Sue4

In another thread I asked for some help with this and got some great suggestions - so now I'm ready (almost!) for my April/May 2-week trip to Normandy. As I like to travel a little on the slow side,(and will be solo) I'm just doing Normandy on this trip. I hope to savor the countryside and will pray for good weather for my driving and looking! I'm still open for suggestions, but here's my plans:

Wed.,Thurs. -Straight to Chartres from CDG (rather, from Montparnasse) for 2 nights, arriving early afternoon. Walk around Chartres, get over jetlag, hope to get a Malcolm Miller tour of Cathedral. Grand Monarch Hotel.

Friday - AM pick up car. Drive along Eure River to Vernon - maybe stop and see Bizy Chateau, or alternatively visit Giverny (which I've already seen). I'd like to visit Maintenon or Chateau Anet, but will be too early for those(afternoon visits only). Then drive to Les Andelys (La Chaine d'Or)and see Chateau Gaillard.

Sat.,Sun.,Mon. - Drive to Lyons-la-Foret,
stopping various places along way (take Route des Abbayes),Jumieges, Caudebec, Villequier (whatever I have time for)the first day. I've found a B&B which sounds nice
(who knows? -it was recommended in the Michelin Green Guide, and the price is right)for 3 nights. Will visit Rouen one day (taking commuter train from Elbeuf, as I don't want to drive in Rouen!). This train from Elbeuf) was suggested by Sue on another thread, and I liked this idea. Will spend the other day in this area seeing Le Bec Hellouin, Pont Audemer, Champs de Bataille, or whatever.

Tuesday - Drive to Honfleur (will be May 1,French holiday) by which route, don't know.
Guess this will depend on what I did the day before. Honfleur as a base for 3 nites to see Pays d'Auge, Etretat(not sure about this - is it worth the drive?)Deauville/Trouville, etc. Hotel l'Ecrin.

Friday, Sat.,Sun,Mon - Bayeux area - landing beaches, Coutances, Falaise(?). Staying in Crepon (small village) near Bayeux at Ferme de la Ranconnieres.

Tues. - Here's where I'm not sure, as I have only Tues. and half of Wed.left. Have to spend night in Paris Wed. as I have plane ll:00 AM Thurs. Will probably stay in Caen Tuesday /Wed.and see Le Memorial, the Abbeys, etc. in Caen. It's another French holiday (Tues.May 8) so alot will be closed in Caen, but I'm sure the Memorial will be open. I hate to save that for last, as it should be first before the Beaches. Oh, well.
Or I just might go ahead to Paris for the last 2 nights and skip Caen (I'll drop off car there and train to Paris. I kind of hate to skip seeing Caen's sites, tho. Does anyone know a decent hotel in Caen? They don't seem too promising, from what I read.

Has anyone done the Memorial/Landing Beaches tours from Caen? Most on here seem to do Battlebus, Victory, etc. from Bayeux? Anyone still reading this, thanks! - and please offer any suggestions or comments on this itinerary.

Padraig

Delete the question mark from Falaise. It's worth a couple of hours, perhaps half a day -- particularly if you have any interest in William the Conqueror.

I didn't find a great deal to interest me in Caen itself other than the two abbey churches and the remains of the chateau. Half a day, maximum. Why not visit it from Crepon? It's quite near.

TravelRibbon

Hi Sue4:

Wow, what a fun trip you have planned!

You really need to go to Etretat and see the falaises. They're absolutely amazing. IMO, Deauville/Trouville weren't all that great. I just drove through them on my way to Honfleur.

For your map, if you don't have one already, I highly recommend the Michelin 513 guide. It really helped me plan out my drive. Of course, you can use their website.

I do hope you are able to secure a tour of the D-Day beaches from Caen. Bayeux isn't that far from Caen by car so you could go to Bayeux and hop on a tour from there. Just a suggestion.

Whatever you decide, have fun!

TR

lhopp

Hi. We visited Giverny, Honfleur & Bayeux a few years ago on a two week trip to France. You've picked a great area to spend time in. We had 3 days for D-Day sites and wished we allowed a couple more--we stayed one night at Ferme de la Ranconnieres--excellent! Be sure to have dinner in their restaurant; it was delicious. Crepon is a perfect location to explore the D-Day sites. We spent one night there and 2 in Bayeux, and in retrospect, we wished we'd stayed all 3 in Crepon.

