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visit normandy without a car

10 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Normandy’s D-Day Sites

Last Updated: January 29, 2024 //  by  Ashley Smith 2 Comments

For any World War II history buff, planning a trip to Normandy is about as exciting as it can get. That is, until you start the process and find you probably have more questions than answers. I know this because I get a lot of emails from readers with similar questions about visiting Normandy’s D-Day sites . (Really, my inbox is shameful.)

Because so many of you have similar, specific questions, I decided to properly address them in a blog post of their own to see how many more travelers we could help. So, before you start planning a trip to Normandy, here are 10 things you need to know first.

Table of Contents

man in a wwii jeep on a beach

1. You should rent a car

Easily, the most-asked question I get about planning a trip to Normandy is how to get around. If you’ve done any sort of traveling around Europe before, then you’re probably like me—absolutely spoiled with the availability of public transportation. Unfortunately, this doesn’t apply to the Normandy beach area (i.e., all the places you want to go).

In order to get around to all the landing beach sectors, all the great D-Day museums and battlefield sites, you should really rent a car . While there are trains and bus lines in these parts, there’s nowhere near the public transportation infrastructure here that you’re used to or that’s fast and prevalent enough to confidently rely on.

Many of the D-Day sites you’re after are too spread out or remote to adequately get to by bus. And if you were to miss a bus here, you might be waiting a long time for another one.

green field full of black and white sheep and bomb craters in front of the ocean

It’s not impossible, but…

As far as trains go, two cities near the Normandy landing zones are quite accessible by train—Caen and Bayeux. And if you only wanted to visit these two cities, that would be good news. But if you’re looking to head out into the countryside or to the beaches themselves, you’re going to have a bit more work in front of you .

I’m not saying visiting all the D-Day sites without a car is impossible (certainly anything is possible!), but I am saying that it’s going to take a lot more planning and a lot more time to carry it out. Having your own car grants you almost limitless exploration around here. No worrying about train and bus schedules, missing connections, calling taxis, or being stranded. You can just hop in your car and head on over to the next location.

For planning your Normandy trip, check out the best local rental car deals here . (This is the booking site I always use for renting cars.) You can pick up and drop off in Paris or locally in Bayeux. From my experience, renting in Paris gives you a lot more rental options and lower prices, especially if you need an automatic transmission.

Also check out all the best WWII sites in Paris while you’re there.

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2. The sites are more spread out than you think

It’s easy to think of the “Normandy beaches” as one general area when planning a trip to Normandy, but the fact is that the many sites you’ll want to visit are spread out farther than you probably think. If you have your own rental car , this really isn’t a problem. But, if you’re pressed for time or hoping to rely on public transportation, here’s what you need to know…

The distance between Utah Beach and Sword Beach (the two of the five that are farthest apart) is about an hour and 20 minutes. Two D-Day sites I highly recommend visiting are the Memorial Museum in Caen and Normandy American Cemetery at Omaha Beach; the drive between these two is 45 minutes. It’s then another 40 minutes to Sainte-Mère-Église.

These aren’t incredible distances in the long run, but they’re not insignificant either . If you have only limited time to visit the many D-Day sites, it’s important to keep these driving distances in mind when planning a trip to Normandy so you can plan your route accordingly. (BTW, here are all the D-Day sites you can see if you just have one day .)

Also important, the drive from Paris to Caen (a good central location near the landing zones) is 3 hours, and the train is about 2 hours and 40 minutes.

informational placard of the dday invasion in front of a beach

3. Those aren’t the actual names of the beaches

What we know today as Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword Beaches haven’t always been called that. Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword were military codenames given to particular landing zones by their Allied counterparts .

Utah and Omaha were American landing zones and thus codenamed by an American general, largely believed to be Omar Bradley. Gold, Juno, and Sword were Commonwealth landing zones (Britain and Canada), and thus codenamed by them.

Before D-Day, the beaches were simply referred to by the town names or municipalities where they were located , like:

  • Utah Beach – Formerly referred to as Plage de la Madeleine at Sainte-Marie-du-Mont
  • Omaha Beach – Technically known as the beach at Colleville-sur-Mer
  • Gold Beach – The beach located in Ver-sur-Mer
  • Juno Beach – The beach at Courseulles-sur-Mer
  • Sword Beach – Located in the municipalities of Hermanville-sur-Mer and Colleville-sur-Orne

map of the dday invasion

It’s not as easy as “what the Normandy beaches used to be called” since they never really had proper/common names the way we’re used to here in the U.S. After all, these were merely local beaches, not the world famous tourist destinations they are today.

However, since D-Day, these beaches have more or less fully adopted their Allied codenames . Using the terms Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword will definitely get you where you need to go.

three small american flags in front of a memorial on omaha beach with a group of teenagers in the background

4. Certain sectors might appeal to certain visitors

If you find yourself having to choose between which sectors to visit while planning a trip to Normandy, know that some landing zones might appeal to you more than others . This isn’t absolute –you may be interested in all of them for different reasons–but here’s what I mean…

Utah and Omaha Beaches were the American landing zones. As such, the museums and monuments here focus on the achievements of the American forces . Ergo, these two landing zones typically appeal most to American visitors as they can best relate to and understand the content.

old jeep with british flag on top in a small french town

Juno Beach was the Canadian landing zone, so the museums and monuments here honor Canadian achievements. Similarly, Gold and Sword Beaches were British landing zones and mostly appeal to British visitors.

Again, this doesn’t mean American visitors won’t also enjoy visiting the Canadian and British beaches, but it is somewhat of a consensus, especially if vacation time is limited and you need to focus your attention on certain areas.

For more details on this and/or to find out which Normandy beach you should visit , click that link; I have a whole post dedicated to helping you decide which D-Day beach is right for you.

old stone building and street signs

5. Where to base yourself in Normandy

When planning a trip to Normandy, one of the most important things to consider is where you should base yourself while here. The answer to this will largely depend on which sites you plan to visit , but there are a few popular recommendations.

Base yourself in Caen

Besides Rouen (the capital of Normandy which isn’t near the landing beaches), the largest city around here is Caen . As such, it’s a great place to base yourself to explore the area’s D-Day sites. There are plenty of great places to stay here , it’s a quick and easy train ride from Paris, and there’s lots to see nearby, most of which are pretty easy to get to from here.

Caen is located in the Sword Beach landing sector and you can easily visit the Caen Memorial Museum, the Pegasus Bridge and memorial, and many more great Sword beach sites .

exterior of caen museum - large concrete wall with flags in front

Base yourself in Bayeux

But arguably the most popular place to base yourself for exploring the Normandy beaches is Bayeux, believed to be a much more charming city than Caen. Bayeux is equally as easy to get to from Paris, there are many popular hotels available here , and you can get to some of the top sites nearby relatively easy as well.

Due to its central location, most of the local D-Day tour groups leave from Bayeux. Here in the Gold Beach sector you’ll be close to the artificial harbors at Arromanches-les-Bains, the German battery at Longues-sur-Mer, and many more. (See the full list of Gold Beach sites here .) Bayeux is also a popular jumping-off point for those wishing to visit Mont-Saint-Michel as well.

old remains of a harbor sitting out in the ocean

Base yourself in Carentan

The little town of Carentan is much smaller and bit farther away than the previous two, but it’s a great place to base yourself in Normandy if, say, you’re planning to follow in the footsteps of the 101 st Airborne. (Watch episode 3 of Band of Brothers .)

If you’re planning to center your Normandy visit around Utah and Omaha Beaches, Carentan makes a great central base. You’re also quite close to Sainte-Mère-Église just to the north, and Saint-Lô to the south. Find great places to stay in Saint-Lô here.

seaside town on a sunny day

6. How many days you need

There’s no one simple answer as to how many days you need to dedicate when planning a trip to Normandy. This’ll be different for everyone and will take into account things like: how deeply interested you are in the history, how many vacation days you have available, and which sites you’re planning to visit. You could literally spend anywhere from a single day to a month here.

The general consensus is that you need “at least a couple of days,” and I agree with that. While you can certainly see many of the best D-Day sites in just one (long) day , you should definitely set aside at least two or three if you can swing it.

long tree lined path with tall american flag at the end

Each landing sector has its own collection of museums and memorials and, like I already said, they aren’t exactly sitting on top of each other. And these aren’t the kinds of sites you really want to rush through as there’s a lot of absorb .

That being said, if you absolutely only have one day to dedicate to visiting Normandy’s D-Day sites, please don’t let that stop you . You can still visit many of the most worthwhile sites on your own, or even on a dedicated day trip from Paris . Even if you can’t stay as long as you want to, not visiting at all would be a crying shame.

visit normandy without a car

7. June 6th is the busiest time to visit but also the most exciting

I normally advise people to visit big tourist destinations during the less-busy times, but Normandy is an exception. Yes, the Normandy beaches and museums are going to be more crowded than usual during the early part of June, but it’s also going to be the most exciting time to visit and truly unique experience .

First of all, let me make something clear, even though this is the busiest time to visit Normandy, you still won’t experience anything like the kinds of crowds you just left in Paris. Busy, yes; but out of control or uncomfortably crowded? Definitely not. But if you’re looking for some personal alone time on the beaches, this probably isn’t the best time for you.

visit normandy without a car

However, visiting during this time is truly a unique and meaningful experience . The whole area is crawling with veterans ready and willing to share their incredible stories. The fields are dotted with recreated army camps; the beaches and cemeteries are full of reenactors in authentic WWII army gear; and the towns are bursting with uniform-clad men cruising around in Willys Jeeps. It’s surreal.

You may have to deal with more tourists and pay slightly higher-than-typical prices for hotel rooms and rental cars, but seeing the Normandy D-Day sites like this is an experience you’ll never forget.

three men in wwii uniforms walking through a cemetery

8. Hire a guide… or don’t

Whether or not you’ll want to hire a guide to show you around the D-Day sites is entirely up to you and how you prefer to travel. Both methods of planning a trip to Normandy have their pros and cons and the decision may be different for everyone.

Hire a tour guide for Normandy if…

Hire a guide for your visit to Normandy’s D-Day sites if:

  • You don’t know a whole lot about the D-Day invasion and the Battle of Normandy
  • You’re fine with the added expense
  • You don’t know where to go or what to see (but you’re reading my blog so you should definitely know! See all my Normandy posts here otherwise.)
  • You want local insight and lots of historical details
  • You’re fine with someone else calling the shots

If you can swing the extra cost of doing so, hiring a guide can be super helpful and worthwhile (if you get a good one). This can save you lots of time and stress too as you’ll have fewer decisions to make and less research to do on your own.

14 Must-Visit Normandy Museums for WWII Enthusiasts | D-Day Museums in Normandy, the best World War II museums in normandy for history buffs

But… hiring a tour guide can also be costly and you often don’t know what you’re going to get . Sometimes you get a knowledgeable guide who shares the most incredible stories; and other times you get the guy who thinks he’s hilarious. (I’ve been here; it’s brutal .)

Most tour guides have a set itinerary, so you may end up spending time at sites you don’t necessarily care about. However, some guides do offer the ability to customize your itinerary with the particular sites you want. You really just have to shop around to find a tour guide that best suits your needs and budget.

Take a look at the Normandy tours on sites like Viator and Get Your Guide for some affordable small-group options. And check out Tours By Locals to find great local tour guides for private guides just for your group—most of these can be customized too.

Check out my post on the 10 best local Normandy D-Day tours for 2024 here to see which ones I would book for myself.

What to see at Omaha Beach, Normandy, France: Pointe du Hoc German Bunker

Don’t hire a tour guide for Normandy if…

On the flip side, don’t hire a tour guide for your Normandy visit if:

  • You want full control over where you go, how long you spend there, where you stop on the way, etc.
  • You’re fine doing some historical research on your own
  • You have trouble paying attention (I’m right here with you!)
  • You really just want to see the most well-known sites and get a basic understanding of the events
  • You’re not willing or able to pay the extra cost

Even though hiring a guide can get you some interesting stories and a plethora of historical information, it may also slow you down . Visiting these sites on your own will allow you full control over which sites you visit and how long you spend there. (This is a huge one for me, personally.)

Your time is valuable and it’s not fun when you have to linger in one place longer than you’d like, or when you have to rush through a museum that you’d rather spend more time in. It’s hard for tour guides to plan for this since every traveler is different, and only you will know when it’s time to move on to the next place. Visiting these D-Day sites independently will grant you total freedom .

couple looking at a map of the d-day landing beaches next to the beach

Time is precious!

This is also because tour guides tend to talk a lot . (I know this because I’m a tour guide myself who’s known for being quite wordy, if you haven’t figured that out yet. It’s me. Hi. I’m the problem; it’s me.) There’s just so much information they want to share that’s so interesting (at least, to them).

If you tend to glaze over or get antsy at being talked to , perhaps you’d fare better without a guide. And this is fine! You can learn everything you need to know for visiting these sites from books and documentaries. Do a little bit of reading/watching before your trip, take some good notes on the sites you plan to visit, pick up a Normandy D-Day guidebook to bring along, and you’ll do just fine on your own.

Another things to remember when planning a trip to Normandy is that many of the top D-Day sites and museums also offer their own guided tours or include audio tours . You’ll be able to find this out for each particular location on their website.

rows of white crosses on green grass

9. Know how to act right

Look, I know I’m talking to adults here which makes this even more cringeworthy to write, but… please know how to act right if you’re going to visit the D-Day sites in Normandy . I shouldn’t have to say this, really, but I think some people forget what this place is about when they get here. I know jet lag is a helluva thing, but still.

I’ve seen, with my own eyes, a grown man playing tag with his teenage son running in and out of the headstones at Normandy American Cemetery. I’ve seen them posing for jumping photos at this and other Normandy sites. It’s disgusting.

When you’re at these places and others where unimaginable tragedy has happened, act right. This is a burial ground ; these are memorials . Come here with unprecedented levels of humility and respect or don’t come here at all. Plain and simple.

Young boy with men in 1940s army uniforms along a normandy beach in 2017

10. What to know if you plan to bring kids

I’m going to preface this by saying I do not have kids , so do with this advice what you will (but I’m also not just pulling it out of thin air either). There are certain extra things you’ll need to consider when planning a trip to Normandy with small children or immature teenagers (see above). The first of which, I just talked about.

Traveling to battlefields with children can be a complicated thing that involves many factors. Only you will know if your child is ready to visit these places or not. And by that I mean, whether or not they are mature enough to both handle such difficult material and act respectfully.

visit normandy without a car

I’ve talked to parents who’ve said they don’t think their child would have a problem learning about the events, but they aren’t sure they could actually behave properly at these places. At least, not at the maturity levels they know is necessary.

I talk a lot more about this, and specifically regarding Normandy’s D-Day sites, in my post on visiting World War II sites with kids . Click on over to that and give it a read if this applies to you, even if you think it doesn’t . I’ve seen some horrifying things at these places perpetrated by kids whose parents probably thought that WWII field trip would be a great idea.

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I hope these tips have been able to help you in planning a trip to Normandy. I know it can be daunting but it’s so worth it. You’ll have an amazing time no matter what.

Resources for planning a trip to Normandy

  • Hotels : Find great places in Normandy here on Booking.com (but Expedia and Hotels.com are worth checking too).
  • Rental cars : Check out the best local rental cars deals here.
  • Sightseeing : Pick up a Normandy guidebook for all your area sightseeing needs.
  • Local customs : This pocket size France customs and culture guide is a must-have.
  • Tours and activities : Check out the fun local options here on Viator and Get Your Guide .
  • More Normandy posts : You can find all my Normandy posts here.

Like this post? Have more questions about visiting D-Day sites in Normandy? Ask them below in the comments. Have a great trip!

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About Ashley Smith

Ashley is a World War II historian and travel expert who has visited 32 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.

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Reader Interactions

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March 3, 2024 at 9:50 am

DEAR ASHLEY, I WAS BORN ON D DAY AND PLAN ON GOING THERE TO EXPIERIENCE THIS EPIC MOMENT IN HUMAN HISTORY. MY BIRTHDAY HAS ALWAYS HAD THIS MOMENT IN TIME FOR THE DEEP THOUGHTS OF’HUMANITIES PAST AND FUTURE.

I AM A 100% DISABLED VIET NAM VET AND NATIVE AMERICAN WITH A LIMITED INCOME HOWEVER I HAVE BEEN SAVEING ON MY SS CHECKS SO I CAN AFFORD THIS MOST IMPORTANT EXPIERIENCE. I DO DOCUMENTARY FILMS AND WILL BRING MY GEAR TO RECORD THIS EPIC DAY. ANY IDEAS FOR A PLACE FOR ME TO STAY FOR A WEEK?

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED JAMES HOWARD

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March 4, 2024 at 10:36 am

Hi James, thanks for stopping by! As far as where to stay… there are so many options! I would recommend staying somewhere central to most of the sites – somewhere in Bayeux, Caen, or Arromanches would be best. As for particular hotels, that’s entirely up to you! Type in any of those destinations @ Booking.com and you can filter (on the left) for certain amenities that you require.

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The best 7 day Normandy Road Trip itinerary

From Monet to Mont Saint-Michel and calvados to castles, let’s go on a Normandy road trip.

normandy road trip image of half-timbered house in rouen normandy france

About the author: David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian with 30+years experience exploring Europe. His work regularly appears in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, and The Guardian.

Welcome to my Normandy road trip one-week itinerary.

The region is within easy reach from Paris, or via the English Channel ports, and is one of the most beautiful regions of France.

It’s crammed with history, art, architecture, lush countryside, charming villages and some of the best beaches in France. Not to mention the stunning white cliffs of the Côte d’Albatre.

I’ve written a seven-day itinerary for a road trip in Normandy, with tips on what to see, where to stay and when to go.  

I’ve done seven or eight road trips around Normandy, and condensed them into one week for the purpose of this article.  You could see a lot in a three-day trip, or extend it to ten days, even two weeks or more.

Table of Contents

Why Visit Normandy

image of old harbour honfleur normandy france

Normandy is one of the most beautiful regions of France, with some of the country’s outstanding sights.

Ancient capital Rouen is one of the most beautiful cities in France, with one of the great French Gothic cathedrals at its heart. The medieval old town is also outstanding, with some of the most beautiful half-timbered houses and streets in Europe.

Image of a medieval house and one of the towers of Rouen Cathedral Normandy France

The much smaller medieval town of Bayeux is worth travelling across the country to visit. It’s home to the world-famous Bayeux Tapestry , depicting the Norman invasion of England in 1066. And next door is a wonderful surprise, another of the loveliest cathedrals in France.

