RonZ

In September, we'll be driving from Paris up to Honfleur, staying there for two nights, then over to Cancale for a couple before heading south. Any ideas as waht to see and do would be welcome.

StCirq

From Paris you might want to go through Rouen and spend at least half a day there - many wonderful restaurants, a beautiful old pedestrian quarter centered around the rue du Gros-Horloge, a nice musée des Beaux Arts and ceramics museum, and of course the square where Jeanne d'Arc was burned at the stake.
Alternatively, you might want to dip south and pass through Alençon to see the lacemakers and lace museum there - some wonderful countryside around there.
Honfleur itself will keep you occupied for at least a day. Yoú may want to see local artists' work in the Grenier du Sel, visit the Musée Eugène Boudin and the Musée de la Marine, and Ste-Cathérine, the oldest wooden curch in France. Just sitting quaiside with a plâteau de fruits de mer is a good way to while away a few hours, too.

cigalechanta

Ron, you will love Honfleur, sitting quaiside is fun if you like meeting people. We also dined at the beautiful La Ferme Saint-Siméon, once a retreat of painters such as Monet, Sisley, Courbet, Boudin and jongkind. In Honfleur is also Eric Satie's House and a very nice small art gallery where I was able to hold a small scupture by one of my favorute French artists, Claude LaLanne. Cancale was a stop for us because of it's oysters. We always stop for lunch at Trouville at our favorite Brasserie, "Les Vapeurs"the best moules.
Rouen's cathedral has the tallest tower in france. The cafe we ate in just before the medieval Gros-Horlege had a framed poster of "les Vapeurs"on the wall. I was given one by the manager in Trouville and mine is framed on on my wall.There's a simple Croix de la Réhibilitation marking the spot where jeanne dÁrc was burned at the stake. The white tower is all that is left of chateau where she was imprisoned. Deauville is fun to drive through, for me to seek out the Fitages, those enamal figures or animals that adorn the roof peaks of the stunning Hotel Normandy and many a rich man's home.

MichelleY

Ron: Are you a peach farmer from Linden?

RonZ

Thanks, friends. No to the peaches.

Judy

We stayed at both Honfleur and Cancale a couple of years ago. We enjoyed the art galleries in Honfleur and the ambience of the harbor area. We spent an afternoon walking around the resort area of Trouville. We stayed at Ferme St. Simeon and would recommend it.
We stopped at Mont St. Michel on the way to Cancale. In Concale we stayed at Chateau Richeux, which is on the water with a view of Mont St. Michel. The Roellingers (the hotel owners)have a michelin star restaurant in town which is wonderful! The hotel has a driver to take guests to dinner so you don't have to be concerned about driving back to the hotel afterwards.
While in Cancale we visited St. Malo. The city is almost completely surrounded by water and the area within the old ramparts has been restored....narrow streets with some interesting shops and restaurants.

Keith

Judy,

Sounds like you liked Cancale.

I was least impressed with it, of the places I have visited in Normandy & Brittany.

Keith

Judy

We loved our hotel in Cancale...and liked St. Malo. We didn't actually spend much time IN Cancale.

jmv

Judy,We too stayed at Le Richeux in Cancale. I believe it's one of my top five or so favorite hotels. Love watching the tides from the windows. Did you take advantage of their free boat rides in a sailboat out of the St. Malo harbor? I thought that was a really nice bonus.

Lynn_Gibson

I drove from Paris to Honfleur a year or so ago and really enjoyed the route of the abbeys between Rouen and Honfleur. At the abbey in Jumieges, you cross the river and then there is a route that takes you by dozens of thatched houses. It was lovely.

Lynn_Gibson

Hre is my original post about the Abbey drive:

Between the Rouen and Honfleur area there are two lovely drives - one taking you by a series of Abbeys and the other taking you through an area of thatched buildings. I found the Abbey drive mentioned in a Frommers guide book and the thatched buildings we found by picking up a brochure when we were visiting one of the Abbeys (Jumieges). We stayed one night in Jumieges (didn't expect to, it was so quiet and lovely we didn't want to leave) and stayed in a local Gite for 37 Euros a night (including breakfast). Spotlessly clean and no traffic sounds - nothing except the sounds of birds in the morning. One of the best nights of our trip. Jumieges is right on the river and after visiting the Abbey the next morning, we took the car ferry over the river and went on the thatched houses drive (about two hours). I highly recommend it for people who like out of the way places.

Judy

jmv, we missed the boat ride. My sister was with us and needed to be dropped at the train station in Rennes at the time we could have taken advantage of it....we would like to return someday and do that! Although, realistically, not sure we'll do that. We're looking at Paris, Bordeaux and Dordogne in the spring and there are so many places on our list!

RonZ

Actually we're staying at the Richieux, and in Honfleur at the Hotel Ecrin. Concerning Rouen, we will probably visit there as a day trip by train out of Paris. That may sound weird, but we try to avoid extended time away from the car when it contains our luggage. We'll leave on the 9:15 train and be back in Paris at 6pm. Thanks for the ideas.

LVSue

I loved the Satie museum in Honfleur!

cigalechanta

I swear sue, when I was there I thought I heard the Gymnopedies.