From the UK: Portsmouth → Ouistreham ferry (Brittany Ferries) + 45 min drive is the most convenient with a car and luggage. Eurostar + train works for foot passengers.
From the US or Canada: fly Paris CDG, then drive 3h or train 4h. Overnight in Paris first for jet lag is a reasonable choice.
Regional airports (Caen-Carpiquet, Deauville) exist but rarely convenient.
From the United Kingdom
Option 1 — Portsmouth to Ouistreham (Brittany Ferries)
The go-to for families and groups. A day sailing takes about 6 hours; the overnight option is 7-8 hours with cabin. You bring your own car, drive off in France, and reach Arromanches in 45 minutes via the D514 coastal road. Ferries usually operate twice a day in season.
Cost: €200-€500 return with a car (2 adults, peak season high end; from £60-120 one-way off-peak), overnight cabin €50-€150 extra depending on category.
Best for: families, groups, anyone with lots of luggage, anyone bringing bikes.
Book: 2-3 months ahead in high season and around the June 6 anniversary.
Option 2 — Portsmouth or Poole to Cherbourg (fast ferry)
Faster crossings (4-5 hours), but Cherbourg is 1h30 west of Arromanches — you gain sea time but lose drive time. Useful if you want to start on the American sector (Utah Beach is 45 min from Cherbourg).
Option 3 — Eurostar + French train
Foot passenger route. London St Pancras → Paris Gare du Nord on Eurostar (~2h20). Metro or RER to Paris Saint-Lazare, then Intercités to Bayeux (~2h15). Total door-to-door: about 5 hours, 6 with buffer. Book train tickets on SNCF Connect or Trainline.
Best for: solo or two travellers without a car, or if you want a rental car only for local Normandy driving.
Option 4 — Fly
British Airways and Air France fly London-Paris in ~1h20 (short flight, long airport time). Deauville-Normandie (DOL) has seasonal London City flights in summer. Realistically slower door-to-door than the Eurostar for most trips.
From the United States and Canada
Flying into Paris
Paris Charles-de-Gaulle (CDG) is your main entry point. Direct flights from:
- New York (JFK, EWR) — 7-8h
- Boston — 6h30-7h
- Washington (IAD) — 7-8h
- Chicago (ORD) — 8-8h30
- Atlanta (ATL) — 8-9h
- Miami (MIA) — 9h
- Montreal (YUL) — 7h
- Toronto (YYZ) — 7h30
- Los Angeles (LAX) — 10-11h
- San Francisco (SFO) — 10-11h
Some flights use Paris-Orly (ORY) — less convenient for onward Normandy travel.
From CDG to Arromanches
Option A — rental car (~3 hours drive): pick up at CDG, follow signs to A1 south → A86 → A13 west. Tolls ~€25. Best if you plan a road-trip and are comfortable driving after a transatlantic flight.
Option B — train (~4 hours total): RER B into central Paris (~40 min), Metro line 3, 12 or 13 to Saint-Lazare, then Intercités to Bayeux (~2h15). Rent a car in Bayeux if needed. Best if you dislike the idea of driving jet-lagged.
Option C — overnight in Paris first: many US visitors spend 1-2 nights in Paris to recover from jet lag before heading to Normandy. Reasonable choice, especially for older travellers.
From Australia and New Zealand
Sydney and Melbourne to Paris CDG: typically 20-24h with one stop (Dubai, Singapore, Doha or Hong Kong). Auckland: 25-28h. Same onward routes from CDG as US visitors — drive or train. Given the long journey, most Australian and New Zealand visitors overnight in Paris before heading to Normandy.
Ireland, mainland Europe, others
Ireland: Aer Lingus and Ryanair fly Dublin-Paris in ~2h; Cork-Paris also served. From continental Europe (Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt, Madrid, Rome, Berlin), direct flights or high-speed trains to Paris.
Which onward route to Arromanches?
Once you land or arrive in Paris:
- Rental car — 2h45-3h drive via A13. Best if you plan to visit the American sector, Cherbourg, or explore Normandy widely.
- Train to Bayeux — 2h15 direct from Paris Saint-Lazare. Best if you want a hotel + guided tours, or plan to rent a car locally.
- Taxi from Bayeux — ~€25 to Arromanches (15 min). No pre-booking needed at Bayeux station in season.
Quick Q&A — getting to Normandy
Best route from the UK?
Portsmouth-Ouistreham ferry (Brittany Ferries) + 45 min drive to Arromanches. For foot passengers: Eurostar + Paris train to Bayeux (~5h).
Best route from the US or Canada?
Fly Paris CDG, then drive (~3h via A13) or train (~4h RER+Saint-Lazare+Bayeux). Overnight in Paris for jet lag is common.
Airport near D-Day beaches?
Caen-Carpiquet (45 min from Arromanches) and Deauville-Normandie (1h30) — small, limited flights. Most visitors use Paris CDG.
Portsmouth-Ouistreham duration?
~6h day, 7-8h overnight with cabin. €300-€500 return with car (2 adults).
Eurostar direct to Normandy?
No direct. Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord + Metro/RER to Saint-Lazare + Intercités to Bayeux. ~5h total.
Train Paris to Bayeux?
~2h15 direct from Saint-Lazare on the Intercités line. Roughly hourly departures.
Villa Bellevue — 45 min from the ferry, 15 min from the train
Whatever route brings you, the villa is the same one-house base: 10 guests, sea view, walking distance to the D-Day Museum and boat tour.
Check availability →Prefer a private guided tour?
Our local partner Mathilde Legoupil — bilingual licensed tour guide (Immersive Normandy Tours) — runs private half-day and full-day tours of the D-Day beaches, Bayeux, the Longues-sur-Mer battery, Mont-Saint-Michel and Giverny. Ideal for American, British, Canadian and Australian visitors who want context and depth without driving themselves. See her profile on our partners page.