Normandy beaches and Bayeux tapestry

[prish]

Hi, we will be in le Havre and almost everyone from our RC is planning the day at the Normandy beaches. While I want tovisit the site of the D Day landings I would also like to see the Bayeux tapestry, even if that means we skip some of the beaches. What would be the best way of doing this? I believe our cruise company has a tour which covers these places but ideally I'd prefer to avoid this. How about renting a car and DIY? Or is there any tour operator who would offer this? Have sent an enquiry to Overlord but most of their tours seem to be geared to the Normandy beaches. Look forward to your suggestions, thanks:)

[Pet Nit Noy]

Hi, we will be in le Havre and almost everyone from our RC is planning the day at the Normandy beaches. While I want tovisit the site of the D Day landings I would also like to see the Bayeux tapestry, even if that means we skip some of the beaches. What would be the best way of doing this? I believe our cruise company has a tour which covers these places but ideally I'd prefer to avoid this. How about renting a car and DIY? Or is there any tour operator who would offer this? Have sent an enquiry to Overlord but most of their tours seem to be geared to the Normandy beaches. Look forward to your suggestions, thanks:)

 

Here's a link to an excellent detailed iDIY Normandy Beach tinerary written by John Bull, a frequent and reliable poster: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=18788432&postcount=7

 

Here's another John Bull post with distances from two typical Normandy ports to the various beach sites:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=23842296&postcount=57

 

Unfortunately, none of the earlier threads details both a D-Day beach itinerary and a visit to the tapestries.

 

Still, these links have some useful information as a starting point.

[LondonTowner]

If you hire a car it is easy to do the D Day beaches and visit the Bayeux tapestry. IMHO the tapestry is well worth a visit. It is only a short detour to go to the tapestry on the way to the beaches and there is plenty of parking nearby.

[Turtles06]

Three years ago, when we used Overlord Tours for a D-Day tour out of Le Havre, I believe that another group from our ship also using them had customized their tour so they could see the tapestry. It's a private tour; if you want to use Overlord, and include a visit to the tapestry, just email them and see if they will do that. I found them very responsive to emails when we were setting things up.

 

Enjoy your trip!

[prish]

Thanks a lot for all the info, very useful. I contacted both Overlord and Label West for a customised tour, which will cover Omaha beach and Bayeux. Prices are similar, now I need to find 4-6 other like-minded people from our Roll Call. I did look at renting a car and seeing the places ourselves, but that will probably be the last option, only if I can't put together a group. Surprisingly most people seem to want to see only the beaches, I know they are a very important part of 20th century history but IMO the Bayeux tapestry is equally important, albeit in a different sense. But maybe it hasn't been publicised like the D Day beaches. Anyway, thanks again:)

[Turtles06]

Thanks a lot for all the info, very useful. I contacted both Overlord and Label West for a customised tour, which will cover Omaha beach and Bayeux. Prices are similar, now I need to find 4-6 other like-minded people from our Roll Call. I did look at renting a car and seeing the places ourselves, but that will probably be the last option, only if I can't put together a group. Surprisingly most people seem to want to see only the beaches, I know they are a very important part of 20th century history but IMO the Bayeux tapestry is equally important, albeit in a different sense. But maybe it hasn't been publicised like the D Day beaches. Anyway, thanks again:)

 

Well, I'm quite interested in history and would love to see the tapestry, but I did not want to take time from our port call in Le Havre to do that. It was our first visit to Normandy and I wanted to concentrate on the D-Day sites (which is much more than the beaches, btw, and certainly much more than just Omaha beach), but that was my own personal preference. I also suspect that, depending on one's age (and family), there may be an "emotional" connection to the D-Day sites that is totally nonexistent with respect to the tapestry.

 

I hope that you are able to put together your group and have a great day!

[MJL]

Thanks a lot for all the info, very useful. I contacted both Overlord and Label West for a customised tour, which will cover Omaha beach and Bayeux. Prices are similar, now I need to find 4-6 other like-minded people from our Roll Call. I did look at renting a car and seeing the places ourselves, but that will probably be the last option, only if I can't put together a group. Surprisingly most people seem to want to see only the beaches, I know they are a very important part of 20th century history but IMO the Bayeux tapestry is equally important, albeit in a different sense. But maybe it hasn't been publicised like the D Day beaches. Anyway, thanks again:)

 

I agree with Turtles06. There are several challenges you're facing. First, is the time it takes get to beaches and cemetery. Then add in the time needed to explore the beaches briefly and the cemetery. If you do see the cemetery, you will need at least 45 minutes, and that's cutting it close.

