Bayeux Sidecar Tour: Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc & D-Day Sites

Backroads instead of highways: what a sidecar reaches that buses cannot.

A full-day sidecar tour from Bayeux through Normandy's D-Day sites (Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc, Longues-sur-Mer and the American Cemetery) with a live English or French guide, rain gear and gloves included. You ride the backroads tour buses never take, stop at each site on foot, and break the day with a cider tasting at a 16th-century cidery. The tour runs six to seven hours and departs from next to the Bayeux tourism office.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Longues-sur-Mer40m
2. Omaha Beach30m
3. Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial50m
4. Pointe du Hoc1h 20m

Normandy WWII sites and cider tasting

• Start next to tourism office
• Visit Arromanches-les-Bains Mulberry harbor
• Explore Port-en-Bessin fishing port
• Tour Longues-sur-Mer German battery
• Walk Omaha Beach sands
• Visit Normandy American Cemetery
• Explore Pointe du Hoc cliffs and bunkers
• Optional cider tasting at Ferme de la Sapiniere
• Return through Bayeux, view cathedral and streets

The experience

How do you see D-Day sites without the crowds that pack the main routes? You take the backroads in a vintage sidecar, the kind of narrow lanes that tour buses cannot navigate. The guide knows these roads because they've spent years getting to know them, not the standard itinerary, but the landscape itself. You start next to the Bayeux tourism office and head out into the Normandy countryside, winding through open fields where the only sound is the engine and the wind.

The stops are the ones that matter. At Omaha Beach, you walk the same sand where thousands of American troops landed on June 6, 1944, under fire and facing obstacles that still scar the shoreline. At Pointe du Hoc, you stand atop the cliffs the U.S. Army Rangers climbed under withering enemy fire: the craters from the bombardment remain visible in the ground. The Normandy American Cemetery sits on the bluffs above Omaha, rows of white crosses stretching further than most visitors expect. The place tends to quiet people down. You also pass through Longues-sur-Mer, where four German artillery casemates still overlook the English Channel as part of what was Hitler's Atlantic Wall. Between the heavy sites, a stop at Ferme de la Sapinière (a cidery founded in the 16th century) gives the day a different rhythm. You taste local ciders crafted from Normandy apples, grounded in the region's own story.

The sidecar itself changes what you notice. Rain gear, gloves, motorcycle glasses and a helmet are all included, so you're prepared for the weather. You choose how many passengers ride with you (one, two, or three others in a second sidecar), and the guide speaks either English or French. The route back passes through Bayeux itself, where you catch the medieval cathedral and timber-framed streets as the day winds down.

What’s included

• Rain gear, gloves, motorcycle glasses and helmet.
• a live guide speaking English or French.
• access to all five sites (Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc, Longues-sur-Mer, the American Cemetery and Bayeux).
• an optional cider tasting at a 16th-century cidery.

Options for this experience

4 options

Two sidecars carrying four passengersUp to 4 per booking · Guide in English or French · Available from 6 Jan 2027

One sidecar carrying two passengersUp to 2 per booking · Guide in English or French · Available from 6 Jan 2027

Two sidecars carrying three passengersGuide in English or French · Available from 6 Jan 2027Pickup is included

One sidecar carrying one passengerGuide in English or French · Available from 6 Jan 2027

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 6 Jan 2027

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (8 to 88 years) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 20 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Normandy Time Riders, D-Day Sidecar Tours

Is this one for you?Choose a single-passenger sidecar if you want the full experience to yourself without sharing the ride, or pick a two or three-passenger option if you'd rather split the cost and have company on the backroads. The sidecar format itself (narrow lanes, open air, no tour bus) is what reaches the countryside most visitors miss.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is Pointe du Hoc and why did the Rangers have to climb it?

Pointe du Hoc is a fortified cliff on the Normandy coast where German forces positioned heavy artillery capable of hitting Utah and Omaha Beaches. On June 6, 1944, U.S. Army Rangers scaled the cliffs under fire to seize control and silence the guns. The bomb craters and bunkers from that assault are still visible on the ground today.

Do I need to be fit to ride in a sidecar for six or seven hours?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You're seated in the sidecar the whole time, so the ride itself requires no climbing or strenuous walking. The stops at each site are on foot, but the pace is set by the group and there's no rush.

Is the cider tasting included, or do I pay extra?

The cider tasting at Ferme de la Sapinière is optional, so you can choose whether to stop there or skip it. If you do stop, the tasting is part of the tour. Food and drink beyond the tasting are not included.

Can I book a sidecar just for myself, or do I have to share?

You can book a single-passenger sidecar if you prefer to ride alone, or you can choose to share a sidecar with one or two other travelers. The tour also offers two-sidecar options if your group is larger. You pick the configuration at checkout.

What's included in the tour, and what should I bring?

Rain gear, gloves, motorcycle glasses and a helmet are all provided. Your guide is included, as is the route itself and access to all the sites. Bring comfortable shoes for walking at each stop, sunscreen, and water. The cider tasting is optional and any food beyond that is on you.

Does the tour start and end in Bayeux?

Yes, the tour departs from next to the Bayeux tourism office and returns there at the end. Public transportation options are available nearby if you need to reach the starting point.