Best Day Trips from Bayeux

Bayeux is certainly a place with a lot of history and things to see. It is also a very beautiful region that seems to have been frozen in time with its typical French structures. But beyond this city, there are incredible plans that you will love to do.

Without a doubt, one of the best things to do and see in Bayeux is to sign up for one of the excursions that depart from this city, because it gives you a clearer idea of the history that surrounds this city, and if you are not a history lover, Bayeux will change your mind.

There's no doubt that France is a country where you can't miss out on good food and drink, and that's just what you'll enjoy on this tour from Bayeux to Normandy. You' ll mainly get to know how local food is produced and you'll have the opportunity to visit local restaurants.

At every stop you make, you will learn about the regional French cuisine. During the experience you will be able to taste Camembert cheese, which is the most famous cheese in Normandy. But you will also visit the producers of these traditional flavours, as well as visit some apple brandy distilleries to taste calvados.

Interesting details

• Price: this experience costs approximately 710 euros per person.
• Duration: it will take you around 9 hours to complete the experience.
• Means of transport: you will be transported by minivan for the duration of the tour.
• Advantages of this option: food tasting is included, as well as transport in an air-conditioned minivan. You will be accompanied by a local guide. This is a private tour, so you can customise your itinerary to suit your tastes.
• Disadvantages of this option: food and beverages are not included outside the package. Lunch is also not provided.

Being so close to the battlefields of Normandy during the Second World War, it is clear that one of the first tours you have to do is this one. On this guided tour of the American sites, you will be accompanied by a driver and an expert guide who will show you each of these important sites during the D-Day Landings.

You will depart from Place de Québec in Bayeux, where you will meet your guide. The first point on the itinerary will be Omaha Beach, where the bloodiest landings of the day took place. You will also go to Utah Beach, site of the second landing of American troops.

Later you will go to the US military cemetery and Point du Hoc, a German strategic site, where you will see an incredible cliff, from where you will be able to appreciate lunar landscapes and the English Channel. The tour culminates in the village of Sainte-Mère-Eglise, where soldiers rained down on the village. Thanks to the completeness of the tour, this is undoubtedly one of the best excursions to Normandy from Bayeux.

Interesting details

• Price: this experience can cost around 160 euros per person.
• Duration: it will take you around 8 hours to complete the whole experience.
• Means of transport: the whole tour is completed by minivan and part of it is on foot.
• Advantages of this option: this experience is for small groups of no more than 8 people. You will also have wifi access on board and will be offered bottled water during the experience.
• Disadvantages of this option: Not suitable for children under 4 years old. Not recommended for people with mobility problems or those in wheelchairs.

After doing one of the best tours in Bayeux, I recommend you to go and see first hand the historical and gastronomic heritage hidden in the Pays d'Auge district.

Throughout the tour you'll have the opportunity to take pictures of the colourful landscapes and wet meadows, where you'll also see cows grazing and other farm animals. You will taste Norman cream, butter and cheeses on your visit. If you visit in spring, you'll see apple orchards in bloom. You'll also love the stud farms, where animals are bred for horse racing.

You will see the Pays d'Auge region which is mainly known for its pilgrims, and you will also have the opportunity to go to the town of Honfleur, where you will see pretty villages with half-timbered houses and thatched roofs, several churches and cemeteries, as well as natural and medicinal springs for hiking.

Interesting details

• Price: this experience costs approximately 875 euros per group of up to four people.
• Duration: it will take you up to 8 hours to complete the whole excursion.
• Means of transport: you will get into a car with all the comforts, in which you will travel throughout the experience.
• Advantages of this option: private transport is included throughout the tour. A bottle of water is provided, and parking fees are included.
• Disadvantages of this option: entrance to museums and tastings of Norman products are not included. Lunch is also not included.

You will leave Bayeux for one of the most special places in Normandy, Mont Saint Michel. Part of what will impress you about the castle is its well-preserved architecture.

Both the monument and its unique natural setting are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Of course, in this whole region, the cherry on the cake is Mont Saint Michel itself, the site where pilgrims arrived around a thousand years ago.

Today**, this temple attracts almost three million people every year**, which is considerably more than the number of visitors who year after year look for ways to visit the Bayeux Tapestry, which is another iconic site in Normandy that you should visit. Thanks to this guided tour you can avoid the queues at the Abbey.

Interesting details

• Price: this experience can cost you around 330 euros per person.
• Duration: you will spend at least 8 hours doing this tour.
• Means of transport: you will travel to the castle by private bus.
• Advantages of this option: entrance fees are included. You will get into an air-conditioned vehicle with all the comforts. It is a private tour, so only you and your group can participate.
• Disadvantages of this option: It is not a wheelchair friendly tour. You will need to be in average physical condition to enjoy this tour.

On this day trip from Bayeux, you will get to know the medieval history of Normandy through its villages. First of all you will go to the port city of Rouen, where you will see its gothic cathedral, and take a guided tour of the restored medieval quarter.

Don't miss a visit to the Market Square, where your guide will tell you about the execution of Joan of Arc. After touring Rouen, you'll continue to Giverny, where you'll spend a couple of hours visiting the Museum of Impressionism and walking through Monet's gardens.

Details of interest

• Price: this experience costs approximately 430 euros per group of up to four people.
• Duration: it will take you up to 8 hours to complete this experience.
• Means of transport: the entire tour is completed by minivan.
• Advantages of this option: transfer to and from the hotel is included. Minivan transportation and tour guide are also included.
• Disadvantages of this option: Lunch, food and beverages are not included.

