Driving in Normandy: What You Need to Know + Helpful Tips for Your D-Day Trip

Driving in Normandy, France is both a pleasure and a pain, but if you’re looking to visit the many awesome D-Day sites here, it’s a necessary evil. Despite the popularity of this region, there’s virtually no tourism infrastructure. The former Allied landing zones are still largely rural and undeveloped.

This is indeed a wonderful thing, but that means no super fast train or bus networks between sites, no reliable public transportation. If you wish to visit the landing beaches and the many incredible D-Day museums and historic sites, driving in Normandy is an absolute must. [Read more about this in my post on the 10 things you need to know when planning a Normandy trip.]

And though it can be challenging at times, driving yourself around Normandy is absolutely a rewarding and worthwhile experience. To make your trip easier, here are the most important things you need to know before your Normandy trip.

There is one other way to visit the most popular WWII sites in Normandy and that’s by booking a spot on an organized tour. Leave the driving and travel planning to the pros! Take a look at this list of the best local Normandy tours for more information; or this list of the best Normandy day tours from Paris if you’re not planning to stay overnight.

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Driving in Normandy: Helpful map

This map contains a few helpful spots to keep handy when driving in Normandy–train stations, parking areas, etc. To save this map: Click on the star ⭑ next to the map’s title to save in your Google Maps. To use this map: When you get to Normandy, open Google Maps on your phone, click “Saved” at the bottom, then click “Maps.” (It doesn’t have all the parking areas but it does have some to get you started.)

If you only have one day to visit Normandy, be sure to check out these 7 best D-Day sites.

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Renting a car in Normandy

Renting a car in Normandy is super easy and pretty much the same as renting a car here in the US or anywhere else. Here are a few things to consider:

Renting a car in Paris

Most people visiting Normandy also find themselves in Paris, usually beforehand. Renting a car in Paris and driving to Normandy is easy and not super far away. You’ll also find the best rental car deals this way, especially if you plan to return to Paris after your Normandy trip. You can rent cars from all Paris airports (Charles de Gaulle, Orly, and Beauvais) and at several other Paris-area locations.

Take a look at the best rental car deals in Paris here.

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Distance from Paris to Normandy

Normandy is around 240-250 miles from Paris. It takes between 3 to 3.5 hours to drive from the center of Paris to the beaches of Normandy, depending on your specific destination.

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Renting a car in Caen, Bayeux, or Rouen

If you’d prefer to take the train from Paris to Normandy and then rent a car when you get here, that’s also possible. (And my personal preference since driving in Paris is crazy.) The most popular cities to rent a car in Normandy are Caen and Bayeux—the area’s two “biggest” cities—and Rouen, Normandy’s capital.

Personally, I’d take the train from Paris to Caen and pick up my rental car here. That’s going to be the easiest and most central location to get to and leave from. Bayeux and Caen also make great places to base yourself in Normandy.

Take a look at all Normandy-area rental car options here. (This is the car rental booking site I always use myself.)

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Requirements for driving in Normandy

Driving in Normandy is pretty straightforward and there aren’t a lot of special requirements you need to consider. As long as you have a valid US driver’s license, you should be good to go. However, keep in mind that each rental car company has their own rules and requirements so check with them directly for what you need to drive in France. Always read the fine print!

This post covers some basic information for driving in Normandy and my own personal observations and tips. It does not cover every single driving rule that exists here. It is your responsibility to research international driving laws and your research should go beyond this blog post. Don’t come crying to me when you get pulled over for forgetting they use kilometers here instead of miles.

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International driver’s permit

I’ve driven all over Europe for the past decade and only once have I been asked for my international driver’s license… and it was to pick up the car I’d be using to drive around Normandy. (Full disclosure: I picked it up from Budget in Brussels, Belgium.)

Regardless, there are some countries that require you to have one. And even if France isn’t on that list, it’s still possible the rental company may require it. It’s really best to have one just in case. (Like that time in Italy a rental company used this to scam me out of more money. That was indeed one of my worst travel moments of 2023.)

You can get your international driver’s permit from AAA. It takes about half an hour, costs just $20, and is good for a year. You don’t have to take any tests or anything—it’s really just a document you pay for. Yeah, it’s ridiculous, but it is what it is.

