almesq

We're planning a trip to Paris with a side trip to Normandy. We arrive in Paris on Saturday in a.m. after overnight flight. Stay in Paris Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights. Tuesday leave for Normandy, staying in Bayeux for 2 nights, then back to Paris Thursday for 3 more nights.

Here's the dilemma: We are taking a Battlebus tour all day on Wednesday. We also want to go out and see Mont St. Michel. Right now, the plan is to leave Paris early Tuesday morning, drive up to Bayeux and drop bags off, then head out to Mont St. Michel. Probably won't get there until about 1 or 2 pm. Can see things there for the rest of the afternoon, then head back to Bayeux for night. Then on Thursday, leave Bayeux in mid to late morning and get back to Paris early afternoon. Does that sound like a good plan?

Other alternative was to leave Paris a little later on Tuesday, go straight to Bayeux and just stay in town the rest of that day, and on Thursday drive out to Mont St. Michel, see that and then return to Paris later in the day Thursday (either by driving or going back to Bayeux, dropping off car and taking train).

Any input would be really appreciated.

almesq

ttt.

almesq

Topping one more time.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Robespierre

First of all, I don't see the point of staying in Paris on Monday night if all you're going to do in the morning is get up and start driving. I would take the last train Monday evening to Bayeux so I could hit the ground running Tuesday morning.

Rent the car, drive to Mont St. Michel and back. Return car. Probably time to see cathedral and tapestry. Battlebus tour Wednesday, and back to Paris on late train.

Traveling in the evening saves prime daylight for sightseeing. You'll get plenty of French countryside driving to Mont St-Michel and back (about 1:15, according to AutoRoute).

_jinx_

Here are some suggestions: Keep your present itinerary but drive from Paris to Mont-St-Michel via Chartres-Le Mans-Fougeres. Then on to Bayeux after a visit to le Mont.

A better alternative is to travel to Normandy either at your arrival in Paris--or at the end of your Paris stay. That way you won't be interrupting your time in the city.

Also, I would suggest that you drive through Honfleur, have lunch or a snack, then on to Paris. A wonderful diversion that won't take but a couple of hours.

Let me know if I can be of further help.

Cheers,

Jinx Hoover
[email protected]

almesq

Thanks for the ideas.
Robespierre: I understand where you're coming from on this. Staying in Paris Monday just give us all day there, and can have a nice dinner, without traveling after an exhausting day of sightseeing in Paris. And on Wednesday, Battlebus tour is ALL day, 8:30 to 5:30, and we'll just want to have some dinner and then rest rather than facing traveling back to Paris after such a long day. I appreciate the suggestion, and will certainly consider it before final decision.

Jinx: I had thought of that, but we decided to do it mid-week. Upon arriving in Paris after overnight flight, really didn't want to face more travel up to Normandy. And we are flying out of Paris at the end of the week, and didn't want to come back just to leave. So I figured we'd go in the middle of the week, then come back and still have a couple of full days in Paris before heading home.
Thanks for the ideas, I'll look into all of them.