D-Day was the culmination of operations by the Allied Forces to free Europe from the German invasion. To this day, the D-Day landings in Normandy are the largest amphibian operation in history.
Be a part of that history by viewing and visiting some of the most historically important sites while learning more of the stories and legends that make D-Day come alive even today.
Visiting Normandy, especially the American Cemetery and its Visitors Center, is often a pilgrimage for Americans who have ties to the military. We have the top Normandy tours from Paris, let’s take a look at them including a few private tours for those who want the more intimate experience.
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Best Tours of Normandy from Paris
| Normandy D-Day Small-Group Day Trip with Omaha Beach, Cemetery & Cider Tasting | Private Day Tour to D-Day Beaches from Paris | Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches Tour w/ Cider-Tasting & Lunch | |
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Best Small Group Tour | Best Private Tour | Best Full Day Tour | |
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| Departure: | 6 Av. de Wagram, 75008 Paris | Hotel Pickup | Pl. du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre |
| Start: | 7:00 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:00 AM |
| Duration: | 12 to 13 hours | 13 Hours | 14 Hours |
| Includes: | Small Group 8 people max, transport by minivan, expert guide, cider tastings, skip-the-line at the Overlord Museum | Comfortable van transportation, private guide, customizable tour | Expert and friendly guide, transportation by air-conditioned coach, all entry fees, cider tasting, lunch with a glass of cider |
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Quick Answer: The 7 Best Normandy D-Day Beach Tours From Paris For 2024
- Best Small Group Tour: Normandy D-Day Small-Group Day Trip w/ Omaha Beach, Cemetery & Cider Tasting
- Best Private Tour: Private Day Tour to D-Day Beaches from Paris
- Best Full Day Tour: Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches Tour w/ Cider-Tasting & Lunch
- Best Tour w/ Lunch: Normandy D-Day Trip w/ American Cemetery and Lunch
- Best Value Tour: From Paris: Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches Full-Day Tour
- Best Early Bird Tour: Private Day Tour to Normandy D-Day Beaches from Paris
- Best Family Tour: Normandy Battlefields Tour – American Sites
We’ve chosen these top Normandy tours because they offer a wide range of experiences and will fit into everyone’s budget. Be sure to see all of our reviews of things to do in Paris.
Normandy Tour Reviews
1. Best Value Tour: Normandy D-Day Small-Group Day Trip with Omaha Beach, Cemetery & Cider Tasting
- Departure Point: 6 Av. de Wagram, 75008 Paris
- Departure Time: 7:00 AM
- Duration: 12 to 13 hours
- Includes: Small Group Tour of 8 people max, transport by air-conditioned minivan, expert guide, cider tastings, skip-the-line at the Overlord Museum
If you would like to get a tour of Normandy in a more intimate setting of 8 people or less this is the perfect tour for you. You will start your journey a comfortable van for the roughly two and half hour drive.
Along the way you can admire the scenery of the French countryside and the small villages. Along the way be sure to ask any questions of your driver / guide. Your first destination is the Omaha Beach where over 2,400 young men lost their life.
You will learn about their acts of heroism that saved the landing from disaster! You will spend about 30 minutes here before going to Overlord Museum to learn about the enormous planning that went into the landings.
Here you will see dispalys of the equipment and machines that were used in the landings such as the Higgins bosts and Sherman tanks. You will have about an hour here at the museum. Then it’s off the Longues-sur-Mer battery where the German command was located along with its 150mm guns that were trained on the beaches.
Next up is local French restaurant for lunch where you can ponder what you have just seen and what the soldiers went through that day.
After lunch you will head to Pointe du Hoc where the Germans had enormous cannons trained on the beaches and learn how the Army Rangers climbed the cliffs to capture the position before they could be used.
Next is the most breathtaking part of the tour: the cemetary. Here there are almost 10,000 crosses and Stars of David that are perfectly maintained and lined up. Your guide will give you a tour and tell you about some of the Medal of Honor winners.
