4 nights in normandy---help on itinerary/places to stay?
 

all,

staying for 4 nights in normanday in april of '05. will be going right from CDG on Saturday a.m. to our first stop. would like to stay 2 places for 2 nights each, then drive back to Paris for 4 nights there.

any thoughts on which 2 places to use as bases to see the region? would like to see d-day beaches, honfleur, bayeux, etc, as well as MSM.

looking for very characterful lodging--but 3* and on the cheaper side (~200 euros or less?). any recommendations there?

any advice/thoughts welcome

jhr

We're doing much the same thing three weeks from now. If you'll post your address I'll e-mail you our itinerary.

Underhill
We're doing the same thing 4-1/2 weeks from now.
Would you add me to your e-mailing?
hardy at macatawa. org

Sure; I'll send it now.

Your address is showing as invalid when I try to send a message. ???

Underhill,

Can you please send me your itinerary at:
[email protected]

Thank

I just sent it. I hope it's helpful.

Way, way below your proposed budget is http://www.arromancheshotel.com/us/index_us.htm - - with "okay" charm, and Arromanches is an excellent location if you want to devote the appropriate time to fully grasping what happened in Normandy in the summer of 1944. Not just on one "longest day".

Convenient to many of the places you want to visit.

Best wishes,

Rex

We visited this area in September 2000 and loved it! My suggestion is that you do basically what we did, because it was terrific!

Train to Rouen and pick up your rental car. The train goes through some enchanting countryside. From Rouen, head for Honfleur, via the Route of the Abbeys. Stop at Jumieges.

Stay one night in Honfleur and leave the next morning for Caen and visit the war museum for a couple of hours before continuing on the Bayeux for your 2nd night in Normandy. Stay for 3 nights. On your arrival, visit the wonderful Cathedral,light a candle for someone you love, and get the lay of the land.

The second day, plan to apend the whole day on the D-Day beaches, starting at the northernmost beach and ending in St. Mere Eglise.

The third day, see the Bayeux tapestry in the morning and in the afternoon drive to MSM (if you must - we didn't) or head out in the countryside toward the Loire (we did).

My fondest memories of this area are the American cemetery, all the wonderful monuments to the various branches of the service who landed on D-Day, the beautifully planted round-abouts that serve as very efficient replacements for road intersections, the wonderful ancient gray stone houses with brilliant red geraniums in window boxes, and a sky and a light that makes you imagine what it would have been like to be an impressionist painter.

The whole area is a treat for the eyes and the heart.

Recommended reading before and during the trip, Steven Ambrose's D-Day.

I spent 3 days in Normandy in July. I based at Bayeux because I took a D-day tour that originated from there. I would never stay in Bayeux again. Outside of the cathedral and tapestry there is very little to see or do there. So help me the streets are empty by 9 pm. No street cafe life at night or anything. Next time I would stay at Arromanches right on the beach.

If you want a great D-day tour, try "Battle Bus" company. You can "Google" their website for more information.

Larry J

Larry J

Underhill, could you send your itinerary to [email protected] too? Thanks.

would like to stay 2 places for 2 nights each. do others agree on not staying at bayeux? i thought this was a pretty convenient base for 2 days. . .

Here's a great thread for you from 2002
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34379068

Evidently Bayeaux is convenient for the touring but very quiet at night. There are some other ideas in that thread.

http://www.ranconniere.fr/default.asp?file=pg20-3_fr

Here is the place we stayed at near Bayeux. Also close to the beach and Caen.

i am leaning towards bayeux maybe as a homebase for the 4 nights. seems like everything is in driving/day trip distance. do people agree? how far will it be on the last day to go from mont st. michel to paris in one shot?

I would spend your first night en route to Bayeux and then the other 3 use Bayeux as your base. We rented at CDG and headed north to stop at Giverny en route to Rouen for the night. We travelled the back road up the north side of the Seine for about half the way to Rouen--it was charming. We did have a bit longer so spent the second night at Honfleur, but you could drive to Bayeux. I do urge you to use the N roads--the distances are not great and the sights are just wonderful. Also recommend getting the Michelin Guide to Normandy to plan your routes and for a D-Day itinerary. Also the Michelin map of Normandy.
There are many recommendations for good lodging in Bayeux but if you want to stay clean and cheap try the Hotel Bayeux--large rooms, clean and about $50/night in the shadow of the cathedral and 5 minute walk to the tapestry.
The best meal we had on that entire trip to France was in Bayeux at Le Petit Bistro, just across from the cathedral.

We just returned from a trip to Europe where we spent about 2 1/2 days in Normandy. We were in Paris for about 5 days, then rented a car from Orly and drove. We really enjoyed the drive - one of the highlights of our trip. So I would recommend driving the whole way rather than taking a train. It was fun to see the countryside and stop off in random small towns.
We stayed in Caen at Hotel Berniers... hated it. Did not care for Caen at all and did not care for the hotel. We did stop in Bayeaux for a bit one day and it seemed much more charming. We went to the Caen peace museum which I totally recommend - we spent probably 3 or 4 hrs there - very moving. We also went on a tour conducted by the peace musuem of the landing beaches. We just did a half day tour but I know they offer full day ones as well. There were only 4 of us and our tour guide - I think it was 50 or 60 euros a person - very reasonable, esp considering we had such a small group. Our tour guide was very knowledgable - would recommend doing one of their tours. We just went that morning and got on the tour, but its probably better to book ahead. After Normandy we drove over to Mont St Michel - loved it! We spent quite awhile exploring there. Yes, its quite touristy, but its a really neat experience none the less. We decided to stay off the causeway - and I'm really glad we did. We stayed at Hotel de la Digue - which I definately recommend. We ate dinner in their restaurant (which was wonderful!) and we overlooked the Mont at sunset... it was truely beautiful. That night we walked out in the field to see the Mont all lit up - very cool. The next day we drove back towards Paris and stopped at Giverny on the way - cool to see Monet's home and gardens although there is not a ton to see!

how long was the drive from mont st. michel to paris? and could one do MSM while using bayeux as a base?