Beaune or Honfleur in late December?
Dec 3rd, 2003, 07:49 PM
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Beaune or Honfleur in late December?
Traveling to Paris at the end of this month and are trying to decide on a detour for a few days. We have narrowed it down to Burgundy or Normandy and are having trouble choosing. Please help! We need to book soon. If you have hotel advice too, that would be most helpful.
Dec 3rd, 2003, 08:10 PM
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Haven't been to either in December so can't comment on the weather. If you decide to visit Beaune, I highly recommend the Hotel Grillon. It's relatively inexpensive, very nice and the couple who run it (the Grillons) are very nice. Mme. Grillon speaks excellent English if that's a necessity.
Both Honfleur and Beaune are lovely although there may be more to do in Beaune unless you have a car. If you rent a car, either would be very interesting as you can visit the countryside too.
Enjoy.
Both Honfleur and Beaune are lovely although there may be more to do in Beaune unless you have a car. If you rent a car, either would be very interesting as you can visit the countryside too.
Enjoy.
Dec 4th, 2003, 07:14 AM
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If your a wine connoisseur you might prefer Beaune, but it would be wise to verify if the appropriate establishments will be open. The only other major attraction in Beaune is the Hotel Dieu, which is much more interesting than one might guess from reading a guide book. Minor sights include the ramparts, several churches (including one very old Romanesque-style building), and a cathedral. Dijon is nearby, and the Cote de Nuits (with famous wine towns like Nuits-St-Georges and Gevrey-Chambertin) comprises most of the area between the cities. Unfortunately, the vineyards are going to look pretty barren this time of year. A functional (although not very pretty) hotel in Beaune is the Au Grand St Jean, which is about a three-minute walk from the Place Carnot.
Honfleur is an excellent choice for a base in Normandy. It is not as large as Beaune, but when wandering in cold winter weather, compactness has its advantages. This surprisingly colorful port town has some beautiful examples of Norman architecture, including many (almost German looking) half-timbered structures. I have never been to Normandy in winter, but I suspect that the climate is pretty harsh - perhaps this could enhance the beauty of the area in some strange sense. Winter might provide a great opportunity to visit a crowd-free Mont St Michel, which is about 90 minutes from Honfleur (depending upon route). Also nearby are the invasion beaches. We stayed at the 17th century Hotel du Dauphin. This hotel is at the Place Berthelot, near the Church of St Catherine, and is just one block from the Vieux Bassin (where there is a high concentration of restaurants, shops, etc.).
Don't fret too much over the decision. You'll have a rewarding experience regardless of your choice.
Honfleur is an excellent choice for a base in Normandy. It is not as large as Beaune, but when wandering in cold winter weather, compactness has its advantages. This surprisingly colorful port town has some beautiful examples of Norman architecture, including many (almost German looking) half-timbered structures. I have never been to Normandy in winter, but I suspect that the climate is pretty harsh - perhaps this could enhance the beauty of the area in some strange sense. Winter might provide a great opportunity to visit a crowd-free Mont St Michel, which is about 90 minutes from Honfleur (depending upon route). Also nearby are the invasion beaches. We stayed at the 17th century Hotel du Dauphin. This hotel is at the Place Berthelot, near the Church of St Catherine, and is just one block from the Vieux Bassin (where there is a high concentration of restaurants, shops, etc.).
Don't fret too much over the decision. You'll have a rewarding experience regardless of your choice.
Dec 4th, 2003, 11:49 AM
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The climate of Honfleur might be wetter than Beaune's but it might also be warmer, although the wind chill factor might belie that. The Atlantic has a moderating influence on the weather, and Beaune starts getting more Continental influences. Honfleur does have a few museums (folk, Boudin and Satie come to mind), but they are not in themselves as spectacular as the Hospice de Beaune. As to drink, Honfleur is cider and Calvados country. When there, we also picked up a bottle of a delicious non-alcoholic rhubarb drink.