Lastly is a cider tasting at a local farm and head back to Paris after a full day of exploration of Normandy.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
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2. Best Private Tour: Private Day Tour to D-Day Beaches from Paris
- Departure Point: Hotel Pickup
- Departure Time: 7:00 AM
- Duration: 13 Hours (approx.)
- Includes: Comfortable van transportation, private guide
Make history a bit more interesting for the younger generation with this family-friendly private day trip to the D-Day beaches in Normandy.
Your private guide will drive you and a small group of guests to Omaha Beach, the American Cemetery, Pointe du Hoc lookout and the Visitor’s Center.
While all the beaches that became landing zones for Allied forces on D-Day are important, it seems Omaha Beach is the location of legends.
Your private guide will take you on a tour of the beach, telling you many of the harrowing tales of young men fighting for their country. The American Cemetery is the resting place of more than 10,000 Allied troops who lost the battle that day.
The pristine, manicured lawns are a tribute to those brave men. As a family-friendly day tour from Paris to Normandy, this is a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made.
A visitor’s center nearby is the perfect place to speak with center curators to learn more about D-Day as well as other events and locations in France that were important during WW2.
Two locations you will see first hand on this day tour are the German coastal battery as well as Pegasus Bridge.
This tour of the beaches of Normandy helps to bring families together to learn more about the sacrifices made on both sides of the beach, by Allied forces as well as German troops.
There’s nothing quite like seeing history up close and personal.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Other Paris Experiences You May Enjoy:
3. Best Combination Tour: Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches Tour w/ Cider-Tasting & Lunch
- Departure Point: Pl. du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre
- Departure Time: 7:00 AM
- Duration: 14 Hours (approx.)
- Includes: Expert and friendly guide, transportation by air-conditioned coach, all entry fees, cider tasting, lunch with a glass of cider, a small group of 25 guests or fewer
The Musee du Debarquement Utah Beach is located inside a German bunker on Utah Beach.
Look out over the beach and imagine what German troops must have been thinking as Allied forces rushed toward them. Also, imagine what those Allied troops were facing on that day.
On this day trip from Paris, you will also visit Pointe du Hoc. From this vantage point, you can see Utah Beach on one side and Omaha Beach on the other. This is a great way to get a sense of just how big of an Allied operation this really was.
Visit the Normandy American Cemetery & Memorial, where 10,000 American troops have been laid to rest after the “Normandy invasion.” Pristine lawns sit in stark contrast to the white marble headstones as a stark and solemn reminder of the cost of freedom during WW2.
Before heading back to Paris, you’ll stop by a cidery in the Calvados region. Here, you will taste several ciders and enjoy a full, refreshing glass with your provided two-course lunch.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Related: See the World Famous Louvre Museum – Skip the Lines – Find the Best Tour for Your Money With Our Reviews.
4. Best Budget Tour: Normandy D-Day Beaches Day Trip From Paris
- Departure Point: Frame Brasserie at Hotel Pullman
- Departure Time: 7:00 AM
- Duration: 14 hours (approx.)
- Includes: Expert guide, transportation, all entry fees, lunch with drinks
After the 3-4 hour coach ride to Normandy from Paris, you’ll stop for lunch and drinks at a small, local eatery. On your way here, the views of the French countryside are perfect for photos while your expert guide gives you insight into how this region played a part in WW2.
A stop at the visitor’s center is not to be missed as both your guide and the curators at the center explain the Allied operations that took place on the beaches of Normandy.
Take some literature, take pictures, or even buy a souvenir or more in-depth reading material.
The first D-Day landing beach you see will be the most famous of them, Omaha Beach. You’ll also take Memorial Drive to see both Juno Beach and Gold Beach.
The Caen Memorial Museum has many exhibits showing just how treacherous the D-Day landings were. This is one of the best Normandy tours from Paris as you will also stop by the American Cemetery to pay respects to the many
Allied troops who lost their life here. You can also choose to take this tour as a large group or with a much smaller group with a maximum of 8 guests.
