Considering a UK to Normandy road trip in winter? Here’s a 3-day itinerary for Normandy that’s applicable any time of year. Find the benefits of exploring this popular summer destination in the midst of winter – where to stay, where to eat, things to do, and top tips for a fun UK to Normandy road trip with kids.
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Before we start on the fun things to do on your Normandy road trip, let’s sort out the logistics of getting there first.
Table of Contents
Best way to get to Normandy from the UK?
Even if a UK to Normandy road trip was only me and my husband, I can’t imagine committing to less than 5 days. We had originally planned 4 days for the Normandy trip, but after reviewing our plans, we gave ourselves the extra day.
We considered trains, planes, and ferries, but after considering our road trip goals – D-Day, Mont Saint-Michel, and highlights in Bayeux – we knew we absolutely needed a car.
The best way to get to Normandy really does boil down to what you want to do and where within the UK you plan to start your journey. Normandy is incredibly spread out with tremendous territory to cover.
While there are tours for most Normandy attractions, if you’re departing from London or the southern parts of England, a car is the best option. A car ensures exploring French villages and places that might not offer a tour, particularly during the winter.
Despite accessibility to trains and the ferry, we opted for the Eurotunnel from Dover to Calais as the fastest route to our destination with a fully-loaded car: 3 adults and 2 kids.
Driving to Folkestone to cross the Chunnel to Calais and then down to Bayeux offered the best flexibility, price, and freedom to do as we wish. The return trip using Eurotunnel Le Shuttle cost £167 for the 5 of us in December.
Curious how you board the Eurotunnel? It’s super easy. Simply drive on and watch out for your wheels! 🤞🏻
How long it takes to drive from London to Normandy
It takes 7 hours to drive from St Albans to Bayeux, not including lunch.
With 2 kids in the car, we packed a bag of snacks so that we could minimize the number of stops. This proved incredibly helpful because the road trip is quite barren until you near Rouen. In fact, we had to go nearly 30 minutes out of our way to fuel up on the return trip so be sure to hit the petrol station when it’s convenient. And use the toilet services at the station before boarding the Eurotunnel. 😳
You can also purchase last-minute items required for driving in France at Eurotunnel. Prices are lower than Halfords and even Amazon on some items.
Honfleur – An unexpected favorite stop.
Since the car was fully loaded with snacks, we chose to stop in Honfleur for a late lunch. Honfleur is known to be one of the most beautiful villages in France, and even on a grey Monday afternoon in winter, there was no exception.
Picturesque Honfleur Harbour
As expected, most restaurants were closed on Monday at 3p but we found this gem, Le Cafe du Port, not far from the harbor which offered a menu suitable to everyone in our party.
Beautifully decorated for Christmas, Honfleur blew away any preconceived expectations. Despite Christmastime, Honfleur was empty and quiet. Perfect for taking in the sights without working through crowds or lines on a quick visit while driving through on the way to Bayeux.
Honfleur is MUST stop on your way to Normandy
Honfleur is a French village worth stopping for on your UK to Normandy road trip, even if you don’t want lunch. For parking use Parking Payant.
What about Normandy in winter?
Plan ahead by checking the site hours before heading out for the day. Winter is the off-season and many places are closed or only open during certain times of the day. It actually makes Normandy an excellent destination in winter because you can avoid skip the line tickets, waiting, and higher prices. Fewer crowds, happier people.
5 Day Normandy Road Trip Itinerary
With 2 days reserved for traveling to our hotel in Normandy from the UK and back, that allows 3 full days to absorb the best of Normandy.
After our day-long road trip, the evening was all about relaxing at the bar by the fire at Hotel Le Lion D’Or Bayeux, and an easy bite to eat at nearby La Table Du Terrior.
Unbeknownst to us before arriving, Hotel Le Lion D’Or is famous for hosting a slew of famous Hollywood celebrities and politicians over the years and seems to serve as a base for hosting filmmakers of WWII movies. The walls are elegantly decorated in photographs and signatures.
