jonescm128

Hey Fodorians!

My fiance and I are going to France and Belgium next Spring and am curious as to how we should divide our time? We land in Paris May 5th and fly out of Brussels May 14th, however, we plan on Ghent being our base for our time in Belgium.

We were thinking 5 days in Paris and 4 days in Ghent but I was curious as to what you guys think?

While in Paris I for sure want to take a day trip and tour the D-Day beaches and while in Ghent we want to day trip to Bruges.

So is four days in Paris and one in Normandy enough time? Is three days in Ghent and one in Bruges too much?

Instead of a 5/4 split would a 6/3 split be better? Any insight would be great!

Thanks,
Chris

FuryFluffy

IMO 6/3 is better than 5/4. I'm not sure you can do the D-Day beaches as day trip from Paris, hope that more experienced posters will chip in. Overall Paris and Normandy requires much more time than Gent/Brugge. There are so many things to do there. No offense to Gent or Brugge.

StuDudley

You really have 8 1/2 days in Europe, and you'll loose 1/4 to 1/2 days in travel/hotel check-out&in from Paris to Ghent. You will also loose 1/4 day getting to Bruges, and around 1/2 - 3/4 days in getting to the Normandy beaches (assuming you take a guided tour originating in Paris & don't "do it on your own"). If you add all this up - you have only around 7 days to "see things".

We've spent around 4 months in Paris & 1 1/2 days in Ghent - which is a good ratio, IMO. If you really only want to "sniff the air", I think 6-7 nights in Paris and 2-3 in Ghent would be a good distribution. Only do day-trips on your last day in Ghent if you feel that you have "seen enough" of Ghent.

Stu Dudley

StuDudley

PS.

I would not do the Normandy day trip. Too time consuming.

Stu Dudley

Michael

6/3 is better than 5/4 even without a side trip to Normandy. We stayed in a nice B&B in Ghent, but that was a long time ago. I mention it in our trip report; click on my name to find it.

Kathie

I think you need to nix the "day trip" to Normandy. While there are companies that offer such a tour, it will be a day on a bus, not much time to see the sights in Normandy. There are plenty of closer places to go from Paris if you can tear yourselves away.

I'd divide my time 6 nights in Paris, 3 in Ghent.

WoinParis

6 and 3.
Gent is gorgeous but Paris is unbeatable.

janisj

I agree 6/3 . . . which will actually be 5.5 and 2.5

A day trip to Normandy is possible but would be a long/tiring day and quite regimented.

IMO you need to decide which is more important - Normandy or Belgium.

You could do an over night trip to Normandy and then just do Ghent for 2 nights. But that would only give you one day really so no time for a day trip to Bruges.

nytraveler

More time inParis. Ghent can be seen in a day as can Brugge (which is where I would stay) and so can Brussels. So definitely 6/3.

Christina

I've done Normandy beaches as a day trip from Paris, it is perfectly do-able and isn't any longer a day than when you sightsee only in Paris, at least for me. Maybe a bit but the last couple hours are just returning by train, so not arduous, you get back for a normal dinner time, presuming you don't dine real early. I guess I have more energy than some above, as it wasn't any more tiring than sightseeing anywhere else would be, why would it be.

It is not an entire day on a bus. Mine was in a small van as the tour only had about 6 people, but that was only to get between the sites, which is no different than you personally driving a car between sites. What difference does it make if you travel by car or minivan. I think some people don't know you can get to Bayeux by train and presume you are going by bus from Paris, which you are not. Maybe some do that, but anyone can go there by train and choose from a couple companies that have half day tours out of Bayeux.

I just took the train to Bayeux in the morning from Paris, got there around 10:30 am, probably, then I had time to walk around Bayeux a bit, see the tapestry for an hour or so, have lunch, and then meet up with the minivan tour at a central point around 1 pm. The tour of various sites (Omaha landing beach, Am cemetery, etc) was the rest of the day and I was returned to the train station directly to get my train back to Paris which was around 6:15 pm, as I recall. So I was back in Paris for dinner. I used Normandy Sightseeing tours and they were fantastic, the guide was a local and really good.

Trains that return from Bayeux at the time of day (6:15 or 6:30 pm are direct from Bayeux to Paris (going I hd to change at Caen), so you get back into Paris St Lazare around 8:30 pm.