 

Second, most people are not familiar with the Bayeux tapestry, or even Bayeux, itself. On our visit last fall, we had a group of 8 on an Overlord tour, and I had to press a bit just to drive through Bayeux on our return trip. There was not adequate time for us to see the tapestry, but everyone seemed to enjoy seeing the town, itself.

 

ML

[prish]

I agree with Turtles06. There are several challenges you're facing. First, is the time it takes get to beaches and cemetery. Then add in the time needed to explore the beaches briefly and the cemetery. If you do see the cemetery, you will need at least 45 minutes, and that's cutting it close.

 

Second, most people are not familiar with the Bayeux tapestry, or even Bayeux, itself. On our visit last fall, we had a group of 8 on an Overlord tour, and I had to press a bit just to drive through Bayeux on our return trip. There was not adequate time for us to see the tapestry, but everyone seemed to enjoy seeing the town, itself.

 

ML

 

MJL, what Turtles06 and you say is very true. Seeing all the D Day beaches and Bayeux in the same day will be very tight, which is why we thought of visiting only some of the sites and then going to Bayeux. Not sure if I can find others from our RC, if not we'll probably rent a car and use John Bull's DIY tips. The cruise isn't till August, so I still have time to try and work it out, thanks for your input:)

[prish]

If you hire a car it is easy to do the D Day beaches and visit the Bayeux tapestry. IMHO the tapestry is well worth a visit. It is only a short detour to go to the tapestry on the way to the beaches and there is plenty of parking nearby.

 

LondonTowner, any suggestions about car rentals, I suppose there should be agencies in/near the le Havre port. The more I think about it the more I like this idea, but it would be great if I could get some input from someone who has done this before. We have a long day in port, 7am-9pm, so it should be doable, with maybe even a stop at Honfleur at some point. John Bull's posts are very detailed re distances and driving times, but unfortunately does not include Bayeux. Could someone suggest an itinerary for me? Thanks in advance:)

[John Bull]

John Bull's posts are very detailed re distances and driving times, but unfortunately does not include Bayeux. Could someone suggest an itinerary for me? Thanks in advance:)

 

If you check a map & the itineraries I mentioned, you'll find that somewhere along the way they all pass Bayeux on the fast A13 road.

For instance this one in the past 24 hours for a Canadian cruiser, who has much the same problem as you - he needs to find sharers interested in Canuk & British D-Day sights.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Avenue+Lucien+Corbeaux,+Le+Havre,+France&daddr=Courseulles-sur-Mer,+France+to:Arromanches-les-Bains,+France+to:Colleville-sur-Mer,+France+to:Pointe+du+Hoc,+Cricqueville-en-Bessin,+France+to:49.3405479,-0.9566054+to:49.2258895,-0.565734+to:Ouistreham,+France+to:B%C3%A9nouville,+France+to:49.1792757,-0.1979713+to:49.3382209,0.2460779+to:Honfleur,+France+to:Le+Havre,+France&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=49.341231,-0.55069&spn=0.620972,1.374664&sll=49.478163,0.123124&sspn=0.019351,0.042958&geocode=FXr88gIdW_IBACn1xHgs-S7gRzFW-npFuuihsg;FZ7E8AIdawX5_yk7CdG53VgKSDFMgBBPZi638g;FY3a8AIdsYD2_ynFAVHh2lUKSDEA_bxPSBQMBA;FQAA8QId-R7z_ymXwzswO6gLSDGw9LxPSBQMBA;Fa2-8QIdGefw_yn5ngbxNQoLSDHL8JJsd6M2dg;FYPg8AIdQ2fx_ynbZTPTN6cLSDGL65KyljfcVQ;FaEg7wIdGl73_ylnDNE2s1EKSDHRE9u_jzJXAA;FfDm7wIdng38_ylXoNbB_2MKSDGy_aI1J3YpNw;FTtk7wIdFcH7_ynp6buTWGYKSDGw-rxPSBQMBA;FYtq7gIdrfr8_yl1sFhuv28KSDEitkfHIwBlRA;FWzX8AIdPcEDACm58ckUkczhRzGNFwyx7UpGIQ;FQoS8gIdLo8DACnFXQ_jpTPgRzHw6rxPSBQMBA;FWI58wIdmaUBACl9iyGVIy_gRzESrzOveobBWw&oq=Ave+Lucien+Le+Havre,+France&t=m&mra=ls&via=5,6,9,10&z=10&output=classic&dg=feature