AAA is the only issuer of international driver’s permits authorized by the US State Department. Get all the info you need here.

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Vignette

Unlike some other countries in Europe (like Slovenia or the Czech Republic), you do not need a vignette sticker for driving in Normandy (and France in general). Instead, you’ll encounter regular ol’ toll booths every so often. (More on those in a minute.)

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What it’s like driving in Normandy

Driving in Normandy is both a beautiful experience and a stressful one, regardless of how skilled a driver you are. The main things to keep in mind are:

Small towns, country roads

Despite how many tourists visit this area on a regular basis, there aren’t a lot of “major” roads here. Most of your driving will be down rural country roads. Most of the roads are paved but don’t be surprised when you get taken down a gravel or dirt road, or have to drive through a literal field to get to your next museum.

The country roads here are largely lined with trees on both sides so you’ll encounter a lot of blind curves and extremely narrow roads. (Remember: This is hedgerow country!) Some roads are technically two-way streets but only wide enough to fit one car; you’ll have to adjust on the fly. Other roads are single-direction. There will be signs to explain these situations.

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The pedestrian factor

Another big thing to look out for here are clueless pedestrians. For whatever reason, many tourists to these popular areas forget they aren’t the only ones around and will walk right into the roads without so much as a glance. At places like Omaha Beach and Normandy American Cemetery, you have to pay extra attention to all the people—they will not look before walking into the road.

Also check out: Which is the best D-Day beach to visit in Normandy? Here’s how to choose.

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Other drivers

For the most part, driving in Normandy is pleasant and probably pretty close to what you’re used to back home. Still, be extra vigilant when driving through the smaller towns that you’re being courteous and following the driving rules and signage that they are used to.

That being said, in my experience the Juno Beach sector has THE rudest and most aggressive drivers in the entire country. (Which is ironic because this is the Canadian sector!) I stand by what I said. The people here drive like they’re on a rampage and aren’t afraid to lay on the horn, curse at you, and attempt to run you off the road if you do something they don’t agree with or drive too slowly. Don’t let them fluster you.  

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Road signs in Normandy

One big thing to learn before driving in Normandy are the road signs. Most you’re either familiar with already or can easily figure out, but some may be completely new to you. Here are some of the most common Normandy street signs you need to familiarize yourself with. (I drew the following 7 graphics myself so I’m legally obligated to tell you they may differ from official signage.)

1. Priority goes to oncoming vehicles – Given all the narrow roads and small town centers, this is a big one here. When you come to a section of road where the red arrow is pointing in the direction you’re traveling, that means you stop to let oncoming vehicles pass. If your arrow is black, cars coming at you will stop so you can pass. Let’s just say, the locals get real mad when you mess this up.

2. Intersection coming up where you DON’T have the right-of-way – We have pretty standard right-of-way rules here in the US, but in France these rules can change depending on the situation. When you see this sign, it means the person on the right has right-of-way over other people. This is a French road rule known as ‘priorité à droite’.

3. Intersection coming up where you DO have the right-of-way – When you see this sign it means you’re approaching an intersection where YOU have the right-of-way and everyone else will (should) yield to you.

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4. No vehicles – Whereas to us “No” is expressed by a circle with a line through it, in France it’s a red circle. If you see a red circle around a person walking, that means no pedestrians. Red circle around a bike = no bicycles. Whatever the red circle is around, that’s what’s prohibited. However, if you see a red circle around a plain white background, that means no vehicles. Don’t drive down a road with this sign!

5. No passing – Instead of the lines on the road telling you where it’s safe to pass, look for this sign. (This is the equivalent of a solid line here in the US.)

6. No parking – Blue circle with a red line through it means no parking. (When the blue circle has a red ‘x’ over it, that means no stopping.

For the full list of France road signs and what they mean, check out this page.

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Tolls in Normandy

In lieu of a vignette sticker, you’ll have to go through standard toll booths while driving in Normandy. At some of them you only take a ticket (which you’ll give to another booth later and pay according to how long you were on that road), and at others you’ll pay straight-up.

You can pay with cash, credit card, or by télépéage—the French subscription toll pass which I’m guessing you don’t have. (Don’t go down the télépéage lane if you don’t have one of these.) There are a lot of toll stations in Normandy so always keep your wallet easily and safely accessible.