Normandy is the birthplace of Impressionism – Claude Monet painted Impression, Sunrise at Le Havre , and this painting eventually gave its name to a whole new style of painting. Monet also painted extensively elsewhere in Normandy, including at Rouen, Honfleur and Étretat .

Normandy has two renowned stretches of coastline.  The Côte d’Albâtre , with its stunning white cliffs, is north-east of Le Havre. And the D-Day Beaches north of Caen and Bayeux are a must for anyone with an interest in World War 2 history.

The tiny port of Honfleur is one of the most beautiful towns in France, with one of the most picturesque harbours you will ever see.

There is also the unsung Normandy countryside , a bucolic haven producing some of the best cheeses in France (Camembert, Brie, Pont l’Évêque). Apples from Normandy are also used to make some of the best cidre in France, and also calvados , the unique local cider eau-de-vie.

Why A Normandy Road Trip

image of medieval houses in rouen france

If you want to see Normandy, you’re going to need a car to get around. Apart from the main train lines from Paris to Rouen and Le Havre and to Caen and Bayeux, public transport in Normandy is scant. It was like this back in the 1980s when I first visited, and little has changed in this regard.

It may surprise some readers, but even the D-Day Beaches – among the main attractions in Normandy – are scarcely served by buses.  It isn’t worth the bother – the only way to get around is by yourself or on a few guided tours. We’ll point these out below.

Normandy Road Trip Itinerary

Day 1 – a day in rouen.

image of gros horloge great clock rouen normandy france

I spent my first night out of the UK in Rouen back in October 1982, and fell in love with the city. It’s one of the most beautiful medieval cities in France and Europe. And over 40 years on I still look on it as a benchmark, somewhere with which I compare other places. It’s undoubtedly one of the most underrated cities in Europe , and worthy of far more attention than it gets.

image of rouen cathedral normandy france

Despite being a small city, Rouen deserves two or three days. But one day in Rouen is enough to see the main sights. You can’t miss Rouen Cathedral, one of the outstanding Gothic churches in Europe .  It was one of the first cathedrals where the Gothic style was adopted after being introduced at the Basilica of St Denis in Paris. However its origins go back possibly as far as the 3 rd century AD.

It’s most famous for its vast west front, which was the subject of a series of paintings by Monet, a study of changing light at different times of day. The heart of England’s King Richard the Lionheart is interred within the Cathedral.

image of skull carving in the aitre st maclou rouen france

There are also several medieval churches around the city. The finest of these are the Church of St Ouen, in the north of the city centre, and the Church of St Maclou. This is very close to the Aitre St Maclou . This remarkable courtyard was used as an expanded charnel house or ossuary in the 16 th century, and a frieze of macabre wooden carvings survives from this period.

Nearby, the rue du Gros Horloge is one of the most beautiful streets in Europe, the row of half-timbered houses leading to an exceptional astronomical clock on an archway above the street. The clock was made in the 14 th century – making it considerably older than the famous Prague Astronomical Clock .

image of the joan of arc church rouen france

Rouen is also renowned as the city where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431. This remarkable young woman helped lead the French to victories against English forces before being captured by Burgundian forces.

She was executed in the Place du Vieux Marché (Old Market Square). A modern church – completed in 1979 by Louis Arretche (who also rebuilt the Pont des Arts Paris ) stands close to the spot where she died. It’s an arresting sight, the light wooden interior enriched by medieval stained glass from the nearby church of St Vincent.

Overnight: Rouen.

Options include the 5-star Hotel de Bourgtheroulde, Autograph Collection, which is very close to the Gros Horloge. 

Alternatively the 4-star Mercure Rouen Centre Cathedrale is in the heart of the historic centre, housed partly in a half-timbered building.

If you’re travelling in a group of four, you may also want to consider staying out in the countryside. The Manoir de l’Aumonerie has two cottages in the grounds of a 14 th century Templar manor house near the village of St-Martin de Boscherville.  

Day 2 – Chateau Gaillard, Jumièges Abbey and Giverny

image of jumieges abbey normandy france

This day trip from Rouen takes in three of the best places to visit in Normandy, all of which are within a short distance of the city. Two of them transport you back to medieval Normandy, while the third immerses you in the world of Impressionist master Claude Monet.

Start the day by taking the D982 out of the western suburbs of Rouen. You could stop at the seriously impressive abbey church at Saint-Martin de Boscherville. From there, the road continues to the Seine, before you reach a left turn for the Abbaye de Jumièges.

Jumièges Abbey was founded around a thousand years ago, and grew to become one of the most important centres of learning in France. When it was dissolved in the wake of the 1789 French revolution, its library was saved and moved to Rouen. The church is a gorgeous atmospheric ruin – if you love places like Fountains Abbey in England or Tintern Abbey in Wales, you’ll adore this amazing place.

image of chateau gaillard castle normandy france

You can either head back into Rouen or take the backroads route across the Seine and up the valley via Elbeuf to Les Andelys. High above the village, the mighty Chateau Gaillard is one of the most famous castles in France.

The late 12 th century castle was built by Richard the Lionheart in an astonishingly quick two years. He boasted that he could defend it even if its walls were made of butter. However, he died young in 1199, and a few years later the castle was seized by his enemy Philippe II of France after a long siege.

During the Hundred Years War Chateau Gaillard changed hands several times between the English and French adversaries. It eventually fell into ruin by the 16 th century.

No road trip to Normandy is complete without a visit to Monet’s Garden in Giverny. It’s only a few miles up the river from Les Andelys, but bear in mind that you need to book your ticket in advance, and that you need to adhere to an entrance time slot.     Also note that it’s open from April 1 st to November 1 st.      

Faye has visited Giverny several times and adores it. When you visit, you get to see the house where Monet lived for many years, and both gardens. One is a walled flower garden, the other a Japanese-style water garden with a famous restored bridge. It’s where Monet painted hundreds of canvases of flowers, lilies and garden scenes.

There aren’t any Monet originals at the Monet House and Garden, but that doesn’t really matter. As Faye says, you’re not seeing his paintings there, you’re walking through them. Essential for anyone with an interest in Monet and Impressionism.

Overnight: Rouen  

Day 3 – Cote d’Albatre, Etretat and Veules-les-Roses

image of white cliffs at etretat normandy france

The Alabaster Coast, north-west of Rouen and north-east of Le Havre, is one of the most beautiful parts of the entire French coast. As with the England’s Channel coast to the north, it consists of towering white chalk cliffs and magnificent beaches. The most famous stretch of the coast is around Étretat, 17 miles (27 km) north of Le Havre.

The landscape is every bit as dramatic as the famous Seven Sisters and Beachy Head on the Sussex coast in England. If anything, nature has gone a bit further in Normandy than across the Channel. The cliffs, sea stack and unusual elephant-trunk-shaped arch at Étretat are its most famous features, a Normandy must-see.

image of veules-les-roses village normandy france

The best way to see the Côte d’Albâtre is on foot. The GR21 hiking trail is one of the best coastal walks in Europe – I rate it up there with the Pembrokeshire Coast Path in my native Wales and the South Crete section of the E4 trail. The only section I have completed is the 10-mile (16 km) section from Étretat to Fécamp. It’s a stunning walk, one I’d love to do again.

Fécamp is another great stop on the Côte d’Albâtre, with superb coastal scenery either side. It is the home of the sweet herbal Bénédictine liqueur, and it may well have originally been developed by the monks of the Abbey in Fécamp. In the 1860s, Alexandre Le Grand was given the old recipe and altered it somewhat. The monastic back story would have certainly helped with the marketing, and it’s still produced to this day.

Overnight: Rouen or Étretat

As for Étretat, Hotel Le Rayon Vert is right on the seafront, within metres of the beach. Castel de la Terrasse and Dormy House also overlook the seafront. Les Tilleuls Étretat is a small hotel half a mile inland with a garden, double rooms with balconies and outstanding reviews.

Day 4 – Honfleur and Le Havre

image of the volcan building in le havre normandy france

Honfleur and Le Havre are very different ports across the Seine estuary from each other. The smaller Honfleur is much the older of the two, by almost 500 years. And yet both, for different reasons, were a major inspiration for the early Impressionists, Monet included.

I recommend trying to spend a few hours in each if possible.  Le Havre was largely destroyed in World War Two, and much of it rebuilt under the auspices of Belgian architect Auguste Perret. The modernist city was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.  I’ve always been fascinated by the place. It wasn’t all Perret’s work – Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer built the Volcan (pictured). It has long been nicknamed the ‘Yoghurt Pot’ by locals.

image of volcan building in le havre france

Le Havre, as one of the places which inspired the Impressionist style, is home to one of the best collections of Impressionist art in the world. MUMA is an excellent gallery, and far more enjoyable to experience than the endless crowds of the Musee d’Orsay in Paris.

image of the vieux bassin or old port honfleur normandy france

Honfleur is just across the Seine estuary from Le Havre, reached by the steep Pont de Normandie. The Quai Ste Catherine, on the Vieux Bassin harbour, is the main draw. It’s one of the most beautiful streets you’ll ever see, with some of its narrow waterfront houses up to eight storeys high.

image of old port honfleur france

Monet painted the quayside many times, and the port inspired many other artists, including Eugène Boudin. The superb Musée Eugène Boudin is the best of many art galleries around the small town. Make sure you spend at least a few hours in Honfleur – the rest of the town is a joy to wander. And don’t miss the Church of Ste Catherine, built from wood, whose earliest part dates from the 15 th century.

Overnight: Rouen, Étretat or Honfleur

There is a huge choice of places to stay in Honfleur. Villa du Cedre, a few minutes’ walk from the Vieux Bassin, gets exceptional reviews. Or La Poupardoise, in an old fisherman’s house on the harbour, is also very highly-rated.

Day 5 – Caen and Bayeux

image of skyline of caen france

Caen is the capital of the Calvados d épartement and Lower Normandy, a rich historical city severely damaged in the wake of the 1944 D-Day landings nearby.  I’d recommend half a day there to explore the superb Chateau de Caen, which was largely the work of William the Conqueror.

While there, don’t miss the city’s two outstanding Romanesque churches – the Abbaye aux Hommes (Men’s Abbey) and Abbaye aux Dames (Women’s Abbey). They are half a mile’s walk in opposite directions from the Chateau.  The Abbaye aux Dames was completed by around 1080, and the construction of the Abbaye aux Hommes continued for at least 150 years, into the Gothic period. It houses the tomb of William the Conqueror.

image of bayeux tapestry normandy france

Bayeux Cathedral

Bayeux is a 15-mile (25 km) drive from Caen, and one of the hidden gems of northern France. The city is known worldwide as the home of the Bayeux tapestry, which is housed in an excellent museum in the town.  This astonishing 11 th century tapestry – commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux p- documents the events leading up to William the Conqueror’s 1066 invasion of England and his subsequent coronation.

image of bayeux war cemetery normandy france

Many visitors – myself included first time round – don’t realise that Bayeux is home to a gorgeous Gothic cathedral across the street from the Tapestry Museum.  The original Romanesque cathedral that William would have known was largely destroyed by fire, so much of it had to be rebuilt during the Gothic era.

Many also visit Bayeux for its vast War Cemetery, the resting place for over 4,000 soldiers from the Commonwealth, most of whom perished during the D-Day operations.

Overnight: Bayeux

Manoir Sainte-Victoire, La Maison de Mathilde and Domaine de Bayeux are all excellent options in the historic centre of Bayeux.

Day 6 – D-Day Beaches

image of the seaside village of arromanches-les-bains normandy france

The only ways to see the Normandy D-Day Beaches are by guided tour or driving to them yourself.  We went on a couple of school trips to them back in the ‘80s, staying in Arromanches-les-Bains. This was part of Gold Beach, one of five sections of coast code-named by the invading Allies. The D-Day landings took place over a 50-mile – 70 km – stretch of coast.

And there’s not just the beaches to see – there are also many military remnants and fortifications to explore.  And there are also landmarks such as the famous church tower at Sainte-Mère-Église, where an American parachutist got stuck.

The D-Day (Jour J in French) beaches are the scene of Allied landings on 6 th June 1944. They were the beginning of the offensive to oust the occupying Nazi German regime from France, and were decisive in eventually breaking German resistance.

There are also several museums in the area, including the Musée du Débarquement in Arromanches and the Pointe du Hoc Museum. The latter is at the meeting point of the two US landing beaches, Utah and Omaha, in the western sector of the invasion area. I’ve been to the area on two 5-day school trips plus two short stays in recent years, and still haven’t see all of the museums and sights associated with the landings.

Day 7 – Coutances and Mont-Saint-Michel

image of coutances cathedral normandy france

We spend the final day of our week-long Normandy road trip heading west. The Cotentin peninsula mainly attracts French visitors, surprising given its proximity to the Channel Islands. There is some amazing coastal scenery around the north-western tip and the Nez de Jobourg. But we head south-west, for one of the best hidden gems in France, followed by one of the most famous landmarks in France.

image of interior of coutances cathedral normandy france

Coutances Cathedral is one of the finest cathedrals in France, but the town is a fair way off the beaten track.  It’s built on an elevated rocky hill a few miles inland from the sea, and the superb Gothic Cathedral dominates the landscape for miles around.

It’s a hugely impressive sight, with twin west spires and a rare octagonal lantern tower above the crossing. There are very few of these in Europe – Ely Cathedral in England and Burgos Cathedral in Spain are the other most famous examples.

It’s an hour’s drive south via the quicker inland A84 route to Le Mont Saint-Michel, the most famous place to visit in Normandy. You could also head there via the slower roads closer to the coast, but count on this taking a good two hours.

image of mont saint michel france

Mont St Michel is a stupendous sight. You can see its distinctive outline from far away across the Baie de Mont-Saint-Michel. And it makes for an amazing sight as you view it from inland, seemingly floating on the surface of the sea.

The tidal island became a centre of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages. St Michael the Archangel is said to have appeared to Bishop Aubert of nearby Avranches in the early 8 th century. Aubert carried out his instruction to build a church on the islet, then known as Mont Tombe. And over time the foundation’s fame grew.

image of mont saint michel normandy france

Part of the 11 th century Benedictine Abbey church remains, and a Gothic choir replaced the original. The ensemble of buildings, from afar and up close, is astonishing. The site is also fortified, and was never conquered, despite several English attempts during the Hundred Years War.

The whole Mont St Michel experience has greatly changed over the last decade, since the construction of a bridge to the island.  The car park is over a mile from the Mont – you can either take the shuttle bus there or walk.

More Time In Normandy – Where Else To Go?

I’ve also spent a lot of time in less-frequented parts of Normandy, some of which are well worth exploring. The south of Normandy gets very few visitors, even the lovely Suisse Normande (Norman Switzerland). The area’s landscapes are modest compared to Switzerland, but the Orne valley around Clécy is beautiful, especially the Boucle de l’Orne horseshoe.

It’s not far from there to the sturdy chateau at Falaise. The original castle on this site was the birthplace of Guillaume le Conquerant, William the Conqueror. The present building dates from the 12 th or 13 th century, and it’s one of the most imposing castles in France.  And the visitor experience is brilliantly set up, with tablets to guide you around the castle.

There are so many Gothic cathedrals in France – indeed in Normandy – that some tend to get overlooked. One of these is Sées Cathedral (pronounced ‘say’), 50 km (29 miles) south-east of Falaise near Argentan.  It completely dominates the small town around it and, again, is worth going out of your way to see.

Best Time to Visit Normandy

image of street in rouen normandy france

There’s always an element of potluck with the weather in Normandy, northern France and the North Atlantic in general.

I’d go with May, June or September for my next Normandy road trip. I have visited during all of these months, as well as March, April and October. I’ve had the best weather in late spring and again in September, but also enjoyed some stunning autumn days in October.

July and August are the busiest months, especially on the beaches of the Côte Fleurie between Honfleur and Caen. Accommodation prices are also highest at this time.

Normandy Road Trip – Final Thoughts

image of honfleur harbour normandy france

I’m up to seven or eight Normandy road trips in all, and loved this region for over 40 years. It’s such a rewarding part of the world to explore. And there are plenty of places which have barely been discovered by anyone other than locals.

If it’s your first time in France beyond Paris, I can’t think of a better part of the country to explore.  

Discover more places to visit in France in our articles here:

  • Famous Churches In Paris – 22 stunning Parisian churches to seek out
  • Best Eiffel Tower Views – 28 best places to see the Eiffel Tower in Paris
  • Arc de Triomphe Paris – all you need to know before visiting this great Paris landmark
  • Pont Alexandre III Paris – stunning Belle Epoque Parisian bridge
  • Sunset in Paris – the 15 best places to see one
  • La Sainte Chapelle Paris – one of the most beautiful Gothic churches ever built
  • One Day In Avignon – 24 hours by the Rhone in the City of Popes
  • Best Day Trips From Avignon – 14 fantastic day trips from the City of Popes

And here are a few more road trip articles for you to check out:

South of France Road Trip – a 10-day circular route taking in Avignon, Arles, Albi and much more

Portugal Road Trip – Alentejo – borderlands and backwoods in south-east Portugal

Snowdonia Road Trip – 4 road itineraries for the spectacular National Park in North Wales

Pembrokeshire Road Trip – a 5-day trip around the beaches, coves and castles of south-west Wales

Image of David Angel found of Delve into Europe Travel Blog / Website

David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian. He is a European travel expert with over 30 years’ experience exploring Europe. He has a degree in History from Manchester University, and his work is regularly featured in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, The Times, and The Sunday Times.  David is fluent in French and Welsh, and can also converse in Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and Polish.

The World Was Here First

The Ultimate 3, 4 or 5 Day Normandy Road Trip Itinerary

Last Updated on February 19, 2024

by Neota Langley

Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. That means if you click a link and make a purchase, we may make a small commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, see our privacy policy.

visit normandy without a car

Located along the northwest coast of France, planning the perfect 3, 4 or 5-day Normandy road trip itinerary is an excellent way to experience this diverse region. Boasting picturesque countryside, charming coastal towns, and iconic landmarks, this is an excellent corner of France to explore.

Whether you’re interested in the history of the D-Day landing beaches, the imposing charms of the Mont Saint-Michel tidal island or want to walk in the footsteps of an impressionist painter, you cannot go wrong with a road trip to Normandy.

Table of Contents

How Many Days in Normandy?

Whether you are hoping to go on a cultural tour of this historically significant region in Northern France or enjoy the picturesque towns and dramatic coastal scenery, you may be wondering how many days to spend in Normandy. 

