Wake up slowly and enjoy a hearty full-English or continental breakfast at The Swan Inn, Hawkhurst, noted for its cosy dining room and locally sourced produce - a perfect fuel-up before your France drive. After breakfast, take a short stroll through Hawkhurst Common to stretch your legs and admire the historic ironstone buildings, then top off preparations with a quick visit to The Tulleys Farm Deli to pick up travel snacks and a thermos of coffee for the Eurotunnel crossing later in the day.
Spend a relaxed afternoon preparing for the drive: swing by Hawkhurst Garage Café for a late coffee and to check tyre pressures and fluids on the classic car, then pop into Cranbrook Antiques & Vintage for a leisurely browse of local curios that make charming travel mementos. Finish with a light, early supper at The Fox & Hounds where you can enjoy well-cooked regional dishes and confirm your Eurotunnel booking on their free Wi-Fi before an early night.
As dusk falls, unwind with a pre-trip aperitif on the terrace of The Crown at Goudhurst, enjoying views over the Weald while savouring a seasonal small-plate menu-perfect for keeping the classic car light and ready. Afterwards take a gentle twilight stroll along the High Weald Landscape Trail to St. Mary's Church, Goudhurst, then return for a relaxed early night and final packing at The Moorings Guest House, where secure on-site parking and an honest farmhouse breakfast are prepared for your early start.
Depart Hawkhurst after breakfast and drive to Folkestone Eurotunnel Terminal for a mid-morning crossing (book a discounted shuttle in advance via the official Eurotunnel website or a vetted third-party promo), then land at Calais and follow the scenic A16/A28 route toward the Normandy coast. Pause en route for a light lunch and a stretch at Le Relais de la Baie, a charming brasserie overlooking fields near the Somme, before arriving at your comfortable, budget-friendly hotel with secure parking-such as a certified guesthouse near Arromanches-les-Bains-where you can check in, park the classic car and take a first walk to the shoreline to feel the Normandy air and preview the D-Day landscape.
After check-in, take a gentle coastal drive to Port-en-Bessin-Huppain to stroll the working harbour and sample fresh oysters at Les Embruns, then continue to the clifftop vantage at Pointe du Hoc for a moving panoramic view of the landing strips and preserved craters. Finish the afternoon with a visit to the evocative open-air Arromanches 360° Cinema (if timed tickets allow) or a quiet walk along the pebble shore near Gold Beach to watch the light shift over the Channel before returning to your hotel for a relaxed dinner.
As the sun softens, drive to the charming port village of Grandcamp-Maisy for a seaside aperitif on the quayside and sample local cider at Le Bistrot de la Mer, where tables spill onto the harbour. Later enjoy a relaxed seafood-focused dinner at the family-run La Table des Planches in nearby Isigny-sur-Mer, then take a post-meal stroll along the estuary to watch tide and light change before returning to your hotel to secure the classic car and rest for tomorrow's explorations.
Begin with a leisurely breakfast at La Ferme de la Ranconnière, sampling warm brioche and local calvados before driving north to the windswept cliffs of Colleville-sur-Mer to visit the dignified American Cemetery and take in the sweeping view over Omaha Beach. Afterwards, head inland for a short scenic run to Bayeux to wander the medieval streets, admire the Bayeux Cathedral, and browse the atmospheric market stalls offering regional cheeses and apple products-perfect provisions for a picnic later on the coast.
After a morning in Bayeux and the American Cemetery, drive a short scenic route to Pointe de la Haye for a breezy cliff-top walk, then descend to the sheltered sands of Juno Beach where you can picnic with local cheeses and cider purchased from Fromagerie Gand in the morning market. Later, visit the living-history displays at Musée du Débarquement de Ranville and finish the afternoon with a tasting flight of calvados and pommeau at the family-run Distillerie Dupont, returning to your hotel as the light softens over the coast.
As the day cools, drive to the picture-postcard village of Portbail for a harbour-side aperitif and watch fishing boats return while sampling a glass of local cider at Le Café de la Plage. Then enjoy a convivial dinner of fresh mussels and pommes frites at L'Écume des Mers before a gentle moonlit stroll along Carteret Marina, finishing the evening with a nightcap back at your hotel where the classic car can be securely garaged.
Pack up after an early continental breakfast at Hôtel Le Clos du Rivage (secure parking for your classic car) and take a short coastal drive to Longues-sur-Mer Battery to admire the preserved gun emplacements and grab brisk sea air before a peaceful stroll along the neighbouring stretch of Sword Beach to reflect on the landscape. Finish with a quick coffee and a final bakery pickup at Boulangerie Pâtisserie Leblanc in town, then head inland on the A13/A16 route toward Calais Eurotunnel Terminal, allowing ample time for check-in and your pre-booked discounted crossing back to the UK by midday.
Before your drive toward Calais, enjoy a relaxed late-morning stop at Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue to wander the fortified harbour and watch traditional oyster boats, then savour a light seafood platter and a final glass of local cider at Le Grand Large overlooking the marshes. Finish by taking the coastal D514 for a scenic, traffic-friendly run through Barfleur's honey-coloured streets and past the Phare de Gatteville lighthouse-an excellent spot for a last photo of your classic car-before heading inland with plenty of time to reach Calais Eurotunnel Terminal for your midday crossing.
For a calm final evening before your early departure, park the classic car at Hôtel des Bains and enjoy a riverside aperitif at Le Quai Gourmand, sampling regional rillettes and a crisp local cider while watching the tide. Then savour a simple, well-cooked dinner of grilled fish and seasonal vegetables at the family-run Auberge du Port, followed by a short moonlit walk to Le Belvédère for a final panorama of the coastline before returning to your hotel to secure the car and rest ahead of tomorrow's Eurotunnel crossing.