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Paying with cash

Sometimes the cash lane is automated (machine only, no person) which means you should pay in exact change. Other times there’s an actual person in a booth who can give you change.

Toll Guru is a great page for estimating how much you’ll have to pay in tolls between destinations. (It’s quite a lot in Normandy.)

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Paying with credit card

You can also pay tolls with a credit card. At some you can simply tap your card; at others you may need to insert it. If there’s a person in a booth, you can also hand them your credit card to pay.

If there’s a person, they will (should) automatically hand you a receipt when they hand you back your card. To get a receipt at the automated booths, press the button.

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Toll booths with tickets

At some toll booths you’ll have to take a ticket instead of paying money. You’ll keep this ticket handy for the rest of your drive. When you change or exit the highways, you’ll pass through another booth where you either hand the ticket to a person who tells you how much you owe, or insert the ticket into a machine that tells you what to pay. Then, you can pay with either cash or credit card.

The word for toll booth in French is péage. There will be a sign for this ahead of time to let you know a toll booth is coming up. Make sure you go into the right lane!

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Speed limits in Normandy

Here’s the thing about driving in Normandy: France’s speed limits are wacky. Whereas here in the US all roads have their own designated speed limit (which can be anything), such is not the case in France (or in most of Europe actually).

Sometimes there’s a sign letting you know which situation you’re entering; most often there’s not. The more time you spend driving in Normandy, the more you’ll just sort of “learn” which speed applies.

Keep in mind that speed limits in France are in kilometers-per-hour, not miles-per-hour. Your rental car should already be set for kilometers, but definitely confirm this when you get in!

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Speed limit exceptions

That being said, there are some exceptions. First of all, if you ever see a speed limit sign, follow whatever that speed says! There are always exceptions for construction or otherwise where authorities may introduce a different speed limit.

If you cross any border in your rental car on the way to Normandy, your car will (should) show you the speed limits in France when you cross over.

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Speed cameras in Normandy

One thing that’s different about driving in Normandy than I’ve found other places is that there are speed cameras EVERYWHERE here. Honestly, I’ve never seen so many speed cameras in my life (like, combined). If you’re using the Waze app for GPS, it’ll tell you where all of them are at least, but wow there are a lot. Consider yourself warned.

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Speeding tickets in Normandy

That being said, woohoo—I got a speeding ticket on my latest trip to Normandy. I guess I should say: “I did firsthand research into French speeding tickets so you don’t have to!”

So yes, one of Normandy’s speed cameras got me. On the off-chance you should also receive a speeding ticket while driving in Normandy, I’d like to share my experience so you know what to expect.

A speed camera took my picture somewhere between Ouistreham and Caen on May 9. I returned the rental car to the dealership in Belgium on May 10. I didn’t hear anything until a multi-page speeding ticket showed up at my house in Massachusetts on June 17 (that was dated as having been sent on June 6—how’s that for irony?).

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Speeding fines in Normandy

Normally, I’d absolutely request exoneration given the ridiculous situation in which I received the ticket, but I digress. In this case, it wasn’t worth the trouble so I just paid it online and it took a whole 3 minutes.

These specific fines reflect the fact that my excess speed was less than 20km/h over the maximum allowed. (Ahem, I was traveling 5 km/h over the speed limit. That’s the equivalent of 4 miles per hour. I am not amused.) If you’re caught driving more than 20 km/h over the speed limit, those fines go up.

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Getting gas in Normandy

Getting gas in Normandy, France is also pretty straightforward. (Or at least it should be.) I had a couple issues here and there, but here are the most important things to know:

The green pump is regular gas

The main thing to know about getting gas in Normandy/France is that the pump with the green handle is regular gas and the black handle is diesel (or sometimes yellow like in the photo below). In the US, diesel is green and regular is black, so don’t mix these up!

Chances are your rental car will take ‘regular’ gas (not diesel) and probably the 95/E10 type. Your rental car company will (should) tell you when you pick it up. The cars I typically get in Europe also have a little sticker on the gas tank as a reminder.

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Pay first, then pump

Just like in the US, at gas stations in France you are supposed to pay first and then pump your gas. (I thought this was universal until I drove around Poland for two weeks where it’s the opposite. So here’s your reminder.)

