We%26#39;ll be staying a few days in Paris and I%26#39;ve been wanting to see the D-Day museum and Omaha Beach in Normandy. However, there doesn%26#39;t seem to be a train that goes there. We want to take a day trip there and be back in Paris by evening. Any suggestions? Contrary to our normal travel style, we%26#39;d like the fastes most direct way there.
Thanks,
D
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I took a ParisVision tour that leaves Paris
rue du Rivoli VERY early in the morning.
It covers the landing beaches, Arromanches,
and the America Cemetery (don%26#39;t miss the
Cemetery). It was an excellent tour.
Others can tell you about renting a car
train connections, etc.
Best Wishes
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When I went out there with my family in the early 90s, there weren%26#39;t any organized tours from Paris, so we did it on our own. We took the train from Paris (I think it was the Gare St. Lazare) to Bayeux, which I believe is the closest train station. It%26#39;s also a charming little town worth spending an hour or two in. We had lunch there. In any event, we met a young taxi guy with a van at the Bayeux train station who seemed very eager to give us a tour of the area. There was also another person on the train interested in this, so the four of us shared. He took us to Omaha Beach, the cemetery, Pointe du Hoc, Arromanches (and the museum there) and a couple other points of interest (some of which we weren%26#39;t previously aware of). He dropped us off at the train station at the end of the day and we were back in Paris by evening.
When you say the %26quot;D-Day museum%26quot; I%26#39;m not sure what you%26#39;re talking about -- whether you mean the small museum in Arromanches or the newer museum in Caen (wasn%26#39;t there when we went). Caen is on the same train line; as I recall, we stopped there on our way to Bayeux. If that is your intent, then you might want to start your trip in Caen rather than Bayeux.
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Arramonches was where the material was landed
that supported the troops in the D-Day invasion
and some time thereafter.
It is a small but excellent museum.
The WWII Museum at Caen is a much larger
and more modern museum with a large
book store and good displays.
I have been to both and wouldn%26#39;t miss either.
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This has been covered before, but I%26#39;ll repeat myself! Having the advantage of being in the UK a seperate trip is possible - we went for four days and only saw about half of what there is in the way of museums, sites and memorials. One day is going to give you a very limited view, if money allows come back another year just to do that and enjoy an extra day in Paris now.
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Many companies like Paris Vision and Cityrama for instance do a one day trip, usually including the cemetery overlooking Omaha beach. This is doable in one day, although a long day.
But i am quite sure you can go to Caen on your own by train, then ask the tourist office at Caen if they can provide you with some adresses of tours which would wait for you at Caen to start your tour from there (may well be cheaper).You can take a bus to go to Caen Memorial for peace museum which is in the suburbs if you want to do it on our own. What you cannot do on your own unless you hire a car is go to Omaha beach.
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Hi - we visited the D-day beaches by car a few weeks ago but unfortunately did not get to the Caen Museum. There is another visitors center at Pegasus Bridge where the first French Property was liberated on D-day. This is close to Sword Beach. The Pegasus Museum has mock-ups of the planes used, displays of clothing and equipment and film of the landings. The guides there are really interesting.
You may not be able to get to see this, createaname, but if others are doing the D-day route then I would highly recommend The Pegasus Bridge Memorial.
Finally - we were surprised to find that the American Cemetary at Colville (correct me if I%26#39;m wrong) closes at 5.00pm (17h00).
Take Care.
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Officially the car and coach park closes at 5 pm everyday, but they close actually the cemetary at 5h30 for people who were already inside. The cemetary is run by an american association, given the territory of the cemetary belongs to the USA as it was given away by France to the US.
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The American cemetery, like other American cemeteries abroad, is under the jurisdiction of the American War Monuments Commission (which also played a role in the establishment of the WWII memorial in Washington that opened last year) and is administered by Americans.
When I was there in the early 90s we were surprised when we stepped inside a small visitor center at the cemetery entrance to be warmly welcomed by a young American on the cemetery staff. He had a particularly warm and appreciative welcome for my step-father, who participated in the D-Day invasion, and spoke with him for a few moments and asked him to sign a book that seemed to be reserved for returning pariticipants.
I believe they also are prepared to assist visiting families of people buried there -- i.e., they will help locate the grave and possibly transport people who aren%26#39;t able to walk to the gravesite. It%26#39;s probably best to give them advance notice if you want this type of help. The War Monuments Commission has an office in Washington.
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Make that the American Battle Monuments Commission -- www.abmc.gov.
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