Airborne Museum And Beaches Day

American beaches and US Airborne day tour from Bayeux with Airborne Museum entry in Sainte-Mere-Eglise.

Overview

This full day out of Bayeux covers the whole American side of the D-Day story in one loop: Omaha Beach, the Normandy American Cemetery, Pointe du Hoc, Sainte-Mere-Eglise with its Airborne Museum, Utah Beach, and the little church at Angoville-au-Plain that served as an aid station.

The day starts at Omaha, where the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions came ashore, then moves to the cliffs the 2nd Ranger Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel James E. Rudder scaled at Pointe du Hoc. After lunch in Sainte-Mere-Eglise, the afternoon shifts to the airborne and Utah Beach side, ending with the story of two medics who treated around 80 wounded soldiers in the church at Angoville-au-Plain over two days.

At eight and a half hours it is a long day, with one traveller describing it as full but not physically taxing, moving between stops in the tour van. It suits anyone who wants the American sector explained in depth rather than wandering sites alone, and entry to the Airborne Museum is already covered by the tour price.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Place de QuebecThe group gathers at Pl. de Quebec in central Bayeux. Hotel pickup is not included.
2. Van to Omaha BeachA 30 minute drive out to the coast.
3. Omaha Beach and cemeteryA 40 minute guided tour of the beach, then a 5 minute drive to the Normandy American Cemetery for a guided tour and free time, about 1 hour in total there.
4. Pointe du HocAfter a 20 minute drive, a 50 minute guided tour of the bomb craters, bunkers and cliffside battlefield.
5. Sainte-Mere-Eglise and Airborne MuseumA 30 minute transfer, then about 50 minutes of free time for lunch and shopping in town, at your own expense, followed by roughly 1 hour at the Airborne Museum with entry included.
6. Utah Beach and Angoville-au-PlainA 20 minute drive to Utah Beach for a 40 minute guided tour, then 15 minutes on to the church at Angoville-au-Plain for a 20 minute visit.
7. Return to BayeuxA 35 minute drive back to Place de Quebec.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help the day run smoothly, based on the tour details and on what past travellers have said.

• What to bring. Bring comfortable shoes and rain gear. The tour runs whatever the weather, and time is spent outdoors at several of the sites.
• Pace of the day. One reviewer described the day as full but not physically taxing, with a van for every transfer between sites. Time is allocated at each stop, though that same reviewer noted they would happily have had longer at the cemetery and the museum.
• Lunch is extra. There is a free time stop of about 50 minutes in Sainte-Mere-Eglise for lunch and shopping, but food and drinks are not included in the price. Guides have given recommendations for eating in the area, according to several reviews.
• Guide storytelling. Reviewers repeatedly praise the guides' depth of knowledge and the individual soldier stories shared along the way. One traveller also mentioned a guide using period photographs tied to each location visited. Guides answer wide-ranging questions about the wider battle.
• Hearing the guide. Headsets are provided so the guide can be heard clearly, which matters at open sites like the beach and the cemetery. Headsets, the licensed guide and Airborne Museum entry are all in the ticket price.
• Getting there. Everyone makes their own way to Place de Quebec in Bayeux for the start, since hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. Gratuities are also not covered.

Common issues. The limits: there is no hotel pickup or drop-off, so travellers must reach Place de Quebec in Bayeux on their own, and lunch plus any shopping in Sainte-Mere-Eglise costs extra. The day runs rain or shine, so poor weather is not grounds for changes, only suitable clothing. One reviewer noted wanting more time at the cemetery and the Airborne Museum than the schedule allows, given how much there is to take in at both. Food, drinks and gratuities are excluded from the price.

Common Questions