LeslieC

We have 4 days, 3 nights between our morning arrival in St. Malo, France (overnight ferry from Portsmouth) and arrival into Paris, via car. I need help with the 3rd day/night plan. Here is what we have so far:

1) 7:15 arrival. May 2nd. Car pick-up at the St. Malo Ferry port at 8:00 am.
2) Drive to Mont St. Michel. Visit a few hours. On to Bayeux where we stay 2 nights at the Chateau Bellefontaine. Visit Bayeux museum, tapestry and cathedral.
2) Day two: either take an all day tour of the D-Day sites or do it ourselves.
3) Day three: drive to Caen for the museum. Then what? Where to stay the night? Are Deauville, Trouville, and or/ Honfleur doable? Stay the night in Rouen?
4) Day 4, visit Monet's home and garden at Giverny. Return rental car to Paris (Etoile-Foch) office of EuropCar

We will then have 3 nights in Paris before flying home out of CDG.

willowjane

I think what you have planned looks really good! We hired a guide for the Normandy section of our trip. He was really good and I am sure there are several. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Colin-...e/191220338034
Honfleur is a beautiful town and I think that would be a great place to stay. I think a full day in Giverny is perfect....we stayed at http://www.givernylapluiederoses.fr/
and thought it was fantastic! I think we could have taken some more time in this area. We were in Normandy for 2 nights and then in Giverny for 1 night and then back to Paris and home.
I wish we had done Guernsey Island on our trip, but that may be from my "romantic historic" idealogies!

Ozarksbill

Being on a Seine River cruise last Spring, let me say that Bayeux Tapestry is indeed worthwhile. Our guide urged us to go through twice and the second time look at the boarder for more of the story. The cathedral close by so impressive...and as we entered the organ blasted forth. As for the D Day sites I was indeed impressed just to be there. Also the American cemetery. The Peace Museum at Caen is overlooked but worth a stop. Honfleur as you may know has real charm with the half-timbered houses and I would think might be a place to stay and wander around. Regarding Rouen you will be impressed by the cathedral but also the modern church next to where Joan of Arc was martyred. And then Giverny...a garden treat of course. You can tour the house and not far away ins Monet's grave.

Have a good trip.
Bill in Boston

FrenchMystiqueTours

I guess it really depends on which of those places interests you for an overnight. There is nothing wrong with any of those places and each is different so you can't really compare them. Rouen is the most different out of the four as it is a small city whereas the other places are towns. Of the three towns my favorite is Honfleur. But maybe my favorite is different than your favorite which might be different than someone else's favorite. None of them is a very long drive from Caen, with Rouen being the farthest but still under a 1-1/2 hour drive. Sorry, I guess I didn't help much.

StCirq

Just go back to the Château Bellefontaine on Day 3. We LOVED our stay there, even though there wasn't a restaurant (plenty of places to walk to within 5-10 minutes).

LeslieC

We have booked our 3rd night in Honfleur. Will skip Rouen to save time for Giverny which is our priority. Thanks for all the feedback.

StCirg - FYI, we booked the Chateau Bellefontaine on your advice in something I saved from Fodor's forum a few years ago. Merci!