treble

I appreciate your suggestions:
My husband and I will have spent 5 nights in Berlin and then fly to Paris, planning to pick up rental car from Orly, 11 a.m. (mid April). We have five nights and then return car possibly to Gare de Lyon and spend three nights in Paris....(have been there and know it is inexhaustable)
So here goes:
1-- visit DDAy beaches, overnight in Bayeux, Rouen or Caen?
2-- continue Dday, if desired or maybe Fougerou or a cheese farm?
end up in MSM for the evening, or a town on the mainland?
3-- tour MSM if not done on 2, then on to Amboise, visit Chateaux on way
4-5 Amboise
We don't have time to do DDay completely, and will have just spent a lot of historical WW time in Berlin, I'm sure. That said, I thought it would be worth a few hours, just to get the sense of it. Or is that fractionating our time? Would it be better to do this:
1-- Drive to MSM, overnight
2,3,4, Amboise
then Paris for 4 nights....

Michael

On the way to Amboise, go see the tapestries of the Apocalypse in the chateau in Angers.

The W.W.II historical viewpoint in Berlin (Topographie des Terror and the Jewish Museum) are probably quite different from the D-Day viewpoint.

StCirq

I like the first idea better. Bayeux makes the best base.

Day 2: Do you mean Fougères? Lovely town, but not exactly on a DDay tour. Vitré is also lovely.

Agree that a stop in Angers is well worth it (and not only the tapestries in the château - if you're into tapestries, worth a visit to the Musée Jean-Lurçat as well).

treble

Thanks StCirq, yes I meant Fougeres, I could not red my hen scratched notes! I am going to look at Bayeux hotels now...

texasjo

Also favor the first plan; don't think you will regret taking time for DDay sites. So meaningful. As for MSM, I'd stay on the mainland and go over in the morning. Tough climb to the top but so worth it. Many places for an omelet for lunch, a speciality there.

StCirq

BTW, for my money, a half-day (and yes, that's what it takes) stop at the Musée Mémorial in Caen is worth way more than driving all the way to le Mont St-Michel (but that may just be my jaded point of view, having been to le MSM many times - I DO understand how much of a mecca it is for many travelers).

treble

texasjo--my mom actually said the climb to MSM was treacherous, saying it was slippery. what was your experience?
And yes, I think the memorial/beach area will be well worth doing. My DH insists on MSM. I'm running stairs now to get in shape. Any nice hotels nearby?

Michael

<i>saying it was slippery. what was your experience? </i>

Only when it rains.

texasjo

Hi treble. I probably would not say treacherous but it was very difficult for me and a few others in our tour group with a few opting to sit it out. Our guide encouraged us to go at our own pace and we stopped at intervals. I understand there are two ways up but he took us the way that he said would be easier, a series of stairs broken at places by narrow walkways and ramps but it was a steep climb. Unless one is in super shape, I think it would be a real workout for anyone, so running stairs now will serve you well. We were in our early 60s and not in super shape, so that has to be considered with my comments. However, there were others much younger that were very happy when we finally reached the top! I do have a couple of health issues that made me doubt I could make it, but I decided I'd only be there once in my life so I was going to try. When we reached the abbey, surrounded in fog, it was such a beautiful experience. The quiet and peacefulness at the Abbey Cloisters garden was a spiritual moment that I will never forget.

As for hotels, don't really know. We were on tour and stayed at Hotel Montgomery in Pontorson. It's over 100 years old and charming, family owned, and gets decent reviews on TA but would not be everyone's cup of tea.

Might add on our DDay excursions, we went to the Embarkment Museum at Arromanches rather than Caen museum and it too is amazing. We drove the beaches and visited Omah Beach, the American Cemetery of St. Laurent, and Pointe du Hoc, on the same day. I would definitely include all of those again. It was a very, very moving day. So proud to honor and say thank you to all those brave countrymen.

StCirq

Just want to add that, while I like the Arromanches museum just fine, it absolutely pales in comparison to the Mémorial in Caen.

treble

I have booked Le Manoirs Les Minisimes for Loire Valley portion. I am considering the Churchill hotel in Bayeux-anyone stay there?
And having a heck of a time deciding whether to stay on MSM or mainland...

Fodorite018

treble--We have stayed at the Churchill and had no complaints. We had 2 rooms, one quite large and the other pretty tiny. Not luxury, but very well kept and the staff were so helpful. Great location too. We have also stayed around the corner from there at the Reine Mathilde. Very similar to the churchill in that is not not luxury, but very well kept and great staff. I did not care for the restaurant there though, FWIW.

BTW, we took the shuttle from the Churchill to MSM this past summer and our driver took us up the back way, up all the stairs. Hardly anyone else went that way, so no crowds until we got to the top to get in line for tickets. It was raining the day we were there and I didn't find it slippery, but I was being very careful since I have had a couple of knee surgeries recently. So like anything, be careful but have fun

treble

THanks, mms---re MSM, aren't there stairs up the front way as well? Can anyone go up the "back way"?
Do you think the Churchill standard room was the small one? We really prefer king beds, even if they are twins pushed together, rather than American sized double/queen that sag in middle...Do you recommend a superior?

Fodorite018

treble--The main route up was more of a steady incline. I don't remember if there were any steps that way or not. We took that way to come back down and it was crowded and we were checking out shops and such, so didn't pay much attention. And yes, anyone can go up the other way, When you are facing the mont and everyone is heading up, don't. Head to the left and you will come upon the steps to go up the "back" way. I can't remember what class of room each of the rooms were. My mom was in one, the tiny one, and then DD and I shared the other. We had a double bed and the a nice area for dressing and getting ready. Quite spacious, really. I don't remember if my moms room was a queen or double, but I am sure that DD and I had an american double. I don't know what other configuations they have, but our beds were comfy.

treble

Actually I have now booked two nights at the Hotel de Sainte Croixe in Bayeux. I think we will take our time to enjoy that area and then drive to MSM in the a.m. (approx one and 1/2 hours) and spend as long as we wish, and then continue on to the Loire Valley--three hour and 45 minute drive! Hotel is already booked in Amboise, and I hope it is a pretty day and we can enjoy the scenery. We will then spend the next two days visiting the chateau area, and continue on to Paris....