LOire Valley OR Normandy or both for 5 nights?
 

Hello All,
I am traveling from Sept1-12th to France and Venice. So far I have planed that we will arrive in Paris , pick up a rental, spend Sept 1-6th in Normandy/Loire Valley. Then we wpend 3 nights in Paris, fly from Paris to Venice where we spend 3 nights and then come home.

I need help with the first portion of my itineray. I have already booked the hotels in Paris ( Familia) and Venice ( Antico Fiore).
My boyfriend really wants to spend a few days in Normandy, as he is a WW11 buff.

My thoughts are..pick up th rental car at the airport. Spend the first night in Rouen ( we do not want to drive too far!). Then spend two nights in either Honfleur or Bayeux. Then drive to Loire Valley and spend two nights in either Amboise or Tours.

Any suggestioons or comments are appreciated. Is it too much to do Loire and Normandy in 5 nights? Hotel/restaurant recommendations?

Thank you! I love this site and this is my first post!

It's possible to do both the Loire and Normandy in your time frame but, personally, I don't think it's really desirable.

Each region has enough to see to keep you fully occupied for the full 5 days on it's own and you'll then be able to spend more time enjoying the region itself rather than travelling between.

I like both regions though I find more to do in the Loire. Normandy would offer more related to your boyfriend's WWII interests but the Loire is also full of history. I also find the Loire more scenic than Normandy but both have their breathtaking views.

I'm sure you'll enjoy whichever region you select.

Take the train to Rouen instead of driving when you're tired--you can pick the car up there at the train station.

In Bayeux I suggest a private château B&B, the Château de Cottun; I think the owner is an American, and the château has one of the best web sites I've seen--lots and lots of information and links for the area. A double is around 100€ for the night, and there's a pool.

If you spend 3 days in Normandy and 2 in the Loire Valley you will get a taste of each.

Here is another vote for taking the train to Rouen and picking up the rental car there, spending three nights in the Normandy area and two in the Loire.

We trained from Paris to Rouen to pick up our rental car in Rouen on our trip in 2000. The train ride from Paris to Rouen was wonderfully scenic and atmospheric.

We then drove from Rouen to Honfleur via the beautiful Route of the Abbeys, including a stop at at Jumieges, ending with one night in the charming town of Honfleur, after crossing the spectacular Le Pont de Normandie Bridge.

In the morning, we left early for the WWII museum at Caen and were there when the doors opened at by 9:00, with the rest of the day spent on the D-Day beaches. There are not words to describe the experience of visiting the monuments,the cemetery, and the landmarks at and near the beaches.

We spent two nights in Bayeux. The cathedral there is one of my favorites in all of Europe. Of course, one must see the tapestry at Bayeux that documents the Norman conquest.

Our drive from Bayeux through the Loire was magical, still one on my favorite travel memories. We stayed in Blois, about a four-hour drive from Bayeux (through Falaise, the setting of the famous WWI battle at the Falaise gap), with day trips to Chateaux Chenonceau and Chambord. Heading back to Paris, we swung by Chartres to see the famous stained glass windows.

You'll be left wanting more, but figure you'll be back someday!

Just a minor correction, Mary Fran. I'm sure you meant to write of the famous World War II battle at Falaise (August 1944).

To take the train to Rouen you would need to go into Paris, an unneeded expense of money and time. Renting at CDG and heading north is quite easy since CDG is on the north side of Paris. Just get good directions from the car rental desk for getting on the road you want. You can even stop off at Giverney on the way to Rouen. We drove up the scenic road along the Seine also. Your time is "doable" but very rushed in my opinion. Rouen has a very nice museum. Going on toward Honfleur there is a scenic road up in the high hills that traces a string of medieval abbeys. Honfleur is very picturesque for a night--then Bayeux and the D-Day beaches. Personally I would add a day or so to Paris--3 days is a very short time for that great city. Car rental return for Paris is easy at Orly--then a taxi into town. Be SURE to get the very detailed Michelin maps of the areas you will be driving. If you return to Orly, Chartres is "on the way". Or you could even return the car at Chartres and train into Paris. When we did this the rate was less to return the car at the airports. We rented from AutoEurope--excellent service.
I also recommend getting the Michelin Green Guide to Normandy (and Loire, if you decide to do that). They give excellent little "tours" of scenic roads.

On your way from Paris to Rouen (assuming that you rent a car to go there), I would advise a stop at "Les Andelys" to visit the impressive ruins of the medieval "Chateau-Gaillard" castle, above the Seine river.

All of the above advice is excellent. We just returned from Normandy, and if your boyfriend's interest is WWII, then Bayeux, rather than Honfleur, is the logical choice as your overnight base. From there in one day you can see Arromanches with the remains of the British artificial port (plus a fine little museum), Longues sur Mer with the German gun emplacements, Omaha Beach and the U.S. cemetery, and Pointe du Hoc and the remarkable crater-pocked landscapes. It's a lot, but definitely doable in a day from Bayeux.

Thanks for asking the question. We're planning a trip in the same time frame and the responses are very informative.