LE Havre to Britsh D-day sector

[wirefox]

Looking for a tour from the ship to Britsh sector. The tour companies want a full van. I am having trouble getting any interest from our roll call. How easy to rent a car and drive to the sites? Any guide books or will GPS come with car?

Donna

[LondonTowner]

Driving in Normandy is very easy. It's not too far to Pegasus Bridge and the museum is well worthwhile. Depends what you want to do and how long you have, but I would combine it with a visit to Omaha Beach or Bayeux to visit the tapestry and a stop at the charming town of Honfleur.

[Hlitner]

Driving in Normandy is very easy. It's not too far to Pegasus Bridge and the museum is well worthwhile. Depends what you want to do and how long you have, but I would combine it with a visit to Omaha Beach or Bayeux to visit the tapestry and a stop at the charming town of Honfleur.

 

 

We often rent cars in Le Havre and its not a problem. There is one rental car agency (rentacar.fr) located in the Port Terminal Building, but we have not used them because of their cost and insurance options (this may have changed in the past two years). There are some agencies located within a mile of the port...so we just reserve and walk out to an agency. Some of these agency offices seem to always be moving, but Sixt used to be reachable (with a 20 min walk). You should also check the other majors (Hertz, Budget, Europcar and Avis) to see who currently has offices within a mile of the port.

 

Driving is relatively easy in Normandy, but its helpful to have a GPS or working Smartphone with GPS capability.

 

Hank

[wirefox]

We often rent cars in Le Havre and its not a problem. There is one rental car agency (rentacar.fr) located in the Port Terminal Building, but we have not used them because of their cost and insurance options (this may have changed in the past two years). There are some agencies located within a mile of the port...so we just reserve and walk out to an agency. Some of these agency offices seem to always be moving, but Sixt used to be reachable (with a 20 min walk). You should also check the other majors (Hertz, Budget, Europcar and Avis) to see who currently has offices within a mile of the port.

 

Driving is relatively easy in Normandy, but its helpful to have a GPS or working Smartphone with GPS capability.

 

Hank

 

 

 

Thank you! We have already toured the American Sector and Cemetery. We are interested in the other beaches and bridge. Is there a museum that is about the British? I think we will just rent a car.

[John Bull]

Hi Donna,

 

RollCalls are pretty disappointing for us Brits, we don't go in for RollCalls the way our trans-Atlantic cousins do.

 

Yes, renting a car is your best option - you only need one couple to share (from the RollCall or folk you meet on the ship / dining table / bars etc.) to halve your costs.

 

Renting a GPS (sat-nav) with the car is quite expensive per day (€10 - 15) - but no big deal for a single day, and yes you really should have one.

(lots UK windscreen sat-navs also cover Europe, so ask amongst your friends, family, colleagues if they have one to lend. That also helps with learning it and setting it up before you go. All modern cars seem to come with a power take-off)

Put into the sat-nav the location of the car rental, you'll need to refer to it from time to time.

Then set it to the nearest sight, Pegasus Bridge, the eastern flank of the landings, taken by paras around midnight. It's just over an hour from the ship. Good museum there, plus Café Gondree the first building liberated.

 

After you've crossed the Pont de Normandie (toll bridge), note the turning for Honfleur but don't take it.

 

After Pegasus Bridge, drop into Ouistreham, eastern end of Sword beach, & head west along the D514 coast road. The rest of Sword isn't worth visiting cos access is a series of dead-ends, but its an interesting drive thro the villages to Courseulles-sur-mer ( Juno beach and Canadian centre).

Same coast road west along Gold beaches to Arromanches. Just before the town, pull over at the panorama overlooking the town (good photo-stop, 360-degree cinema, land-train into town if you want to take that option).

Arromanches is the only place where parking can be difficult, all a matter of luck. Remains of the Mulberry Harbour, good seafront museum, shops, bars, cafes.

Now check on your sat-nav how long to get back to Le Havre. Add at least an hour for unexpected delays.

Assuming you're OK with the clock, it's a further 30 minutes to the American Cemetery and Omaha beach. You need an hour there as a bare minimum.

Check your satnav time.

You might have time to continue west for 15 mins to Pointe du Hoc. Allow 20 minutes there.

I can't imagine you having time to go further.

Alternatively, from Arromanches head to Bayeux for the tapestry and / or cathedral (no D-Day sights there). Again check your sat-nav's time back to Le Havre.