This is the tour I took http://www.normandy-sightseeing-tour...aha-beach.html

I believe there is another company that some people like, also, that has similar tours, Overlord. http://www.overlordtour.com/overlordtour-tour-1.html

StCirq

Sure, you can do the Normandy Beaches from Paris in a day. You can also do NYC from DC in a day - do you want to? That's another question. Will you get anything out of it? That's another question. Wouldn't be my choice, for sure

Ghent is like a 1* on the radar of Europe. Paris is a 5*. I would certainly sacrifice a few days in Ghent (and even Brugges and Brussels) to spend more time in Paris.

Sue4

I'll be going to Paris and Belgium in May for 15 days (that doesn't include the 2 travel days to and from the US. I'm also trying to figure out how long to stay in Belgium. I've decided to base in Bruges for 3 or 4 days, as I want to possibly do an all day Flanders Fields Tour. I definitely want to see Ghent too, and maybe some highlights of Brussels. So 3/4 days probably isn't enough for everything I want to do, and I will probably do at least 5.

But taking days away from Paris is very hard! And I've been there many times in the past, sometimes for two weeks at a time. I've never been to Belgium, and this trip will probably be my only trip there, as I'm getting way up there in age.

I'm assuming you and your fiancé are probably young, and hopefully you have many years ahead for travel. Paris is the most beautiful, romantic city in the world, and if this is your first trip there, I would just stick to Paris! There is so much to do there, and wonderful closer daytrips from there. But that's just me, and I've
always liked to travel at a slower pace. But anyway, as most on here have said, give Paris more days than Ghent, for sure.

Michael

<i> I've decided to base in Bruges for 3 or 4 days, as I want to possibly do an all day Flanders Fields Tour. I definitely want to see Ghent too, and maybe some highlights of Brussels.</i>

I found that Ghent was more convenient as a hub for day trips than Bruges, although that might not apply to the tour you are anticipating.

Sue4

Michael, the tours I'm interested in depart from Bruges - Belgium Countryside and Flanders Fields, both by Quasimodo Tours. Besides, I've always wanted to see Bruges and would rather have some time there after the day trip tour buses have departed. But Ghent sounds great too, for the churches, Altarpiece, etc. Actually, I might spend a night or two in Ghent also, to have the opportunity to wander around.
I do have enough time, but have to decide to do that or have more days in Paris.

joannyc

Good choice, Sue4.

jonescm128

Christina - you are correct that we can take a train from Paris and it's only about two hours. Yes, that's about 4 hours total but the D-Day tour is kind of non negotiable as I am a huge history buff and have had family members storm those very beaches. However, based on everything you have all said it sounds like 6/3 would be much better. That is what I was leaning towards but just wanted some opinions from people that have been to both.

Thanks everyone!

WoinParis

I've never done the Flanders tour (WW1 I mean).
Yet I've got a friend whose father would unearth remnants of WW1 when plowing his fields. Strange that one is not really a tourist in his own country.

If you're a history buff a one-day trip to Normandy will leave you unsatisfied. I have read thousands of books on the subject and spent 2-3 days last I was in Normandy (for the third or fourth time) and couldn't see half of what I wanted to see.

janisj

I was posting just as the site went down for maintenance . . . and then WoinParis posted something similar.

If you have relatives who landed on DDay, I would really REALLY try to squeeze in at least an overnight trip to Normandy.

My Dad (DDay + 6) was in the Battle of the Bulge and last year I was able to take three days to explore the Ardennes a bit. Even found the very farm where my Dad's platoon was hunkered down under fire for 3 days. It was one f the most moving experiences of my life.

If you had family who participated in DDay, you will want time to walk in their footsteps and breathe the air -- not dash about on a rushed day tour from Paris.

Just my 2¢

StuDudley

It took us 1 3/4 days to visit the Caen Museum, Pegasus Bridge & museum, Arromanches & museum, Bayeux museum & tapestry, plus Ohama Beach & cemetery, and Pointe du Hoc. We were with my WWII FIL who went through this area a month after the invasion. We got to the Caen museum at 9 when it opened and finished the first day around 6PM. Then another 3/4 day the next day at Ste Mere Eglise & museum, & other stuff. We did not make it to Utah Beach. We were there for around 13-15 hours. A 4 1/2 hour visit would not be "satisfying" enough for me - or my FIL.

Stu Dudley

jonescm128

Yeah it seems as though a half-day touring Normandy would not nearly be enough. I planned on taking the train from Paris, doing a half day tour, and then returning. That would be about 4 hours of travel and 4 hours of touring. I may just have to save my Normandy stop for another trip as I do not want to take multiple days away from Paris.