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
More Information & Tour Booking
5. Best Full Day Tour: Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches Full-Day Tour From Paris
- Departure Point: Pyramides, Central Paris
- Departure Time: 6:30 AM
- Duration: 2 Days (approx.)
- Includes: Expert guide, luxury coach transportation, overnight stay at 4-star hotel, meals, a souvenir, and all entry fees
The ride to Normandy is about 2.5 hours but in the comfortable minivan the time will fly by as you enjoy the French countryside. Your driver/guide will tell you about the historical towns you go through on the way to Normandy.
Your first stop is Omaha Beach, where there were 2,400 casualties on D-Day making the most deadly of the landing zones. As you look over the beach you can just imagine the horror of that day. Only the bravery and courage of the soldiers allowed the landing to be a success.
Next stop is the Overlord Museum where you will learn about the invasion details and the elaborate planning that was necessary for this operation. Still the largest largest amphibious invasion in military history. Learn about the elaborate ruse the allies put on the fool the Germans into thinking the invasion would take place at Calis.
Take a lunch break and enjoy some of the food that France is famous for. Then head to Pointe du Hoc where you will gaze in astonishment at where the Army Rangers scaled the 100 foot cliff to take out the German artillery.
Lastly you will see the Normandy Cemetery and the 10,000 crosses that are perfectly aligned and meticulously maintained. Its a breathtaking sight to see. All the while your guide will be giving you the detail and history and answer any questions you may have.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Related: Don’t Miss the Eiffel Tower! – Skip the Lines – Find the Best Tour for Your Money With Our Reviews.
6. Best Small Group Tour: Private Day Tour to Normandy D-Day Beaches from Paris
- Departure Point: Hotel Pickup
- Departure Time: 7:00 AM
- Duration: 13 hours (approx.)
- Includes: Private guide, private transportation, all entry fees
Are you, or a family member, now a part of any of the military divisions that fought so valiantly? Be sure to let the guide know when you book the tour and they will research extra information for you!
As if learning information that is specifically tailored to you and your family’s history wasn’t enough, you will also enjoy guided tours of some of the most famous D-Day landmarks. And you will do this with the members of your private group and no one else.
Stand in the drop zone of the 101st Airborne and visit the site of the most famous Allied Forces assault on Utah Beach. Walk through the church that was converted to a field hospital by two paratrooper medics, the Church of Angoville-Au-Plain.
In addition to those locations, typically not visited during Normandy tours from Paris, you’ll have access to the Musee du Debarquement Utah Beach and Point du Hoc.
When visiting Omaha Beach, stand in the section most recently famous for starring in the motion picture, Saving Private Ryan. End your tour of Normandy with a walk through the American Cemetery and a stop at the visitor’s center.
For those who Normandy is more than just a historical location, and something closer to home, visiting the American Cemetery is a pilgrimage.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Related: Skip the Lines and See the Catacombs – Find the Best Tour for Your Money With Our Reviews.
7. Best Family Tour: Normandy Battle Fields Tour – American Sites
- Departure Point: Bayeux, Normandy
- Departure Time: Varies
- Duration: 9 hours (approx.)
- Includes: Professional guide, transportation to each site, small group tour of max 8 guests
Get up close and personal with the memorial cemeteries, museums and more. This tour departs from Bayeux, Normandy and not from Paris.
If you are staying in Paris, there are easy travel methods to get to Normandy for this tour. One of the best is probably the train as you enjoy the changing scenery of the French countryside.
With your small group of 8 people, at most, you’ll first head to Sainte-Mere Church, which played an important role in WW2, as well as the Airborne Museum.
Learn the dangers that the paratroopers faced when landing here and what their purpose was during the D-Days Allied Forces operations.
Visit Utah Beach, held by the 4th Infantry Division, and Omaha Beach, the largest landing zone for American troops. Walk through the headstones of the American cemetery where nearly 10,000 troops lay resting.