 

So cutting into the centre of Bayeux to see the tapestry adds only about ten minutes to the driving time. :)

But it will also add about an hour to see the thing - in a day that isn't long enough even to see all the US D-Day sights. :(

 

Cruisers have to pick & choose the places they want to see - the American cemetery, and Omaha Beach which it overlooks, will be on every American's agenda. The tapestry then has to compete with D-Day sights further west like Pointe du Hoc, Utah & St Mere-Eglise, or on the way back to Le Havre like the guns at Longues, the Mulberry harbour & other sights at Arromanches, the beaches at Gold, Juno & Sword, and Pegasus Bridge.

 

You will certainly have time for Bayeux plus American cemetery / Omaha, plus one or two other places. But your difficulty is likely to be finding others with the tapestry near the top of their list.

 

By renting a car (or car + driver) rather than booking an Overlord-type tour, the cost will be much lower - and you only need to find one couple to share in order to halve that cost. You may even find sharers during the cruise.

 

It might also be worth comparing ship's tour price against those options if it's likely to end up being just the two of you.

If you can cancel ship's tour without penalty, you might want to consider booking that now as a Plan B in case it books-out.

 

You do have some time in hand to find others to share a tour, though private tour operators do book out early. If you haven't found enough sharers by then, you should have no problem fixing up a regular car + driver (that's "driver", not "guide"), or a rental car.

 

Can't help re car rentals in Le Havre, it's just the other side of the Ditch from me so I've always used my own transport.

But I know there are several in town & one (? cost ?) by the pier. Your choice is likely to be limited on a sunday, and do check the latest time you can return a car.

Plenty of north American cruisers have rented in Le Havre, hopefully they can provide details.

 

JB :)

Edited March 1, 2015 by John Bull

[Pet Nit Noy]

MJL, what Turtles06 and you say is very true. Seeing all the D Day beaches and Bayeux in the same day will be very tight, which is why we thought of visiting only some of the sites and then going to Bayeux. Not sure if I can find others from our RC, if not we'll probably rent a car and use John Bull's DIY tips. The cruise isn't till August, so I still have time to try and work it out, thanks for your input:)

 

Some thoughts about planning your time to see the tapestry:

 

There are three parallel lines of embroidery the length of the tapestry (230 feet). The middle line of images is the largest and depicts the story of the Battle of Hastings; the upper and lower lines of embroidery include inscriptions and decorative elements. All visitors are given an audio guide with excellent but very, very detailed description of the tapestry.

 

When we visited the tapestry, we could not spot all the elements mentioned in the commentary on first viewing. This was particularly true in some sections of the tapestry where the events aren't separated by the stylized trees used in other places. Furthermore, the narration is continuous. You don't punch in numbers to key up the explanations. The voice just begins and keeps going. That means the viewer has to keep going, too. While this is an excellent strategy for the museum to keep the line moving, it makes for some frustration for visitors who want to enjoy the tapestry more fully. (In fact, before visiting the museum, I had even read descriptions that visitors were on a moving conveyor belt. This isn't actually true, but the feeling is very similar because of the pace of the narration.)

 

At the end of the line, my husband and I decided we wanted to walk along the tapestry a second time. This is allowed. As you exit, simply go up to the desk where you'll turn in your audio guide and ask for a new device. They'll hand you a device which is at the start position rather than taking the time to rewind the device you're returning. When you go through a second, you'll be able to spot all the elements you weren't able to find the first time through.

 

The bottom line is that when you plan the day that includes both the tapestry and the beaches, please take my experience into account. If you think you'll want to walk along the tapestry twice, you'll need to double the time allotted at the museum. (And if you're arranging a group tour, you need to make sure everyone knows this! Incidentally, Bayeux is a charming town. Other group members who don't want to do the tapestry twice can certainly stroll its attractive streets.)

