3 nights in Normandy- advice needed!

[SimoneSpeaksSoftly]

Heading to France in April and planning to visit Normandy-Paris-Disney. We'll be flying into CDG Thursday AM so the current plan is to pick up a car there and drive up to Normandy for 3 nights, then return the car either back at CDG or somewhere like Caen and take the train to Paris. I'm struggling a bit with how to plan the Normandy itinerary and where to stay because I know it is not much time! We have a 6yo and 9yo- older DC is interested in WWII history and likes visiting castles. Both are active and like hiking/biking/beaches although I know April may not be the best time for that. This was loosely what I was thinking but could use some feedback on where to stay (typically we'd prefer to stay in one place but given how spread out places are I am considering moving to avoid backtracking) and which option would be better with kids and given the time of year.

Option 1:
Day 1: pickup car at CDG, drive to Honfleur (stops along the way??). Stay in Honfleur
Day 2: Etretat, other villages/castle/countryside. Stay in Honfleur
Day 3: D-Day sights (e.g., jeep tour, cemetary, museum). Stay in Bayeux
Day 4: Sightsee in Bayeux, drive/train to Paris

Option 1:
Day 1: pickup car at CDG, drive to Bayeux (stops along the way??). Stay in Bayeux
Day 2: D-Day sights (e.g., jeep tour, cemetary, museum). Stay in Bayeux
Day 3: Drive to Mont-st-michel (stops along the way??). Stay in MSM
Day 4: Sightsee in MSM, drive/train to Paris

Any thoughts on Honfleur vs. MSM? Any suggested villages and/or castles to work into wither itinerary?

In terms of the car, there will be an airport surcharge for picking up there and also a surcharge for returning to a different location if you choose to do that. I would compare the cost of 3 options: 1. taking the train to Caen and picking the car up there, 2. picking up car from the airport and returning it there and 3. picking car up at the airport and returning it in Caen and getting the train to Paris. Obviously adding in train fares as relevant which you can get from SNCF website.
I did a lot of research on Normandy for a trip this last summer but we ended up spending more time at the Olympics and Disney and less time in Normandy, so not an expert. For what it's worth I think you are trying to cram quite a lot in with both those itineraries. I was going to allocate at least 2 full days of our trip to d-day beaches, museums, cemeteries so you'd have to focus on one little bit with just a day. I really enjoyed Mont St Michel, we went about 6 years ago but it's very busy with day trippers, timing is everything! Haven't been to Honfleur so can't really advise between the two.

Arromanche is a small seaside town with a large WW2 museum, the remains of the artificial harbour and a IMAX cinema on the hilltop, with the filmed WW2 DDay experience, overlooking the town and the D Day beaches. Well worth visiting.

Pegasus bridge museum is very moving

Do you have a car of your own to use?

She's flying to france

Have you already booked flights? If not, it sounds an ideal trip to do via Portsmouth/cherbourg with your own car.

all those places are lovely. Honfleur is stunning but not sure it would appeal to kids so much. The DDay museums are amazing too. I think 3 days there sounds about right. But do check distances and timings carefully.

If you’re hoping to stay on MSM then book as soon as, and it’s expensive.
The mainland town is La Caserne which is a collection of hotels and restaurants but is where you either walk or get the free buses to/from MSM ( but you still walk a couple hundred meters to the entrance from the bus stop ).

It’s a great place to explore, hilly , occasionally steeply. There’s a chapel at the top which requires tickets to be purchased.

Worse case , you turn up when the tide is in and you have to wait to get on or off the island.

That's a good point about the surcharge- I was mainly considereing to drop the car somewhere else if we trek to MSM as it's a bit far.

Also fair point about trying to cram too much in- I just don't think my 6yo will tolerate two days of WWII sites so I'd like to find some other activites for the second full day. I don't expect to see everything on this trip.

Yes we are flying. Not getting into the weeds right now but it's the best option for this trip.

Oh, I'll have to reconsider Honfleur, thanks. Having a hard time figuring out the best places to stay with kids!

Thank you!

Yes and it seems a tad ridiculous to fly to Paris and then drive halfway back to the UK.

In fairness, OP doesn’t say where she’s flying from. Not everyone on here lives in London. :)

Mont St Michel is really special but I went years ago and I’ve heard the crowds have gotten insane. That would make me nervous with young kids, but YMMV.

My late FIL took part in the D-Day landings and then helped build the Mulberry Harbour at Arromanches. DH took him back there again some 30 years ago, just before his father died.
This website has enough to keep you occupied for several weeks, I reckon.
www.normandie-tourisme.fr/preparer-son-sejour/a-voir-a-faire/lieux-de-visite/
And yes, Mont St Michel can be extremely busy!