wlbox

We will be traveling to Southern England & Normandy the first two weeks in May, have 14 days total. Two days will be devoted to total travel.
We arrive in London and will be renting a car. Not spending any time in London this trip. Our goal is to spend time out in the country side. We want to explore villages and find some scenic walking paths.
We will then get ourselves over to Normandy. Where we will rent another car and then finally fly home from Paris.
Question is how much time to spend in each Country. We have been to Paris and London and do not plan on extensive time in either location on this trip.
We have to book our car reservations soon. Question is should we take the Eurostar or the ferry to France. Ferry would be from Southampton to Normandy if we choose this option.
Wonder how many days we should spend divided between these two destinations.
Would appreciate any advice. thanks

bilboburgler

Try and get on the fast ferry across the channel, it is a dull trip. I think the route from Poole to Cherbourg is very fast

Time can be shared as you wish, the South coast is covered badly by Fodors' general information. The likes of Salisbury, Jurasic coast, Tank Museum, Poole Harbour and the military stuff around Southampton is worth 5 to 6 days, if you add in the South East coast you can fill the whole of 2 weeks

Normandy offers landing beaches, cheese, cidre, Castles, Norman sites (incl Bayeux) WW2 museums and small beautiful ports

indy_dad

We thought a week in Normandy was a nice relaxing taste:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...y-uk-stops.cfm

Southern England covers a lot. If you pick a general area or two a week is a nice sample. Depends on how much you want to see and how much time you have.

texasbookworm

I could fill up 2 weeks in EITHER place as you are probably finding out, but a week each would be great.

You didn't ask for any other specific recommendations, but here are a few:

For Southern England:
Bodiam Castle is just lovely--moated, small, fun.

Highly recommend Dover and a walk along the White Cliffs.

Battle isn't a village, but the Battle of Hastings site is wonderful with lots of walking available.

In the Normandy area, we spent a fabulous 3 nights in a bed and breakfast on a working farm--great room, fantastic food--fresh eggs, literally just laid, for omelettes and she had food to pack for lunch every day--warm hostess (Odile), good location for us as a base. We arrived from a long day which had included Mont St. Michel; and then from the BandB we went to the DDay beaches (mostly the "American" ones) one long day and Caen and Bayeux another.

La Ferme du Pressoir,
Le Haut St Louet,
14310 Villers Bocage

It is about 30 minutes from Bayeux. I wish we'd had an entire day in Bayeaux, and I wish we'd had longer in Caen. We "did" the DDay beaches in one long day, but I wish we'd had 2.

flpab

We used Brittany-ferries from Portsmouth and it was anything but boring. We even got a seven pound upgrade to a lovely cabin which was great for storing our luggage and taking a nap. Dining was great on board and it was a fast ferry so not that long. I loved all the duty free shopping, movies and the nap which I needed. Portsmouth was very interesting to my husband with all the Navy history. Great shopping mall in that area with dining overlooking the port. We did all the museums and he wants to go back when the Mary Rose exhibit is completed. We took the bus to Gatwick from there as someone told us on the ferry that it was cheaper and quicker. We rented a car in Caen. We did Paris first, then Normandy and then the UK. We loved France and it was easy driving.

wlbox

Thanks for the great suggestions. If we rent a car at Heathrow can we return it near the ferry in Portsmouth?
Is is also possible to pickup a car near the ferry in France?

sounds like it is better to take the ferry and not Eurostar if going to Normandy.

bilboburgler

http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/fe...outh-cherbourg

super fast to Cherbourg in 3+hours. The trip to Caen, Le Havre is a bit longer. Cherbourg (and the Granite coast) is interesting, with a a fortress from WW2 towering over the city, a good aquarium and submarine you can visit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_...ble_%28S611%29
http://www.citedelamer.com/en/

Le Havre is an unlikely place to visit unless you like brutalist architecture. While Caen is small and not very interesting. The key point is Cherbourg is way out in the channel and to get to the more interesting places (ex St Mere Eglise) you need to drive a fair bit.

carolyn

We stayed at the Lion d'Oro Hotel in Bayeaux, and the hotel booked us on a local seven-passenger van tour of the Normandy beaches, German and American cemeteries, St. Mere Eglise, etc. The driver was a small boy during WWII and had always been interested in the war and his part of France. He was very knowledgeable, and we had both a good tour and an education. Bayeaux was lovely. We saw the cathedral and the Tapestry, walked around, and had some really good food.

flpab

Caen International Port, also known as Ouistreham Ferry Port, is the newest port on the Channel. Caen Harbour is 15km north of Caen itself and has direct access onto the autoroute fast road network for a convenient onward journey into France. We rented the car in Caen and took the bus to the ferry. It was a tight schedule going in the morning so we spent the night in Ouistreham but you would be doing the reverse so not as early for you.

flpab

Cherbourg is quicker but there was some reason we could not take it. Maybe because of the car return and we were staying in Bayeux.