 

The road back to the ship is mainly on the fast N13 / A13 dual carriageway, but might be a bit slow around Caen. Don't push the speed limits due to cameras. No tolls, other than Pont de Normandie.

 

Honfleur is about 30 minutes from the ship. If you've kept up with the clock and still have that hour in hand, head there for a harbourside beer or coffee before crossing Pont Normandie. If you've been delayed you'll have to miss it.

 

Here's the maximum you'll manage

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Le+Havre,+France/Pegasus+Bridge/Boulevard+Aristide+Briand/Centre+Juno+Beach/Arromanches-les-Bains,+France/Normandy+American+Cemetery+Visitor+Center/Omaha+Beach+D-Day+Monument/Pointe+du+Hoc,+France/Honfleur,+France/Le+Havre,+France/@49.2989881,-0.6835234,10z/data=!4m72!4m71!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e02f2395218b7d:0x5bc1867aaf33af12!2m2!1d0.107929!2d49.49437!1m5!1m1!1s0x480a666263c0f4ef:0xb6d8a3c8e980df78!2m2!1d-0.2743426!2d49.2424438!1m10!1m1!1s0x480a6151b11edc23:0x4431ea6b3d9c4808!2m2!1d-0.2704632!2d49.2914634!3m4!1m2!1d-0.368188!2d49.3248467!3s0x480a5fcb4b0b1635:0xa2ce1223cda1cb89!1m5!1m1!1s0x480a58eed01fe9a7:0x304cfca5d632b1c!2m2!1d-0.461667!2d49.33647!1m5!1m1!1s0x480a55dae15101c5:0x40c14484fbcfd00!2m2!1d-0.622415!2d49.339021!1m5!1m1!1s0x480ba82115e77193:0xdc6e1b4af3a56914!2m2!1d-0.8514512!2d49.3586702!1m5!1m1!1s0x480b0807c0401893:0x8ba2db850af9b195!2m2!1d-0.8797457!2d49.370696!1m10!1m1!1s0x480b0a35f1069ef9:0x7636a3776c92f0cb!2m2!1d-0.9892703!2d49.3971886!3m4!1m2!1d0.2158745!2d49.3590454!3s0x47e1cd29afd5aa17:0xe018f6a8b9234ec!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e033a5e30f5dc5:0x40c14484fbceaf0!2m2!1d0.233262!2d49.418762!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e02f2395218b7d:0x5bc1867aaf33af12!2m2!1d0.107929!2d49.49437!3e0

 

Without a guided tour it's useful to research, mebbe buy a book or two. But there's plenty of signage and English-speaking staff everywhere.

 

JB :)

 

edited to add. OK, you've been to Omaha etc .So head back from Arromanches. Gives you more time at Pegasus Bridge (and mebbe add the nearby gun battery at Merville)

[wirefox]

Hi Donna,

 

RollCalls are pretty disappointing for us Brits, we don't go in for RollCalls the way our trans-Atlantic cousins do.

 

Yes, renting a car is your best option - you only need one couple to share (from the RollCall or folk you meet on the ship / dining table / bars etc.) to halve your costs.

 

Renting a GPS (sat-nav) with the car is quite expensive per day (€10 - 15) - but no big deal for a single day, and yes you really should have one.

(lots UK windscreen sat-navs also cover Europe, so ask amongst your friends, family, colleagues if they have one to lend. That also helps with learning it and setting it up before you go. All modern cars seem to come with a power take-off)

Put into the sat-nav the location of the car rental, you'll need to refer to it from time to time.

Then set it to the nearest sight, Pegasus Bridge, the eastern flank of the landings, taken by paras around midnight. It's just over an hour from the ship. Good museum there, plus Café Gondree the first building liberated.

 

After you've crossed the Pont de Normandie (toll bridge), note the turning for Honfleur but don't take it.

 

After Pegasus Bridge, drop into Ouistreham, eastern end of Sword beach, & head west along the D514 coast road. The rest of Sword isn't worth visiting cos access is a series of dead-ends, but its an interesting drive thro the villages to Courseulles-sur-mer ( Juno beach and Canadian centre).

Same coast road west along Gold beaches to Arromanches. Just before the town, pull over at the panorama overlooking the town (good photo-stop, 360-degree cinema, land-train into town if you want to take that option).

Arromanches is the only place where parking can be difficult, all a matter of luck. Remains of the Mulberry Harbour, good seafront museum, shops, bars, cafes.

