2 week France Itinerary Opinions Please

Old Apr 26th, 2015, 10:27 AM
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2 week France Itinerary Opinions Please

This trip is actually for May of 2016, but DH and I are wanting to at least narrow down the itinerary so I'd like some opinions, please. It will be me and DH. We have been to France once before, having been to Giverny, Versailles, Normandy and Paris.

DH is a history buff and we're covering the remainder of the sites in Normandy that we missed the first time. Beyond that, we'd like to see Mont St. Michel, Dinan, and two Chateau that are close to Paris (Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte). It's the logistics that I'd like opinions on. The first part is firm, having booked with the tour guide we used before for Normandy (Stuart Robertson, highly recommended). We'll be staying at his B&B. The rest of the time between then and when we arrive in Paris are up in the air. This is what I've come up with:

Thursday (26th) – fly STL to CDG, arriving Friday (27th)

Friday (27) – arrive mid-morning, take train to Normandy area to be picked up by Stuart. Settle in and have dinner.

Saturday, Sunday, Monday – (28-30) tour WWII battle sites. Tour ends at 5:00pm Monday. Will be dropped off at Caen railway station to rent a car. Stay the night in Caen.

Tuesday (31) – go to Caen WWII museum in the morning, then drive to Mont St. Michel.
Spend afternoon at Mont St. Michel, staying the night in one of the hotels off the island for night views.

Wednesday (1) morning– drive to Dinan for 2 nights, spend either Wed or Thurs afternoon in St. Malo.

Friday (3) – drive to Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte outside Paris (4 hours). See Chateau in afternoon and spend the night in Fontainebleau.

Saturday (4) – see Chateau Fontainebleau, return car at Fontainebleau station and take the train to Paris to end up at our Paris apt for 7 nights, which includes one side trip to Versailles (gardens only).

Saturday (11) – fly home

Melody
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Old Apr 26th, 2015, 11:48 AM
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Since you'll be in Paris, there are a few side trips you can consider. Spend the day in Dijon, go down for lunch and be back to Paris in the late afternoon/early evening.

If you'd like to visit some other historic battle sites, then try the Somme battlefields at Peronne, part of the Circuit of Remembrance. Or head over to Schœnenbourg and visit the Maginot Line fort that didn't deter the Germans.

Take the train down to Alise-Sainte-Reine (LES LAUMES ALESIA) for a little more history. It's where Caesar defeated the Gauls in 52 BC. Have lunch at Le Cheval Blanc.
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Old Apr 26th, 2015, 12:10 PM
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I think your trip sounds wonderful.
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Old Apr 26th, 2015, 01:03 PM
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I think your trip sounds good, also.

I'm not clear on what part you want suggestions for. The first part seems set (I don't know your interest in Dinan, but you obviously have one). And if you already have an apt booked for a week in Paris, you can't change that part before it (for example, going somewhere else for a day or two before going to Paris).

Of course there are a zillion day trips you can take from Paris itself but that doesn't sound like what you need to know.
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Old Apr 26th, 2015, 01:28 PM
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Your trip plan seems brilliant!

With a car you may consider staying in two famous artists towns near Fontainebleu - Barbizon or Mille-la-Forest - both in the Fontianelbeu National Forest:


https://www.google.com/search?q=Mill...=1600&bih=1075

https://www.google.com/search?q=barb...=1600&bih=1075

Your Paris to Caen train cn be bought right before the train if you want - only marginal savings on non-TGV routes like this - www.capitainetrain.com is the easiest booking site -seat reservations are optional but in 2nd class IME you should make them to guarantee window seats or two seats together as at times these are commuter trains that can fill up in 2nd class - you can always board IME but seats at times may be problematic.

Actually first class is not that much more so with your obviously high budget it makes sense to go first class - always always IME lots of empty seats in first class when 2nd class may be SRO and bigger more comfy seats.
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Old Apr 26th, 2015, 01:43 PM
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One small suggestion about Vaux. As you know the gardens are quite large and Andre Le Notre utilized his usual technique of providing the viewer with many surprises such as hidden canals, side allees, etc. As you stand at the house you can't really judge the size of the property which was part of Le Notre's genius. We found walking it to be more than we bargained for and opted for one the golf carts that are for rent. In the end we were very glad that we did.
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Old Apr 26th, 2015, 04:00 PM
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You could rent a car on arrival at CDG and do a tour of Normandy that includes all you are planning but with less angst of getting trains, etc.
For example, drive to Caen. then do the Normandy sites. Then move on to MSM, etc.
You could even add giverney or rouen on the front end for your first stop.
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Old Apr 27th, 2015, 04:01 AM
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Could also easily stop by Auvers-sur-Oise from the airport - the village where Van Gogh spent his last months before offing himself - copies of his paintings have been put up where he painted them.

but don't plan to go too far first day if you can't sleep well on the airplane and jet lag, etc.
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Old Apr 27th, 2015, 05:33 AM
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Thanks so much for the responses and the advice, most especially about the trains and the golf carts at Vaux. Very good things to know.

I guess I was just asking for the type of advice already given. We know we'll have a car starting Monday night and not need to be in Paris until Saturday. I just wanted to make sure that our plan for that time period actually made sense. I've seen others ask for advice on what they think is a very sound plan, but then other travelers with more experience in the region come back and give alternate suggestions that make more sense. So thanks very much!
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