France / Normandy, Mont-Saint-Michel & Saint-Malo / Bayeux (D-Day Beaches)Bayeux (D-Day Beaches)
Medieval Town at the Heart of the D-Day Landing Beaches
A small cathedral town that escaped the 1944 fighting, and the base for the D-Day beaches 10-20 km away: Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery at Colleville, Pointe du Hoc, the Mulberry harbour at Arromanches, and the Canadian Juno Beach Centre. Guided minibus tours from Bayeux are the easiest way round without a car. The Bayeux Tapestry's museum closed in 2025 for rebuilding, and the tapestry was due on loan to the British Museum in London from September 2026 to mid-2027, so do not plan on seeing it here until it returns. Trains from Paris Saint-Lazare take about 2 hours 15.
Highlights
- Omaha Beach
- Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville
- Pointe du Hoc cliffs
- Mulberry harbour at Arromanches
- Juno Beach Centre
- Bayeux Cathedral
- Guided D-Day minibus tour
- Caen Memorial museum
- Normandy cider and Camembert
Things to do
- Guided D-Day beaches tour: Omaha, the American Cemetery, Pointe du HocMorning · 8h
- Arromanches and the Mulberry harbourAfternoon · 2h 30m
- Juno Beach CentreAfternoon · 2h
- Bayeux Cathedral and the old townEvening · 1h 30m
- Caen Memorial museumMorning · 3h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: April – June, September – October; early June for the D-Day anniversary
Heads up
Bayeux Tapestry Away
The Bayeux Tapestry's museum closed in 2025 for rebuilding, and the tapestry was due to be on show at the British Museum in London from September 2026 to mid-2027. Check the Bayeux museum website before planning around it; the D-Day beaches and cemeteries are unaffected.
- D-Day anniversary — Ceremonies at the beaches and cemeteries, veterans' events, parachute drops and vintage-vehicle parades in the first week of June. Rooms around Bayeux are booked months ahead and some roads close for the official ceremonies.