Bayeux or Mont St. Michel
 

Going to spend a month in France (less 6 days in Prague) next July. I have 2 days left to plan and am considering Bayeux or Mont St Michel. Takes about 3.5 hours to stay at one and day trip to the other due to bus segment so must choose one or the other. I would like to spend one day doing a D-Day Tour. I know there are mini-van tour trips available from Bayeux but are there any available from Mont St. Michel.

Thanks for any help.

Larry J

I can't tell you about the bus connections, etc., but there is no question which is a "better" place to spend the night -- Mont St. Michel -- definitely!!

I have to offer a different opinion. We stayed in Bayeux for 4 nights and did a day trip to Mont St Michel. Yes, its beautiful from the shoreline but also very crowded, hot, touristy, etc when you actually get to the abbey. Our main purpose in going to the Normandy area was the D-Day beaches so we did a lot of the museums, cathedrals, Bayeux tapestry (incredible) and a 1.5 day personalized tour with Col Chilcott of Omaha Beach, various cemetaries, Pointe Du Hoc, Longues Battery, St Mere Eglise, Utah Beach, etc. If I only had two days, I'd skip the Mont -

Larry I would spend your time in Bayeux. The town itself has so much going for it, the WWII sites/museums in the area are too many to enumerate here, and the Bayeux Tapestry is certainly another must-see.

It was a family-dream-come-true to see Mont-St. Michel, but it was not half as fascinating as all the things we experienced (and those we look forward going back to see)in the Bayeux area.

Mont St michel is definetly a must see but I would stay in Bayeux. Neat little town,friendly people and easy acces to WW2 beaches.

Whoops. Hit the wrong key.
Stayed at hotel D'Argouges in Bayeux. Neat old building ,immaculate and even comes with a friendly cat!!
Have a great trip.

This is another vote for staying in the Bayeux area and day tripping to Mont St. Michel. My husband and I actually stayed in a gorgeous restored chalet, about half an hour outside of Bayeux, which has been in the same family for 1,000 years. It was gorgeous and just like a fairy tale! Hotel info:

Chateau de Canisy
6-8 Rue Kergorlay
50750 Canisy
phone: 011-33-2-33-56-61-06
fax: 011-33-2-33-55-92-75
e-mail: [email protected]
website: www.canisy.com

I agree with the Bayeux option. We stayed for three days last spring and wish we had been able to stay longer. It is a wonderful place from which to see the WWII sites and a delight on its own. Although I enjoyed MSM, I wouldn't see much reason to stay there for more than a few hours.

My mistake. We stayed in a lovely, restored chateau not chalet. What was I thinkin"?

cmeyer, you have thoroughly given the best reason for staying the night on Mont St. Michel. Like so many others you only saw it during the day when all the other tourists were there and as a result didn't enjoy it. But if you spent the night there, you'd appreciate its beauty in the morning when you wake up and look out the window, then you leave and do your daytrip somewhere else and return to the spectacular mount when everyone else is leaving -- being able to truly appreciate it at night!

Patrick - you may be right about staying on the Mont and seeing it after dark and at sunrise - however, with just two days, those 'moments' are hardly worth missing all else that the Normandy coast has to offer. We went down because we had an extra day - I wouldn't have done it otherwise - yes, Its remarkable but so is Notre Dame, Chartres, St Peter's, St Maria Maggione, etc.

Thanks to all for your suggestions. All the views expressed were well stated. I have decided to spend the two days at Mont St. Michel because two days will allow me to thoroughly explore the village while Bayeux probably deserves three or four days. Since I go to France three or four times a year I will save Bayeux for another trip and give it the time it deserves.

Thanks
Larry J

If I remember correctly, there is no village per se - once you enter the Mont, there is a narrow steep alley type of street that leads to the abbey itself. This is lined with ice cream shops, tee-shirt shops, souvenir shops and occasional restaurants and hotels. The crowds preclude sitting outside but maybe at night - since you are somewhat closed in, you won't see the sea or view back to the mainland from here (again, maybe if you have a room up high or get a table inside the restaurant and ask for a window. Once you're back across the causeway, the area is a 4 lane highway with modern art galleries, motels and grocery stores along it. maybe an hour to walk in and out of every shop, 3-4 hours max to very leisurely stroll through the abbey and if you wish and are there on the right day, an evening concert. I think you'll have the second day basically free -

If you need a hotel suggestion, I stayed in a hotel on Mont St Michel this summer. It was Hotel la Vielle Auberge. It was amazing. You are right under the abbey and the view is gorgeous. The room # was 204 if you can get it you should. There was a balcony that overlooked the entire peninsula.

Have a great time. I stayed in both cities and think you made a great choice. :)

Are there any budget rooms (125E double) available at MSM?

I spent much less that that in the off season, under 50E for a single at Mouton Blanc. Nothing fancy - parts of the buildings date from the 14th century and it as served as an inn since the 1600s - but clean and roomy by French standards.

Keith