Enjoy your trip!!

klondike

Sounds like great fun, and I second what others have suggested...Caen is worth a visit at some time, but wouldn't be a first choice. Deauville and Trouville seemed rather passé and I'd spend that time in Honfleur.

We really enjoyed our stay at Le Grand Monarque in Chartres--very genteel. They have a wonderful formal dining room and more casual bistrot to chose from. Otherwise, we had a wonderful Sunday dining experience at Le Buisson Ardent (ask to be seated upstairs) on a little ruelle not far from the cathedral.

If you are near Lisieux, besides the Basilica, just few miles away is the Domaine St. Hyppolite-a coopérative where you can taste cider, see the cows get milked, the cheese made, walk through the fields, and buy local products. Great Fun in the country!

Padraig

klondike wrote: "Deauville and Trouville seemed rather passé and I'd spend that time in Honfleur."

I think Deauville and Trouville out of season are worth a quick look and not much more. But why make extra time for Honfleur? The harbour area is remarkably pretty, there is an interesting church and there are a few nice buildings, but not that many. At least one good restaurant, the name of which I forget. Did I omit anything?

Gretchen

My suggestion is to change the order of your trip since you have to return to Paris.
Rent the car at cDG and start on to Normandy. You can stop in Vernon even and spend the night. See Giverney the next day.
Then head to Rouen, the Abbaye Road, etc. and all your ideas there.
Then return from Normandy and go to Chartres. Do your things there and go to Paris and turn in the car at Orly--or just turn in the car at Chartres.
YOur first move to go to Chartres and then basically retrace your steps to the north seem to waste time.
We loved Bayeux as the jumping off place for Normandy.

Pausanias

I'm a little confused by your plans for Sat, Sun & Mon. Lyons-la-Foret is very nearby Les Andelys -- I think about a half-hour drive. The Route des Abbayes, on the other hand, is on the far side of Rouen, so you will be driving past the city, returning, then passing it again on your way to Honfleur. I would reserve it for your last day, visiting the abbayes on the way to Honfleur.

Everyone trvaels at their own pace. We spent a week in Normandy, three days in Brittany and a couple more in the Loire before ending in Paris. That was about right for us. I would leave some leeway in your plans, in case you discover you have bitten off less than you can chew.

Sue_xx_yy

Greetings again fellow Sue. Glad you liked the Elbeuf idea - I'd love to hear how it pans out for you in the end.

If you are going to drop the car in Caen on Tuesday, May 8, remember that at the very least they may assess you extra charges for doing this on a holiday when smaller depots are otherwise closed. Remember too that train schedules tend to be different on holidays - some service is retained, but usually reduced in frequency.

Bon voyage.

grandmere

Just a couple of thoughts:
We skipped Etretat, and I think that was a big mistake.

In Caen, I highly recommend the Bouchon de Vaugueux, a tiny bistro owned and run by a young couple. Ambience is small, noisy, and crowded, but we were the only tourists there, and the food was great. Reserve ahead. It's on rue Graindorge.

If you can't find a hotel you like in Caen, you could spend the night in Bayeux, which is only about 25-30 min. away. Recommend Hotel d'Argouges there.

We were in Normandy 2 weeks later than you will be, and it was chilly. No problem if you plan/dress accordingly.

Have a wonderful trip!

Sue4

I really appreciate all the replies and suggestions!

Padraig, yes, I'm sure I'll go to in Falaise, as I'm quite into historical sites and William the Conqueror. As you mentioned, I'm not going to plan much time for Deauville(if any).That sort of place really isn't my "thing".

I'll try to get to Etretat, as I'm sure I'll have time. It's just that when I look at the map, it looks like going right thru Le Havre to get there (and I don't like cities!) - but I suppose the main road skirts Le Havre. Is there alot of traffic in the direction of Etretat?

Ihopp, I was happy to see your comment of the Ferme de la Ranconniere, especially since I'm booked there for 4 nights. I really debated about staying there or in Bayeax. But it's close to Bayeux, and I like country/village quiet places.

Gretchen, about the order of doing Chartres first - I really went back and forth with this. The main thing is that I am absolutely paranoid about picking up a car at CDG! Especially alone with no navigator, and jetlagged besides. It's so easy to get to Gare Montparnasse on the Air France Bus and get on the train to Chartres. I'm looking forward to the relaxation of Chartres for a couple of days.

