6 Best Tours in Bayeux

Located in the northwest of France, the city of Bayeux is famous for having remained intact during the bombardments of 1944. Thanks to this, it has a great historical heritage to appreciate. Would you like to discover it on a tour?
6 Best Tours in Bayeux

More about: 6 Best Tours in Bayeux

Bayeux is a medieval town that has kept its historic center intact despite its wartime past. Its cobblestone streets and old houses, house elegant palaces dating from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It is also in Bayeux where you can find the famous tapestry of Queen Mathilde, almost 70 meters long, which is an undisputed icon of the city and narrates the conquest of the Duke of Normandy to England.

All this is reason enough to want to know this charming city, and what better way to do it through a guided and organized tour? In this article I will tell you what are the best tours you can do in this historic city and why these visits are among the best things to see and do in Bayeux.

1. Guided tour of Bayeux

Rue des Teinturiers| ©Vincent Poudampa
Rue des Teinturiers| ©Vincent Poudampa

On this tour, an experienced local guide takes you for two hours to see the best of Bayeux and Normandy, seeing its impressive architectural gems and learning all about the history behind what you'll have a chance to visit. You will learn about the most important events that took place in the region, the origin of the buildings, ancient trades and much more.

The walking itinerary starts at the Bayeux tourist office and includes stops at sites such as Rue des Teinturiers where you will learn about the medieval tanning and dyeing industry. Then you will pass by Allée des Augustines, where you will learn about the Augustine sisters and the famous Bayeux Tapestry.

Other stops on this tour include Charles de Gaulle Square, Rue L L le Forestier and the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral. This tour is ideal if you are short on time in the city and don't want to miss anything.

Details of interest:

  • Price: starting at €23 per person.
  • Duration: the experience lasts about two hours in total.
  • Means of transport: the tour is on foot from the meeting point.

Book a guided tour of Bayeux

2. Bike tour

Bike day| ©Butterfield & Robinson 1966
Bike day| ©Butterfield & Robinson 1966

If you love the outdoors and nature, this will be a very tempting proposal to discover the best of Normandy. You will depart from Bayeux to reach the starting point of the adventure, where your bike will be waiting for you , fully equipped with helmet, bag for your belongings, bottle of fresh water, an extra battery, anti-theft device and GPS.

Thanks to the bike you will be able to access places that you would not be able to reach by car. You will enjoy the fresh air and beauty of sites such as Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, Gold Beach, Juno Beach, the German battery site of Longue sur Mer, and the artificial harbor of Arromanches among others.

It should be noted that the guides accompany you up to a certain point and then leave you some time to explore and enjoy at your own pace. Anyway they provide you with everything you need so you can orient yourself properly and tell you which are the must-see sites to visit.

Details of interest:

  • Price: from 62 euros per person.
  • Duration: average between 5 and 12 hours in total.
  • Means of transport: you will be driven in an air-conditioned minibus.

Book a bike tour in Bayeux

3. Tour of Omaha and Band of Brothers

Omaha Beach| ©Pedro
Omaha Beach| ©Pedro

This tour is inspired by the literary work of renowned American historian Stephen Ambrose, which was later made into the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers.

With this tour you will learn about the most important historical events in Normandy. You will see places like Omaha Beach, the American cemetery and follow the action of the "Band of Brothers". A great opportunity to learn history in an interactive and dynamic way. This experiential experience will leave you with a wealth of knowledge about the interesting historical context of the region.

Details of interest:

  • Price: from 143 euros per person.
  • Duration: the activity lasts 9 hours in total.
  • Means of transportation: you will be taken aboard an air-conditioned minibus.

4. Tour of the Omaha, Sword and British Airborne Sector (A1B2) battlefields

British Normandy Memorial| ©www.nmbs2001.com
British Normandy Memorial| ©www.nmbs2001.com

This tour takes you to the most memorable sites of the Battle of Normandy with an emphasis on the events related to the British Armed Forces. A most fascinating experience.

Among the sites included in the itinerary of this tour are Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Pegasus Bridge, Merville Battery Museum, Sword Beach and Hillman Bunker.

The starting point of this tour is only the Bayeux train station or Place de Quebec. Both are sites easily accessible by public transportation.

Details of interest:

  • Price: starting at 121 euros per traveler.
  • Duration: the tour takes about 9 hours in total.
  • Means of transport: you will be driven in an air-conditioned minibus.

5. Canadian Battlefields Tour

Juno Beach Center| ©JR P
Juno Beach Center| ©JR P

The historical sites related to D-Day in Normandy are attractive to tourists interested in World War II in France. While many tour itineraries focus on American and British units, this tour from Bayeux takes you to Normandy sites that had a historical connection with the Canadian army.

The tour includes stops at sites of interest such as Juno Beach Center, the Canadian Underground Bunkers, Bernieres and Saint Aubin, the Canadian Cemetery, Hell's Corner, the Abbey of Ardenne, Carpiquet and Caen. This is a very interesting activity to be able to complement with other excursions to comprehensively understand the history behind this interesting French region.

Details of interest:

  • Price: from 115 euros per person.
  • Duration: the tour lasts about 8 hours in total.
  • Means of transport: you will be driven in an air-conditioned minivan.

6. Classic jeep tour in Normandy

Classic Jeep in Normandy| ©Mark Povey
Classic Jeep in Normandy| ©Mark Povey

This tour offers a different way of getting to know Normandy, aboard an off-road jeep. In this peculiar vehicle you will see the most important historical points of the region, listening to all the details from your guide.

Among the key places you will visit are those related to the Second World War. Among them are La Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, part of the D-Day landing beaches, the American cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer, and the Port-en-Bessin-Huppain.

This is a tour that will take you to understand beyond the historical event, the human side of a war feeling close to those who were involved in it.

Details of interest:

  • Price: from 830 euros per person.
  • Duration: the tour lasts approximately 8 hours in total.
  • Means of transport: you will be driven in an air-conditioned minivan for the transfer, then off-road jeep.

Book a guided tour of Bayeux

Reviews from other travellers

4.6
· 1943 Reviews
  • G
    G.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    In general terms it was very very good, a complete passage through the history of France. The guide also illustrated everything in detail. The Bayeux Tapestry itself tells the story of the Norman conquest, but you have to know how to interpret it. The ideal is to go through it all with a guide!
  • P
    P.
    4
    (0 Reviews)
    Very good
  • D
    D.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    I can't recommend it! I never get tired of touring France!
  • C
    C.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    This was a complete tour, I got to know a little bit of everything about Bayeux. The tour is very well designed and the guide gave a very entertaining touch to the whole tour. I really had a great time that day.
  • L
    L.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    A tenner!!!