Walk through the German Memorial Cemetery where more than double that have been laid to rest in the largest cemetery in France dedicated to the German soldiers.
With so many historically significant locations to visit and many more stories and legends to learn about in the museums and visitors centers, it’s hard not to realize just how massive the D-Day operations were. In fact, D-Day is still the largest amphibian landing in history.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Planning Guide For Your Normandy D-Day Beach Tour
Why You Should Visit the Normandy D-Day Beaches
- Relive the history: Normandy D-Day beaches are where the largest seaborne invasion in history took place, marking a turning point in World War II. Walking on the same sands where thousands of soldiers landed, fought, and died is a humbling and surreal experience that allows you to relive history.
- Pay homage to the fallen: As you visit the various cemeteries and memorials that dot the Normandy coast is a reminder of the sacrifice the soldiers made who fought for our freedom. You can’t help but be moved by the memorials you will see.
- Explore the beaches: The beaches are worth the drive, there are miles of pristine sand beaches. Simply strolling along the beach is an amazing experience by itself.
- Discover the local culture: The Normandy region is known for its delicious cuisine, charming villages and rich history. While you are there, sample some of the local specialties like cider, cheese and seafood. If you area able, explore the quaint towns and villages in Normandy.
- Take in the beauty: With the rugged cliffs, rolling hills, and picturesque countryside, Normandy is one of the more beautiful areas of France.
Can You Visit Normandy as a Day Trip from Paris?
It is possible to visit Normandy as a day trip from Paris. It’s located about 150 miles northwest of Paris and there are quite a few tour operators that have day trips to the D-Day beaches and other nearby attractions.
You should take a few days to explore the Normandy area. There is so much to see and do from visiting the historic sites and museums to sampling the local cuisine.
One of the best parts of traveling is meeting the locals and taking the time to explore some off the beaten path places. While you can do a day trip and snap a few photos but you will miss out on what makes Normandy and amazing area.
That being said, if you’re truly limited on time and can only swing a day trip then go for it! Just be prepared for a long day of travel and a whirlwind tour of the highlights.
So while a day trip to Normandy from Paris can be done, I would recommend taking at least a few days to really experience everything the region has to offer. From the rich history and culture to the natural beauty and delicious cuisine, Normandy is a destination that’s worth taking the time to explore.
What Else is There in Normandy to See Other Than the D-Day Beaches?
Here are five places to check out besides the Normandy beach area:
- Mont Saint Michel: This stunning island monastery is one of the most iconic landmarks in France. Mont Saint Michele is and island just off the coast and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you are in the area you should definitely see it.
- Bayeux Tapestry: This work of art shows the events leading up to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It’s housed in the charming town of Bayeux which is worth a visit.
- Rouen Cathedral: This magnificent Gothic cathedral in the city of Rouen is a masterpiece of medieval architecture. It’s also where Joan of Arc was famously tried and condemned to death.
- Calvados Distilleries: Normandy is famous for its delicious apple brandy known as Calvados. There are several distilleries where you can sample the local specialties.
- Giverny: This charming village was the home of Impressionist painter Claude Monet, and his former house and gardens are open to the public.
How Long is the Train Ride from Paris to Normandy?
The train from Paris to Normandy takes about 1.5 to 3 hours. It just depends on the amount of stops. The main train stations in Normandy are Caen, Bayeux, and Cherbourg and each of these has a direct train connection from Paris.
The train is comfortable and with air conditioning, free Wi-Fi and food and drink service. The scenery along the way is simply stunning as you pass through the picturesque French countryside and charming villages.
The schedule for the high speed train varies depending on the time of year. You so you need to check the schedule before booking your tour.
Sites Seen
Tour Guides
Value
The Normandy D-Day Trip w/ American Cemetery tour is our Editor's Choice for the best Normandy tour with its combination of sites seen, tour guides and value.
