CDG to Bayeux, Normandy
 

Any suggestions on route and safety when traveling late afternoon in rental car from CDG to Bayeux? How do we get out of airport, what signs do we follow? I want to drive the most direct route. Any natural light will have disappeared.

Take the A1 from CDG to the Blvd Peripherique. Right (west) on the Peripherique to the Porte D' Auteuil. Exit to the A13 heading west to Rouen and Caen. Stay on A13 all the way to Caen. From Caen, take N13 to Bayeux. Should take 4 hours, depending on Paris traffic.<BR><BR>Regards,<BR><BR>Jinx Hoover

We just made the exact drive. We did it in the morning during a dense fog. the above instructions are good. The drive is very, very easy. Just like a US interstate. Lots of trucks but still safe and moves along.<BR><BR>We stayed at the Lion d'or in Bayeux which was fine. Very hard to find by car as it is located on a street with limited car passage. In fact, arriving late at night, I would make a point to get good directions to your hotel. Bayeux has a lot of narrow, one-way streets that would be hard to navigate after a long trip.<BR><BR>We did not find a great restaurant during our stay in Bayeux. The Lion d'or is good but has lost its &quot;star&quot; and is a little stuffy.<BR><BR>Do see the tapisstre and visit the Peace Museum in caen in addition to all the battlefields.

Like Linda I did not find a decent restaurant in Bayeux. It's a sleepy town after the sun goes down - at least it was in September. Caen is much more lively, but Bayeux is closer to the American D-Day sites. The Caen Le Memorial (aka Peace Museum) is terrific - I agree.<BR><BR>I stayed at the Hotel Mogador in Bayeux ( [20 rue Alain Chartier / tel: 02-31-92-24-58 / fax: 02-31-92-24-85] - owner speaks English well). It's modest but comfortable and even a little charming. There are street signs around Bayeux pointing in the general directions of various hotels, including the Mogador.<BR><BR>Andrew<BR>

Thank you for the driving instructions. I did not think it was so long a drive. Our flight does not get into CDG til 2:30! Could you help me with return drive. We are only staying one night in Bayeux. After seeing the museum in Caen and some of the cemeterys, we were hoping to have a late lunheon in Honfleur and then head to Paris/ 6th arroindisement. Is this too ambitious?Any suggestions greatfully appreciated.

I hate to say this but I do not think you could do all that and head back into Paris in 1 day.well, maybe you could if you didn't spend any time at all in the museum and at the cemeteries. It took us 1/2 an hour just to find a parking spot in Honfleur on the last week-end in October. Are you taking the car into Paris?

So much to see. Iwould plan a minimum of two bays in Normandy.

Lucy:<BR><BR>I just don't think it's possible to visit the M&eacute;morial in Caen (we spent 4 hours there and with two kids were not bored for a minute), the beaches, the cemetary(ies), go to Honfleur, and get back to Paris. <BR><BR>It will take you 30 minutes from Bayeux to drive to Caen and the M&eacute;morial. Evenif you only spend an hour there, then drive to the beaches, it'll already be lunchtime and Honfleur's not exactly around the corner. <BR><BR>You're trying to do in one day what would be more advisable for three.<BR><BR>We thought Le Petit Normand in Bayeux was pretty good - albeit after we had had one of the worst meals I've ever encountered in France in another restaurant on the main street of Bayeux.<BR><BR>

I agree-there is NO WAY that you could do what you are intending to do in one day.You are not going to be able to drive 4 hours after flying all night into CDG? Bayeaux is a day with battlefields,etc.;Caen museum is at least 4-5 hours(seriously),and Honfleur is a cute place to spend the night and relax with some wonderful places to eat.Have you thought of taking the train to LeHavre(about 2 hours) rent a car and drive to Honfleur(less than 30 minutes)spend the night and then drive over to Caen(do museum,etc.) and then drive to Bayeaux where you would spend the night(Le Petit Normand was great!)do the tapestry,cute shopping,etc. there.Allow time to do all the beaches and then return the rental car and take the train back in to Paris?Minimum-3 days!You will be surprised how long it takes to get out of Paris with traffic and accidents.

Unfortunately, the rooms are booked in Paris starting the 28th. We will be arriving Paris/ Bayeux having spent a relaxing 3 days in Bath. I think we can manage the drive, and will just have to limit or stay in Normandy to the beaches,cemeteries, and museum. That is what was arranged originally. Just trying to do it all!<BR>In Normandy, we are staying at d'Argouges.An earlier post said it was very nice. Any suggestions for dinner?

Normandy is a big place ..not a town or city ,just where is d'Argouges?<BR><BR><BR>You may hit 1 beach and maybe 2 towns in the time you have alloted but you are missing Normandy!

d&quot;argouges is a hotel in Bayeux.

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How expensive are rental cars in France? Do I understand correctly that they take a very large security deposit on the credit card?<BR><BR>

I agree with all who say this is not a very workable plan--I agree with St. Cirq--cut your &quot;losses&quot; and abbreviate your trip. We were in Normandy in October. The traffic from Bayeux east to Caen was truly bad--it took much longer than we expected. The car rental person will give you a good map/directions for leaving CDG. You will also want to have the Michelin Normandy map. Hopefully you are thinking of doing the Caen memorial on the way to Bayeux. You will want to see Omaha Beach and its museum at least. Arromanches and its floating harbor was fascinating. I would only go to the large American cemetery (can't call where at the moment) unless you have other needs. <BR>We had a wonderful dinner at Le Petit Bistrot--husband the chef, wife the waitress. Packed packed packed. No Americans, if that matters. It was memorable. We would have gone back the next night but it was closed. We also enjoyed Le Petit Normand.<BR>There is also a bit of terror at the end of your day--driving into Paris. I would suggest returning the car to CDG and taking a taxi to your hotel. <BR>To answer the question about car rental expense, we had a car for 6 days--renting at CDG and returning to Orly for about $250. They put a $750 &quot;hold&quot; on our card but it was not charged.<BR>Prices vary greatly by where you pick up and leave it--it would have been more to return it to Chartres than it was to Orly, for example. Just go to the AutoEurope site and plug in some dates and times and see what comes up.

<BR>Used Europcar last September. Picked up car in Nice,drove 1540 km, had the car for 6 days, turned it in at Caen, forgot to fill gas tank when I turned it in, and the total cost was $203.01. $27.00 was the fuel charge. Car was a cute little stick shift with lots of power,diesel engine made in the Czech Republic called a Skoda.<BR><BR>Don't remember a depoist at all though we rented through a travel agent here in the U.S.