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
Duration2 nights
From ParisAbout 3 h 15 by car · 2 h 20 by train to Bayeux
Best timeApril – early November
Budget€300–450 pp
BaseBayeux
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to leave Paris on Friday after lunch, by car, and sleep two nights in Bayeux. Saturday goes west, to the American sector, and ends with the lowering of the flag at Omaha cemetery. Sunday goes east and ends at the Mémorial de Caen, on the way back to Paris.
Friday
- 115:00Leave Paris and stroll in Bayeux
About three hours and a quarter by car. On arrival, the 1077 cathedral and the rue Saint-Jean, on foot from the hotel.
- 220:00Dinner at La Table du Lion
The Lion d'Or restaurant, on the same rue Saint-Jean: French cooking with local produce. Dinners Tuesday to Saturday.
Saturday
- 109:00Utah Beach and Sainte-Mère-Église
The Utah museum on the beach and the paratroopers' Airborne Museum: half a day, about forty minutes from Bayeux.
- 212:45Lunch by Omaha, at La Sapinière
In Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, a few steps from the beach. Open from March to early November.
- 314:30Pointe du Hoc
The Rangers' cliff, with its craters. While the works last, only by the west path.
- 415:15American cemetery and Omaha Beach
Almost 9,400 graves above the beach. Arrive with two hours to spare for the visitor centre and the lowering of the flag, an hour before closing.
- 520:00Dinner at Le Pommier
Norman cooking next to the cathedral, with menus at €28 and €42. Closed Wednesday and Thursday.
Sunday
- 109:00Longues-sur-Mer battery
Four casemates with their guns on the cliff, free entry, twenty minutes from Bayeux.
- 210:00Arromanches and the artificial harbour
The Mulberry harbour blocks in the sea and the museum that explains how it worked. An hour and a half. On Sundays it opens at 10:00, except in summer.
- 313:30Pegasus Bridge
The bridge over the Caen canal that the British gliders took. A twenty-minute stop, on the way to the Mémorial.
- 414:30Mémorial de Caen and back to Paris
The museum that puts D-Day in context, north of Caen, with free parking. From there, about two hours and three quarters to Paris.
The D-Day beaches are five, from Utah to Sword, along some eighty kilometres of coast, and cannot be seen properly in a day. With two nights in Bayeux the trip organises itself: one day per sector. Bayeux is inland and in the middle of the front, so no stop is more than an hour away. It has a direct train from Paris, the biggest choice of hotels and restaurants in the area and an old town that came through 1944 intact: the British troops arriving from Gold Beach entered on 7 June without fighting.
What does it cost?
| What | How much | Note |
|---|---|---|
| American cemetery, Pointe du Hoc and Longues | Free | Guided visit at Longues, €10 |
| Utah Beach museum and Airborne Museum | From €10 each | Utah closes from 16 November to 14 December |
| Arromanches museum | €12.90 | Ticket office only |
| Mémorial de Caen | €20.80 | Ages 10 to 18 and over 65, €18.50 |
| Hôtel Le Lion d'Or | From €99 a night | In the centre of Bayeux |
Where to sleep?
In Bayeux, which is the base. The Hôtel Le Lion d'Or, an 18th-century coaching inn on the pedestrian street, has its own restaurant and admits dogs in the room for a supplement. The Hôtel d'Argouges, on the rue Saint-Patrice, has its own parking, which is welcome when you set out early for the coast. If you prefer to wake up facing the sea, La Sapinière, in Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, is next to Omaha Beach.
Where to eat?
La Table du Lion for Friday dinner, on the rue Saint-Jean. La Sapinière for lunch on the coast on Saturday, from March to early November. Le Pommier for Saturday dinner, next to the cathedral. On Sunday, the Mémorial has its own bistro; if you prefer to eat in Bayeux before heading east, Le Pommier serves from 12:00 to 14:00.
Without a car
It works with the direct train from Saint-Lazare to Bayeux and with the minibus tours of Normandy Tours, which leave opposite the station from April to October: the full day of Utah and Omaha costs €160 per person. For the British sector, an afternoon of Gold and Omaha for €105. The Mémorial de Caen is a train and bus journey away.
With children
D-Day works best from about age ten. The Arromanches museum is child-friendly, and at the Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mère-Église the paratroopers' story is told. Some rooms at the Mémorial de Caen are tough: think about it with under-twelves.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
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
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
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
Nights2
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 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
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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
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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
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Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in D-Day Beaches
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
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
From 16 November 2026 until the end of August 2027, the Saint-Cloud tunnel on the A13 is closed in the direction out of Paris. Leave by the N13 and the A14. The return by the A13, in the Normandy–Paris direction, remains open.
We'd skip it
Going around 6 June without a booking: on anniversary days the coast fills with ceremonies, period vehicles and road closures, and Bayeux runs out of rooms.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need for the D-Day beaches?
Two full days, one per sector. With two nights in Bayeux you have them without rushing.
Why sleep in Bayeux and not in Caen?
Bayeux is in the middle of the front and has a direct train and minibus tours; Caen is at the far east end.
Can it be done without a car?
Yes, with the minibus tours from Bayeux from April to October: a full day of Utah and Omaha for €160.
What is the best time?
From April to early November: long opening hours, coastal restaurants open and the Utah museum without closure.