Normandy is a long way from Paris to attempt on someone else's schedule. The coach excursions leave at dawn, stop where the operator decided, and turn round mid-afternoon whether or not you have finished at the cemetery. A private tour removes all of that: one car, one chauffeur, and a day built around what you actually came to see.
The drive is about 250 km to Caen, roughly two hours forty on the A13, and 200 km to Deauville, around two hours fifteen. Leaving a Paris hotel between 7 and 8 a.m. puts you on the coast by mid-morning with the light still good.
Omaha Beach, the Normandy American Cemetery above it, and Pointe du Hoc form the itinerary most visitors have in mind. The cemetery deserves more than the forty minutes a coach allows; many people stay well over an hour, and there is no reason not to when the car is yours.
The remains of the artificial harbour are still visible in the bay at low tide — a detail worth checking against the tide tables before you go, and something your chauffeur can plan the day around.
The tapestry is a twenty-minute walk-through, but the town also holds the largest British war cemetery in France and a cathedral worth the detour. It pairs naturally with a beach morning.
For those less drawn to the military history, the harbour at Honfleur, the cliffs at Étretat and the seafront at Deauville make a gentler day. As a published reference, our one-way transfer from Paris to Deauville starts at €380 in a sedan.
| Private car | Coach excursion | |
|---|---|---|
| Departure | When you choose, from your hotel | Fixed, from a central meeting point |
| Itinerary | Yours to change during the day | Set in advance for the whole group |
| Time at each site | As long as you want | Whatever the schedule allows |
| Return | When you are ready | Fixed, usually mid-afternoon |
| Best for | Families, veterans' relatives, anyone with a specific site to visit | Travellers on a budget |
Your chauffeur drives and manages the logistics — parking, timing, site access. He is not a licensed battlefield guide; if you want one, we arrange for a certified guide to meet you on site.
The price is fixed and agreed before you book, tolls and fuel included. Waiting time at each site is part of the day, not an extra. If your plans change more than 24 hours ahead, there is no cancellation fee.
Coming from a Paris airport rather than a hotel? We can collect you at Roissy-CDG on arrival and drive straight to Normandy — see our Paris car and chauffeur service for airport collection.
Tell us which sites matter to you and we will build the day around them.
Our guides for visitors: tipping in Paris — service is included by law — claiming the VAT refund on your shopping, and getting from Charles de Gaulle into Paris.