We are planning an October 2009 vacation that will include 5 days in Paris followed by ten days renting a car and touring the Normandy beaches, the Loire Valley and back to Paris. Please point us to your trip reports and any suggestions you might have. We love wonderful food, history, wine and road trips. Thanks in advance.

My favorite place was Fontevraud Abbaye Royale which is not far from Paris by car. It is the resting place of Eleanor of Aquitane (died 1204), somewhat of a heroine to me. Her tomb is topped with a huge sculpture of her reading a book!!! Considering women did not read in Medieval times, that is astonishing in itself. Next to her is her son Richard the Lion Heart, and John Lackland's wife plus, her one other, who may be her husband Henry. She is also the first woman to get a divorce, although they called it an annulment from Louis (can't remember the number) whom she accompanied on a disastrous crusade to the Holy Land and wrote a book about the adventure.
The Abbey is fascinating and has many buildings. There is a lovely chateau on the way there from Paris but I don't remember the name. They give tours in English as well. There are lovely places to eat and drink along the way and in the region of the Abbey. For more direct information look at www.abbaye-fontevraud.com tel: 02 41 51 73 52 (but I suspect you may need to speak in French.

Have Fun,
Olga
www.travelwitholga.com

Oh yes, beaches - The beaches in the lower Loire Valley are not great. The district is not Normandy but Vendee. However, if you go to Nantes that is a lovely city with an ancient city center and some old antique hotels, streets full of restaurants and in particular they serve the 'black' crepes which are buckwheat and fulled with non sweet things like ham, mushrooms, and mussels. Right on the main street. Further down you can take a ferry to Isle d'Yeu which is a favorite vacation spot of the French and not too many tourists. But make a reservation in advance. There is one hotel right by the ferry pier and there are lots of houses to rent. The last day or so in October they have the end of the fishing festival and that is a jolly very French affair where they sing sea chanties just like the English songs, but in French. You get a feel of Brittany.

Olga
www.travelwitholga.com

Definitely stay in one of the private chateaux in the Loire. We spent 5 nights at the Chateau des Reaux - not far from Chinon - to tour a bunch of chateaux. (And agree that Fronrevaud Abbey is unforgettable - it's a reminder that the kings of England were also French aristocracy and buried in France for centuries).

Chateau des Reaux is a 14th century chateau that originally had a moat - and has charming accommodations, a wonderful breakfast buffet and offers dinner en famille a couple of times a week. We were there with others from the US, from Canada, from Australia, Argentina and Russia. All of the food and wine was from the estate (the meal was very simple but incredibly good) and it made for a very interesting evening.

Olga, you're missing the point. The OP wants to visit the Normandy beaches where the Allies landed on D-Day.

Considering the large amount of time you'll be driving about, you can do a lot. We stayed in Amboise, which is central Loire Valley and has the Chateau d'Amboise and the Clos Luce. East of it are the Chateau Cheverny, Chateau Chambord, Chateau Chenonceau, the cities of Blois and Orleans. West of Amboise are Chinon and the nearby Abbey of Fontevraud, Saumur and its Chateau and the Musee des Blindes (sp?), which has tons of TANKS. Throughout the valley are places to view the troglodyte dwellings carved into the hills, and various places to sample the local grape juice.

After Amboise, we drove to Mont St. Michel (google it), then to Bayeux for the Normandy beaches.