Pasaunias, I know those days sound a little confusing. However, the B&B is on the other side of Rouen from Les Andelys, closer to Elbeuf/Brionne/Le Bec Hellouin. My daytrip to Rouen will strictly be a daytrip by train from Elbeuf. It's a short shuttle-train ride to Rouen (where I want to spend the day seeing museums, etc.). By the way, in my other thread, you suggested reading Henry Adams' "Mont St.Michel and Chartres". I already got it from the library, and I love it! It's a wonderful read for anyone interested in architecture and the great churches of France (which I am). I'd like to take this book with me when I go!

When I first started planning, I was going to do Brittany also, a week in each. But I know me, and I never seem to get enough in one place. I've done this same kind of trip in the Loire, Burgundy, Provence, Alsace(not as long there) and the Dordogne (and loved doing all), and somehow think Normandy deserves just as much time. It's also fun alone (and empowering!). My husband (ex) and children would be bored with all the things I like to do. All this planning is such a fun part of it, so I'm open to any suggestions. I still have to decide on the last couple of days (and maybe the B&B days). Thanks!

Pausanias

Makes much more sense -- I thought you were staying in Lyons-la-Foret.

Glad you're enjoying *Mont St-Michel & Chartres.*

DiG

Hi Sue4:

Between your thread and mine I feel like I know you. You have a wonderful trip planned.

Remember to have a waterproof rainjacket, preferably with a hood. I also used lightweight, silk long johns & top underneath my outer top and cardigan.

This way I could leave the lining of the rain jacket home. A couple of nights I even slept in them and used the long john top as a regular outer top under my cardigan with my blazer.

I found that the military sights and museums were open on May 1 & May 8. The reviews I found for the D-Day tours from the Caen Museum weren't that good.

Since you are already in Crepon, I'd suggest you take your tours while there.
Bayeux is a 15 minute ride and the starting point for the companies you listed.

You can do the Pays d'Auges from Crepon, and see Falaise on your way back from Etretat when you're in Honfleur. So if you need to you can change some stops around to accomodate Falaise and Etretat.

Give yourself a full day to enjoy Honfleur. There is the harbor and the Vieux Bassin, the church, and the 'Eugene Boudin Museum' and the maritime musuem and just lovely Honfleur.

Definitely go to the Falasies in Etretat another day. On a clear day you can see clear across the English Channel. We had to drop this base and side trip when our trip was cut from 14 to 10 days.

You have enough days in Honfleur and Crepon to see your list for that particular area.

On Tuesday,May 8, I'd skip the Caen Museum unless you really enjoy military history. I loved it but I like that stuff.

Instead I'd travel on the holiday and add a day to Paris. Check the train schedule for May 8. Arrange to drop your car in Bayeux and not Caen. Big mistake we made as we tried to arrive earlier in Paris. Bayeux is no hassle and Caen is a big city and traffic even on holiday.

I think 2 days/2 nights in Paris would be more relaxing than staying in another place.

Let us know. See you on my thread.

Di

Sue4

DiG, thanks for your suggestions. By the way, I'm enjoying your thread, and so glad you resumed it. I think you're right about staying the last 2 nights/days in Paris instead of Caen. If I have time to do the Caen Memorial earlier (before going to the landing beaches) I might, but truthfully, I'm much more into Medieval history and architecture, etc. than World War II (even tho my father was an Air Force Captain during the war, shot down and captured by the Germans. He spent alot of time in military hospitals after the war. All that depresses me!)As an aside to all that, he is still alive at 91 and has had a wonderful life.

About the car, I'm not sure I can return it in Bayeux (if I get Avis, which I usually do). Did you return yours in Bayeux or Caen? I HATE driving in large cities (especially unfamiliar ones). I don't know why I'm so paranoid about that, as I live in one of the most "driver-unfriendly" cities in the US - Miami - maybe this is why I'm so paranoid!

laverendrye

I think that there's a bit of confusion here. Sue4 is interested in visiting the town of Falaise, birthplace of William the Conquerer, while DiG is talking about les falaises (the cliffs) near Etretat on the coast. Of course both are worth seeing, but it would be a bit of a stretch to combine them in one day.

Sue4: As Padraig wrote, Falaise is worth a couple of hours or a half day, with the Château being the chief attraction. There is also an interesting museum close to the castle about the Battle of the Falaise Gap. Even more interesting, if you are interesting in military history, is the memorial at Mont Ormel, about 30 minutes from Falaise. It commemorates the Polish Armoured Division's heroic stand on these heights during the final days of the Battle of Normandy. It's situated on a commanding height from which one can overlook the battlefield, and has a very good depiction of the overall battle, not just the Poles' part in it.