If you only have 3 days for your trip or are passing through as part of a more extended road trip through France, don’t worry. You will still be able to visit the highlights but may have to focus your trip on either the eastern or western side of the region to make the most out of your time.

With 3 days in the Normandy region, you will be able to visit Mont Saint-Michel, Caen and the D-Day landing beaches without feeling rushed.

If you have 4 days in Normandy, you will have time to visit the highlights as well as Honfleur, a charming town on the coast of Normandy that’s known for its picturesque harbour, quaint streets, artistic ambience and the dramatic white cliffs of Étretat.

Ideally, you would spend a full 5 days exploring this varied region. 5 days in Normandy will give you time to visit the highlights as well as a bonus day in Rouen, the historic capital of Normandy, which transports you back in time with its stunning medieval architecture, narrow cobblestone streets, and grand Gothic cathedral.

Those who have more time can continue to explore more of Normandy itself or even head south to explore neighbouring Brittany .

Honfleur Harbour in Normandy

Getting To & Around Normandy

Getting to Normandy is a breeze, with several convenient transportation options available. If you’re travelling from within France, the region is easily accessible by train.

The cities of Caen, Rouen, and Le Havre have well-connected train stations, offering regular services from Paris and other major cities across France. You can view train schedules here.

For those flying in from abroad, the closest international airports are both located on the outskirts of Paris , Paris Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly.

From there, you can rent a car, drive to Normandy, or take a train to one of the region’s main cities. The train journey from Paris to Normandy takes approximately 1-2 hours, depending on your destination.

If you are visiting from the UK and prefer to take the scenic route, consider taking a ferry. Regular ferry services are operating between UK ports (such as Portsmouth or Dover) and ports in Normandy (such as Ouistreham or Le Havre). It’s a fantastic way to enjoy the sea views and arrives directly in Normandy with your vehicle.

The Eurotunnel is also an option if you are coming from the UK which can be cheaper than the ferry, especially during peak times. However, if you do opt for the Eurotunnel, bear in mind you will have to drive from Calais, which takes around 5 hours. 

Taking a road trip in Normandy is the best way to explore this compact region so if you are travelling without your vehicle, you may wish to hire a car. This will allow you time to discover the highlights at your own pace and stumble across the hidden gems along the way. 

If you need to rent a car for your trip, you can browse Rentalcars.com which compares prices for major companies.

Normandy has a local network of buses and trains, and the towns and cities are small enough to explore on foot once you have arrived. There is a direct train between the two main cities, Rouen and Caen, but travelling using public transport to the smaller villages can be more fragmented with several changes giving you less time to explore your destination.

If you don’t have access to a vehicle, you may want to consider staying in Paris and taking guided day tours out to Normandy to explore the D-Day sights or Mont Saint Michel. 

Omaha Beach in Normandy

3, 4 or 5-Day Normandy Itinerary

On this Normandy road trip, we are taking you on a journey from west to east along the region, starting with Mont Saint Michel and ending in the picturesque city of Rouen. 

The climate of this region is much the same as the southern corner of the UK, they are close neighbours looking out at one another across the English Channel. During the summer months, you can expect glorious sunshine, long summer evenings and pastel sunsets, but be aware the main attractions can get busy during the peak times. 

Spring is a beautiful time to visit, with flowers exploding into bloom after a long winter. The crowds have yet to arrive and you can often enjoy the highlights all to yourself. 

The autumn and winter months can be wild, windy and wet so if you are hoping to wander through the streets, stand tall on the white cliffs and take the bridge across the Mont Saint Michel, you may want to avoid these seasons – or pack a decent waterproof.

Day 1 – Mont Saint-Michel 

Mont saint-michel village.

You’ll find the captivating rocky mound of Mont Saint-Michel, North of the Normandy coastline, where the Breton coast meets the Couesnon River. With its abbey dating back to the 8th century, this island is one of the Western world’s most ancient Christian pilgrimage sites.

Today, Mont Saint-Michel is a world UNESCO heritage site and is France’s second most visited tourist attraction, pipped to the post by the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Arrive at Mont Saint-Michel early to beat the crowds, parking spaces can be limited so if you are arriving by car, set the alarm early to avoid disappointment.

If you are arriving by train, head to Pontorson, the closest station to the Mont-Saint-Michel, and then take the free shuttle bus. You can walk across to the island in around 50 minutes, but there is a free shuttle bus from the car park. 

Mont Saint Michel is a tidal island and although there is a bridge connecting the island to the mainland, during high tide times eg. spring tides, the bridge can become fully or partially submerged, so check tide times before you set off. 

Start your day in the picturesque village, wandering through its narrow streets and admiring medieval architecture. Then, spend some time exploring the shops and boutiques, where you can find souvenirs, local crafts, and tasty treats such as buttery biscuits and cider.

Grab a coffee and a croissant from an artisan boulangerie in the village centre before heading up to the Abbey. 

Mont Saint-Michel

Mont Saint-Michel Abbey

Mont Saint-Michel Abbey, perched atop the rocky island, is a magnificent architectural masterpiece. Dating back to the 8th century, it showcases stunning Gothic design and houses intricate chapels, grand halls, and a beautiful cloister.

Make sure to buy your tickets in advance and download them onto your phone on the mainland as internet connectivity is patchy on the island itself. 

Enjoy a delicious lunch at one of the charming restaurants on the island, savouring local specialities like salted lamb or a fresh seafood dish.

Mont Saint Michel is a fortified village, meaning it is surrounded by medieval ramparts. Spend the afternoon walking around these ramparts for a scenic tour of the island with excellent views of the bay. You can also take a walking tour of the area.

This is a spectacular way to enjoy the sunset, especially if you can get up to one of the towers – North Tower, Gabriel Tower or Tour du Roi.

You can either spend the night on the island or head back to a nearby village for more budget-friendly accommodation, such as the historic town of Avranches or the charming coastal town of Cancale, known for its oysters.

Mont Saint-Michel Abbey

Where to Stay in Mont Saint-Michel

Hôtel Vert – Mid-range visitors to Mont Saint-Michel will love this comfortable hotel just outside of the tidal island. They have a range of rooms on offer, breakfast available in the mornings and a great restaurant/bar on site.

Le Relais Saint Michel – Those looking for a high-end option close to Mont Saint-Michel will love this 4-star hotel. Overlooking the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, many rooms have panoramic views of the tidal island and the hotel also offers a shuttle service to and from the attraction.

La Ramade – This hotel in the town of Avranche makes for another great base for exploring Mont Saint-Michel. They have a beautiful location in an old mansion, a number of lovely rooms to choose from, free parking for guests and a fabulous breakfast each morning.

Edd Hostel – Budget and solo travellers will love this highly-rated hostel located within easy reach of Mont Saint-Michel. Offering both dorms and private rooms, they also operate shuttle services to Mont Saint-Michel along with Saint-Malo and Dinan in Brittany.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse more Mont Saint-Michel hotels!

Day 2 – Caen

Château de caen.

Caen is a vibrant city, a captivating blend of ancient history and modern vitality. The city showcases its medieval past with picturesque cobblestone streets and charming timber-framed houses.

Begin your day in Caen by visiting the magnificent Château de Caen. Built by William the Conqueror, it stands as a testament to medieval architecture and history. Explore its imposing walls, towers, and ramparts, and delve into the castle’s rich past as a symbol of power and conquest.

Abbaye-aux-Hommes

Next, take a short stroll over to Abbaye-aux-Hommes, another architectural marvel founded by William the Conqueror. This abbey showcases Romanesque design and houses the tomb of the legendary king.

Admire its grandeur, explore its serene interior, and immerse yourself in the rich history and spiritual significance of this iconic Norman landmark.

Abbaye aux Hommes

After enjoying some of the city’s awe-inspiring architecture, head over to stroll through the picturesque streets of Caen’s Old Town, known as the Vaugueux Quarter. Admire the charming half-timbered houses, quaint shops, and cosy cafes. 

The old town is the perfect spot to stop for lunch. Enjoy one of Caen’s charming restaurants, indulging in local specialities such as tripe à la mode de Caen (a traditional dish) or delicious seafood. If you have a sweet tooth, opt for a wafer-thin crepe at Crêperie l’Instant.

Memorial Museum

Take the afternoon to explore the exhibits of the Memorial Museum, dedicated to the events of World War II and the Battle of Normandy. Explore the extensive exhibits, including interactive displays and powerful testimonials.

This is the perfect opportunity to delve into the history of the 1944 D-Day landing beaches before taking a tour on day 3. You can book tickets in advance here.

Where to Stay in Caen

Hôtel Mary’s – Located in the centre of Caen, this hotel is a great option for mid-range visitors. Offering a range of clean and comfortable rooms, they have a great continental breakfast available each morning.

Clos Saint Martin – This bed and breakfast is located in a 16th-century mansion in the centre of Caen. Perfect for those looking for a boutique, upmarket stay, there are a range of lovely rooms to choose from along with a hearty breakfast on offer in the mornings.

City’O aparthotel – This aparthotel is a good option for those looking for a great self-catering option in Caen. They have a number of fully-furnished flats available and a great location for exploring all this lovely little city has to offer.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse more Caen hotels!

Caen Towm Hall

Day 3 – D-Day Beaches 

Omaha beach.

A must-visit on any itinerary for Normandy, day 3 brings us to the hallowed grounds of the D-Day beaches. If you only have 3 days in the region, this is a highlight and is the perfect way to round off your trip.

These shores, locations of the historic World War II invasion, bear witness to the bravery and sacrifice of the Allied forces. Immerse yourself in the stories of courage and resilience that unfolded on these beaches, forever shaping history. 

The best way to visit the D-Day beaches is by road trip, with your own vehicle you can take your time, visiting the beaches at your own pace. However, if you don’t have access to a car, several guided group day trips or private D-Day tours are available from Paris or from nearby towns – such as this day tour from Bayeux.

Start your day by heading to Omaha Beach, one of the most significant D-Day landing sites. Visit the Omaha Beach Memorial Museum to learn about the Allied forces’ heroic efforts and the challenges they faced during the invasion.

Pointe du Hoc

Continue to Pointe du Hoc, a strategic location where U.S. Army Rangers scaled cliffs to neutralise German artillery. Explore the well-preserved bunkers and enjoy panoramic views of the coastline.

After taking a short lunch stop to enjoy a packed lunch or a bite to eat at one of the local restaurants, make your way to the American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer. Pay your respects at the solemn gravesites and reflect upon the sacrifices made by the soldiers.

American War Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer

Arromanches-les-Bains

Next, visit the Arromanches-les-Bains and the Mulberry Harbor remains. Discover the innovative engineering behind the artificial port and its vital role during the Normandy invasion.

If time allows, visit the Juno Beach Centre, dedicated to Canada’s contribution to the D-Day landings. Explore the exhibits and gain insight into the experiences of Canadian soldiers.

As the sun goes down, take a moment to reflect on the beaches themselves, where history unfolded. Then, you can either head back to Caen to spend the night or head on to Honfleur, our destination for day 4.

Alternatively, if you have more time, you can also visit the town of Bayeux on the way back. This is currently home to the Bayeux Tapestry which depicts the 1066 Norman Conquest and dates back to the 15th Century.

Day 4 – Honfleur

Honfleur .

Honfleur is a charming old port town known for its picturesque harbour, vibrant art scene, and quaint streets lined with colourful half-timbered houses.

Spend the morning wandering around Vieux Bassin, the heart of the port. Quaint buildings, artisan shops, bakeries and restaurants line the street, looking out on the harbour. You can organise a walking tour if you prefer.

Honfleur is pretty as a picture and has long been an artistic haven. Museums and galleries showcase masterpieces that pay homage to its Impressionist heritage. Notably, the birthplace of Eugène Boudin, mentor to Claude Monet, Honfleur holds pride in its connection to these renowned artists.

You’ll find numerous galleries across the town, but if you don’t feel like meandering through a gallery, you’ll often find artists set up with easels along the Vieux Bassin, painting the waterfront scenes just as the impressionists did 200 years before them.

Honfleur’s most famous landmark is the largest wooden church in France, Église Sainte Catherine. A short walk away from the hustle and bustle of the harbour, the church is free to enter and the interior is a marvel of craftsmanship. 

The church was built by shipbuilders in the 15th century using wood from local forests. Don’t forget to look up at the unique ceiling which looks like two upside-down ships’ hulls.

Eglise Saint Catherine

Grab a picnic from Honfleur, a variety of local delights such as Camembert and Pont-l’Évêque Cheese or a slice of Tarte Tatin (caramelised apple tart) and take a drive out to the dramatic white cliffs of Étretat. You can also take a bus from Honfleur to Étretat with a change in La Havre. 

Nestled along the picturesque cliffs of the Alabaster Coast in Normandy, Étretat is a charming seaside village renowned for its breathtaking natural beauty. Its iconic white chalk cliffs, including the majestic formations of the Falaise d’Amont and Falaise d’Aval, have inspired countless artists and writers throughout history.

Take a leisurely stroll along the promenade, admiring panoramic views of the English Channel and the famous Arch and Needle rock formations. Then, for the best view of the Needle Rock and Elephant Trunk, head up to the cliff paths and take a hike out of the village.

The views from either end are breathtaking, but Falaise Aval offers better views of the needle and the third arch, making it the most popular route.

Spend the evening in the sunshine sitting out on a restaurant terrace in the village. Normandy is known for its apple orchards, so make sure to sample some local cider with your dinner or try some apple brandy, known as calvados.

If you only have 4 days, this is the perfect way to round off your trip.

Cliffs at Etretat

Where to Stay in Honfleur

B&B Le Fond de la Cour – This cosy bed and breakfast makes for the perfect mid-range base in Honfleur. They have a number of lovely rooms on offer, a delightful garden courtyard and terrace, and a wonderful breakfast in the mornings.

A L’ecole Buissonniere – Another rustic yet comfortable bed and breakfast, this is a great place to base yourself in Honfleur. They have a number of comfortable rooms on offer, a wonderful breakfast available in the morning and a great location.

La Petite Folie – Situated in the historic centre of Honfleur, this modern bed and breakfast is a great choice for those looking for a comfortable base in this area of Normandy. They have a number of great rooms to choose from and plenty of amenities for guests.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse more Honfleur hotels!

Day 5 – Rouen

Rouen cathedral.

Welcome to Rouen, the historic capital of Normandy, France. This enchanting city, steeped in rich history and architectural splendour, boasts magnificent Gothic cathedrals, charming cobblestone streets, and a vibrant cultural scene.

Start your day in Rouen by visiting the magnificent Rouen Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture immortalised by Claude Monet’s paintings. Admire the intricate facade and explore the interior, including the stunning stained glass windows.

During the summer months, make sure to return to the cathedral at dusk, as it transforms into a sound and light show. The themes change regularly, ranging from Joan of Arc, the Viking adventure or the impressionist movement. 

Explore the Historic Centre

Next, take a stroll through the charming streets of the historic centre, making your way to the Gros Horloge, an iconic 14th-century astronomical clock. The clock’s mechanism is thought to be one of the oldest in France, the movement having been made in 1389. 

Spend the early afternoon exploring the Rue du Gros-Horloge, a vibrant street lined with shops and cafes. Indulge in retail therapy or relax at a sidewalk café while enjoying the lively atmosphere. You take a walking tour of the area.

This is the perfect place to stop for lunch at one of Rouen’s cosy bistros, savouring local specialities such as duck confit, creamy Normandy cheeses, or a savoury galette.

Astronomical Clock at Rouen

Musée des beaux-arts de Rouen & Musée Le Secq des Tournelles

After lunch, take your pick from several world-class museums and galleries. Visit the Musée des beaux-arts de Rouen (Fine Arts Museum of Rouen), home to the second-largest collection of Impressionist works in France.

For a more unusual artistic experience, the Musée Le Secq des Tournelles is a must-visit. Home to unusual, ornate pieces of wrought ironwork.

Ordinary objects like hinges, tools, signs, locks, and cutlery undergo a surreal transformation, resembling works of art straight out of the Surrealist movement. They metamorphose into whimsical faces,  intricate swirling patterns, and animal-like forms.

Joan of Arc Square

If art is not your thing, head to the Joan of Arc Square and the Church of Saint Joan of Arc, an open-air museum experience dedicated to retelling the story of Saint Joan of Arc. This is a truly immersive experience with projected images and films on the building’s stone walls.

Inside the Churchl of St. Joan of Arc

Seine River Cruise

If you have time, taking a boat trip on the Seine River is a wonderful way to view the city and Normandy countryside from a different perspective to bring your 5 days in Normandy to a close.

Leaving from Rouen, embark on a 1.5-hour sailing around the marina. Learn about the history of the area with a local guide, before returning to the docks. 

Those who have a bit more time or are heading back to Paris from here may love to stop in the town of Giverny, which was once home to impressionist painter Claude Monet.

Normandy is a diverse region, with bags of history and culture to discover alongside the beautiful French countryside. Whether you are lucky enough to have 5 days to explore Normandy or are only passing through, you’re bound to be enchanted by this region. So pack your picnic, and hit the road for a Normandy road trip you’ll never forget. 

Are you planning to visit Normandy? Have any questions about this itinerary? Let us know in the comments!

visit normandy without a car

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Neota Langley

About Neota Langley

Neota is a writer for The World Was Here First. Born and bred in Cornwall, she can usually be found with hiking boots on, ready to embark on an adventure. For the last 6 years, she has travelled throughout Europe in her self-built campervan with her trusty canine companion, Ivy. She loves exploring France, the Nordics and spending time in Alpine destinations.

Day 5 – Rouen

Seine River Cruise – we are travelling this coming May and are following your suggestions. Do you know the name of the Co. we could book a tour with? Thank you Jane Canada

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visit normandy without a car

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Shopping cart items, normandy - why ‘no car’ tourism.

visit normandy without a car

by Émilie Ursule, Project Manager Mobilités Touristiques, Normandie Tourisme My mission is to make Normandy accessible to visitors without a car, in order to reduce the carbon footprint of travelers in our destination.

Introduction to Sustainable Tourist Mobility

Since 2019, Normandy Tourism and the Normandy Region have launched with their regional partners a real reflection on responsible tourism and soft mobility at the scale of the region.

Normandy Tourism now has two project managers on Sustainable Tourism and Mobility leading a specific action plan with goals and objectives such as:

  • Reduce the impact of tourism on the environment and climate change by working in particular on the management of flows and over-frequentation,
  • Develop tourism stakeholders towards responsible approaches
  • Make Normandy an exemplary destination in terms of sustainable travel, in particular by developing “Normandy without my car” offers; and raise customer awareness of sustainable development.
  • See the webinar program in  2020 , 2021 , and 2022.

