Normandy tours and D-Day Landing Beaches day trip from Paris

Want to make the most out of your stay in Paris to visit other emblematic regions in France? If there is another place you’ve got to see, it’s Normandy. Normandy is one of Parisians’ favorite vacation spots, it is also where the Western Allied beach landings occurred (a turning point during WW2) and are now commemorated with museums and memorials. With Paris City Vision, you can book guided visits or sightseeing tours of Normandy in order to admire its peaceful wooded countryside and immerse yourself in some of France’s most moving parts of history. Within the comfort of a luxurious and air-conditioned bus that leaves Paris, you will admire the views of the French countryside throughout your trip. To ensure maximum comfort, direct pick-up and drop-off at your Parisian hotel are possible.

Normandy day trip, what to visit?

Are you planning to go on holiday for a few days while taking part in a city tour? Many tourist treasures are waiting for you: if you fell in love with the Normandy countryside view, you will also love to explore the villages, museums, and places of memory of the region.

Landing beaches, museums, places of memory

Upon arrival, a guide-interpreter will take you around to discover the landing beaches, the Caen Memorial, and the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer to learn more about this unprecedented historical event. Pockets of free time will give you the chance to take some photos, walk around on Omaha Beach and at Pointe du Hoc. The all-inclusive, full-day package, which can be tailored to and made private for small groups, comprises eating a traditional French meal at a restaurant in Caen and discovering Arromanches and the Canadian Memorial at Juno Beach.

Juno Beach is the name of one of the beaches where the Western Allied forces landed on June 6, 1944. The coastal assault, which went by the code name Neptune, allowed the Allied forces to take control over strategic points (bridges, ports, cities) and move inland, thereby beginning the initial assaults of the Battle at Normandy. In the fight to win this mission, Canadian forces were in charge of the area between Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer and La Rivière.

Today, Juno Beach is a place of remembrance. Monuments dedicated to Canadian losses are present all along the Normandy coastline. The remains of perished soldiers are buried at the military cemetery of the Bayeux Commonwealth as well as at the Canadian military cemetery at Bretteville-sur-Laize.

Normandy beach tours will allow you to discover places full of memory. They are very visited by American, English, Canadian or Australian tourists: it happens that some of them have a family member who was involved in the fighting in Normandy and was able to give oral testimony. By discovering the landing beaches and the sites where the battlefields took place, such as Sainte-Mère-l'Eglise or Pegasus Bridge, they can honor his memory.

Discover Normandy outside the ports

Picturesque fishing ports run along the coast. You will be able to succumb to the beauty of Deauville, a charming seaside resort famous for its film festival. Historical monuments have also escaped destruction or have been restored to be discovered nowadays with great pleasure. Bayeux is also a beautiful city to visit and famous for its "Bayeux Tapestry" of 68 meters long. Moreover, Honfleur, so appreciated by Impressionist painters, is a magnificent place at the mouth of the Seine. The historic center of Rouen, with its cathedral, also has many tourist attractions.

What to visit in Normandy by day or over several days?

Paris City Vision sightseeing tours that take place over several days are also available and will provide you with the opportunity to discover even more of France before heading to the Normandy region, like Saint-Malo and the Mont Saint Michel (a 2-day trip with an overnight stay in a 3-star hotel) or a guided visit of the famous Loire Valley castles (a 3-4 day trip that includes touring Normandy).

Going on a guided tour of Normandy beaches with ParisCityVision allows visitors to retrace the steps of the 150,000 brave American, British and Canadian soldiers who disembarked on June 6, 1944, to liberate France from German occupation. It also means reliving D-Day and remembering those who fought and who gave their lives in the name of liberty. It’s also the chance to thank them by gathering before the Mémorial de la Paix de Caen (the Caen Peace Memorial) and to stand before the graves of those buried at the Saint-Laurent American Cemetery.

The Discover Normandy Sightseeing Tour also allows tourists to visit a beautiful region highly appreciated by those in search of fresh air and stunning nature. Enjoy the best of French gastronomy, visit small, charming fishing ports, admire homes flower-covered, tour beaches and quaint villages. This visit is simply another way to pay tribute to France and its “art de Vivre”.

For a few hours or for several days, we certainly offer the excursion or the circuit adapted to your expectations to visit Normandy!

If you are looking for tours from Paris and around the Ile de France region, with a professional guide or on your own, Paris City Vision provides you with top-of-the-range tours including transportation and visits to discover the best places of France. Check all of our offers on our website and make the most out of your stay with us.

Caen Memorial: duration of visit and essential galleries

The Caen Memorial a vast space: there are 150,000 square feet spread across multiple levels and an 86-acre park with sculptures, old bunkers and monuments. One or two hours are not nearly enough time to take in the many facets of the space.

If you only have a limited amount of time to visit the Caen Memorial, we recommend that you focus on the themed circuits that interest you the most;

• World War II
• The Normandy landing and the Battle of Normandy
• The Cold War

The rooms devoted to World War II, which are the heart of this one-of-a-kind museum, should definitely be your priority if your time is limited. The rooms about the Normandy landing underscore the unprecedented nature of this operation of extraordinary scale. You can also start with the Cold War if you are fascinated with that era.

Ideal length of visit: one day

This memorial is not a museum you can breeze through. By allowing a full day for your visit, you will have time to immerse yourself in the extraordinary collections and sensory experiences proposed.

In addition to the extensive themed galleries open to the public, you will be able to visit the garden and underground bunker, a former German command center located within the park.

For a long stretch of the year, the memorial is open from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. We advise you to arrive when the site opens so you have ample time to explore the site at your own pace and without having to rush. Restaurants and snack counters sell sandwiches, light meals and beverages.