The D-Day beaches by private car
Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc, the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, Arromanches: a day of remembrance on the sites of 6 June 1944. A private car is the only way to link them in one day from Paris while choosing where to linger.
The D-Day sites stretch along 80 km of Norman coast, some 280 km from Paris. No train serves them directly: without a car it means a coach and its timed programme. By private vehicle you leave early, reach Omaha before the groups, and stay at each site as long as it asks of you — these are not places to visit against the clock.
The classic route links the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer with its 9,387 crosses facing the sea, Omaha Beach itself, the untouched craters of Pointe du Hoc scaled by the Rangers, then Arromanches and the remains of the Mulberry artificial harbour. Depending on family ties or interest, we substitute Utah Beach, Sainte-Mère-Église and its Airborne Museum, or the Caen Memorial.
Many of our guests make this journey for a grandfather, an uncle, a name on a cross. Tell us: we build the route around that name, and your driver will know where to park, where to walk, and when to step away.
How a typical day unfolds
- 7:00 amDeparture from your Paris hotel3 hours on the A13 — breakfast on board if you want to save time.
- 10:00 amAmerican Cemetery, Colleville-sur-MerThe memorial, the chapel, 9,387 graves above Omaha. Allow ample time: nobody cuts this short.
- 11:45 amOmaha Beach & Les Braves memorialWalk the very sand of June 6th. The driver drops you and collects you anywhere along the beach.
- 1:00 pmLunch in Port-en-Bessin or BayeuxAddresses suggested with the quote — Bayeux also allows a glance at its cathedral.
- 2:30 pmPointe du HocBomb craters and the observation post, left as in 1944.
- 3:45 pmArromanchesThe Mulberry harbour caissons visible at low tide, and the D-Day Museum for those who wish.
- 5:00 pmThe road homeBack in Paris between 8 and 8:30 pm.
What the excursion includes
- Recent Mercedes vehicle (sedan, 7-seat van or S-Class) with private driver
- Pick-up at your hotel or any address you choose
- Car and driver stay with you at every stop — no imposed schedule
- Fuel, tolls and parking included in the quote
- Bottled water and chargers on board; free child seats on request
- French- and English-speaking driver; other languages subject to availability
Not included: entrance tickets to sites and museums, meals and tastings. Your driver drives, waits and advises — for commented visits inside the sites, we can recommend licensed local guides.
Your questions
Does the driver provide commentary?
He knows the region and its history well and gladly shares context on the road; commented visits on the sites themselves are the work of specialist guides. For in-depth historical guiding, we can add a licensed guide to the day — mention it at the quote stage.
Can we visit a specific grave?
Yes. Give us the name before departure: the American Battle Monuments Commission locates every grave, and the route is built to give you the time you need there.
Isn't the day too long with children?
It is a full day — 6 hours of driving in total. The premium van makes it comfortable (space, stops on demand), and Sainte-Mère-Église with its paratrooper on the church steeple speaks to younger visitors.
Can Mont Saint-Michel fit in the same day?
Honestly no — it adds 3 hours of driving and deserves its own day. We do offer a two-day beaches + Mont Saint-Michel tour with a night in Bayeux: ask for the quote.
When is the best season?
April to October for the light and full museum hours. Around June 6th the commemorations are moving but the roads saturated — leave even earlier then.