The Train is Back!

In addition, through the “Normandy without my car” program, Normandy Tourism works with tourist offices on the construction of stays, accessible by public transport or by soft modes of transport (bicycle, on foot, electric car, etc.). Several offers per destination are offered, one for each target: family, group of young people, and couples without children. A good introduction to discover all the facets of Normandy in a carbon-free way! This approach will soon be supplemented by stays without a car, roaming on foot or by bike, from station to station.

See the portfolio « Normandy with no cars »

visit normandy without a car

At the same time, partnership work is carried out with the Transport services of the Normandy Region and the SNCF, to encourage train travel to the destination, and in particular for active travelers! This is how experiments with carrying bikes on Normandy trains are carried out every year in the summer, to allow travelers to go on holiday by train with their bikes, to discover the major cycle routes in Normandy, such as La Vélomaritime, La Vélofrancette, La Véloscénie, The Seine by bike, the Avenue Verte London to Paris, or La VéloWestNormandy.

In terms of promotion, the image campaign for the Normandy destination “La Base! is also taken up by the SNCF, in order to promote access to Normandy by train, via its many direct lines from Paris. The objective: to decarbonize the transport of tourists to our destination by enhancing its accessibility by train!

Experiential and Innovative Offer

To meet demand and encourage visitors to move towards softer, more responsible, and low-carbon travel, Normandy Tourism is committed to raising awareness among its tourism partners and developing suitable, car-free, and more experiential offers. The objective is to reduce the carbon footprint of tourism in Normandy, by maintaining tourism that is more respectful of the environment, and to preserve the cultural and natural wealth of our territory.

Attention Adventure Seekers and Nature Lovers!

The Innovation Pole of Normandy Tourism refocuses on the visitor, their expectations, and their motivations. By co-constructing with its partners, experiential and innovative offers, the visitor now discovers the territory by experiencing Norman Experiences and unforgettable encounters. The visitor can, for example, paddle in the heart of the remains of the D-DAY, start polo in Deauville, create his Calvados, take a gourmet bike ride with a local guide or even discover the arches of Etretat.

This last Norman Experience in Etretat is accessible by train or bus and allows visitors to discover the site in a more sustainable way while managing the flow of visitors.

visit normandy without a car

Contributing members are responsible for the accuracy of content contributed to the Member News section of AdventureTravelNews.

The Geographical Cure

The Ultimate One Week Road Trip Itinerary For Normandy

Exploring Normandy? Here’s my guide to a one week road trip in this beautiful and storied region of northern France.

This guide covers all the top attractions and must visit towns in Normandy to see in 7 days. I also give you options for extending your trip in Normandy.

the picturesque town of Bayeux, a must visit destination in Normandy

Normandy is a region steeped in history. In Normandy, legendary figures like William the Conquerer and Joan of Arc changed the course of history.

Normandy’s landscapes inspired the Impressionist painters. D-Day beaches commemorate the horror of WWII. In Bayeux, a 1,000 year old tapestry tells the story of medieval warfare and sieges.

Handsome Normandy is crammed with appealingly diverse landscapes. From its picturesque pastures to its ancient fishing harbors, Normandy is a bucolic melange of medieval towns, sun-drenched seaside resorts, and towering Gothic cathedrals.

Pinterest pin for one week in Normandy itinerary

Colorful half timbered architecture, windows bursting with flower boxes, is everywhere. Weathered slate-steepled churches decorate apple orchards, which produce the region’s famed cider. Seaside pleasures, set against chalky cliffs, cater to the senses.

Normandy is the birthplace of the Impressionism movement. No place is more linked to a particular art movement than Normandy is linked to Impressionism.

Impressionists didn’t just share a unique style of painting, focused on light and color. The artists found a common muse in Normandy.

a cozy street in Rouen with beautiful half timber architecture

Here’s an overview of my recommended one week itinerary for visiting Normandy:

  • Day 1 : Drive to Rouen, stop in Giverny or at Chateau Gaillard
  • Day 2 : Explore Rouen
  • Day 3 : Drive to Honfleur
  • Day 4 : Day Trip To Etretat and/or Fecamp
  • Day 5 : Day trip to Le Havre or Deauville
  • Day 6 : Drive To Bayeux
  • Day 7 : Day Trip to D Day Beaches
  • More time: Mont Saint-Michel and Brittany

This 1 week itinerary assumes you’re departing for Normandy from Paris. If you want to spend time in Paris, I have a 3 day itinerary for Paris and a 5 day itinerary for Paris you may find useful.

For this Normandy itinerary, you’ll have three bases: (1) Rouen (2 nights); Honfleur (3 nights); and Bayeux (2 nights). If you don’t want to move bases, you can just pick one. The destinations in this Normandy itinerary aren’t far apart.

map of Normandy

I would recommend Bayeux, a beautiful town right out of the middle ages. Bauyeux is near the inland towns, but still only 4 miles from the coast of Normandy.

There are 16 direct trains from Paris from Bayeux, if you’d prefer not to drive from Paris. Honfleur also makes a good base, central to all the Normandy destinations I’ve listed.

This detailed 7 day road trip itinerary for Normandy has a mix of historic sites, leisurely villages, and nature. It’s perfectly adjustable, giving you some destination inspiration for Normandy.

You can make the road trip shorter or longer, depending on your available vacation time or personal fast/slow travel pace. If you just have a long weekend, skip Giverny and Rouen and head right to Honfleur or Bayeux.

the artist Claude Monet's house in Giverny, a must visit town in Normandy

One Week In Normandy Itinerary

Here’s how to spend 7 blissful days in beautiful Normandy.

Day 1: Paris To Rouen, Stop at Giverny or Chateau Gaillard En Route

On day 1, you’ll depart from Paris and head west on the A13 to the medieval town of Rouen.

En route, depending on your interest, stop in either Giverny (home of Claude Monet) or at Chateau Gaillard (medieval ruins of Richard Lionheart’s fortress).

1. Option 1: Monet’s House and Gardens in Giverny

En route, follow signs for Vernon and stop in Giverny. Giverny is about a one hour drive from Paris. Rouen is approximately 45 minutes further on from Giverny.

rose trellises in Monet's Clos Normand in Giverny

Giverny is the perfect place to start your Normandy adventure. Giverny is home to the house and gardens of Impressionist painter Claude Monet. It’s a one-of-a-kind pastoral paradise, born from the great artist’s obsession.

READ : The Monet Guide To Paris

Monet lived half his life in Giverny. You won’t find any original Monet paintings. Instead, you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped into one of his utopian paintings.

In Giverny, Monet, a devoted horticulturist, created an ethereal and exquisitely staged garden in the French-Norman countryside. With the scent of roses wafting in the air, Monet’s garden is one of the world’s most beautiful and popular gardens.

Monet's water garden

To wander through Monet’s Garden is akin to living in one of his paintings. A world of flowers of every color fills your field of view, nodding slightly in the breeze. It looks like a paint factory explosion, or a few flicks of Monet’s paintbrush.

There are two parts to Monet’s labor-of-love gardens — the Clos Normand flower garden and the Water Garden. The Clos Norman is a boldly colored display and expressly Western. The Water garden is organic, Asian, and more exotic.

The two gardens are connected by a tunnel passing under the road. The gardens are immensely popular — a pilgrimage and mecca for Monet fans, Francophiles, and avid gardeners.

Here’s my complete guide to visiting Giverny . Click here to book a 1.5 hour guided tour of Monet’s house and gardens. Click here to book a skip the line ticket + 2 hour guided tour.

ruins of Richard Lionheart's Chateau Gaillard in Normandy

2. Option 2: Chateau Gaillard

If you’re a ruin luster who’d like to avoid tourists, stop in Les Andelys on the Seine River to visit Chateau Gaillard . It’s a designated historic monument in France. Its name means “strong castle.”

Richard the Lionheart built Chateau Gaillard between 1196-98. Perched on the Seine, the fortress secured the western border of France and was a symbol of power. The fortress changed hands and endured various sieges until Henry IV ordered its destruction in 1603.

You can explore the chateau grounds year round. With a ticket, from March to November, you can head inside and visit the inner bailey, and upper courts, and dungeon.

aerial view of inner bailey of Chateau Gaillard, a historic ruin in Normandy

For the time, Chateau Gaillard had an innovative design.

The fortress was one of the earliest known examples in which machicolations were used – openings in the floor of battlements through which objects and hot liquids were thrown on would be attackers.

The chateau’s successive rings of moats and fortifications made the inner keep almost impregnable. It features a “stepped” or “scalloped” wall at the top of the defences. This allowed soldiers to shoot between sections of wall.

the pretty village of Lyon-la-Foret near Rouen in Normandy

Chateau Gaillard is 55 minutes from your destination of Rouen. If you have extra time en route to Rouen, you can also stop in the pretty village of Lyon-la-Foret, 30 minutes from the chateau.

Designated one of France’s Les Plus Beaux Villages, Lyons-la-Foret is a classic French village with half-timbered houses. It dates from the 17th and 18th century.

The town has cozy cafes, quaint antique shops, and a covered marketplace. If you want to grab some lunch, try Le Bistro du Grand Cerf, Le Petit Lyons, or La Licorne.

beautiful half timbered architecture in Rouen

From Lyons-la-Foret, it’s about 45 minutes to Rouen, which will be your first base.

Where to stay in Rouen : Hotel de Bourgtheroulde , Hotel Cardinal , Le Vieux Carre

Where to eat in Rouen : Restaurant Gill (Michelin), Restaurant Origine, l’Odas (Michelin), La Pecherie, Au Bouillon Normand

Day 2: Explore Rouen

Medieval Rouen is 2000 years old. It’s one of Normandy’s most engaging and historically rich destinations, with half timbered homes and winding medieval lanes.

With its lantern tower piercing the clouds, Cathdrale Notre-Dame de Rouen is Rouen’s crown jewel.

the Great Clock in Rouen

Rouen’s central square is where Joan of Arc, the teen who rallied France to drive out the English, was tried for heresy and burned at the stake in 1431. During WWII, Allied bombing raids laid waste to the city. A lot to endure, no?

But Rouen is still lovely and its cobbled old town is a joy to wander. You may want to book a guided walking tour .

Stroll the length of the Rue du Gros Horloge, the pedestrianized main drag, to Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Along the way, take in all the colorful half timbers, the Place du Vieux Marche, the massively ornate Great Clock, and the modern Joan of Arc Church. If you have time, climb the clock tower’s 100 steps for panoramic views.

cityscape of Rouen with Rouen Cathedral

Rouen’s Notre Dame Cathedral is a landmark of art history, one of Europe’s best cathedrals. Constructed between the 12th and 14th centuries, the cathedral was built on the foundations of a 4th century basilica.

The cathedral rises 151 meters tall, making it one of the tallest in France. The Dukes of Normandy were traditionally crowned and buried there. Richard the Lionhearted insisted his heart be kept there. You can still see what Impressionist artist Claude Monet painted more than a century ago.

Rouen also has a wonderful museum, the Musée des Beaux-Arts. It has masterpieces from the 15th century to the 21st century, including works from Velazquez, Van Dyke, Delacroix, Gericault, Delaroche, and the Impressionists.

>>> Click here to book a walking tour of Rouen

READ : Guide To the Impressionism Trail in Normandy

the beautiful harbor of Honfleur, a must visit stop on your one week in Normandy itinerary

Day 3: Drive To Honfleur

On day 3, head to Honfleur, your next base for 3 nights. Honfleur is a 50+ minute drive from Rouen. So, if you start early, you can spend most of the day there. To get oriented, you may want to book a 1.5 hour guided walking tour .

Honfleur is a classic Norman town, dubbed “the jewel of Normandy.” In Honfleur, the Seine flows into the English Channel, reflections mirrored in Le Vieux Bassin or old harbor.

The novelist Baudelaire once declared, “Honfleur has always been the dearest of my dreams.” Victor Hugo called Honfleur “a ravishing port full of masts and sails, crowned with green hills and surrounded by narrow houses.

READ : Guide To the Victor Hugo Museum in Paris

Honfleur is lined with gorgeous 16th to 18th century row houses with slate roofs and facades. Honfleur also has some beautiful churches and is laced with a maze of tiny cobbled streets.

medieval Church of Saint Catherine in Honfleur

The medieval Church of Saint Catherine is the largest wooden church in France, and Honfleur’s spiritual heart. It was built in the 15th century by sailors.

All this beauty besotted the Impressionists and fellow artists and writers. Art historians claimed that Honfleur was the “birthplace of Impressionism. There, local artist Eugene Boudin urged Monet to paint outside in “plein air,” changing the course of art history.

Honfleur is a cultural treasure. Not surprisingly for a town that begs to be painted, the town boasts 95 art galleries, with works by contemporary painters keeping Boudin’s spirit alive.

pretty architecture in historic Honfleur

Housed in a 19th century chapel, the Musee Eugene Boudin is a pleasing small museum with airy rooms. You’ll find myriad samples of dreamy coastal scenes by the Normandy-loving Impressionists, especially the Honfleur School.

There are plenty of meteorological coastal scenes by its namesake painter Boudin. There are also paintings by the likes of Courbet, Monet, Vuillard, Sisley, and Pissarro. You can see how Boudin inspired later masters, who took Boudin’s techniques to the next level.

Where to stay : Hotel de la Cheval Blanc , Horel de l’Ecrin , Hotel du Dauphin , La Maison de Lucie

Where to eat : La Bouilland Normand, Cote Resto, Restaurante la Lieutenance, Au P’tit Mreyeur, Fereme Saint Simeon, Sa.Qua.Na (Michelin), Entre Terre et Mer

white cliffs of Etretat

Day 4: Explore Honfleur + Half Day Trip To Etretat or Full Day Trip to Etretat and Fecamp

1. option 1: morning in honfleur, afternoon in etretat.

Spend the morning exploring or going to the museum, if you didn’t get a chance on your first day in Honfleur. After lunch, drive to the famous white cliffs of Etretat.

It’s an approximately 1.5 hour drive. En route, you’ll drive over the Pond de Normandie, the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world.

Sleepy Etretat is a classic old world French town with absolutely mesmerizing scenery. Etretat is set on the sea. Waves crash against the shores of a jagged chalky coastline, with a pretty beach promenade.

A monumental arch, Porte d’Aval, plunges into the sea. It’s France’s version of England’s White Cliffs of Dover.

white cliffs of Etretat Normandy

The town’s indescribable natural beauty inspired artists like Claude Monet, Henri Matisse, Eugene Boudin, and Gustave Courbet. The cliffs, known as the Elephant and the Needle, were one of the artists’ favorite spots to paint. They’re huge and beautiful; softly undulating and momentous.

The best way to admire the seascape is to walk along the cliffs. It’s not intimidating at all. On your walk, you’ll come across the Chapel of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde. The original was destroyed in WWII, but it was rebuilt in the 1950s.

When you’re done admiring the caves and tunnels carved into the cliffs, head down the staircase to the sparkling turquoise waters of Etretat Beach. The water is cold, but the pebbles are soft and smooth, not hard on the feet.

Etretat’s town center is quaint and shouldn’t be ignored. It’s bursting with shops, eateries, and art galleries.

Cider is a local specialty and there are plenty of crepes. There’s also quite a number of small bed and breakfasts — a testament to Etretat’s appeal to (mostly) French tourists.

Benedictine Palace Museum in Fecamp

2. Option 2: Full Day Trip to Both Etretat and Fecamp

Fecamp is about 25 minutes east of Etretat. Like Etretat, Fecamp is a pretty coastal resort town with dramatic white cliffs, just a 5 minute walk from the town center. You can stroll along the beaches and admire the lighthouse.

Cap Fagnet is Fecamp’s famous viewpoint, just across the port. On one side, you can admire the cliffs. On the other, you can see Fecamp’s harbor and block houses.

While in Fecamp, you should visit the Abbatiale de la Ste-Trinite, or the Benedictine Palace Museum. Built by Richard the Lionheart in the 12th and 13th centuries, it was the most important pilgrimage sites in Normandy until Mont Saint-Michel was built. Now, it has both Neo-Gothic and Renaissance architectural elements.

The abbey is famous for its Benedictine liqueur, which is still produced onsite. You’ll get a sip at the end of your visit. If you’re staying in Fecamp for dinner, you’ll find some good seafood restaurants. Try Chez Nounoute or La Maree

pretty houses in Deauville, a beautiful town on the coast of Normandy

Day 5: Day Trip To Deauville or Le Havre

On day 5, head to either Deauville or Le Havre. Your choice will depend on where you interests lie.

Deauville is an utterly charming resort town on the Parisian Riviera, about 25 minutes from Honfleur. In Deauville, you can hit the beach, relax, and enjoy the social whirl.

By contrast, Le Havre is for art lovers. Le Havre is also only 25 minutes afield as well. The town has one of France’s best museums, with a stunning collection of Impressionism.

the forest of colorful umbrellas that are permanent fixtures in Deauville

1. Option 1: Deauville

Glamorous Deauville is a favorite spot of wealthy Parisians. Deauville is like the Hamptons of Paris, a convenient and luxe beach resort just far enough to escape the bustle and heat of city life. The town is part of the “Parisian Riviera.”

The Parisian Riviera stretches for 25 miles between Caen and Honfleur and is known as the Cote Fleurie, or Flower Coast. In The Great Gatsby , Fitzgerald has his protagonists spend part of the year in Deauville.

Deauville is a beautiful town. It’s stuffed with aristocratic Anglo-Norman mansions from the Victorian era.

They’re elegant old world half timbered homes with Queen Anne style accents and witches’ hat turrets The houses are even more distinctive and ornamental than those in Alsace.

visit normandy without a car

Aside from architecture, Deauville is renowned for its stately seaside strand (Promenade des Planches), horse racing, luxury shopping, delicious cuisine, and film festivals. Enjoy a stroll down the promenade and stop for lunch at Augusto Chez Laurent or La Peniche.

In addition to attracting Parisians, Deauville also enamored the Impressionist painters. Those included Monet, Berthe Morisot, Boudin, and Gustave Caillebotte. Lured by the setting, they set up their easels outside on the beach and painted Deauville’s beautiful coastal landscapes.

If you don’t want to indulge in beach time, instead take a coastal drive along the Cote Fleurie and see its other villages — Trouville-sur-Mer, Cabourg, Houlgate, and Cricqueboeuf. Trouville’s beach is known as the “Queen of the Beaches.”

the MUMA Museum in Le Havre

2. Option 2: Le Havre

As a result of Allied bombing, Le Havre was largely obliterated during WWII.

