Loacker

Hello,

This is very last minute but I've decided to couple my trip to Prague with 5 days in Normandy, next month. I'm planning to see Rouen, Giverny, Mont St Michel, Bayeux, D Day Beaches, and Honfleur.

Since I won't be driving, do you think I should do them as trips from Paris or should I base myself if Bayeux?

I'm thinking of the following itinerary:
Arrive in Paris.
1-Daytrip to Giverny. Sleep in Paris
2-Daytrip to Rouen. Sleep in Paris
3-Train to Bayeux. Sleep in Bayeux
4-D-day tour. Sleep in Bayeux
5-Day trip to Mont St Michel. Sleep in Bayeux
6-Daytrip to Honfleur or Dinan (feasible from Bayeux)?
7-Go back to Paris.

Underhill

Why return to Paris after you head to Rouen? Makes more sense to just stay there, then take the train to Bayeux. Honfleur can easily be visited from Bayeux; so need to move hotels. Keep changes to a minimum to avoid wasting valuable time

Loacker

Thanks for the tip, Underhill. I thought Bayeux was not easily reachable by train from Rouen.

Loacker

I found out there's a train between Rouen and Giverny. So perhaps I'm better off basing myself in Rouen for two nights, and then 2 nights in Bayeux.

shamouel

Dinan is in Brittany, near Saint Malo, Dinard, Rennes... From Bayeux, it is a too long drive to go to Dinan over the day, it is better to visit Honfleur (or at least combine Mont St Michel and Dinan over one day).

Scootoir

We stayed in Rouen for 3 days last month and took the train to Giverny on Friday June 23. When you arrive at the train station in Vernon take a taxi to Giverny as the shuttle buses are timed to meet the trains from Paris.

We stayed at the Hotel de Bourgtheroulde in Rouen which is a Marriott property. We chose it for the air conditioning and were we ever glad as it was very hot that week. Very comfortable hotel.

Bayeux is a very good base to visit Normandy with a car, perhaps others can help you sort out public transport in the area. From Rouen you need a combination train and bus to reach Honfleur and I think from Bayeux it's a long bus ride.

PalenQ

5-Day trip to Mont St Michel. Sleep in Bayeux
6-Daytrip to Honfleur or Dinan (feasible from Bayeux)?
7-Go back to Paris.>

day trip by train to MSM is rather long due to really slow secondary rail line to Pontorson then six-miles by bus or taxi to the Mont.

I'd stay at MSM where there is a gaggle of hotels right on the mainland smack opposite the causeway to the Mont. Great views at night and visiting the island at night is great too -they often had some kind of sound and light show in the basilica at night too.

We enjoyed the nidght experience as much or more as the much more mobbed day time scene.

MSM is really close to Dinan which has trains back to Paris via Rennes.

I might reverse the order -TGV to Rennes - buses that meet morning TGV trains right to the Mont. Do Dinan as a day trip from Mont hotel.

Train to Bayeux.

Return to Paris via Rouen and Giverny- basing in Rouen which is of course a short train ride from Rouen.

All those trains are regional trains that do not demand or even at times offer seat reservations -just buy as you go. TGV to Rennes however book early at www.voyages-sncf.com for nifty discounts. For lots on French trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Cheers!

PalenQ

Bayeux is a very good base to visit Normandy with a car, perhaps others can help you sort out public transport in the area.>

Mini-bus tours that pick you up at your hotel often are a great way in one day to see the highlights of D-Day beaches - there are several companies. Public transit is spotty.

kja

I found more than enough to keep me happily busy in Rouen itself for 2 nights. See if you can visit Giverny on your way.

You might give serious considertion to staying a night either on Mont St. Michel (my preference) or close enough to see it at night.

Loacker

Thank you for your help, everyone. Apparently there's a direct train from Paris Montparnasse to Dinan.

Here's the revised plan based on your suggestions:
Day 1 - Train to Dinan. Sleep in Dinan.
Day 2 - Explore Dinan then take the bus to MSM. Sleep in MSM.
Day 3 - Full day MSM.
Day 4 - Train to Bayeux. Sleep in Bayeux
Day 5 - Private D-Day tour. Sleep In Bayeux.
Day 6 - Train to Rouen. Sleep In Rouen.
Day 7 - Train to Giverny, see Monet's gardens then take the evening train to Paris.

Does this work?

Problem is I feel I'm moving too much.
Alternatively I could base in St Malo or Rennes for 3 nights and do day trips from there to Dinan and MSM. What do you think?

kja

You are unlikely to need a full day in Mont St. Michel.

Will you have time for your priorities in Rouen?

I was not enamored of St. Malo.

Rennes is delightful, IMO, but if you stay there 3 nights, would you have time for the other places you hope to see? You might consider deferring Rennes until you have time for more of Brittany.

But I’m not opposed to relocating every night or two, as many people are....

Loacker

Kja, for some reason I'm not really excited about St.Malo so I'm open to dropping it. Either the pictures don't do it justice, or it's really nothing special.

Dinan, Honfleur, and Rouen look stunning, however.

What did you guys think of Mont St. Michel? I'm reading some reviews and some people are saying that MSM looks very nice from afar, but visiting the island itself is disappointing. Is this true?

kja

I did not find Mont St. Michel disappointing. I did not like the daytime crowds, but once they left, I thought it magical. To each his/her own. I hope your question will not serve as an invitation to trolls or to their feeding.

IMO, Dinan, Honfleur, and Rouen are stunning, and each offers a lot to those who choose to visit them.

PalenQ

I'm reading some reviews and some people are saying that MSM looks very nice from afar, but visiting the island itself is disappointing. Is this true?>

that's no doubt because of the elbow to elbow crowds during the day -one reason to stay the night - you can get an early start and beat the bus tours and wander around at night when yes it is magial to me too.

I also like St-Malo -unique fortifications but yes city suffered significant war damage.

jft

Just wondering if you would consider renting a car for part of your trip.....driving is not that difficult. It would be very efficient time wise and economical to see and experience this wonderful region. You could rent a car from Dinan and return when you arrive in Rouen or somewhere outside of Paris after seeing Giverny (this way avoiding driving in Paris. Driving times/distances are not long.

We did a 5 night trip to Normandy/Brittany a year ago which we loved. We took the train (actually from London- we arrived that morning by plane to Heathrow) to Rouen and stayed one night (b&b called Alcove des Beaux Arts). We rented a car and drove to Honfleurs where we walked around and had a nice lunch. We then drove to Bayeux where we stayed for two nights (wonderful b&b Chateaux de Damigny but would need a car to stay). We booked a full day D Day trip while there. We then drove to St. Malo/Dinan and could view Mont Michel from the route (we were not so interested in going to visit it and were limited in time). We spent a few hours walking around the old town of St. Malo and having lunch there. We drove to Dinard and walked along the seaside path then proceeded to Dinan. We spent 2 nights at a great b&b called La tortue bleu.
We loved the regions and I fell in love with the ciders of the area.

rs899

I agree. Why not rent a car? You will wear yourself out with all the training. I love trains but these seem like short hops with probably a lot of queue time.

PalenQ

I love trains but these seem like short hops with probably a lot of queue time.>

Queue time? None on those trains but a car could be more conducive to hitting so many places in a few days but trains and buses can do it too.

bilboburgler

I like St Malo.

PalenQ

I really liked St Malo!

StCirq

I love St-Malo. And Dinan, and Dinard, and Fougères and Vitré, and le MSM in small doses when the hordes aren't there.

Agree with the others. Why not a car? It makes everything so much easier