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Gas costs more than you’re used to

Gas in France (and Europe in general) is much more expensive than you’re used to. I’m talking double what you pay here in the US. You definitely won’t be complaining about gas prices anymore when you get back home.

The photos below show what I paid for gas while driving around Normandy in May 2024. Sure, €1.79 and €2.04 look great… but that’s per liter, not per gallon. When you change euros to dollars and liters to gallons, that comes out to $7.26 per gallon at one station and $8.29 at another. I have no idea what the price of gas will be during your visit, but this is just a warning to expect much higher prices.

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Payment issues

The issues I had with getting gas in Normandy all centered around some weird payment snafus. There’s one particular computer system that most gas stations use that my credit cards weren’t compatible with. (I’ve heard from others driving around Europe lately who have had the same issues, so it’s not just me.)

Some gas stations use a different system which worked fine. It’s all random though; it’s not like one particular brand of stations use one kind and others use another. And it had nothing to do with my credit cards. I tried Visa, Amex, Mastercard, and even a credit card from a European bank. There were no common denominators.

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Driving in Normandy with Waze & Google Maps

You’ll definitely need to use a GPS app to get to all the sites on your Normandy itinerary, but don’t expect them to work perfectly 100% of the time. Like I said, many of the historical sites are in pretty remote/undeveloped areas. That means you’ll lose your GPS and your phone reception quite often. So, here are a few things you need to know about driving in Normandy with Waze and/or Google Maps:

You’re going to lose cell reception

There’s really no way around it; you’re going to lose cell reception while driving in Normandy. I visited a lot of super remote areas on my latest visit in the name of WWII research, and several times I got stuck having to use an actual map to get myself back to the main roads. So, two pieces of advice:

1. Definitely have an actual paper map with you. I would go ahead and pick up this Michelin Normandy map so you’ll have it when you get here, just in case.

2. You can preload your destinations into your GPS app so you can still use these apps “offline.”

Whatever you do, don’t forget to pack your car charging cord to keep your GPS on your car screen and your phone charged.

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Preload your destinations

There were several times when I was out of cell range and my Waze app switched to “offline” mode. Luckily, it could still get me to where I was going. However, if I turned the car off or had to restart the app toward a new destination, without reception I wasn’t able to search for or enter a new address. BUT, I could choose one from the “recent” menu.

From then on, I began entering all my destinations for the day into Waze while I was still connected to the Wi-Fi at my hotel. That way, if I got stuck in a no-reception area, all my destinations were already available in the “recent” menu and I could still get to all of them in “offline” mode.

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Check your routes

Another tip for driving in Normandy is to check your full routes before you take off. Both of these apps have a tendency to take you down some “roads” that aren’t really roads in the name of shaving off a few minutes. Which is how I (and several other cars) ended up driving through a literal wheat field to get to Sword Beach even though there were proper roads all around.

When you enter a destination into your app, scroll through it to make sure it keeps you on actual proper roads, or at least on roads you’d feel comfortable driving. You may need to make your own changes.

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Parking in Normandy

While out exploring the many D-Day sites in Normandy, you’ll find most of them offer free parking, but you’ll still have to pay to park in town centers and a few other places here and there.

For instance, you can park for free all around Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, Juno Beach, Normandy American Cemetery, and most of the museums in these and the other 2 landing sectors.

You’ll have to pay to park at the British Normandy Memorial, in the town square at Sainte-Mère-Église (to visit the Airborne Museum), and pretty much everywhere in the town of Arromanches. Bayeux has a mix of paid parking areas and some small free ones.

There are, of course, exceptions. Like the British Normandy Memorial where you have to pay for parking, and the America & Gold Beach Museum where you can park out front (in the town square) for free.

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Parking machines in Normandy

All paid parking areas in Normandy use the same payment machines. You’ll enter your license plate number, choose your duration, insert payment, and a paper ticket will spit out that you need to leave face-up on your dashboard. Be sure to take a picture of your license plate and always have it handy; you’ll use it a lot.

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Driving in Normandy: Visiting the D-Day sites

And since you’re here specifically to visit Normandy’s D-Day landing zones, here are some tips and useful info specifically for visiting these incredible WWII sites:

Normandy D-Day memorials

Most of Normandy’s roadside monuments and memorials have small areas where you can pull off the road to get out of your car and check them out up close.