The town was rebuilt by the Belgian architect Auguste Perret, a mentor to Le Corbusier. His post-war modernist vision still marks the town, earning the first UNESCO designation for an urban center in 2005.

Le Havre was a favorite haunt of the Impressionist artists. Its location at the mouth of the Seine estuary gave the town exceptional light.

The water runs in a current, giving off glimmer and glints as the light catches it. Le Havre’s port, dockyards, beaches, and regattas inspired all the major players in Impressionism.

Monet, Impression: Sunrise, 1972 -- in the Musee Marmottan Monet

Claude Monet grew up in le Havre. In 1872, when he was 32, he painted the groundbreaking harbor scene Impression: Sunrise . It’s in a small secret museum in Paris , the Musee Marmottan Monet. The Post-Impressionist Raoul Dufy was also born in Le Havre.

The once gritty town has become a dynamic art center. The Andre Malraux Museum of Modern Art (known as MUMA), in and of itself, is an excellent reason to visit Le Havre.

Housed in a light-filled building overlooking the Seine, MUMA boasts one of the largest collections of French Impressionism in the world. It’s a mini Musee d’Orsay without the Paris crowds. There are works by Boudin, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Sisley, Pissarro, Courbet, and Dufy.

For lunch, have some crepes at the Creperie Soizic in the old quarter. For a cocktail, try L’Abri-Cotier on the promenade.

historic center of Bayeux

Day 6: Drive To Bayeux

On day 6, drive west from Honfleur to Bayeux. It’s about a one hour drive.

You’ll have the entire day to poke around and explore this delightful medieval town. You may want to book a 2 hour walking tour .

If you didn’t breakfast in Honfleur, head to the patisserie La Reine Mathilde.

Beautiful Bayeux is a town that played an outsized role in French history. It’s the perfect base for historic Normandy — the site of the Norman invasion of France in 1066 and WWII’s D-Day landings of 1944.

Most people go to Bayeux to see the thousand year old, and exceedingly long (230 feet), Bayeux Tapestry.

Housed in the Bayeux Tapestry Museum , the tapestry chronicles the events leading up to William the Conqueror’s invasion of France. In 50 scenes, it depicts the battle of Hastings and the showdown between William and King Harold II.

detail of the Bayeux Tapestry

It’s unclear when the the Bayeux Tapestry (actually an embroidery) was created. But historians speculate that it was not long after the events it depicts.

The tapestry is remarkably well-preserved given its age, though it has been restored several times. The tapestry was most likely created by William’s queen, Matilda, and her court.

The Nazis seized the tapestry during WWII. It would up at the Louvre , which the Nazis had commandeered and were using as a clearinghouse for art theft. After the war, the tapestry was returned to Bayeux, its rightful owner.

READ : Underrated Masterpieces of the Louvre

the massive Bayeux Cathedral

But Bayeux isn’t just a piece of cloth, however impressive. Full of medieval architecture, the town itself is delightful and fairytale-like. Honey colored stone buildings are topped with black slate roofs. Flowing flower boxes spill into the narrow lanes.

While you’re strolling, pop into Bayeux’s Notre-Dame Cathedral. This extremely large Norman-Romanesque church was consecrated in 1077 and has survived countless wars and conflicts.

The cathedral is thought to be the original home of the Bayeux Tapestry. Fierce gargoyles on the exterior scowl down at you. In the summer, there’s a fantastic nighttime light show.

Where to stay in Bayeux : Villa Lara , Chateau de Bellefontaine , Grand Hotel du Luxembourg , or Novotel Bayeux

Where to eat in Bayeux : La Rapiere, L’Angle Saint Laurent, Le Pommier, La Reine Mathilde (breakfast), Le Volet Qui Penche, P’tit Bistro

WWII cemetery near Omaha Beach

Day 7: Day Trip to the D-Day Beaches

On the last day of your one week Normand itinerary, you’ll visit the historic D-Day beaches. Bayeux makes the perfect base for visiting the D-Day beaches. Unchanged and undeveloped, the beaches are like a time capsule.

You may want to book a guided day trip tour. To do it all, you could go on a 9 hour guided tour of the beaches from Bayeux. Or you could take a half day trip lasting 5 hours .

There, the US successfully carried out the largest military operation in history on June 6, 1944. On this day, US troops gained a foothold in France, a pivotal moment in history which led to the crumbling of Nazi Germany.

You can immerse yourself in the history of Operation Overlord, and the daily lives of the German and Allied troops. For background, visit the America Gold Beach Museum , the Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy , and the Bayeux War Cemetery.

Omaha Beach Memorial in Normandy

The D-Day beaches consist of a 54 mile stretch of coast from Sword beach in the east to Utah beach in the west.

This area is dotted with WWII museums, cemeteries, monuments, and battle remains. For a comprehensive guide to the D-Day beaches, click here .

You won’t be able to see everything in a day, even with a tour guide. Plan your day around a theme, whether you want to visit the American, Canadian, or British sites and memorials. Five miles west of Omaha Beach is the area’s best scenic lookout, Pointe du Hoc.

If you rented a car, from Bayeux, it’s a three hour drive back to Paris. Or, if you picked up your car in Rouen, drop it in Bayeux and take the train back to Paris.

Mont Saint-Michel, one of France's most famous landmarks

Extra Time in Normandy? Visit Mont Saint-Michel

There are plenty more beautiful cities to visit in Normandy . But an absolute must visit l andmark in France is Mont Saint-Michel.

In fact, you could reverse this itinerary and start in Mont Saint-Michel, then travel east through Normandy. But, with no direct connections, Mont Saint can be a pain to get to from Paris.

In any event, from Bayeux to Mont Saint-Michel, it’s 1:35 drive by car. But the Mont is worth the effort, especially if you start early.

the stony village of Mont Saint-Michel

Click here to pre-book a ticket. You can also book a full day guided day trip tour from Bayeux .

Mont Saint-Michel is the crown jewel of Normandy. It’s one of France’s most recognizable silhouettes, a veritable castle in the clouds.

The famous landmark is a pretty-as-a mirage island sanctuary. Its steeply built architecture seems almost impossible. A surreal medieval stage set, the Mont’s sky-high spires, stout ramparts, and rocky outcrops rise dramatically from the sea.

Grande Rue in Mont Saint-MIchel

The immense stone pile stands guard over gleaming sands laid bare by a receding (and unpredictable) tide. At high tide, Mont Saint-Michel seems to float in the sea.

The hulking abbey is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in Christendom. In medieval times, devotees flocked to venerate the Archangel Michael. The Mont’s star attraction is the ancient abbey crowning its top.

You can overnight at the Mont, on the mainland (pamper yourself at the luxury Chateau de Chantore ), or in nearby Saint-Malo (L’Ascott) in Brittany.

A trip to Mont Saint-Michel takes some time and planning. Click here for my complete guide to visiting Mont Saint-Michel, with tips for visiting.

If you have an extended vacation planned, Brittany is a fantastic place to continue your road trip. Click here for my guide to the 20 most beautiful villages in Brittany .

street in the town of Gerberoy, another cute village in Normandy

Tips for Visiting Normandy

The best time to visit Normandy is in late spring and summer. Then, the weather is pleasant, the days are longer, and the flowers are in full bloom. After summer, some villages go into hibernation mode and there’s not as much to see and do in Normandy.

Ideally, you should rent a car to explore Normandy. Normandy’s villages are best explored by car because public transportation is scarce.

Trains from Paris serve Rouen, Caen, Bayeux, and Mont St-Michel. But service interconnecting these Normandy destinations is frustrating or non-existent.

In Normandy, cars drive on the right hand side, so that will be familiar. You don’t even need an International Driver’s License in France. Most of the motorways have tolls, so have cash on hand.

In terms of cuisine, Normandy is known for the “four C’s” — camembert, cider, calvados (apple brandy), and cream. Creperies and galette cafes are omnipresent. There’s no local wine in Normandy. You’ll have to make do with cider or the white Muscadet wines made in neighboring Loire region.

Veules-les-Roses, another pretty town in Normandy

I hope you’ve enjoyed my 1 week itinerary for Normandy. You may enjoy these other France travel guides:

  • 3 Day Itinerary for Paris
  • 3 Day Art Weekend in Paris
  • Hidden Gems in Paris
  • 10 Day Itinerary for Southern France
  • Secret Towns in France
  • Hidden Gems in Provence
  • Beautiful Towns in Northern France
  • Hilltop Villages of the Luberon Valley
  • Historic Landmarks in Southern France
  • Beautiful Villages in Occitanie

If you’d like to road trip for one week in Normandy, pin it for later.

Pinterest pin for one week in Normandy itinerary

8 thoughts on “The Ultimate One Week Road Trip Itinerary For Normandy”

Wooow Amazing travel itinerary! We are planning our visit for this summer and your tips helped a looot! Thank you so much!!!

Have a great time!

Thank you for this incredibly detailed and informative itinerary. Your explanations, recommendations, and options are very helpful for tailoring to our family since we don’t have unlimited time. Your photos are wonderful. I also want to thank you for your travel tips about getting around, information about foods to eat while there, etc. Thank you!

You’re welcome! Enjoy your vacation in Normandy!

Thank you so much for a lovely itinerary! I’m headed there later this summer and I’m now sold that a whole week in Normandy will be well worth it!

Yes! It deserves more than just a couple days. There’s so much to see.

This looks wonderful! Thank you for such a detailed itinerary. We are going next year and will definitely want to do the full week.

Thank you and enjoy the trip!

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Last Updated on August 26, 2023 by Leslie Livingston

Many Other Roads

The Ultimate Normandy Road Trip Guide 2024

visit normandy without a car

Thinking of driving through Normandy on one of Europe’s best road trips? Good Choice!

This Charming area of France has so much to offer with a combination of Seaside Villages and Rustic Rural Villages, it truly is the perfect Slice of France.

Millions of Tourists Flock to Paris Each year but just to the North is one of France’s most Magnificent Destinations , Normandy.

Normandy is a perfect trip and even better when explored by Car!

I have explored Normandy by car and will always think its one of the best places to drive in France.

So let’s jump in and look at the best and most scenic drives in Normandy.

By the end, you will have everything you need to drive confidently through Normandy and the ultimate list of things to do for your trip!

🚗 If you don’t want to drive your own car around Normandy and are looking for a good value rental. I always use and recommend Discove r Cars

Planning A Trip To France? Use The Resources Below!

► Accommodation – I Recommend Bookin g .Com

► Local Tours – I Recommend Viator.Com

► Car Rental – I Always Use DiscoverCars.Com

Why Should I Visit Normandy?

Normandy is a destination where you can get a taste of everything.

It is one of the rare locations where there really is something for everyone.

The Region is strong in History and is famous for producing Ciders, Cheeses and some of the best Seafood ever.

Normandy has some of the best Seafood in Europe, so make sure you try some when on a Normandy Road Trip

With so much to see and do, this why having a Normandy road trip itinerary is the best way to see as much as possible- And Driving the roads in Normandy is also really easy.

There is also another Bonus of having your car, you can stock up on some of that amazing produce on the way around!

What is the best time of year to visit Normandy?

The Wine Tastes better, the nights are longer and the Sea feels warmer in the French Summer

Drive the ultimate Normandy Road trip and explore the rest of France in the Summer months where the weather is warmer

June is a great time to explore this fantastic French Region .

During this time you will have slightly fewer tourists than in the other Summer Months with amazing Weather. However, if you are looking for slightly cooler weather and cheaper flights, visit in the Spring .

Tip: If you want to Visit Normandy when there are hardly any Tourists but still Great Weather, Try booking your trip for September.

You will find more choices of Accommodation for Cheaper Prices as it’s outside the Peak Summer Season.

How many days do you need to visit Normandy?

You could easily spend a week or two relaxing and soaking in Normandy.

However, if you are pressed for time and want to visit more of France and Europe , 3-4 days is the perfect amount of time to see what Normandy has to offer.

But if you are in a hurry, you can do a day trip from Paris to Normandy in just a few hours!

A driving tour of Normandy is the best way to see everything you want in the Region.

Even though the Public Transport in this area is great, you might struggle in the more rural Areas.

Having your own transport means you can beat the crowds and not spend most of your day waiting in the high temperatures!

visit normandy without a car

Can you Tour Normandy on your own?

Normandy is incredibly safe and easy to navigate if you want to tour Normandy on your own.

Even though there are many tours available in the area, organising your own trip to Normandy has never been easier (and it will save you lots of money!)

Normandy is a perfect place that you can tour around on your own and is made better by doing your own Normandy Road Trip

So make the most of this and ask your hotel or accommodation hosts for anything you need.

This will make touring Normandy on your own go so much smoother. And often they will suggest amazing places that you had no idea about!

Ask your Hotel or hosts for the best places to see in Normandy and France on your Normandy Road Trip

Map of Normandy Road Trip

What should I not miss on a Normandy Road Trip?

When there are so many amazing places to visit, it can be overwhelming trying to decide where to go in Normandy.

Here are some places that you can’t miss on your trip:

Honfleur is one of the most beautiful seaside villages in Europe and the best place for Seafood! This is one spot everyone needs to visit on a Normandy Road Trip

With over 1,000 years of History, Medieval architecture and an old Port, Honfleur is one of the most charming Coastal Villages in Europe.

With Lots of places to eat and winding streets to explore, the old town of Honfleur is definitely worth visiting!

If you are driving from Paris to Normandy, this is one of the most popular spots because it is so stunning and easy to park at.

This is such a great spot for Foodies so make sure you try the fresh seafood available!

There are so many options and great places around Normandy to stay- But the best by far is L’Absinthe HotelOpens in Honfleur

Its location, welcoming staff and charm keeps bringing visitors back again and again.

✅  Book Your Stay Here

Mont Saint-Michel

Mont-Saint-Michel is a France must visit location, it is like stepping into a Fairytale and the perfect stop on any Normandy Road Trip

Nothing will grab your imagination and make you feel like you are stepping into a Fairy tale quite like Mont Saint-Michel!

This is the one spot you really can’t miss when in this part of France.

Many people ask if the road trip from Paris to Mont St Michel is worth it, and it totally is. This spot is one of the best places to visit on any road trip to Normandy from Paris or beyond!

The Scenic Route: Walk Across the Field In Front of Mont Saint-Michel to take in the Views. It only took 20 minutes and allowed us to take it all in without being surrounded by hundreds of Tourists.

Walking through the field towards the Fairy Tale mont st michel is the best way to take in the views and avoid the tourisits

Bayeux Tapestry Museum

The Bayeaux Tapestry is over 70 meters long and tells the tale of the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

Not only is this beautiful piece of art so unique and displays the most incredible Workmanship, but it has also managed to survive over 9 Centuries!

Even if you aren’t a huge History lover, this is an amazing stop when visiting Normandy.

D- Day Beaches

These Beaches played a very important part during World War 2 .

The monument Les Braves is located on the center of Omaha Beach is something everyone needs to visit on a Normandy Road trip

The scenes of allied forces arriving in France have been captured in Films like Saving Private Ryan but is a site everyone needs to visit.

Add this destination to your itinerary when planning your Normandy Road Trip.

📸 The best activity recommended by other travellers and myself in Normandy is the Normandy Battlefields Tour where you can learn more about these beaches.

Ohama beach and the other D Day beaches are a must visit for anyone in Normandy and France

Not only do you get a very knowledgeable tour guide but it is hands-down one of the best days out in Normandy!

With so many glowing 5-star reviews , you are guaranteed an amazing trip!

✅  You Can Check Out The Hundreds Of Great Reviews & Book Here Today

More Things to Do on a Normandy Road Trip

No matter whether you are looking for a Normandy itinerary for 2 days or 2 weeks, you will have the best time exploring.

This stunning region of France offers its visitors so many amazing things to do during their trip!

This picturesque region is filled with charming medieval villages, stunning beaches and historical monuments .

From exploring the famous D-Day Beaches to taking in the views along the Calvados Coastline, there’s something for everyone to do here.

And if you’re hungry, then you’ll be in for a treat! Normandy is renowned for its delicious seafood, cheeses and of course, cider.

Here are a few of the best things to do in Normandy to add to your Itinerary (after you have been to them Do Not Miss Spots).

Explore the Cobbled Streets of Honfleur

Honfleur is a beautiful French Town which you will fall in love with on a Normandy Road Trip

Take a Stroll Around Honfleur after you have sampled the Food and take in the Rustic French Buildings.

There is so much to do here and one of the best places to visit in Normandy.

Stroll the Streets on Honfleur on your Normandy Road Trip

The Shopping here is great, especially if you love Chocolate!

Try the Cider

Normandy Cider is like no other so make sure you try it on your Normandy Road Trip

We promise there is nothing more refreshing after a day of exploring!

The Memorial Museum of Omaha Beach

Memorial Museum of Omaha Beach is a great stop on a Normandy Road Trip

The Memorial plays such an important role in keeping the memory alive of the Young men who landed at the Normandy Beaches.

It is also a great way to dive into the D-Day beach stories and find out more about its role in History.

Getting to Normandy: How to Start your Normandy Road Trip

With Normandy’s location in the North of France, it is easy to get here from wherever you are starting your Road Trip From.

Here are the most popular routes for starting a Normandy Road Trip.

Starting your Normandy Road Trip From Paris

It takes less than 3 hours to drive from Paris to Normandy, so you could even do a day trip if you don’t have much time to spare.

The best route from Paris to Normandy by Car is Via the A13 and A28 route.

Driving from Paris to Normandy is super easy and the perfect way to explore more of France, even if its just for one day

There are also other routes to start your Normandy Road Trip from Paris like the N12.

The best way to decide which route to take is to look at which one will get you to your Normandy starting point the quickest on the day.

Tip: Before setting off from Paris to Normandy, quickly check on Google for any delays on the road. This will help you pick the fastest route & avoid you sitting in traffic.

If you are planning to Explore Normandy by train or you want to pick up your Car Rental in Normandy, a train leaves Paris St-Lazare every 2 hours.

Getting the Train from Paris to Normandy or other Parts of France is a great way to relax and enjoy the view

You will want to Jump on a train that takes you into the Historic Cities of Bayeux or Caen.

Bayeux or Caen are very close to the Normandy Beaches and are both great places to start exploring from.

The Train Journey here takes roughly 2.5 hours and costs From €15 .

