Honfleur-Paris May 2002 vacation
#1
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Honfleur-Paris May 2002 vacation
We are francophiles who travel to Provence plus othe rplaces in France each year.
We are thinking about an eight day vaction in May 2002 divided equally between Honfleur(which we have never visited)-to see Normandy battle sites, cemeteries, etc., and the balance in Paris to re-visit the Musee D'Orsay, etc.
Is the "Le Chevel Blanc" a good hotel choice in Honfleur: Also, what is late May weather like in Honfleur? (We have our Paris hotel and Paris is great regardless of weather.)
We are thinking about an eight day vaction in May 2002 divided equally between Honfleur(which we have never visited)-to see Normandy battle sites, cemeteries, etc., and the balance in Paris to re-visit the Musee D'Orsay, etc.
Is the "Le Chevel Blanc" a good hotel choice in Honfleur: Also, what is late May weather like in Honfleur? (We have our Paris hotel and Paris is great regardless of weather.)
#2
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Honfleur is really beautiful; Le Cheval Blanc is decent. It's in a great location and some of the rooms have gorgeous harbor views. The room itself had rubber sheets (!) and a tiny (even by French standards) bathroom. There is an elevator, however. Outside of town there are a few upscale properties, but then you wouldn't be within walking distance of Honfleur.
#5
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Anthony:
Honfleur is extremely charming. We've stayed at the Cheval Blanc and didn't have rubber sheets, but did have a room overlooking the lovely market square that becomes a boombox at dawn on Saturdays when the market sets up. I would recommend staying at l'Ecrin.
Also, Honfleur does not make a particularly good base for visiting D-Day sights. Check the map and you'll see that it's about 55 km just to get to Ouistreham, where you take a ferry across to continue the shorline drive, adn then another 30 kms or so to Arromanches, which is about in the middle of the beaches. If you don't do the ferry option, you've got to make a 5-km detour around Caen. That's an awful lot of unnecessary driving. You'd be better off, IMO, to spend a night in Honfleur and then move to Bayeux or Caen as a base for the WWII stuff.
Honfleur is extremely charming. We've stayed at the Cheval Blanc and didn't have rubber sheets, but did have a room overlooking the lovely market square that becomes a boombox at dawn on Saturdays when the market sets up. I would recommend staying at l'Ecrin.
Also, Honfleur does not make a particularly good base for visiting D-Day sights. Check the map and you'll see that it's about 55 km just to get to Ouistreham, where you take a ferry across to continue the shorline drive, adn then another 30 kms or so to Arromanches, which is about in the middle of the beaches. If you don't do the ferry option, you've got to make a 5-km detour around Caen. That's an awful lot of unnecessary driving. You'd be better off, IMO, to spend a night in Honfleur and then move to Bayeux or Caen as a base for the WWII stuff.
#7
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Anthony,
Honfleur is lovely, but too far from the WWII sites. (If you should go there, make sure to have a meal at Le Petit Mareyeur, an excellent seafood restaurant.) For proximity to the beaches and the American cemetary, Bayeux would be a far better choice, plus you'll have a chance to see the Bayeux tapestry, which is one of the top attractions in the area.
Honfleur is lovely, but too far from the WWII sites. (If you should go there, make sure to have a meal at Le Petit Mareyeur, an excellent seafood restaurant.) For proximity to the beaches and the American cemetary, Bayeux would be a far better choice, plus you'll have a chance to see the Bayeux tapestry, which is one of the top attractions in the area.
#8
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Anthony,
Honfleur is lovely, but too far from the WWII sites. (If you should go there, make sure to have a meal at Le Petit Mareyeur, an excellent seafood restaurant.) For proximity to the beaches and the American cemetary, Bayeux would be a far better choice, plus you'll have a chance to see the Bayeux tapestries, which is one of the top attractions in the area.
Honfleur is lovely, but too far from the WWII sites. (If you should go there, make sure to have a meal at Le Petit Mareyeur, an excellent seafood restaurant.) For proximity to the beaches and the American cemetary, Bayeux would be a far better choice, plus you'll have a chance to see the Bayeux tapestries, which is one of the top attractions in the area.
#10
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Adored Honfleur, perfect for 2 nights, and then base yourself nearer to the WWII sites for the other 2 days.
We went in late May and weather was hot and sunny...
We stayed in Cheval Blanc, no rubber sheets, they are refurbishing, our room was not refurbished but still fine. Not luxurious, but OK size (a corner room) with fabulous views, and great location. Rooms not AC but throw the windows open (bit noisy but not when sleeping).
We liked it and would stay again for the price and location, Our auberge was prettier and nicer rooms though in the middle of nowhere.
Find my thread
Kavey's Normandy Trip Report/ Diary May 2001
And see a couple of photos from the hotel room and of Honfleur on Sally's website...
http://geocities.com/dhfsbf/fodorite/pictures.htm
Kavey
We went in late May and weather was hot and sunny...
We stayed in Cheval Blanc, no rubber sheets, they are refurbishing, our room was not refurbished but still fine. Not luxurious, but OK size (a corner room) with fabulous views, and great location. Rooms not AC but throw the windows open (bit noisy but not when sleeping).
We liked it and would stay again for the price and location, Our auberge was prettier and nicer rooms though in the middle of nowhere.
Find my thread
Kavey's Normandy Trip Report/ Diary May 2001
And see a couple of photos from the hotel room and of Honfleur on Sally's website...
http://geocities.com/dhfsbf/fodorite/pictures.htm
Kavey
#12
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Anthony,
I stayed in Honfleur at Hotel L'Ecrin last June and enjoyed it there. It is a 5 minute walk or so into the main area of Honfleur. Be aware though, as other posters mentioned, that it is 1 hr 15 min drive to Bayeux, another 30 min or so out to the D-Day beaches. I agree with St. Cirq and the others - stay in Bayeux for the WW2 sites, but be sure to visit Honfleur and try to spend a night there. I posted this in another message, but in the 'it's a small world dept.: My family and I had a chance meeting with St Cirq and her family in Bayeux!
I stayed in Honfleur at Hotel L'Ecrin last June and enjoyed it there. It is a 5 minute walk or so into the main area of Honfleur. Be aware though, as other posters mentioned, that it is 1 hr 15 min drive to Bayeux, another 30 min or so out to the D-Day beaches. I agree with St. Cirq and the others - stay in Bayeux for the WW2 sites, but be sure to visit Honfleur and try to spend a night there. I posted this in another message, but in the 'it's a small world dept.: My family and I had a chance meeting with St Cirq and her family in Bayeux!