The hotel is tucked away from the main Bayeux high street and offers on-site parking. Bayeux tourist highlights are nearby, making walking easy for all abilities. And there is a great little bakery immediately on the corner as you leave the hotel – a great alternative to le petit dejeuner at the hotel. 🥐
Gorgeous Hotel Le Lion D’Or Bayeux serves Hollywood celebrities
Day 1 – Bayeux
After a day traveling in the car, exploring Bayeux mostly by foot on day 1 is a great way to break-up the Normandy road trip.
Bayeux is conveniently located with the furthest popular D-Day site at most an hour away, while other towns like Caen require more drive time for D-Day tours. It’s also 1.5 hours from Mont Saint-Michel, making it palatable for children given all the other drive time from/to the UK.
Bayeux is home to many royal events – as seen even in the Queen’s speech to commemorate World War II. And as mentioned, Hollywood filmmakers.
Simply put, Bayeux serves as a great base for anyone traveling through Normandy that’s looking for quaint, character and village charm.
Bayeux is perfectly located for a Normandy trip
Best Things To Do In Bayeux
Although there are a plethora of things to do in Bayeux, with one day dedicated to explore, we focused on these popular top 3:
Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy
This museum is full of World War II artifacts, a movie (offered in both French and English; check in advance for times), and gift shop. Be sure to plan ahead and check the open hours, as this museum closes at noon and doesn’t reopen until 2pm. During a winter visit, the museum wasn’t crowded and parking was free.
Notre-Dame Cathedral of Bayeux
The Cathedral de Bayeux is the stunning building that lights up the sky and town as you approach the center of Bayeux. Its gothic style is simply breathtaking and an absolute must-visit while in Bayeux.
Bayeux Tapestry Museum (Musée de la Tapisserie)
This 11th-century tapestry of the conquest of England by William, Duke of Normandy, is a UNESCO-listed artwork. I imagined one tall tapestry with majestic height but this one is all about the length. Telling a story that could only be explained through weaving, this 25-minute long experience is like nothing you’ll ever see or hear again – anywhere.
Shopping & Food
Fewer shops are open during the winter in Bayeux. Despite the sleepy nature of Normandy in December, there are still plenty of options for finding a souvenir or Bayeux keepsake, including amazing patisseries.
These are the perfect activities to maximize your time in Bayeux while museums and monuments are closed mid-day: shopping and food! A couple of favorites include Patisserie Confiserie and Les Volets Roses (tea room). Crepes were nearly available at every restaurant in Bayeux.
Warm up at Les Volets Roses while in Bayeux
Where to eat in Bayeux on your Normandy Road Trip
Since many establishments are closed in winter, fewer options are available but these 3 are open in winter and considered favorites by hotel staff and local shop owners.
Cave – Bistrot Le Volet Qui Penche
It’s a quaint little restaurant along the river that flows through the center of town. The wine options are exemplary. It’s exactly the kind of place you imagine buzzing in summer requiring reservations ahead of time, but we were able to walk right in and get seated immediately.
Picky eaters or children might have a tough time finding something that suits them, but we found options that we could share with the kids they would enjoy. Ask about the specials.
Map 🗺for Cave – Bistrot Le Volet 👉🏻https://goo.gl/maps/d2zuYqnfC6yzkxvm6
Le Marsala
After a couple of days experimenting with the taste of Normandy, we let the kids choose this Italian restaurant. Without reservations, we arrived shortly upon opening and managed a table for 5. The restaurant filled quickly thereafter, despite how quiet the street seemed to be.
In addition to the food, the ambiance and service were perfect, making it an obvious choice as a local favorite.
Le Marsala, Bayeux
The highlight of Le Marsala is the dessert on special unique to the region: Fiocchi purses filled with warm caramelized apples served with vanilla ice cream.
Map 🗺for Le Marsala 👉🏻https://goo.gl/maps/WSEPs3GB7fwsPHSk8
L’Assiette Normande
Despite its drab exterior and laid-back interior as compared to its neighbor, Les Volets Roses, this French restaurant was hands-down the family favorite.
