- One day is enough for the American sector: about 3 hours on the road each way and 5 to 6 hours on the beaches.
- With a private driver: pickup at your Paris hotel and a day that follows your interests. From €1,320 per car, or from €2,370 with the driver plus a separate WWII historian.
- Other options: coach tours, small-group minivans and the train to Bayeux. The essentials are below.
How far are the beaches from Paris?
The American beaches, Omaha and Utah, are about 275 km (170 miles) west of Paris. By road it takes about 3 hours each way on the A13 motorway, a little more with Paris traffic in the morning. Leaving your hotel around 7 am gets you to the coast by mid-morning.
That leaves 5 to 6 hours on site, enough for the main American sites. The British and Canadian beaches (Gold, Juno and Sword) are on the way, closer to Caen, so they fit into the same day if that is your focus instead.
What you can see in one day
- Pointe du Hoc, the clifftop battery taken by the US Army Rangers on June 6, 1944. Bomb craters and bunkers are still there.
- Omaha Beach, the bloodiest of the five landing beaches, with the Les Braves memorial on the sand.
- The Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, above Omaha Beach, where more than 9,000 American soldiers are buried.
- The Longues-sur-Mer battery, the German coastal guns of the Atlantic Wall, still in place.
- Arromanches, where you can still see the remains of the Mulberry artificial harbor.
Utah Beach and Sainte-Mère-Église, the paratroopers’ village, are another 45 minutes west. They are easy to add if you stay a night in Normandy (Mont-Saint-Michel is about 1.5 hours further on), but they make a single day from Paris very long. On a rainy day, the Overlord Museum near Omaha Beach or the Caen Memorial are good options.
Good to know in 2026
- The Bayeux Tapestry is not in Bayeux. It is on loan to the British Museum in London from September 2026 to July 2027, and the museum in Bayeux reopens in October 2027.
- The American Cemetery is open every day from 9 am to 5 pm (last entry 4:30 pm), except December 25 and January 1. Entry is free. Free guided tours in English run in the afternoon all year, and also in the morning from April to September.
- Around June 6, the anniversary of D-Day, Normandy is very busy and some roads close for ceremonies. Book early if you travel in early June.
Your day with a private driver
The beaches are not a place to rush. With a private driver, the day follows your interests: more time at the cemetery, a stop at a specific beach, or a detour to find a family name.
- From your door. Pickup at your Paris hotel in a Mercedes with an English-speaking chauffeur, water and Wi-Fi on board, and free child seats on request.
- A typical route: Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, lunch nearby, the American Cemetery, Longues-sur-Mer and Arromanches. We can add the Caen Memorial or other sites.
- With a historian, if you like. A professional WWII historian, licensed as an English-speaking guide, joins you in Normandy in addition to your driver and stays with you all day.
| Group | Driver only, 12 hours | Driver + separate WWII historian |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 people | €1,320 per car | €2,370 per car |
| 4 to 7 people | €1,440 per car | €2,490 per car |
Prices are per car, not per person. Free cancellation up to 48 hours before, see our cancellation policy.
For a group of seven with a private historian, €2,490 comes to about €355 each, with your own guide, your own car and your own schedule.
When a private day makes the most sense
Other ways to visit the beaches
If you prefer a group tour, these are the main alternatives.
- Coach tours from Paris leave around 7 am and return between 8 and 9 pm, from roughly $120–210 per person, in groups of 30 to 50 with a fixed program.
- Small-group minivans from Paris take 8 to 16 people, for roughly €190–320 per person.
- The train to Bayeux takes about 2 hours 20 minutes from Paris Saint-Lazare, and local guides run small-group tours from around $170 per person. It works best if you spend the night in Bayeux.
Tour prices vary by operator and season.
Tips from our drivers
- Start early. Leaving Paris at 7 am beats the morning traffic and gets you to the coast before the tour buses.
- Plan the cemetery before 4:30 pm, the last entry time.
- Bring a windproof jacket and good shoes. The weather on the coast changes fast, and Pointe du Hoc is uneven ground.
- Keep lunch simple. A crêpe or a set menu in Arromanches or near Omaha saves time for the sites.
- Read a little before you go. Even an hour on the events of June 6, 1944 makes the day far more moving.
FAQ
How much is a private D-Day tour from Paris?
At ALEGA, €1,320 per car for 1 to 3 people and €1,440 for 4 to 7 people for a 12-hour day with a private driver. With the driver plus a separate professional WWII historian, €2,370 and €2,490.
Can you visit the D-Day beaches as a day trip from Paris?
Yes. The beaches are about 3 hours from Paris by road, which leaves 5 to 6 hours to see Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, the American Cemetery and Arromanches.
How far is Omaha Beach from Paris?
About 275 km (170 miles), or around 3 hours each way by car on the A13 motorway, a little more with traffic.
Is the Normandy American Cemetery free to visit?
Yes. It is open every day from 9 am to 5 pm, with last entry at 4:30 pm, except December 25 and January 1. Entry is free.
Can we see the Bayeux Tapestry in 2026?
Not in Bayeux. The tapestry is on loan to the British Museum in London from September 2026 to July 2027, and the Bayeux museum reopens in October 2027.
Andrei founded ALEGA in 2014 on the Champs-Élysées. His drivers take travelers from Paris to Normandy, the Loire Valley and Champagne.
