[Travel] Best way to Bayeux from London…

[Machiavelli]

I thought the first ferry was at 9.30, arriving 14.45 local (we are going in September)

We're going late July when, I think, they have more sailings. Even given your timings, if I were you I'd still take Greavsey's advice and head straight to Honfleur.

 

[Yes Chef]

I quite like Dieppe, but agree that Honfleur will be a nice start to your holiday.

Rouen is a fun place, I must have been at least half a dozen times. You can easily fill your time there, but Monet's Gardens in Giverny is an easy trip, and for something a little different the abbey at Jumieges is beautiful. 1400 years old too!

Sounds like a great trip regardless

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

My parents live in Normandy, so I've spent a fair bit of time there. In terms of Bayeux, my recommendation would be ferry from Poole/Portsmouth to Ouistreham.

For attractions, the Tapestry is well worth seeing. In terms of other things to do, I'd highly recommend the D-Day sights. If you head up towards Utah/Omaha beaches, you'll find some excellent museums. Also worth popping in to some of the cemeteries as well, both German and Allied - it helps the brain process the sheer magnitude of losses on both sides. If you head in-land slightly to St Mere-Eglise, you can see the famous church steeple where an American airbourne soldier was snagged for most of the day. Theres's also a very good Airbourne museum too. Finally, I'd recommend Pegasus Bridge too, the site of the British gliders landing to secure one of the most important bridges.

That's probably a bit garbled, so feel free to PM for anything else/more specific.

I used to work in a Chateau in Le Molay-Littry, just a few miles from Bayeux. One of the staff had just finished at University where he’d been studying British Military History, on our days off we’d pile into the staff cars and visit the beaches, St Mere Eglise etc and ‘Sarge’ would impart all of his knowledge on us, fabulous times. We spent D-Day at one of the beaches, the small village was all decked out and there were vintage military jeeps buzzing around, when it got dark all power/ lights were cut and they bellowed air raid sirens throughout the streets, very very eery.

 

[Since1982]

We're going late July when, I think, they have more sailings. Even given your timings, if I were you I'd still take Greavsey's advice and head straight to Honfleur.

Sounds a good idea. Enjoy your trip.