Cidade Turismo
France

Before you go

Your trip to Bayeux.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Get it on Google Play

Bayeux – Normandia Destination Normandy and Mont-Saint-Michel about 160 km from Rouen

How to get there

  • Aéroport Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle (CDG) Roissy-en-France · 310 km
  • Gare de Bayeux 1 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

By train, from Paris-Saint-Lazare to Gare de Bayeux in about two hours, sometimes with a change at Caen. The station is roughly a 15-minute walk from the centre. By car, Bayeux is about 160 km from Rouen and 30 km from Caen.

How many days

Half a day is enough for the cathedral and the town centre. For the D-Day beaches, allow a full day for the American sector (Omaha, the cemetery, Pointe du Hoc) and another for Arromanches, Juno and the Mémorial de Caen.

When to go

From April to October, when museums have extended opening hours and the days are long. Around June 6 there are ceremonies for the anniversary of D-Day, with many visitors and accommodation in high demand. In the European winter some museums close or reduce their hours.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

For Bayeux town center, no. For the D-Day beaches, a car makes a big difference: the sites are spread over about 80 km of coast and the regional bus is infrequent. The alternative without a car is guided tours departing from Bayeux and Caen.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Bayeux
  1. Morning
    Cathedral and center

    Start with the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Bayeux and the Romanesque crypt. Walk along rue Saint-Martin and the banks of the river Aure.

  2. Afternoon
    Battle museum

    Visit the Musée Mémorial de la Bataille de Normandie and cross the road to the British military cemetery.

  3. Late afternoon
    Arromanches

    Head to Arromanches-les-Bains, about 10 km away, and see from the viewpoint the remains of the Mulberry harbour in the sea.

  4. Evening
    Dinner in Bayeux

    Return to Bayeux for dinner. Order a dish with cream from Normandia and, to accompany it, cider or pommeau.

2 days in Bayeux

Day 1

  1. Morning
    Cathedral and museum

    Visit the cathedral and the Musée Mémorial de la Bataille de Normandie to understand the sequence of the fighting.

  2. Afternoon
    Arromanches and Juno

    After lunch, go to the Musée du Débarquement de Arromanches and continue to the Centre Juno Beach in Courseulles-sur-Mer.

  3. Late afternoon
    Gold and Juno coast

    Walk along the beach at Courseulles and see the bunkers of Parque Juno, if there is a guided tour.

  4. Evening
    Night in Bayeux

    Have dinner in the historic center, which is quiet at night.

Day 2

  1. Morning
    Pointe du Hoc

    Set out early for the Pointe du Hoc, about 30 km away, and walk among the craters and casemates.

  2. Afternoon
    Omaha Beach

    Continue down to Vierville-sur-Mer and Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer to set foot on Omaha Beach and see the sculpture Les Braves.

  3. Late afternoon
    American cemetery

    Visit the Cemitério Americano de Colleville-sur-Mer and the visitor center. Stay for the flag ceremony, one hour before closing.

  4. Evening
    Return to Bayeux

    Return to Bayeux for dinner. Those with an extra day can reserve a morning for the Mémorial de Caen.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

How to visit the D-Day beaches without a car?

The most practical way is a guided tour departing from Bayeux or Caen. There are regional buses along the coast, but with few schedules; check in advance.

Bayeux or Caen as a base?

Bayeux is smaller, has a medieval center and is closer to Omaha and Pointe du Hoc. Caen is larger, with more trains and accommodation, and is closer to Juno and Sword.

How many days for the D-Day beaches?

Two days allow you to see the American side (Omaha, cemetery, Pointe du Hoc) and the British and Canadian side (Arromanches, Juno, Mémorial de Caen).

What is D-Day?

It is June 6, 1944, when the Allies landed on five beaches in Normandia, beginning the liberation of Western Europe in World War II.

Back to Bayeux
Back