In this shared experience you will get to know one of the most famous monuments in France, which is none other than Mont Saint Michel. Before arriving at this World Heritage Site, you will take a coastal tour that will take you to the Gothic Benedictine abbey, which is located at the top of the rocky bay.

Your guide will tell you everything you want to know about the history and heritage of this place, while you will see its walls. After your guide's explanation**, you will have time to explore the museum** on your own. You will also visit the neighbouring village, to see its traditional houses and cobbled streets.

Details of interest

• Price: this experience will cost approximately 125 euros per person.
• Duration: it will take you around 8 hours to complete the activity.
• Means of transport: the whole tour is completed in a minivan, and part of the tour is on foot.
• Advantages of this option: you are guaranteed an air-conditioned minivan. Transfer to and from your hotel or accommodation is also included. Entrance fees to the Abbey are included.
• Disadvantages of this option: food and beverages are not included.

On this D-Day experience, your tour guide will show you the ropes of the famous "Band of Brothers". The tour departs in the morning from the centre of Bayeux, and takes you straight to Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach and the Longues-sur-Mer battery, key sites during WWII.

In the afternoon, you will visit the places made famous by the book and TV series "Band of Brothers". Throughout the tour, your guide will tell you interesting details about the impact of the war in Normandy.

Interesting details

• Price: you will pay around 145 euros per person.
• Duration: It will take you around 9 hours to complete the experience.
• Means of transport: the whole tour is done by car with all facilities.
• Advantages of this option: it is a wheelchair accessible tour. Service animals are allowed. Child seats are available.
• Disadvantages of this option: meals and drinks are not included. Transfer to and from the hotel or accommodation is not included.

On this half day experience you will visit the landing beaches and battlefields of Normandy. Together with your guide, you will visit some of the highlights of D-Day, including Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc, the Cemetery and the Normandy American Memorial.

As you visit each of these sites, your tour guide will tell you details of the bloody battles that took place there. You will have the opportunity to take pictures of the remains of the fortification at Pointe du Hoc. You can also see the battle scenes at Omaha Beach, just before you go to the cemetery.

After strolling through the largest American cemetery in Europe, you can go to the Visitor Centre to learn more about the history of the region through personal stories, narrative texts and interactive exhibits.

Details of interest

• Price: you will have to pay around 85 euros per person.
• Duration: the whole tour will take around 5 hours.
• Means of transport: you will complete this experience in a van with all the comforts.
• Advantages of this option: you will be transferred to and from your hotel in Bayeux.
• Disadvantages of this option: Tips are not included. Food and beverages are also not included.

Departing from Bayeux, you can go on a tour of the city to delve deeper into its history and see the city's most incredible sights, such as the Tapestry Museum and its well-preserved and well-kept streets.

You will then travel to Caen, which is the birthplace of William the Conqueror, after which you will visit the tomb of the historical figure at the Château de Caen. You can also visit the enigmatic cemetery at the abbey of St-Etienne, before heading back to Bayeux.

Interesting details

• Price: you will pay around 145 euros per person to enjoy this experience.
• Duration: it will take you at least 8 hours to complete this tour.
• Means of transport: the whole tour is completed by minivan.
• Advantages of this option: transfer to and from your hotel or accommodation is included. Minivan transport is included for up to 8 people. Tour guide is included.
• Disadvantages of this option: food and beverages are not included. Tips and lunch are not included.

During this private tour of the D-Day beaches, you will see the sites where the British troops landed, while the local guide tells you the history of that day, and gives you interesting details about the British military forces and the life of the French under German occupation.

You will also go to the battlefields where soldiers of many nationalities fought for the liberation of France from Nazi rule. Your guide will take you to a memorial in honour of three famous gliders.

You will visit the Café Gondré which is considered to be the first liberated house in France. You will go to the Ranville War Cemetery, where you can pay tribute to the 6th British Airborne Division and the many young soldiers, who lost their lives. You will also visit Sword Beach, the landing place of the British 3rd Division.

In the early afternoon you will visit Gold Beach, where the 50th Infantry Division landed. Finally, you will see the coastal artillery battery of Longues-sur-Mer, the gunnery command post and four casemates. Your guide will show you three of them, where there is still a 150mm artillery piece, the only place in Normandy where you can still see cannons.

Interesting details

• Price: this tour will cost you around 740 euros per group of up to four people.
• Duration: You will spend no more than 8 hours on this tour.
• Means of transport: the whole trip is done by van with all comforts.
• Advantages of this option: transfer to and from the hotel or accommodation is included. All entrance fees to the places on the programme are included. You will be offered water, coffee and lunch. It is adapted for wheelchair users. The tour can be customised for the disabled on request.
• Disadvantages of this option: food and drinks outside of what is offered in the package are not included. Entrance to museums not included in the programme is also not included.

To book excursions from Bayeux, the first thing you need to do is to identify whether they are excursions to the landings, or to other places in Normandy. In case you want to travel with children, I recommend you first ask if the experience will allow you to bring children.

After you know everything you need to know to book the experience, you will have to request the quote online from the seller and make the reservation**, depending on the company, you could make the reservation and pay later**. Most of the time, cancellation policies are in your favour and you can cancel for free up to 24 hours before the experience.

• You should not take children on tours that are dedicated to the history of the Normandy Landings on D-Day.
• Be sure to bring money to buy food along the way, as these tours generally do not offer meals along the way.
• Wear comfortable shoes that allow you to walk comfortably during the tour.
• Bring sunscreen, bearing in mind that you may be visiting beaches if you choose to tour the D-Day sectors.