Now check on your sat-nav how long to get back to Le Havre. Add at least an hour for unexpected delays.

Assuming you're OK with the clock, it's a further 30 minutes to the American Cemetery and Omaha beach. You need an hour there as a bare minimum.

Check your satnav time.

You might have time to continue west for 15 mins to Pointe du Hoc. Allow 20 minutes there.

I can't imagine you having time to go further.

Alternatively, from Arromanches head to Bayeux for the tapestry and / or cathedral (no D-Day sights there). Again check your sat-nav's time back to Le Havre.

 

The road back to the ship is mainly on the fast N13 / A13 dual carriageway, but might be a bit slow around Caen. Don't push the speed limits due to cameras. No tolls, other than Pont de Normandie.

 

Honfleur is about 30 minutes from the ship. If you've kept up with the clock and still have that hour in hand, head there for a harbourside beer or coffee before crossing Pont Normandie. If you've been delayed you'll have to miss it.

 

Here's the maximum you'll manage

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Le+Havre,+France/Pegasus+Bridge/Boulevard+Aristide+Briand/Centre+Juno+Beach/Arromanches-les-Bains,+France/Normandy+American+Cemetery+Visitor+Center/Omaha+Beach+D-Day+Monument/Pointe+du+Hoc,+France/Honfleur,+France/Le+Havre,+France/@49.2989881,-0.6835234,10z/data=!4m72!4m71!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e02f2395218b7d:0x5bc1867aaf33af12!2m2!1d0.107929!2d49.49437!1m5!1m1!1s0x480a666263c0f4ef:0xb6d8a3c8e980df78!2m2!1d-0.2743426!2d49.2424438!1m10!1m1!1s0x480a6151b11edc23:0x4431ea6b3d9c4808!2m2!1d-0.2704632!2d49.2914634!3m4!1m2!1d-0.368188!2d49.3248467!3s0x480a5fcb4b0b1635:0xa2ce1223cda1cb89!1m5!1m1!1s0x480a58eed01fe9a7:0x304cfca5d632b1c!2m2!1d-0.461667!2d49.33647!1m5!1m1!1s0x480a55dae15101c5:0x40c14484fbcfd00!2m2!1d-0.622415!2d49.339021!1m5!1m1!1s0x480ba82115e77193:0xdc6e1b4af3a56914!2m2!1d-0.8514512!2d49.3586702!1m5!1m1!1s0x480b0807c0401893:0x8ba2db850af9b195!2m2!1d-0.8797457!2d49.370696!1m10!1m1!1s0x480b0a35f1069ef9:0x7636a3776c92f0cb!2m2!1d-0.9892703!2d49.3971886!3m4!1m2!1d0.2158745!2d49.3590454!3s0x47e1cd29afd5aa17:0xe018f6a8b9234ec!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e033a5e30f5dc5:0x40c14484fbceaf0!2m2!1d0.233262!2d49.418762!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e02f2395218b7d:0x5bc1867aaf33af12!2m2!1d0.107929!2d49.49437!3e0

 

Without a guided tour it's useful to research, mebbe buy a book or two. But there's plenty of signage and English-speaking staff everywhere.

 

JB :)

 

edited to add. OK, you've been to Omaha etc .So head back from Arromanches. Gives you more time at Pegasus Bridge (and mebbe add the nearby gun battery at Merville)

 

 

Thank you so much! Great information!

Donna

[Mtngirl2]

You have some great information already, but just wanted to give my two cents, too! Driving in France is very easy. Good road signs, especially in the D-Day area. I was in that area last fall. Rented a car after I landed in Paris, brought my own GPS (had downloaded updated maps before I left), and was so glad to have the freedom to drive around and see what I wanted to see when I got to Normandy (my dad landed on Omaha Beach during WWII). I was there in September so there was not a lot of tourists--had some places all to myself. Folks very friendly. Incredible and extremely moving trip. Well worth going there and good luck!

[flames9]

We wanted to see the Canadian sectors and tried setting it up via the Roll call.....no luck as everyone wanted to see the American sectors...Ended up just doing a private tour with just my wife and I....Was a bit $$$, but worth it.....Used Label West https://www.label-west.com/ Yes many say driving is easy in France, but we just wanted max relax and have a professional guide...Of all the port stops on our cruise, this was the 1 I had been looking forward too the most (too bad it was the first stop,lol) Didnt want to waste time getting a rental car either..wanted to maximize everything. Gl