First night in Normandy
 

We will be flying into CDG in Paris, then driving to Normandy, Brittany and the Loire. Anticipating signifiacnt jet lag and a litle inital anxiety about driving out of Paris, we are trying to pick a first night stop. We are considering driving all the way to Honfluer, but also considering Lisieux, and Les Andelys. The latter two would be closer, but I'm not sure if either warrant an overnight stop. <BR>This is a great site and I'd be very interested in the opinions of people who have been to these destinations. Thanks.

We did a similar trip a few years back - flew into CDG and drove to Bayeux - distance is similar to Honfleur. It wasn't bad - as I recall about 3 hours and once we landed we sort of had our "second wind" so it was worthwhile to get to the Normandy area the first night. <BR> <BR>We spent three nights in the area - one day in and around Bayeux (the tapestry is not to be missed), one day touring the beaches and Canadian cemeteries and one day at the War Museum in Bayeux and the Memorial at Caen. <BR> <BR>From there we moved closer to Mont St. Michel for 2 nights and then into Brittany for 3 nights. The weather in Brittany was dreadful which put a cramp on our plans to visit the nearby islands

Elizabeth, I'm planning on stayin one night near or in Bayeux and I haven't decided on a hotel yet. Where did you stay? <BR> <BR>Tammy

We did the same trip in the Spring of 99 and stayed in Rouen on the first night. I also was apprehensive about driving right after the flight over, but the excitement of the trip refreshed me in the morning. The road between CDG and Rouen is very good and well marked. The traffic around the Paris beltway was no different than any major city in the U.S.A. However, I would not recommend driving in downtown Paris. You should not have a problem. <BR> <BR>We arrived in Rouen in the early afternoon and were able to see the church that Monet used as a model, the square where Joan of Arc was burned and a wonderful old town hall clock. Also, there are some nice restaurnants in town .

Pick up the regional Michelin Green guides for Normandy, Loire and Brittany and do some reading. I did a very similar trip like this a few years ago and found that you can have a great time visiting historical sites all along the way. If you drive straight to Bayeaux (which is fantastic) you will be missing so many places. <BR> <BR>Also, once you cross into Normandy, stop into a local tourist office and they can supply you with great local information. <BR> <BR>As someone in the thread mentioned, weather can be an issue. Normandy and Brittany generally have awful weather, so as long as you are prepared (rain coats) it will be OK. <BR> <BR>Pick out a few well known towns (Rouen, Bayeaux, St. Malo, etc.) and then do a little research on the green guides to see what is most interesting for you. The little places can be the most rewarding.