How to get to Normandy from Paris?

What is the best way to reach Normandy from Paris?

First of all, if you plan on visiting the D-Day beaches, the best place where to stay is undoubtedly Bayeux.

You can reach Bayeux by train from Paris Saint-Lazare train station, in the northwest of Paris. The journey lasts from two to two and a half hours. On weekdays, there is eleven departures a day. The first train departs at 6:12 a.m. and arrives at 8:42 a.m., the last train departs at 6:59 p.m. and arrives at 9:24 p.m. On weekends, departures are more scarce.

For more information and bookings, you can check the webpage of the French national train company, SNCF.

Otherwise, a cheaper option to reach Normandy is to travel by bus. Flixbus offers bus routes from Paris La Défense (west of Paris) or Paris Bercy (east of Paris) to Caen from 8€. There are about three-four departures a day. The bus ride lasts about three hours, depending on where you leave from in Paris and on the traffic. Once in Caen, you can take the train to Bayeux. The train rides last thirty minutes and there is a departure almost every hour. The bus station and the train station are next to each other.

Other option, if you land in Charles de Gaulle airport, you can rent a car and drive to Normandy. It takes about three hours to reach Normandy by car. Please note that traffic might be heavy in the first hour as you will have to drive around Paris. There are many rental car companies available at the airport. Among them are Enterprise, Hertz, Europcar or Avis.

For a one-week rental, it costs from 50€ a day. Please note that most cars in Europe are manual. If you want to rent a car with automatic transmission, you will have to request it and depending on the period, it might not be available.

Finally, if you are looking for an easy and comfortable way to travel from Paris to Normandy and back, we offer a private shuttle service from your accommodation in Paris to your accommodation in Normandy in one of our new air-conditioned Mercedes vans. The transfer can be direct from Paris to Normandy or we can make one or two stops to visit other sites on the way. The possible sites to visit with one of our guides are Giverny (Monet’s House), Rouen or Honfleur. Other sites are possible to visit on request.

If you are interested, send us an inquiry via our contact form on this link