Starting your Normandy Road Trip from the UK

A Normandy Road Trip from the UK is pretty easy thanks to the many links to Northern France. These are the easiest ways to get to France from the UK.

There are many ways to get to Normandy and France from the UK, the most popular and cheapest options are the Ferry and Euro Tunnel

If you are Driving your own car from the UK to France, one of the easiest and most popular ways is to use the EuroTunnel .

The EuroTunnel Service can get you from Folkestone, England to Calais, France in 35 Minutes .

⛴️The Dover to Calais Ferry is another service many use and it’s available several times a day and is on average 1 Hour & 30 Minutes .

As soon as you Cross into Calais your getaway can begin!

(The drive time will take you around 4 hours to arrive in Normandy but luckily it is full of amazing views and stress-free!)

The quickest route is normally via A16 and A28 but you may want to check this before you set off on your Normandy Road Trip.

If you want to explore France and Beyond, check out this Free Europe Planning Guide to make the most out of your trip.

Starting your Normandy Road Trip from the Airport

If you want to fly into France to start your Normandy getaway, your cheapest and most convenient option would be to arrive at Paris Charles de Gaulle.

Normandy has 2 local Airports but the chepeast and easiest airport to fly into is Paris

You can then rent a car from Paris and drive on over to Normandy. But if you want to start your Road trip from Normandy, you can get the train or FlixBus which leaves several times a day.

There are other Local Airports closer to Normandy including Deauville and de Caen-Carpiquet.

However, it is usually more expensive to fly to these and the flights are not as frequent as in Paris.

Everything you need to know about Driving and Renting a Car in Normandy

Everything you need to know about driving in France and Normandy for your Normandy Road Trip

Toll Roads in Normandy

You will come across many Toll Roads when exploring Normandy and France by Road. Use these Tips to make the process super simple.

👉The tolls are on the right-hand side of the car. If you are from the UK and using your own car, this means the toll payment booth will be on your passenger side.

👉If you are using a left-hand drive vehicle and travelling alone, use the Tolls that have a UK flag so you don’t have to get out of your car.

👉If you are using these routes throughout your Normandy Road Trip, it will help your budget to take the scenic routes sometimes where there are no toll roads.

The Price of using the Toll Roads in France is 15-40 Euros and you can pay by Cash or Card.

👉The toll road routes are a lot quicker and easier to drive, but the cost can add up. If you are travelling on a budget, use our ready-to-use map to plan a route avoiding Toll Roads.

Car Rental Prices & Suggestions

Renting a Car for your Normandy Road Trip Couldn’t be easier!

The easiest way to make sure you are getting the best deal is to use a comparison websit e . This means you can pick the Car and Budget that is perfect for you.

Picking up your Rental from the Airport is the best option, especially if you are on a budget. You can pick your car up as soon as you land and start exploring France.

For one week you can Find Car Rentals for roughly £160 /$222 (187 Euro)

Top Tips for Picking up Your Rental Car for your Normandy Road Trip

Arranging a Car Rental wherever you are can be pretty stressful, especially in a new country.

Use these tips to make your Car Rental Process go smoothly so you can enjoy your driving tour to the Max!

🇫🇷When checking your rental vehicle, use a device to Film around the car. This is the best way to show any damage that is on the car before you received it.

🇫🇷Tell the Rental Company Straight away if you notice any damage to the car. You don’t want to return the car after your trip and be charged for damage you didn’t do.

🇫🇷Take a Picture of the Car Miles before you set off. This helps avoid any additional millage charges.

🇫🇷Know your Car insurance options before your trip. It’s becoming more popular to sort your own car insurance before a (You know exactly what you are getting then)

Figuring out a new Car in a new Country can be challenging at times. Make sure you use these free Stress-Free driving tips to make driving in this part of France a breeze.

Normandy Road Trip must pack items

Road Trips are Great for picking up the last-minute items you forget to pack. This is a lifesaver for me because I always forget something 🫣

But there are a few things you will need to start your Normandy Road Trip .

Remember to make sure the below items end up in your Suitcase⬇️

Important Documents you will need for a Normandy Road Trip

✅Visa if applicable ( If you are a Non- EU National , Check out here for more information about Documents you may need )

✅Your Drivers License

✅Travel Insurance for your trip

Normandy Must Pack Items

✔️Phone Chargers compatible with a car

✔️AUX Cable to play your Fave Podcast & Playlists

✔️Sunglasses & Sun Cream

✔️A Jumper, just In case the Weather Drops

✔️Your favourite Travel Pillow

✔️Snacks & Water (Because who doesn’t love a snack?)

✔️Pain Medication

✔️Breathalyzer (For them Vineyard Stops you will be tempted by)

Tip: Download a Playlist and Navigation APP that you can use offline in case the signal cuts out during Your Normandy Road Trip.

For those wanting to Explore Normandy, France and beyond, it can be hard to know what to wear. This What to wear in Europe guide is great to know what to pack in every single season.

If you are Driving Your Own Vehicle

The French are Pretty Hot on Road Safety, so make sure your vehicle has the following things for Driving in Normandy and Beyond (It’s Law)

First Aid Kit, Car Break Down Safety Kit & If you are driving from the UK, a UK Sticker.

👉 Make Sure You Have Your Kit For Driving In France Ready!

Where to Stay on a Normandy Road Trip

We stayed in Many Places Across Normandy and the one that caught our hearts and is the best value for money is:

The Cottage by the Mill, Conde Sur Vire (You can find it on Airbnb)

Watching the Fireflies dance with a glass of wine is how you should spend every night in France!

🇫🇷 Normandy Road Trip Sign-off

Normandy gives you the perfect Slice of France if you are there for 1 day or Ten.

No matter how long you plan on driving in France for, as long as you have YOUR DRIVING IN FRANCE KIT , you are all set to go and it’s really easy.

Not only is driving around Normandy easy but the best way to save money and visit lots of the sites you can’t see without a car.

For the best stress-free drive, make good use of this Guide to create your own ultimate Normandy Road Trip!

I hope you found this article useful! For the best trip to France & Europe, here are some relevant posts:

✔️ The Ultimate Luxury Car Hire Options In France For Your Next Getaway

✔️ What Do You Need To Know About Driving In Europe In Winter? The Complete Guide

✔️ What Countries In Europe Speak English?

✔️ The Best British Airways Cabin Bag For Your Next Flight

✔️ The Best Backpack For All Types Of European Travel

✔️ Where Are The Best Places To Visit In April In Europe?

Want to travel around Europe with Ease?

With all the Different Languages it can be hard to travel across Europe from time to time….

So make sure you download your Free Key Phrase Guide Below to help you explore Europe ⬇️

Your Free Key Phrase Guide

Download the latest version of our European key phrase guide.

visit normandy without a car

Lowri Thomas is the founder of Many Other Roads. She lives and travels in Europe and has explored more than 40 countries. She is joined on her travels with her dog Scout and they explore Europe mostly by road. Born in Wales, she also shares the best things to do in Wales, UK and beyond. She helps over 50,000 people per month plan epic Europe adventures and road trips.

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Curious Travel Bug

Paris, Normandy and Loire Valley Road Trip Itinerary

This post contains affiliate links , If you make a purchase through these links I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!

Normandy and the Loire Valley are the perfect destinations in France for a road trip. This itinerary is great for first-time visitors to France as it is an easy itinerary and takes in some of the best sights in France.

Planning your road trip to France ? Below are some places to stay, things to do, and more.

  • Hot-Air Balloon Ride over the Loire Valley
  • Amboise: Caves Ambacia Visit and Wine Tasting
  • Bayeux: American D-Day Sites in Normandy Full-Day Tour
  • Paris: 1-Hour River Seine Cruise
  • Hôtel Le Blason (Amboise, I stayed here and loved it)
  • Chambre d’ Hôte (Near Mont St Michel, charming B&B)
  • Hotel de Brunville (Bayeux, great hotel and location)
  • Hotel des Carmes (Paris, great location)

Driving around France independently? Click here to check France rental car rates !

Combining the Loire Valley, Normandy, and Paris into one 8-day road trip may seem a little ambitious, but this France vacation ended up being one of my favourite trips. If you’re working on your budget for a trip to France, I’ve outlined my entire budget for this trip here . This is the best one-week road trip to explore France from Paris.

Chateau d'Amboise in the Loire Valley of France

Top 5 Experiences on a Normandy and Loire Valley Road trip

  • Explore the fairy-tale-like castles of the Loire Valley .
  • See Mont Saint Michel at low and high tide
  • Visit the D-Day landing sites on the Normandy Coast
  • Wander Monet’s gardens in Giverny
  • Spend time seeing the highlights of Paris

Renting a Car in France

Driving in France was really quite straightforward as there are lots of highways. The Loire Valley and Normandy are both excellent places to have a car to explore all the castles and sights.

France is a fantastic destination if you are considering a European road trip. Doing this Normandy and Loire Valley itinerary as a road trip gave the freedom of exploring cute villages, having flexibility in adding on sights, and driving through the countryside.

I recommend and use Discover Cars to find a rental car. It compares local and international companies so you can get the best deal. Always compare rental company ratings as even though it can be tempting to go with the cheapest price it might not be the best experience.

I picked up and dropped off the rental car at the airport in Paris for this itinerary. Because you don’t need a car in Paris, just drop off the car before your time in Paris to save money.

France Road Trip Itinerary

This itinerary is best done by car. If you want to visit the Loire Valley and Normandy without a car, it will be more challenging, but it is possible.

For a shorter vacation, your best bet would be to join guided tours. One option I found was this two-day tour that takes in Mont Saint Michel and Loire Valley Chateaus. Or you could do a day trip from Paris to the Loire Valley and another day trip to Mont Saint Michel . With more time, it would be possible to see most of these sights using a combination of trains and buses.

In this France itinerary, I have everything you need for a fantastic 8-day road trip to France. This was my second visit to France. You can check out my one-week itinerary that included Strasbourg and the Alsace here . If you are short on time, another great road trip is spending 5 days in the South of France .

Two Days in the Loire Valley

While I did this right after landing from an overnight flight, this doesn’t work for everyone. If you know you will be too drowsy to drive, start this itinerary in Paris instead of ending in Paris. Pick up your rental car and get ready for your road trip.

Start your week in France with the castles of the Loire Valley. The Loire Valley has to be one of the most romantic places in France you can visit. Drive to Amboise in the Loire Valley, it’s a fantastic place to base yourself to explore the area. Wondering where to stay in Amboise? I stayed at Hôtel Le Blason which was perfectly placed in Amboise to walk to the local sights. It’s a great budget hotel and I would stay there again.

Amboise Chateau is one of the prettiest chateaus in the Loire Valley of France. Amboise makes for a great stop on your France itinerary as it is perfectly placed to visit the Loire Valley

Day One in Amboise: Explore the City

After checking in to your hotel (and taking a nap!), explore Amboise.

Amboise is a really beautiful town with the gorgeous Chateau d’Amboise sitting above the town. It’s a great place to walk around and watch the sunset over the Loire River.

There are also some good restaurants here to enjoy local cuisine:

  • Via Roma – Great pizza and pasta. Not traditional French food but a solid choice.
  • Anne de Bretagne – Crepe restaurant and has yummy savory and dessert crepes. Also a good place to have some wine or cider.
  • L’Horlage – Is a fantastic bakery and serves up delicious quiches, pastries, and croissants. I also loved grabbing sandwiches from here for lunches.

Sunset over the Loire River in Amboise, France

Day Two in the Loire Valley: Visit Chateaux

After a good night’s sleep, start your day by picking up some breakfast from local boulangeries. Check out my guide to the Loire Valley chateaux for more information on these castles.

Chateau Chenonceau is the closest to Amboise and well worth a visit as it was probably my favourite. It was nice to explore Chenonceau and learn about its history.

Chateau Chenonceau is one of the most popular in the Loire Valley. It's located close to Amboise and spans across the river. It's history with the ladies of France is an interesting one to discover.

I also visited Chateau Villandry for the stunning gardens, and Chateau d’Usse to see the chateau that inspired Sleeping Beauty’s castle. I highly recommend all three as they each offered a different experience and made for what felt like a perfect day.

Chateau Villandry in the Loire Valley is a great stop on any France itinerary as the gardens are absolutely spectacular here. Wander the gardens and check out the overlook point to see the heart gardens.

After a great day exploring the Loire Valley, I finished up the day by having a crepe dinner in Amboise.

With More Time: Amboise is also close to Chateau Chambord which looks stunning as well as many vineyards. Leonardo da Vinci called Amboise home and his house, Chateau du Close Luce, is located in the town and open to visitors. I would have happily stayed another night or two in Amboise.

Four Days in Normandy and Brittany

Driving in Normandy is a pleasant experience. There are adorable villages to drive through and winding narrow roads through fields and forests. Mont Sainte Michel and the D-Day Beaches are what bring most tourists into Normandy, but it’s well worth it to make side trips to Brittany. Normandy is a great place to try some of its specialties, the three C’s: camembert, calvados, and cider .

Day Three: Drive to Normandy

The third day of this itinerary has a lot of driving. There’s no way around it, the Loire Valley and Normandy are pretty far apart. My goal today was to drive to Mont St Michel to see it at night.

Visit Chateau d’Angers Enjoy a final breakfast in Amboise and then head towards Mont St Michel. I stopped in Angers to break up the 3.5-hour drive. Chateau d’Angers is an impressive chateau with multiple towers, it’s absolutely huge. If you pay to go inside, you can view the impressive Apocolypse Tapestry which depicts scenes from the Book of Revelations.

Chateau d'Angers is a huge chateau with multiple towers. Located in the city of Angers, this chateau is a great stop when driving from the Loire Valley to Normandy as it is in the lower part of the Loire Valley.

Check in to Pontorson Continue your drive towards Mont St Michel and check in to your accommodation. I chose to stay in Pontorson as it was cheaper and only a short drive to Mont St. Michel. I stayed at a B&B in Pontorson, Chambre d’ Hôte . I loved that it was just 15 minutes drive to Mont St Michel and also convenient for visiting other locations like Dinan and Saint-Malo. The owner was friendly and the place was so quiet and peaceful. It was a great place to stay and affordable.

Visit Dinan Knowing this would be my only chance to visit Dinan, I made the half-hour drive for a quick visit. Dinan is a walled medieval town in Brittany and is a lot of fun to explore. It’s a great stop and with more time, I would stay overnight.

Dinan is a medieval village located in France's Brittany region. It's just a short drive from Mont Saint Michel so its worth a stop if you have the time.

Visit Mont St Michel at Night After visiting Dinan, I drove to Mont St Michel so I could see the sunset and see it at night and high tide. You can check tide tables in advance to see if you will be there at low or high tide. At the highest tides, Mont St Michel turns into an island and is temporarily inaccessible. I have a full guide to Mont Saint Michel here .

Mont St Michel at high tide and sunset. Mont St Michel is gorgeous at sunset and its really special to see it at high tide when it temporarily becomes an island.

I loved visiting Mont St Michel and highly recommend going in the evening. The shuttle buses between the Mont and the visitors parking lot run late so it isn’t necessary to stay on the Mont to see it at nighttime.

Mont Saint Michel at night. I highly recommend visiting Mont St Michel in the evening to explore it with out the crowds.

Depending on your timing you can either eat dinner in Dinan or on Mont St Michel. Or if you’re me, you can forgo dinner because you’re too excited about seeing things and end up at the only available food place open. McDonald’s at 11 pm in Pontorson.

With More Time: Dinan would make a fantastic place to stay and I could have easily spent more time here. It would be a great base to explore more of Brittany.

Day Four: Explore Brittany and Mont Saint Michel

Views of the beach at Saint Malo in Brittany, France. At high tide all access is cut off as the water goes up to the walls of the city. Saint Malo was made famous in the novel All the Light You Cannot See and is a great stop on your France Road Trip itinerary

On my fourth day, I returned to Mont St Michel to see it at low tide and visit the Abbey. If you don’t want to visit again, you can easily spend more time in Saint-Malo or head to Bayeux earlier.

Visit Saint-Malo Start off your day by heading to Saint-Malo and exploring the walls and beach here. It’s a beautiful city to visit even if you only have a couple of hours. This coastal town makes for a great beach destination as they have a gorgeous long sandy beach. I grabbed a sandwich and some local pastries for lunch here.

Saint-Malo in Brittany, France is just a short drive away from Mont Saint Michel and is a great destination for beach lovers as there is a huge beach here and few other tourists.

Do A Coastal Drive After a visit to Saint-Malo, drive along the coast on the D201 highway towards Mont St Michel for scenic views. This takes about 2 hours depending on the number of stops. Pointe du Grouin was my favourite stop as it sits on the entrance to the bay of Mont St Michel and in clear weather, you can see Mont St Michel in the distance.

Visit Mont Saint-Michel After enjoying Brittany and the coast, visit Mont St. Michel. You need about 2 hours here to properly have time to visit and see the Abbey and town. It was an interesting experience to be able to contrast night and day as well as low tide and high tide.

Mont Saint Michel in Normandy at low tide. This fantastic destination is a must for any Normandy itinerary

When you’re done at Mont St Michel, drive to Bayeux and check into your hotel and have dinner. L’Insolite was a fantastic place to have crepes. I had the Popeye crepe here, it was filled with spinach and creme fraiche. Really delicious.

Wondering where to stay in Bayeux for two nights? I stayed at Hotel de Brunville . I loved how centrally located it was. It was only a few minutes to walk to the Cathedral and restaurants. It was also easy to access by car and there was plenty of cheap parking in the parking lots.

Day Five: Explore Bayeux and D-Day Sites

See the Bayeux Tapestry Bayeux is a very walkable town and can easily be explored in a morning. The top things to see in Bayeux are its impressive gothic Cathedral and the Bayeux Tapestry. The tapestry covers the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings in 1070. Included with your admission to the Bayeux Tapestry is an audio guide that explains exactly what you are seeing in the tapestry.

Bayeux is home to this adorable waterwheel right near the Bayeux Tapestry. Bayeux is a gorgeous town in Normandy to visit on your road trip of France

Visit D-Day Sites After spending the morning in Bayeux, head out for an afternoon visiting D-Day sites. Bayeux is perfectly placed to explore D-Day sites as it was the first city liberated in WWII in the Battle of Normandy. While I had a car and decided to explore independently, there are some guided tours you can join from Bayeux if you prefer. There is this American D-Day sites tour and there’s also a Canadian D-Day sites tour .