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Parking at Utah Beach

Parking is both plentiful and free at Utah Beach. You can park once and visit the Utah Beach Landing Museum, tons of monuments and memorials, the beach itself, have lunch at Le Roosevelt, and more.

Put the “Utah Beach Landing Museum” into your GPS and park wherever you can find space—in one of the small parking areas, in the grass along the fence line, etc. I’ve marked some good parking areas on the map at the top of this page.

To visit the Airborne Museum you’ll have to park in the Sainte-Mère-Église town center which is a paid lot. The good news is that you can visit the church from here as well as several other monuments, memorials, shops, and restaurants.

Parking at all other Utah Beach museums is free—the D-Day Experience and Dead Man’s Corner, the World War II Museum, and the airship hangar.

Check out everything you can see and do in the Utah Beach landing zone here.

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Parking at Omaha Beach

There are plenty of free parking opportunities in and around the main Omaha Beach memorial area. Just behind the Les Braves memorial are two parking lots. If those are full, you can drive up the beach toward the Charles Shay memorial and park for free all along the road here. (Unless otherwise marked as this is a residential area; always pay attention!)

You can also park for free at Normandy American Cemetery and Pointe du Hoc, but do take note of where you park because these parking lots are big and can be somewhat chaotic.

There’s free parking at Omaha Beach’s many museums too—the Overlord Museum, D-Day Omaha Museum, Normandy Victory Museum, and the Museum of Underwater Wrecks. Parking is also free at the Maisy Battery and La Cambe German War Cemetery.

Check out everything you can see and do in the Omaha Beach landing zone here.

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Parking at Gold Beach

Parking at the British Normandy Memorial is paid but free at the other museums in this sector and at the Longues-sur-Mer battery.

If you’re looking to visit the museums in Arromanches, you’ll also need to pay to park. You can park in several smaller lots near Arromanches town center to visit the Musée du Débarquement, or you can pay to park in the large lot at the top of the hill next to Arromanches 360°. You can easily walk between the two museums in about 10 minutes. (But note that this hill is pretty steep.)

If you plan to visit Bayeux, you’ll find a mix of paid and free lots (if you know where to look). You can also park for free at the Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy. From here, you can also walk to the War Correspondent’s Memorial and the Bayeux War Cemetery. If you’re cool with walking a little bit farther, you can also get to the Bayeux Tapestry Museum and town center in just 15 minutes.

Check out everything you can see and do in the Gold Beach landing zone here.

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Parking at Juno Beach

The parking area at the Juno Beach Landing Museum tends to fill up fast but there are plenty of free parking areas just a short walk away. You can park up by the beach (near the Lorraine Cross) as well as a little further down in the unpaved lot along Avenue du Général de Gaulle.

From here you can visit the museum, the German bunkers, and all the monuments and memorials at Juno Park, restaurants, and other areas on foot.

The Radar Museum has free parking and there are a couple of small parking areas near the Canada House and beach area as well. They’re free but spots are limited.

Check out everything you can see and do in the Juno Beach landing zone here.

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Parking at Sword Beach

Unlike Utah, Omaha, and Gold Beaches which are largely undeveloped, the Juno and Sword Beach areas are pretty built-up with lots going on here. Ergo, getting in and out of the beach areas and finding parking can be a challenge unless you arrive first thing in the morning.

The Sword Beach area can get crowded pretty early on beautiful beach days so just be aware you may have to park farther away and wait in some traffic getting in and out.

Otherwise, parking at the Memorial Pegasus museum is free and easy. From here, you can check out the other area memorials, the historic cafés, and the original Pegasus Bridge. The Caen Memorial Museum also offers free parking and even charging points for electric cars.

Le Grand Bunker is in the middle of a residential area so parking can be difficult. There are paid parking spots on the streets around the museum and at the end of the street along Maritime Boulevard (Bd Maritime on the map). The Falais Memorial is also in a town center but there are lots of parking opportunities in the area.  

There are both paid and free parking lots up by the beach near the Bill Millin and D-Day 70th anniversary memorials.

Check out everything you can see and do in the Sword Beach landing zone here.

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