Iregeo

Hi all. DH and I will be spending a few nights in the tiny town of Bouceel, near Vergoncey, about 20 minutes southeast of MSM. The only "plans" we have are to see MSM for a few hours by day, but also lit up at night. We will have a car.

1. Can you recommend any sites/towns/scenic drives/restaurants in the general area?

We will then spend several nights at a b & b just outside of Bayeux. While there, we plan on a full day tour of some D-Day sites, as well as visiting the Caen Memorial Museum and the Bayeux tapestry.

2. What should we do with a free day in this area?

We will then drive to Paris.

3. If Monet's house at Giverney is closed for the season, what route do you suggest from Bayeux to Paris? What do you recommend we see along the way?

As always, thanks for your suggestions.

kansas

Am I correct in assuming you are staying at the wonderful Chateau de Bouceel? If so, Count Regis will have wonderful suggestions for day trips. He will also make dinner reservations for you at special places.

Make sure you ask to see the book his father wrote. It is a treasure.

You can click on my name to find my trip report. We visited this area in 2007.

nomadder

Depending on your interest level in the D-Day sites, a one day tour may leave you wanting more. I did a three day tour that included the British beaches. I'm not recommending that to you, but even the two days of touring of the American beaches were nonstop, full days. And I wished I had more time to spend at the American cemetery. We hired a private tour guide for a group of 3 and he drove us to all of the American sites for those two days. The main sites are doable in one day if you want a quick taste of it, but if you have time to kill and a high interest, then a second day is a consideration.

StCirq

I, too, think you could easily spend at least two full days visiting the DDay sites - I've often spent three. If you want to meander around the area and get a bit farther afield, check out Fougères and Vitré and, on the way back to Paris, Villedieu-les-Poêles (http://www.ot-villedieu.fr/index.htm?lang=en), Alençon for its lace museum, and then Chartres as you get closer to Paris.

Gretchen

As others say, maybe more for the beaches.
Where are you turning in your car--orly may be easier to negotiate, but if you are going to Giverney, probably CDG.
If you don't do Giverney, stop at Chartres en route to Orly.

Iregeo

Yes, kansas, we are staying with the count, and very much looking forward to it! I will definitely pull up your report.

I emailed them a short while ago to let them know we will arrive somewhat late on our arrival date, and was assured that dinner reservations will be waiting for us. I am only too happy to see what we get!

kansas

Oh, you lucky people! You are in for a treat. Count Regis has great stories that he will share with you. After we toured MSM, we spent the afternoon in Dinan.

I would link my report here, but am not sure if it can be done with my iPad.

Have a great trip!

Southam

The Monet gardens are open until Nov. 1, as you can check at these sites (among many others):

http://www.fondation-monet.fr/uk/

http://giverny.org/gardens/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giverny