I chose to visit Juno Beach and the museum there as it was the beach that Canadians landed at in the war. The beach itself had nothing to see but the museum was interesting. After seeing Juno Beach, I stopped at Arromanches-les-Bains . This site overlooks the harbour where you can see that an artificial port was installed right after D-Day. This port allowed goods to be delivered and the beach to be held.

This D-Day site is Arromanches. It overlooks the Gold Beach and the remains of the artificial port installed during the invasion of Normandy

After, it was off to Longues-sur-Mer battery . For me, this was the most interesting D-Day site I visited. These German guns actually took part in shelling the nearby Omaha and Gold Beaches during D-Day.

Return to Bayeux for dinner.

Day Six: Honfleur and Giverny

Drive to Honfleur Enjoy your last morning in Bayeux and then do the short drive to Honfleur. It’s just over an hour between the two and a pleasant drive. Have Lunch in Honfleur Honfleur has a really cute harbour and is a fantastic place to have lunch, especially if you like seafood. The harbour is lined with cute buildings and lots of restaurants so you can sit and take in the view.

Honfleur, Normandy, France is known for its adorable harbor with tall skinny buildings. It attracted impressionist painters like Monet to paint it.

Explore Honfleur After lunch, walk around Honfleur and check out some of the shops and the historic area. A highlight for me was seeing the Church of St. Catherine. Uniquely, this church is made entirely of wood using the same techniques as for boat building. There are also lots of souvenir shops in Honfleur which makes it a great place to pick up some sea salt caramels or local liquor and candies.

Stop in Vernon After lunch, continue onwards towards Giverny. If you have time, make a quick stop at Vernon as it is on the way. Just on the edge of town, stop to see the old half-timbered mill of Vernon that sits over the Seine River.

Vernon France mill over water. It's nearby to Giverny so you can stop on the way to Monet's Gardens to get a quick look at this unique building.

Visit Monet’s Gardens Continue on towards Giverny and stop at Monet’s Gardens . I arrived around 4 pm and it was still quite busy but by the time I left, I was able to get shots of the garden without a swarm of people.

Dahlia in Monets Gardens, Giverny, France

Monet’s gardens when I visited had bright pops of dahlias everywhere. The Japanese Garden that houses the famous green bridges and waterlilies was peaceful. I could easily have spent longer here as it is a relaxing place.

Drive to Paris Drive to Paris and return your rental car to the airport. Use the train to get into Paris and check in to your hotel. Being a large city, you should be able to find many food places open late or grocery stores like Monoprix for quick meals like sandwiches or salads.

Two Days in Paris

Now that the road trip portion of the itinerary is over, getting around Paris requires using the Metro system and walking. There is plenty to do, with lots of hidden gems in Paris , so you are really going to have to narrow down your Paris wishlist to avoid overpacking your itinerary. If you bought a pet along for this road trip, Paris with a dog is very doable as many places are pet-friendly.

Wondering where to stay in Paris for three nights? I stayed at Hotel des Carmes in the 5th arrondissement. I loved the location as it was 2 minutes to a Metro station. It was also 5 minutes to the Luxembourg Gardens, down the hill from the Pantheon, and 10 minutes to Notre Dame. The hotel room was basic but I didn’t spend much time in the room anyways. Paris has expensive accommodation so I highly recommend booking as soon as you purchase your flight.

Eiffel Tower from the Trocadero in Paris, France. Visiting the Eiffel Tower is a top activity in Paris and should be included on your one week to France itinerary.

Use your two full days in Paris to explore the following highlights:

  • Eiffel Tower: A visit to the Eiffel Tower and Trocadero i s a must if it’s your first visit to Paris. It’s also in a great spot to explore the nearby streets. If you want to go up the Eiffel Tower, you should purchase your tickets in advance .
  • Arc de Triomphe : Head to the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees. The Arc de Triomphe is absolutely enormous, it’s hard to believe the size. If you have time, go up it, you may want to purchase your ticket in advance
  • Notre Dame: It’s still closed but check out the gargoyles and architecture on the outside.
  • Sainte Chapelle: This church has absolutely beautiful and unique stained glass that is worth a look.
  • Louvre: In Paris you are spoiled for choice with museums. With only two days I would only schedule one museum in. You could also visit L’Orangerie and Musee d’Orsay instead of the Louvre. Buy your ticket in advance for the Louvre to avoid long lines. I timed my exit from the Louvre to be at sunset so I could see the Louvre Pyramid lit up at night.
  • Luxembourg Gardens : These gardens are well worth a visit as they are quite beautiful and almost a mini Versaille. After a walk in the park, I explored the Latin Quarter for some shopping.

You can see my full guide to Paris here.

The Louvre Pyramid at night. Even if you don't visit the Louvre, you should still check out the glass pyramid to see it lit up at night.

Day Nine: Flight Home

On your last day, grab any last-minute things from shops nearby and head to the airport. The airport is easy to access using the Metro and RER system but you should allow for 1-1.5 hours to get to the airport from Paris.

8 Days in France

The eight days will absolutely fly by. If you have more time, I would definitely add more time to the Loire Valley, perhaps staying in Angers, and more time in Normandy and Brittany, perhaps adding a night in Dinan and a night in Honfleur.

Driving in Normandy includes some very out in the middle of nowhere roads like this one that take you through fields. You can also stick to the highways.

Overall, I felt this itinerary went well and was a great introduction to the top sights in the Loire Valley and Normandy. I would happily visit both again.

I hope this itinerary has inspired you to visit France. Leave questions or comments about your own experiences in France below!

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visit normandy without a car

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28 comments.

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This is a world wind road trip! I’ve done it and loved it. We try to do 2 weeks every year and have spent a lot of time in Loire Valley, Normandy and Brittany, besides Paris of course, cannot get enough of France! Thanks for sharing your adventures!

Thanks Andi! It definitely is a whirl-wind! France is also someplace I would love to return to. 2 weeks every year sounds fantastic!

What a fantastic road trip and brings back great memories for me, I spent my childhood summer holidays in France. I haven’t visited Amboise though (or Paris for that matter, not quite sure how that’s happened!), Chateau d’Usse looks so idyllic 🙂

Thanks Rachael, it really was a great road trip! I loved exploring France beyond Paris.

Wow! This sounds amazing. I was in Paris earlier this year and plan to return. Thank you so much for the recommendations and will follow and will follow them to explore outside of the city. The Popeye crepe sounds so delicious!

The popeye crepe was so yummy, I wish I could recreate it at home but I am hopeless at making crepes. Paris is a great city but it was so much fun to explore some of France’s countryside.

This looks like the perfect way to really explore France! I would love to take a road trip in this area, and this makes me feel like it’s totally doable. Monet’s Garden especially is so dreamy!

It’s a very doable road trip itinerary! I absolutely loved both the Loire Valley and Normandy. I could have spent a whole afternoon in Monet’s Garden, it was such a beautiful place.

I love the Mont Saint Michel, haven’t been in ages but will have to go back one day! I’m from Brittany and usually forget how beautiful it can be! Would love to do a road trip throughout the whole country.

I would love to explore more of Brittany, the little bit I did see was gorgeous! Road tripping all of France would be an amazing trip, there’s so much to see and do there!

What a wonderful post! This looks like an amazing road trip with so much helpful info. I’ve been to Paris twice but never ventured further and would love to take this route. Will save for when I get the chance to go back! ?

Thanks! It was a fantastic road trip. Hopefully you get a chance to explore beyond Paris, the countryside and smaller towns are beautiful.

France would be a beautiful place to do a road trip! Great itinerary!

It’s a fantastic country to road trip, I would love to do more in France.

This is a solid road trip! I love France and visit frequently with my husband who is French and I love so many of the places you included. I still have yet to visit Brittany and Monet’s Gardens so I’ll take some of your recommendations for those places. Two days in Paris is always tough but you can see a lot if you’ve got the stamina, haha!

Thanks, it felt like I got to see a ton of things in a short period of time. France is fantastic, it’s great that you get to visit often! I really would have loved to spend more time exploring Brittany as the little bit I saw was gorgeous.

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Fantastic trip! We are driving to Normandy and Loire this May, and visiting lots of the same places you did. Do you have any parking tips for the larger towns and cities? Was it always easy to find parking?

Hi Tim, I’m glad you enjoyed the post. In general, parking was not a problem. The hotels I stayed at either had parking or had a recommendation for public parking. Send your hotel an email to enquire about parking before your arrival. For large cities, I use Google Maps and search for parking and the city/town name so they show up on the map and I have a general idea before starting my day about where I can find parking.

I do have two pieces of advice on parking though. First, know how to parallel park in small spaces. You can maybe get away without knowing how to parallel park but if you can, it will be useful for visiting smaller places and for finding the best parking spots.

Secondly, just accept that you will pay for parking. Many towns do have free parking but you will save time by paying. I found that it really was worth just paying up as it generally is not that expensive and way better than wasting time circling looking for free parking. Every town did have some kind of paid parking lot and signs pointing you towards it. At the chateaus the parking is free and they are pretty huge dirt/gravel lots.

Hope you have a fantastic trip to Normandy and the Loire Valley!

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply! Very helpful advice, we will be staying with some locals in their gíte so will certainly ask them for specific recommendations as well.

Brianna: well written informative article, like this style and appreciation of what you saw and did. Thanks v much, I am planning a UK driving trip in a favourite car and this itinerary looks great.Happy Travels.

Hi Stuart, I’m glad you enjoyed this article! I loved this itinerary, it fit in a lot in a short time. France is a fantastic country for a road trip, I hope you have a great time when you visit!

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Wow! You covered so much ground in so little time. Impressive! I’ll be bookmarking this. Thanks for the great recommendations!

Thanks Lori! It was a fantastic trip, glad this was useful for you.

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  • should i get a ca...

should i get a car for Normandy?

Next May/June i am planning a trip to France for my son and I. we are going to Paris, Strasbourg, Brussels and want to go to Normandy. I have asked my Father in Law if he wanted to meet us in Paris for a day or so then travel via train to Bayeux or Caen. then visit the museums, beaches and cemetary. Should I rent a car for the 2-3 days we are there or would there be a good transportation option available for my 81yo FIL? I don't want to take an all day tour bus, but i'm not sure what to do. Any thoughts?

If you are not taking a tour, you would want a car for Normandy. If you are just staying in Strasbourg you won't need a car there. Are you looking for tips for Normandy? My don't miss WWII sights would be the Utah Beach museum, which could take much of the day. Omaha Beach, American Cemetery, Point du Hoc, Arromanches for the beach with the remnants of the artificial harbor and its associated museum. Normandy is quite beautiful and it is fun to drive around and see the little towns and farm fields. I think that dad would be much more comfortable in a car.

It depends on what you want to see? With a car Mt. St. Michel is an hour and a half drive from Bayeux. Without a car, I don't know of a convenient option. If all you want to do is see Bayeux and take a D-day tour. You can train to Bayeux from Paris, book a local (van) D-day tour and skip renting a car.

thank you for your replies. I am only looking for info for Normandy. It would probably be cheaper to rent a car for 3 people vs the van tour. i've never driven overseas but do love to drive and look around. my FIL would probably be more comfortable in a car. my cell doesn't work in europe there (at&t), so i wouldn't be able to use mapping, i may have to put him on map-reading duty. i will notate your places to go....this is going to be exciting!

Try the app, Maps.me. You can download the maps before you leave home or when you have wifi. Then the app works as GPS, offline with step by step, narrated instructions. Try it at home before you leave to get used to it. We thought it was easy to drive in Normandy tho GPS is very helpful.

We found a car to be very valuable in Normandy. My research suggested and posters confirmed that public transportation wasn’t as comprehensive as may be encountered in other regions. We have driven in a few areas of France and Normandy was one of the easiest. We saw the WW II sites on our own and drove the countryside over a few days. There’s a good chance a rental car will already have GPS anyway or you may request it. We traveled with my elderly Dad for years and nothing was simpler for us and easier for him than buckling up and takIng off. Safe travels.

thanks to both regarding the car rental and the app for gps! i will definitely try that.

If there are going to be three of you, I would explore the option of a private guide since you don't seem to be interested in a small-group (van) tour. Not being an expert on WWII, I feel very strongly that just driving around is not a good approach for most visitors. Clearly there are exceptions, but I would have tired within about 15 minutes of looking at sandy beaches and chunks of concrete. The driver/guide of my Overlord Tour moved us around very efficiently and provided a great deal of background information. I'd have been kidding myself if I had rented a car and driven around for a day. The invasion area is large; if you try the do-it-youself approach you will not be navigating to a couple of well-marked buildings.

On maps.me, you can save (pin) locations from home. You can get an idea ahead of time of routes. A couple hints. Sometimes language can be a problem or the search function on maps.me doesn't find a place. You can look at google maps and see what is close to particular sites, and search on a neighboring site and then as you zero in, you will find the location you were looking for. We found it very easy to navigate around Normandy, especially the WWII sites and appreciated being able to tour on our own. That said, my husband is a huge WWII buff and I do copious research for our travels. Others might find a tour to be extremely valuable in acquiring knowledge and very effiencient in terms of logisitcs.

Definitely rent a car. We went to all the WWII beaches and found the British Museum very interesting. Signage was excellent. By the way, Mont St-Michel is in Normandy but with the crowds would take up a lot of your time.

I would heartily recommend a car as well . The driving along the coast from Arromanches to Grandcamp - Maisy is easy , and there are numerous important sites along the way , usually only ten to fifteen minutes apart . I am disheartened by the comment above , characterizing " sandy beaches and chunks of concrete " as meaningless and abstract . The answer is doing your own homework , perish the thought , before you go . I will say that I am not a fan of tours for a number of reasons , you also are far enough from departure to invest your time wisely . The films , " The Longest Day " , and " Saving Private Ryan " , will take you far , and there are numerous books and articles available , and internet sources which will greatly enrich your experiences .

We always rent a car in France. Even without gps, signage and directions are easy. Before leaving, I would check out driving time and distances on viamichelin.com. to help plan your route. Just enter departure point and destination, and it will give you options for your route, driving times, etc. I planned a three week driving tour of northern France using the site, so we knew how much drive time was needed on driving days and we knew if we had planned too much driving that day, and could alter our destinations accordingly. It is user friendly. And yes, having a car in Normandy is very useful and gives you much more flexibility in deciding what to see and where to go. There is so much more to see and do there than just beaches and rocks. The British and American museums there, the American cemetery (especially at flag-lowering time), the Bayeux tapestries, the great ciders to taste and meals to eat (shellfish, lamb dishes, buttery pastries...yum!) and the beautiful cities and towns with histories that go back MUCH farther than WW II. Do remember that Strasbourg and Brussels are quite a way from Normandy. I hope you don't shortchange your time in Normandy. You will need two full days to see the highlight sights of WW II. Give yourself at least another full day to visit the Bayeux tapestries (which illustrate the Battle of Hastings in 1066) and to wander around town. Bayeux is a good town to use as a base if you don't have another place in mind. Bon Voyage!

Thank you everyone. I am going to get a car. And I’m going to slightly modify our entire trip – we’re not going to Brussels this trip. We will be spending two full days in the Bayeux area and possibly one day/night in Caen. My father-in-law was in the service, but not during the war. My father though, fought alongside the French Resistance in Strasbourg area and my stepfather parachuted on D-Day and lost almost his entire platoon. I am kind of a World War II buff because of my fathers experiences there. Sadly, neither one of them are still with us.

While having a car will allow you to get around easily, it won't necessarily be the best way to learn about the history of the D-Day landings that your relatives took part in. That's where an expert guide is enormously valuable. There are two options you could consider.....

  • Park the car in Bayeux and take one of the excellent local tours. If you think your FIL might have trouble with a full day tour, you might consider a half-day tour. Have a look at Overlord Tour for some choices.
  • Use your car to visit the sights that interest you but take along an expert guide with you . He will be able to provide the quickest and most efficient route between sights and explain the significance of what you're looking at. You might have a look at THIS website for one excellent guide to consider. This option will be a bit pricey but you'll get far more out of the experience. I'd suggest contacting the guide well in advance to make arrangements.

One other minor point to mention...... For driving in France, it's highly advisable for each driver to have an International Driver's Permit , which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. This website provides more information - https://franceintheus.org/spip.php?article376 .

I agree with Steven. IMHO, having a car is a requirement in Normandy, unless you just want to exclusively be led around by someone else with their schedule. I also agree that the time to start learning about the history of the area is now. Not once you arrive there. You will get more out of your trip that way with or without a guide. Personally, I've gone eight times and have never felt the need for a guide. I would question moving from Bayeux to Caen. The towns are only about 20 minutes apart, and Bayeux is charming! Caen, not at all.

I agree that there's probably no reason to move to Caen for a night if you have a car. It's a very good base if you are seeing Normandy by public transportation (which is not impossible, just a bit limiting and slow), but the hotel-changing hassle wouldn't be worth it if you have a car. The two are less than 20 miles apart.

Hello 5 of us traveled by car from CDG to the Normandy region. 1) it worked very well

2) since we stopped at Giverny, the car kept us flexible from the start. But if I was going straight to Normandy, I'd look at taking a train 'up' and then renting the car once there.

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D-Day Tour WITHOUT a guide - Normandy Forum

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D-Day Tour WITHOUT a guide

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Bonjour, denurt

The following link asked a similar question:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g676160-i22343-k4795950-o10-Traveling_from_Paris_by_train_to_Colleville_sur_Mer-Colleville_sur_Mer_Calvados_Basse_.html

My husband and I went on our own while we were in Normandy, but from what I have read since then, tours are worthwhile with the added information that is provided. We drove to the Normandy-American Cemetery, walked down to Omaha Beach and then drove to Pointe du Hoc, which is just down the road from the cemetery.

This discussion also provides useful information:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187179-i607-k4629823-D_Day_Sites_A_Collection_of_Links_and_Other_Information-Normandy.html#34484759

Good luck with your planning,

visit normandy without a car

There are, apparently, several car rental agencies near the station in Caen , this is the long recommended place to rent a car for D-Day zone trips.

You say the motivation for doing it on your own is not to be tied into a tour schedule. If cost is not a problem get picked up by a guide at Carentan at 9:37 and have a full day tour at your pace. Or take a hotel at Bayeux on the evening before and pay two minibus tours which will cost less. I'm sure you will appreciate even a minibus tour over just floundering around blind.

visit normandy without a car

Hi denrut49,

The cheapest way to do the tour without renting a car is to go with an organization like Overlord; a private guide for two would be very expensive.

With Overlord and the like, though, it is not a huge group. We did a 1/2 day afternoon tour and there were only 6 people in the mini-van (our family of 4, plus two others.)

