debo

We have a trip to Paris scheduled in early March. We would like to visit the D-Day beaches and would like to know who has traveled by train and "done it on their own" or if anyone has used a tour operator you particularly liked. Same questions for Mont St. Michel.


Thanks

Keith

With a few exceptions, I think most of us on this board will discourage going to Normandy as a day trip.

Le Mont would be more reasonable as a day trip, though still not the way that I would choose.

I visited both over a two night trip on my own. A third night would have been nice, but it worked out pretty well.

Keith

debo

More info. My husband and I have both visited the D-day beaches several times but would like to give our teenage daughters "a taste" of France beyond Paris. They are accustomed to long days traveling with us. Can the two trips be combined if we spent one night "out in the country". We have an apartment in Paris but could conceivably leave it one night. But I still wonder whether you can get to these two places by train or whether it takes too much time and a car is necessary OR a tour guide.

Thanks!

ira

ttt

thatgirldina

Just tagging along on your thread. I will also be in Paris early March.

ozres

We day-tripped to Bayeux and the surrounding area a few years back. We used a tour operator right next to the train station, but I can't remember the name!

As far as daytripping vs an extended trip....yes 3 days in the area would be ideal. However, you take what you can get. We have to take short trips because of "child responsibilities" at home, therefore spending one day at the beaches, American cemetary, and museum was better than none. We'll enjoy the area thoroughly when we can spend more time in the area.

For tour operators, check www.ricksteves.com. He has a couple of recommendations.

Good Luck,
Marla

amyb

A few years back I did the Cityrama tour to Mont St. Michel. While I loved seeing it, your time there is very sparse and the travel time is excessive there and back, plus you're forced to have two sub-standard meals with the group on the way there and back. With the exception of a couple hours actually there, I felt the day was wasted. I'd focus on places closer to Paris if I had it to do over again.

PalQ

Both D-Day area and Mont St-Michel are easily reached by train.
It's just two hours each way from Paris' Saint-Lazare station to Bayeux, where you can pick up any of several different mini-bus tours that take you to the main sights. One is by the train station as previous poster pointed out - a hotel with a sign on its wall advertising the tours - or you can walk the short distance thru the lovely city of Bayeux to the tourist office who books all the various tours on the spot - they told me yes you can be sure of just showing up and going. Or you can book in advance. In Bayeux be sure to see the cathedral and the famous Bayeux Tapestry. Trains are frequent back to Paris so you could stay most of the day in Bayeux.
Mont St Michel - take hourly TGVs to Rennes (2 hrs from Paris' Montparnasse station) then take the Couriers Breton buses that are coordinated with some trains right from the station to the Mont in 80 minutes - right to the entrance. Can spend several hours there before returning to Paris the same way.
So even though it takes just over three hours each way to Mont St Michel it can be done as a day trip - the TGV trains go up to nearly 190 mph to Rennes, giving your daughter a chance to experience bullet trains.
Staying at the Mont has its benefits as well as the island is wondrously lit up at night when it's basically empty of the tourists hoardes that often inundate it in summer - avoid weekends.