I have the impression that most people visiting the Normandy battlefields only see the landing beaches; and I sense (perhaps I'm wrong) that there is a belief that once the landings were consolidated, the war was virtually over. In fact the Battle of Normandy was a very hard slog that lasted from Jun 6 almost to the end of August, with casualties on both sides approaching World War One levels. The closing of the Falaise gap was a major victory and the memorial at Mont Ormel tells the story well.

Having said that, if one does not have the time or interest to explore that part of the battle, I think that a visit to the Mémorial de Caen is essential, whether one is interested in military history or not. It does much to explain where we are today.

DiG

Edited post: I hit the wrong button & didn't get to preview.

Hi Sue4:

I'm glad laverendrye caught that and corrected me.

I meant to say you could visit Fecamp after Etretat. There is Palais Bendictine with art and artifacts and they show the monks distillery of how they used regional plants and spices for spirits. There is the Abbatiale de la Trinite (12C-13C) that was modified between 15C-18C because of a fire.

You must be very proud of your dad and I can relate to your feelings about the war and how it affects people.
Even though I share an interest in military history my family has it's scars too.

About Caen Peace Museum, Laverendrye wrote < It does much to explain where
we are today >. In my report I wrote a similar impression about the musuem.

apoolshark

We did a similar trip in October. I would not worry about driving in Rouen. There are parking areas surrounding the city and it is just a short walk to the center of the city, If you hit it on market day it is wonderful. Loved Rouen.
I was not particularly looking forward to the WW II sites but knew my husband was so I decided to go with the Battlebus 2 day American experience tour. I cannot say enough good things about it. It turned out to be one of the most memorable experiences of the whole trip. There is no way we ever would have been able to get that kind of knowledge and experience on our own.
Are you including a visit to Mont St. Michel. Your trip would not be complete withoput it and it is a short distance from Bayeau. We stayed the night on the island at Mere Poulard and it was great. This is the second most visited site in France with the Eiffel Tower being the first.
Also I believe I saw in one of your posts that you did a similar trip in Provence and the South. We are planning to do this in Ost. I would welcome any suggestions

Sue4

APoolShark, I was happy to see your response to my post, and about driving in Rouen. I will be staying fairly near there for a few days, so may decide to drive in to see the city. But maybe the train. Regardless, I'm going to see Rouen. And I'm definitely going to take a Battlebus tour.

Yes, I did do a driving tour through Provence for 2 weeks - solo - in May of 2004. If you can find my report under my name you can read of my trip, which I loved. I took the TGV from CDG to Avignon and rented car there, stayed in several places. Such fun, and people were so nice and helpful. I love doing driving trips in France for that reason. The roads are great, and even getting lost isn't bad, as finding your way back is easy.

toulouse

Sue4: Just a few thoughts. We returned in October from a 2-week trip to Normandie and Paris, with the majority of the time in Normandie. First, I agree you should not rent a car at CDG. We did that; and while we have since regaled our friends with our story or getting to Normandie from CDG, at the time it was a nightmare. We made it, but it took the help of two non-English-speaking Frenchmen! You're also wise to return your car to a smaller town. We returned ours to Lisieux - no problems and a short train ride into Paris.

I would agree with those who say to skip Trouville and Deauville. Houlgate and Cabourg, on the other hand, are lovely towns for a short visit. Honfleur was one of my favorite spots. Don't miss the Eglise Ste-Catherine. We ate at a very small place called Cafe des Artistes (a street or two off the harbour). I don't think it's in any travel book, but the food was great and the one-woman operation was fascinating.

If you're in the vicinity (and you're kinda close if you go to Falaise), think about touring Haras Du Pin (Haras national du Pin), the National Stud & Breeding Farm for horses. It is called one of the most famous horse breeding establishments in France and is absolutely worth the time. Just like stepping back in time.

For others who may be planning a trip, we stayed in a chambre d'hote/hotel in Orbec (south of Lisieux) called Cote Jardin. Orbec is a small, medieval village - not touristy at all, just a French town. Hosts Veronique and Georges Lorette are the best.

Have a great trip and yes, do take some warm clothing!

Sue4

Toulouse, thanks for your great suggestions, too. I was thinking of returning the car at Lisieux and was glad to hear that was easy. I'll be relieved when these holidays are over (company, etc.!)and can go back to my Normandie trip planning!

By the way, I was going to try to give a link to my Provence trip report to APoolShark, but have no idea how to do that. Can anyone give me info how to do that?