Everyone ordered something different and everyone absolutely loved their French meal. Kids ordered from the kids’ menu, but adults each ordered something different from the specials menu. A bit risky given I’m not necessarily one to indulge in cream sauce, but this dish was different and not even close to comparing to cream dishes at Olive Garden, which is what I feared. 🤪
The sauce was more like gravy than cream – light and perfectly paired with the pork. We’d go back!
Map 🗺for L’Assiette Normande 👉🏻https://goo.gl/maps/xGEqFyoXEKtsx3nk7
Day 2 – D-Day Tour
With the primary purpose of the Normandy road trip to be about D-Day, we dedicated an entire day to it via a tour so that we could learn everything about the history and detail of each location.
There are many 1/2 day and full-day tours offered by Viator and Trip Advisor, even in the winter. The only downfall to visiting Normandy in winter is that museums, such as the Airborne Museum, are closed. And the weather isn’t so great, either!
However, the roads are clear so there’s no queuing to get into places and traffic isn’t an issue. Sites aren’t crowded making it far more enjoyable to explore bunkers and other areas of interest.
Glen was our tour guide for our 9-6pm D-Day tour and was absolutely fantastic. He left no stone unturned.
Of all the sites included in our tour, the top 2 locations that left an impact on our family:
Pointe du Hoc – The bunkers, the bullet marks, the herculean effort of what took place here – could be felt.
Pointe du Hoc, Normandy, France
American Cemetery – Even for children, the magnitude of the scene is overwhelming, but one of gratitude. 🙏🏻
The American Cemetery in Normandy is moving beyond words
And much to our surprise, Utah Beach offers not only history but you witness live horse training through the ocean waters and beach. It’s quite spectacular.
Day 3 – Mont Saint-Michel
We saved Mont Saint-Michel for day 3 of our UK to Normandy road trip once we were certain we covered all the grounds we wanted regarding D-Day.
Mont Saint-Michel is one of those “I’ve got to see it to believe it” destinations, and so it’s been on our bucket list since our arrival in the UK. Finally having the opportunity to explore it, we had no idea how much of an impression it would leave or the amount of walking we would do.
Mont Saint-Michel
Although it’s 1.5 hours from Bayeux, it’d be a shame to not include Mont Saint-Michel in a Normandy road trip itinerary. It really is a MUST.
The Abby (Mont Saint-Michel is 1 square mile) is the largest and most impressive one my husband and I have ever visited. And watching the “call to service” was a real highlight of our 2-hours exploring.
The downfall of visiting Mont Saint-Michel in the winter is the ripping winds as you ascend to the peak. But other than that, and the 30 flights of stairs round-trip to do it, it’s brilliant. Mont Saint-Michel requires a massive amount of uphill walking, and very steep at times. Be sure to consider if everyone can manage the physical aspect before arriving.
There’s a free shuttle from the car park, which also happened to be free the day we went in December. Or alternatively, pay €6pp for a horse-drawn carriage.
More tips about Mont Saint-Michel in the winter:
- If you plan on doing the Abby tour and stopping for lunch, plan on spending 4 hours at Mont Saint-Michel.
- You do NOT need to buy a skip-the-line voucher. Summertime, you do.
- Restaurants on the island are reasonably priced. In summertime, a single omelet can cost you nearly €30.
- You can save on headsets during the Abby tour. With fewer tourists in winter, simply buy one and increase the volume. Everyone in your party will be able to hear.
Final UK to Normandy Road Trip Tips
After 3 full days in Normandy touring Bayeux, D-Day sites, and Mont Saint-Michel, we got back on the road again to the UK.
Be sure to fuel up as you leave your hotel base and have your bank card or euros ready for the plethora of tolls ahead. And if you find yourself arriving at the Eurotunnel earlier than scheduled, you have the option of changing your pre-booked boarding time for a fee; we paid €25 to board nearly 2 hours earlier than planned. The time will dictate the cost.
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