 3
- 30 min by car30 km
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4
Pointe du Hoc
free · from October to March it may close from 12:30 to 13:30
- 15 min by car13,7 km
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5
Omaha Beach and the Colleville American Cemetery
free · free parking · flag lowering an hour before closing
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Back home
by the A13; in Paris around 20:30
Approximate cost
About €20–35 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Arromanches and the Remains of the Artificial Harbour
The D-Day beaches are about three hours and a quarter from Paris by motorway. It is far for a day, and the ideal is to sleep in Bayeux. But if you have only one day and a car, you can do a route that is more than a quick visit: the artificial harbour at Arromanches, which explains how a whole army was supplied without a real port; the German battery at Longues, with its guns still in the casemates; lunch in Bayeux, and in the afternoon, the American sector, with Pointe du Hoc and the Colleville cemetery above Omaha.
The order matters. You go from east to west, leave the cemetery for last and arrive in time for the lowering of the flag, an hour before closing.
The day, hour by hour
6:45 · Leave Paris. Until the end of August 2027 the Saint-Cloud tunnel on the A13 is closed in the outbound direction from Paris: the official diversions go via the N13 and the A14, which rejoins the A13 further on. Set out early and expect a little more traffic.
10:00 · Arromanches. From the beach you can see the blocks of the Mulberry harbour in the sea. The museum, right opposite, explains it with models and a video on a 25 m² model; an hour and a half with the audioguide included. €12.90 for adults, at the ticket office only.
12:00 · Longues-sur-Mer battery. Four Atlantic Wall casemates with their 150 mm guns, on the cliff. Free entry; half an hour is enough.
12:45 · Lunch at Le Pommier, in Bayeux. Norman cooking on rue des Cuisiniers, next to the cathedral, with menus at €28 and €42. It serves until 14:00: book so you do not arrive at the last minute.
14:30 · Pointe du Hoc. The cliff the Rangers scaled, full of bomb craters. While works last, until mid-2027, it can only be visited along the west path.
15:20 · Omaha Beach and the American cemetery. Almost 9,400 white graves above the beach of 6 June. It is open from 9:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:30, and the flag is lowered to a bugle call an hour before closing.
17:00 · Return to Paris. The A13 in the Normandy–Paris direction is still open. You arrive around 20:30.
Is it for me?
If you have a car and only one day, yes. If you can stay a night, better: do the two-night break in Bayeux, which adds Utah, Sainte-Mère-Église and the Mémorial de Caen unhurriedly.
Time2 h
Change the route
In the rain: swap Arromanches and Longues for the Mémorial de Caen, on the outward route, about four hours:
Mémorial de Caen
If you have half an hour to spare after lunch: Bayeux cathedral is a stone's throw from Le Pommier:
Bayeux, Old Town and Cathedral
If you leave even earlier: the British gliders' bridge, a twenty-minute stop passing Caen:
Pegasus Bridge
March to early November: lunch by Omaha, in Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer:
La Sapinière Restaurant
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
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
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
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
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to D-Day Beaches
All year except January, when the Arromanches museum and Le Pommier are closed. Do not do it on a Wednesday or Thursday, when Le Pommier is closed. The cemetery and Pointe du Hoc are open from 9:00 to 17:00 all year; in winter it gets dark early, so do not put the afternoon back. From 16 November 2026 until the end of August 2027, the Saint-Cloud tunnel on the A13 is closed in the outbound direction from Paris.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Check the day of the week
Le Pommier is closed Wednesday and Thursday. On those days, swap lunch for La Table du Lion, Tuesday to Friday at lunchtime.
- 2Arrive at the cemetery with time to spare
To see the visitor centre, the memorial and the graves before the lowering of the flag, you need at least two hours.
- 3Bring a raincoat
Longues and Pointe du Hoc are on the cliff edge, very exposed to wind.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can you see the D-Day beaches in a day from Paris?
Yes, by car and setting out early: about three hours and a quarter each way and five stops between Arromanches and Omaha.
How much does it cost?
The cemetery, Pointe du Hoc and Longues are free; the Arromanches museum costs €12.90 and lunch at Le Pommier €28 to €42.
What about the A13?
The Saint-Cloud tunnel is closed in the outbound direction from Paris from 16 November 2026 until the end of August 2027. Use the N13 and the A14.
Is it suitable for children?
From about ten. The Arromanches museum is geared to children.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/france/normandy/d-day-beaches/itineraries/d-day-beaches-by-car-from-paris
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.