Normandy D-Day and Mont St. Michel Overnight

Visit the Normandy D-Day landing beaches with an overnight in Bayeux

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Visit the D-Day Beaches and Mont St. Michel

A 2-day trip to Normandy from Paris to visit the American D-Day landing beach sites, the abbey at Mont Saint Michel and the medieval town of Bayeux, the first town liberated by the Allies in June of 1944.  This is our most popular overnight tour from Paris.

Overnight in a charming 3-star hotel in the historic town of Bayeux.

Normandy D-Day and Mont St. Michel Overnight Itinerary

Your Normandy adventure starts by taking a 2 hour or so direct train ride from Paris to Bayeux, in Normandy. Our guide will meet you right at the Bayeux rail station platform. From there it is off to the D-Day Beaches to see the chronological story of D day, from the pre-dawn parachute drops at Sainte-Mère-Église, to Utah and Omaha Beach, Arromanches harbor and an important German gun emplacement. Site of the famous Army Ranger climb at Pointe du Hoc is a key stop, and you’ll finish at the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, timed for Taps whenever possible.

The Normandy D-Day Tour Stops

The D-Day landing beach tour lasts approximately 8-9 hours. Transportation is provided in an air-conditioned minivan. Up to 8 persons maximum per van with a licensed, knowledgeable guide.

1. Arrival and Bayeux

Bayeux is a small town that lies on the Aure River in Normandy, France not far from the English Channel in the “county” of Calvados.  It is located 16 miles west-northwest of Caen and roughly 166 miles northwest of Paris. The town is home to the famous medieval tapestry which bears its name. This is where your adventure in Normandy starts. Once departing your train, your guide will be waiting for you.

2. Sainte-Mère-Église

This lovely medieval town stands right on the N13 road, a key byway for the Germans to counter the landing beach attacks. The 81st and 101st paratroopers landed in a first wave, ultimately securing the town for the Allies, despite heavy casualties.

3. Utah Beach

Utah Beach was a crucial link between the airborne and infantry invasion, combining both forces. The goal at Utah was to secure a hold on the Cotentin Peninsula (also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula), with the ultimate goal to re-take the port at Cherbourg.

4. Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach was the code name for the main U.S. landing beach during the Normandy D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944.

Securing the five mile stretch of Omaha was imperative in order to link up the British landings to the east at Gold Beach with the American landing to the west at Utah Beach. The Allies were up against the Germany 352nd infantry division, a mix of green troops who had never seen combat, and experienced men who had served on the Eastern Front.

It took a full day on June 6, with heavy loss of life, to secure just two footholds off the beach along that 5 mile stretch.

5. The Pointe du Hoc

Strategically located between the American landing beaches Omaha and Utah farther west, le Pointe du Hoc remains virtually unchanged from the day American Army Rangers scaled its sheer cliffs under deadly fire to knock out huge coastal guns they didn’t know had been moved.

Pocked by huge craters left by naval bombardment, most of the German bunkers remain. The cliff-side battlefield also offers a scenic view of the French coastline that saw some of the war’s fiercest fighting.

6. The American Military Cemetery at Colleville-Sur-Mer

The most important stop on our Normandy d-day tour is the American cemetery. Situated above Omaha Beach, the American cemetery at Colleville-Sur-Mer honors the more than 9,000 servicemen who died during the campaign to liberate Normandy in the summer of 1944.

The 172 acre site is not technically American property, but is owned and run by the American Battlefield Monument Commission. Graves are carefully noted on a grid map for visiting. Troops unaccounted for are honored on a Wall of the Missing.

7. The Artificial Harbor at Arromanches

The modest fishing and resort town of Arromanches was a toehold for the Allies on June 6. Remnants of so-called “Mulberrys” remain off shore, where the rough seas of the bay were tamed enough to keep ships anchored and maintain a supply chain for the troops.

Visitors to Arromanches, located at what was code named Gold Beach, will appreciate seeing the huge undertaking of the invasion from the cliff-top perspective. Interestingly, the town and bay have been historically important to successive waves of Celts, Gauls and Vikings.

Mont Saint Michel

The origins of Mont St. Michel can be traced back to a legend that has the archangel Michael appearing in a series of dreams to Aubert, the Bishop of Avranches. Saint Michael implored Aubert to build a church on what was then a barren rock formation called Mont Tombe.  Eventually, Aubert listened to his recurring dream and built the church. 

Construction of the small original church was completed in 1144. Through the centuries, Mont Saint Michel as it now stands took shape. The French government took control of the island in 1874.

Normandy Overnight from Paris FAQ’s

Cancellation and Refund Policies

Due to the small group aspect of all of our tours, our cancellation policy is as follows. More than 7 days before tour date – 100% refundable; from 7 to 3 days before tour date – 50% refundable; less than 3 days – non-refundable. If cancelling please contact us as soon as possible to insure we can credit you properly.

Rail from Paris to Normandy Information

If not booking your rail through LinkParis.com, please do not book your tickets until train times are confirmed by us. Special time schedules apply on Saturday, Sunday, and bank Holidays.

 Read an article about our Normandy tour