It is a bit of a trade-off in that we would have liked to stay at some places longer (no place a shorter amount of time, though) and see a couple more things - really it was an issue of doing the half-day versus full day. BUT, we would not have gotten to so many places on our own in the time we had, and would have had to do a lot of research to be able to fully understand what we were seeing. The guide was able to zip us from place to place, knowing exactly where to go, the speed limits on the roads, and hidden spots. One other thing we found invaluable was being able to talk to her about her family's experiences during the War and the enduring effects on her family and France in general.

I would also recommend an Overlord half day tour.

http://www.overlordtour.com/overlordtour-tour-1.html

We've toured on our own and taken a guided tour, and you simply see more and learn more from a guide who makes Normandy their home. As mentioned earlier, these are minivan tours and you won't feel "herded" or rushed, but some of the tours that leave and return from Paris might feel that way and are more expensive than what you can book on your own. We would not have missed the experience of taking a guided tour, and I know we'll do it again. The tour has been one of our most memorable travel experiences, and I recommend that you treat yourself!

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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What we know about the container ship that crashed into the Baltimore bridge

  • The ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday was the Singapore-flagged Dali.
  • The container ship had been chartered by Maersk, the Danish shipping company. 
  • Two people were recovered from the water but six remain missing, authorities said.

Insider Today

A container ship crashed into a major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, causing its collapse into the Patapsco River.

A livestream showed vehicles traveling on the Francis Scott Key Bridge just moments before the impact at 1:28 a.m. ET.

Baltimore first responders called the situation a "developing mass casualty event" and a "dire emergency," per The Associated Press.

James Wallace, chief of the Baltimore Fire Department, said in a press conference that two people had been recovered from the water.

One was uninjured, but the other was transported to a local trauma center in a "very serious condition."

Wallace said up to 20 people were thought to have fallen into the river and some six people were still missing.

Richard Worley, Baltimore's police chief, said there was "no indication" the collision was purposeful or an act of terrorism.

Wes Moore, the governor of Maryland, declared a state of emergency around 6 a.m. ET. He said his office was in close communication with Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary.

"We are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden Administration," Moore added.

Understanding why the bridge collapsed could have implications for safety, in both the shipping and civil engineering sectors.

The container ship is the Singapore-flagged Dali, which is about 984 feet long, and 157 feet wide, per a listing on VesselFinder.

An unclassified Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency report said that the ship "lost propulsion" as it was leaving port, ABC News reported.

The crew notified officials that they had lost control and warned of a possible collision, the report said, per the outlet.

The Dali's owner is listed as Grace Ocean, a Singapore-based firm, and its manager is listed as Synergy Marine, which is also headquartered in Singapore.

Shipping news outlet TradeWinds reported that Grace Ocean confirmed the Dali was involved in the collapse, but is still determining what caused the crash.

Related stories

Staff for Grace Ocean declined to comment on the collision when contacted by Business Insider.

"All crew members, including the two pilots have been accounted for and there are no reports of any injuries. There has also been no pollution," Synergy Marine said in a statement.

The company did not respond to a request for further comment from BI.

'Horrified'

Maersk chartered the Dali, with a schedule for the ship on its website.

"We are horrified by what has happened in Baltimore, and our thoughts are with all of those affected," the Danish shipping company said in a statement.

Maersk added: "We are closely following the investigations conducted by authorities and Synergy, and we will do our utmost to keep our customers informed."

Per ship tracking data, the Dali left Baltimore on its way to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, at around 1 a.m., about half an hour before the crash.

The Port of Baltimore is thought to be the largest in the US for roll-on/roll-off ships carrying trucks and trailers.

Barbara Rossi, associate professor of engineering science at the University of Oxford, told BI the force of the impact on one of the bridge's supporting structures "must have been immense" to lead to the collapse.

Dr Salvatore Mercogliano, a shipping analyst and maritime historian at Campbell University, told BI: "It appears Dali left the channel while outbound. She would have been under the control of the ship's master with a Chesapeake Bay pilot onboard to advise the master.

"The deviation out of the channel is probably due to a mechanical issue as the ship had just departed the port, but you cannot rule out human error as that was the cause of the Ever Forward in 2022 just outside of Baltimore."

He was referring to the incident two years ago when the container ship became grounded for a month in Chesapeake Bay after loading up cargo at the Port of Baltimore.

The US Coast Guard found the incident was caused by pilot error, cellphone use, and "inadequate bridge resource management."

Claudia Norrgren, from the maritime research firm Veson Nautical, told BI: "The industry bodies who are here to protect against incidents like this, such as the vessel's flag state, classification society, and regulatory bodies, will step in and conduct a formal investigation into the incident. Until then, it'll be very hard for anyone to truly know what happened on board."

This may not have been the first time the Dali hit a structure.

In 2016, maritime blogs such as Shipwreck Log and ship-tracking site VesselFinder posted videos of what appears to be the stern of the same, blue-hulled container vessel scraping against a quay in Antwerp.

A representative for the Port of Antwerp told BI the Dali did collide with a quay there eight years ago but couldn't "give any information about the cause of the accident."

The Dali is listed as being built in 2015 by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea.

Watch: The shipwreck at the center of a battle between China and the Philippines

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How to travel around the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore: A look at the traffic impact and alternate routes

By Rohan Mattu

Updated on: March 27, 2024 / 8:04 AM EDT / CBS Baltimore

BALTIMORE -- The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday  led to a major traffic impact for the region and cut off a major artery into and out of the port city. 

A bridge column was hit by a large container ship around 1:30 a.m., sending bridge workers and vehicles into the Patapsco River. A water search for six missing workers turned to a recovery effort Tuesday night.

Drivers are told to prepare for extra commuting time until further notice.

Locator map showing the typical traffic routes of cargo vessels passing beneath the bridge and the trajectory Dali followed prior to the allision.

Alternate routes after Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse

Maryland transit authorities quickly put detours in place for those traveling through Dundalk or the Curtis Bay/Hawkins Point side of the bridge. The estimated 31,000 who travel the bridge every day will need to find a new route for the foreseeable future. 

The outer loop I-695 closure shifted to exit 1/Quarantine Road (past the Curtis Creek Drawbridge) to allow for enhanced local traffic access. 

The inner loop of I-695 remains closed at MD 157 (Peninsula Expressway). Additionally, the ramp from MD 157 to the inner loop of I-695 will be closed. 

Alternate routes are I-95 (Fort McHenry Tunnel) or I-895 (Baltimore Harbor Tunnel) for north/south routes. 

Commercial vehicles carrying materials that are prohibited in the tunnel crossings, including recreation vehicles carrying propane, should plan on using I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) between Essex and Glen Burnie. This will add significant driving time.   

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Where is the Francis Scott Key Bridge? 

The Key Bridge crosses the Patapsco River, a key waterway that along with the Port of Baltimore serves as a hub for East Coast shipping. 

The bridge is the outermost of three toll crossings of Baltimore's Harbor and the final link in Interstate 695, known in the region as the Baltimore Beltway, which links Baltimore and Washington, D.C. 

The bridge was built after the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel reached capacity and experienced heavy congestion almost daily, according to the MDTA. 

Tractor-trailer inspections

Tractor-trailers that now have clearance to use the tunnels will need to be checked for hazardous materials, which are not permitted in tunnels, and that could further hold up traffic. 

The MDTA says vehicles carrying bottled propane gas over 10 pounds per container (maximum of 10 containers), bulk gasoline, explosives, significant amounts of radioactive materials, and other hazardous materials are prohibited from using the Fort McHenry Tunnel (I-95) or the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (I-895).  

Any vehicles transporting hazardous materials should use the western section of I-695 around the tunnels, officials said. 

Rohan Mattu is a digital producer at CBS News Baltimore. Rohan graduated from Towson University in 2020 with a degree in journalism and previously wrote for WDVM-TV in Hagerstown. He maintains WJZ's website and social media, which includes breaking news in everything from politics to sports.

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How to get to Normandy

Normandy Tourism, France

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How to get to Normandy

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Updated on 17 January 2024

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A two-hour train journey from Paris, with one international airport and four cross-Channel ports, Normandy is easily accessible by rail, air, ship and road, thanks to excellent transport connections and a fantastic public transportation network.

From the UK

  • Brittany Ferries : Portsmouth to Le Havre, Caen-Ouistreham and Cherbourg; Poole to Cherbourg
  • DFDS Seaways : Newhaven to Dieppe

The ferry on the beach of Dieppe

From Ireland

  • Irish Ferries : Dublin to Cherbourg
  • Stena Line : Rosslare to Cherbourg
  • Brittany Ferries : Rosslare to Cherbourg and Rosslare to Le Havre (new for 2023) 

The price comparison websites  aferry.co.uk  and  directferries.co.uk  have a search function to compare the available ferries from all operators at your chosen port between the UK and France.

From the Channel Islands and the Chausey Islands

  • Manche Iles Express *: From Diélette, Barneville Carteret and Granville, to the Channel Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Sark and Alderney, and to the Chausey Islands
  • Jolie France *: From Granville to the Chausey Islands

*Please note some ferry crossings are seasonal

Whether travelling on national roads, motorways or country lanes, plan your route, distances, travel time, and tolls and petrol costs on viamichelin.com

  • From Paris Saint-Lazare train station: Rouen, Le Havre, Dieppe, Evreux, Bernay, Lisieux, Deauville-Trouville, Caen, Bayeux and Cherbourg
  • From Paris Montparnasse train station: Alençon, Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, Argentan, Granville and the Mont-Saint-Michel (via Pontorson or Villedieu-le-Poêles).

To plan your trip by train, check the national train network SNCF CONNECT To plan your trip by train, check the regional train network Normad Normandie

Via Eurotunnel: The Eurotunnel terminus in Coquelles is only 1h30′ from Le Tréport, one of the gateways to Normandy.

  • The coach company Blablabus runs out of Paris and a few other French cities to Normandy
  • Flixbus also connects Paris to many cities in Normandy

Public transport

Normandy has an extensive public transport network, enabling you to have a full day out exploring the area without using the car.

Travelling around Normandy

Make use of the Atoutmod search engine to get as quickly as possible from A to B on public transport in Normandy (website available in English).

With over 310 miles (500km) of cycling routes, there’s no better way to explore the stunning scenery and rich heritage of Normandy than on a bike. The varied cycling routes offer a range of great cycling experiences to suit all ages and abilities, from traffic-free family rides to challenging hilly trails.

Normandy is surrounded by three international airports – Paris Charles de Gaulle , Paris Orly and Nantes International Airport , with daily flights from destinations all over the world. Normandy itself boasts four airports mainly for domestic flights; however, Caen-Carpiquet and Deauville Airports also run regular international flights.

  • Caen-Carpiquet Airport
  • Deauville Airport
  • Cherbourg Airport
  • Le Havre Airport
  • Rouen Airport

Caen in all seasons

Caen in all seasons

Updated on 17 August 2023

Ten good reasons to visit Normandy in 2024

Ten good reasons to visit Normandy in 2024

Updated on 19 January 2024

Le Havre in all seasons

Le Havre in all seasons

Updated on 24 June 2020

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Day trips from Paris Travelling to Normandy by ferry Holidays in Normandy Frequently asked questions

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Are you already in Normandy?

Plan what to see and do while you’re here by visiting normandy-secrets.com, which lets you in on all of the local secrets and hidden gems in the immediate vicinity!

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COMMENTS

  1. Car-Free Getaways to Normandy

    Normandy low carbon rate. Normandy continues its commitment to more responsible tourism and promotes sustainable travel. Launched in spring 2024, the low-carbon rate highlights and encourages everyone's efforts. If you're traveling by train, coach or bike, you'll be able to benefit from a minimum 10% discount at many of Normandy's ...

  2. Map of Normandy without a car

    Download brochure. Normandy is easy to get around without a car. Walking, cycling, bus and train all very easy! Get's you anywhere in Normandy you want to go : download our official map without a car.

  3. 3 days without a car

    Save. To do D-Day sites and MSM in 3 days/2 nights is possible without a car staying in Bayeux both nights. Day 1 - Take a morning train to Bayeux spend that day seeing the tapestry museum, cathedral and wandering Bayeux. Day 2 - Do a D-Day tour. Day 3 - Book the shuttle bus at Hotel Churchill and see MSM.

  4. Normandy without a car

    Re: Normandy without a car. My own bases were: first Rouen (Normandy ), then Bayeux (also Normandy) then Rennes (Brittany). and Rennes to Mont Saint Michel by bus as a day trip. Both Rouen and Bayeux are very pleasant and have interesting sights, plus choice of accommodation and restaurants.

  5. Arrival to Normandy on a Sunday without car

    It is fairly easy to take the train from Paris to Caen and rent a car there on Sunday, or certainly Monday morning, but you need to check if Sunday rentals are possible there. I have done car rentals for Normandy 2 ways: once I rented the vehicle in Paris at Montparnasse train station on Sunday, and I returned the vehicle at CDG for our trip home.

  6. D-Day Landing Beaches without a car

    Embark on a car-free adventure like no other to explore Second World War history in Normandy! Travel by train on a convenient, smooth and direct journey to the lively cities of Caen, Bayeux, or Carentan, situated alongside the famous D-Day Landing Beaches. Major museums and historical sites from D-Day and the Battle of Normandy are easily ...

  7. 10 Things You Need to Know NOW to Visit Normandy D-Day Sites

    Pointe du Hoc is a good bit out of the way. 2. The sites are more spread out than you think. It's easy to think of the "Normandy beaches" as one general area when planning a trip to Normandy, but the fact is that the many sites you'll want to visit are spread out farther than you probably think.

  8. The Best 7 Day Normandy Road Trip Itinerary

    From Monet to Mont Saint-Michel and calvados to castles, let's go on a Normandy road trip. David Angel. 9 Aug 2023. France The best 7 day Normandy Road Trip itinerary. About the author: David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian with 30+years experience exploring Europe. His work regularly appears in global media including ...

  9. The Ultimate 3, 4 or 5 Day Normandy Road Trip Itinerary

    Located along the northwest coast of France, planning the perfect 3, 4 or 5-day Normandy road trip itinerary is an excellent way to experience this diverse region. Boasting picturesque countryside, charming coastal towns, and iconic landmarks, this is an excellent corner of France to explore. Whether you're interested in the history of the D ...

  10. Normandy

    It is therefore not surprising that Normandy was cited by The New York Times among the 52 world destinations to visit in 2022 ... In addition, through the "Normandy without my car" program, Normandy Tourism works with tourist offices on the construction of stays, accessible by public transport or by soft modes of transport (bicycle, on foot ...

  11. The Ultimate One Week Road Trip Itinerary For Normandy

    Here's an overview of my recommended one week itinerary for visiting Normandy: Day 1: Drive to Rouen, stop in Giverny or at Chateau Gaillard. Day 2: Explore Rouen. Day 3: Drive to Honfleur. Day 4: Day Trip To Etretat and/or Fecamp. Day 5: Day trip to Le Havre or Deauville. Day 6: Drive To Bayeux.

  12. Normandy for a week without a car.

    Things to visit with our car from B n B in Arromanches les Feb 07, 2024; Itinerary Feb 06, 2024; central hub to visit Normandy Feb 06, 2024; how many days in each area Feb 05, 2024; No trains on 31st March 2024 from Vernon to Paris - Feb 03, 2024

  13. The Ultimate Normandy Road Trip Guide 2024

    The best route from Paris to Normandy by Car is Via the A13 and A28 route. There are also other routes to start your Normandy Road Trip from Paris like the N12. The best way to decide which route to take is to look at which one will get you to your Normandy starting point the quickest on the day.

  14. Paris, Normandy and Loire Valley Road Trip Itinerary

    Visit the D-Day landing sites on the Normandy Coast; Wander Monet's gardens in Giverny; Spend time seeing the highlights of Paris; Renting a Car in France. Driving in France was really quite straightforward as there are lots of highways. The Loire Valley and Normandy are both excellent places to have a car to explore all the castles and sights.

  15. Normandy Tourism: The official tourism website of Normandy, France

    Welcome to the official Normandy Tourism website, packed with ideas for things to see and do, places to stay, events, maps, videos and more! ... Exploring Normandy's D-Day Landing Beaches without a car. Updated on 10 January 2024 . Ten good reasons to visit Normandy in 2024. ... Normandy Travel Trade; Normandy Meetings & Events; Supported by.

  16. Normandy area without car?

    Normandy siteseeing The other option is to rent a car which you can do for 90€ and have an d day audio guide. Battlebus - 80€ per . They set the itinerary and how long you have at each site ...

  17. Practicality of Normandy without a car?

    France and Monaco - Practicality of Normandy without a car? - My wife and I are planning a ten-day trip to Normandy and wonder if using public transportation would be feasible. We plan to arrive July 23, spend a day in Paris, then stop at Giverny. We'd like to continue on to the Les Andelys/Rouen/Jumièges area for a

  18. Tips on how to tour Normandy world war 2 sites without a car?

    3. KingPharaoh. • 13 yr. ago. If you do go to Normandy and get a car check out this website, it's a WW2 museum site, it shows you all the museums, places, memorials for WW2. It's really good and you will find some interesting stuff. 1. rcinsf. • 13 yr. ago.

  19. should i get a car for Normandy?

    IMHO, having a car is a requirement in Normandy, unless you just want to exclusively be led around by someone else with their schedule. I also agree that the time to start learning about the history of the area is now. Not once you arrive there. You will get more out of your trip that way with or without a guide.

  20. D-Day Tour WITHOUT a guide

    Re: D-Day Tour WITHOUT a guide. The best way to get around if doing a DIY trip is to rent a car and drive. There are, apparently, several car rental agencies near the station in Caen, this is the long recommended place to rent a car for D-Day zone trips. 3.

  21. What We Know About Ship That Crashed Into the Baltimore Bridge

    A container ship crashed into a major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, causing its collapse into the Patapsco River. A livestream showed vehicles traveling on the Francis Scott Key Bridge just ...

  22. Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse: Rescuers are searching for at ...

    A massive container ship lost power early Tuesday before crashing into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse into the frigid Patapsco River along with people and ...

  23. How to travel around the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore

    BALTIMORE -- The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday led to a major traffic impact for the region and cutting off a major artery into and out of the port city ...

  24. How to get to Normandy

    Travelling around Normandy . Make use of the Atoutmod search engine to get as quickly as possible from A to B on public transport in Normandy (website available in English). BY BIKE. With over 310 miles (500km) of cycling routes, there's no better way to explore the stunning scenery and rich heritage of Normandy than on a bike.