 

I could not find any information about the length of the narration. The only information that may be at all useful for planning is that the last admission is 45 minutes prior to the closing of the museum. Hopefully someone else can tell you how long the narration lasts. I can only suggest that you find as many images of the tapestry as possible before your visit. With familiarity, you may be able to walk along the tapestry only once and ease up the time issues for your visit.

Edited March 1, 2015 by Pet Nit Noy

[prish]

Thanks a ton John, was hoping you'd pitch in! Celebrity does have a 9 hr tour to the D Day beaches and Bayeux for $158, Overlord offers something similar for 95 euros; the ship's tour can be cancelled even just before the cruise, need to check about the other one. While I'm not too happy taking a tour with 30-40 others crammed in a bus your idea of a Plan B makes sense. I'll probably also just go ahead and book a rental car and try to find another couple to share with us, probably easier than finding 6 others for the van tour:D

 

BTW, the Canadian cruiser and I are on the same sailing, both wanting to see/do something the majority's not quite interested in!

 

Pet Nid Noy, thanks for these invaluable tips, I really do appreciate it. Am sure I'll want to go back for a second look, will also make sure to read up and view images of the tapestry before we go there. Thanks again:)

Edited March 1, 2015 by prish

[flames9]

Thanks a ton John, was hoping you'd pitch in! Celebrity does have a 9 hr tour to the D Day beaches and Bayeux for $158, Overlord offers something similar for 95 euros; the ship's tour can be cancelled even just before the cruise, need to check about the other one. While I'm not too happy taking a tour with 30-40 others crammed in a bus your idea of a Plan B makes sense. I'll probably also just go ahead and book a rental car and try to find another couple to share with us, probably easier than finding 6 others for the van tour:D

 

BTW, the Canadian cruiser and I are on the same sailing, both wanting to see/do something the majority's not quite interested in!

 

Pet Nid Noy, thanks for these invaluable tips, I really do appreciate it. Am sure I'll want to go back for a second look, will also make sure to read up and view images of the tapestry before we go there. Thanks again:)

 

Cdn cruiser is me,lol

[CathyCruises]

Thanks a lot for all the info, very useful. I contacted both Overlord and Label West for a customised tour, which will cover Omaha beach and Bayeux. Prices are similar, now I need to find 4-6 other like-minded people from our Roll Call. I did look at renting a car and seeing the places ourselves, but that will probably be the last option, only if I can't put together a group. Surprisingly most people seem to want to see only the beaches, I know they are a very important part of 20th century history but IMO the Bayeux tapestry is equally important, albeit in a different sense. But maybe it hasn't been publicised like the D Day beaches. Anyway, thanks again:)

 

Can you give me an idea of the price per person they were quoting you?

[LondonTowner]

prish

 

Like John Bull I can't help you with car hire as we also take our own car to France. Unlike many contributors on here both myself and OH wanted to see the tapestry as we learnt all about it at school. It is an integral part of British history. We thought it was amazing because considering its age the embroidery and colours are so intact. In addition to the audio guide which we found informative, there is also a very good film (in English). I would definitely go and see it again. I get a bit warred out in Normandy as OH is very keen on anything military.

 

Having looked at those prices for tours I would certainly be more inclined to hire a car. It is very easy driving in Normandy, plus you can plan your own itinerary. All the D Day museums have tours in English included in the price.

 

You would also be able to stop at one of the farms to buy some of the delicious local calvados or cider.

[prish]

Can you give me an idea of the price per person they were quoting you?

 

Overlord quoted 980 euros for a van to seat 8, Label West 680 euros for 6 people, both need your CC details when you book, the latter has a more stringent policy and you could lose up to 25% if you cancel 2-3 weeks out.

 

London Towner, I also think a whole day of D Day sites would have me warred out. I also studied about the Bayeux tapestry in school and for whatever reason 1066 was a date which stuck in my memory since that time, so am really looking forward to this visit:)

[flames9]

Overlord quoted 980 euros for a van to seat 8, Label West 680 euros for 6 people, both need your CC details when you book, the latter has a more stringent policy and you could lose up to 25% if you cancel 2-3 weeks out.

 

London Towner, I also think a whole day of D Day sites would have me warred out. I also studied about the Bayeux tapestry in school and for whatever reason 1066 was a date which stuck in my memory since that time, so am really looking forward to this visit:)

 

Actually with Label-West..if going by the book..even if u cancel many months out, you lose 25%!!