London-Paris-Normandy
Mar 17th, 2016, 01:02 PM
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London-Paris-Normandy
What's the best way to get from London to Normandy? We are planning a trip to France for a couple of weeks and wanted to start in Normandy. We were thinking of basing in Bayeux, renting a car there and spending a few days in that area before driving to the Loire Valley, probably basing in Tours), then train back to Paris for a week or just shy of it. Any suggestions for the least cost prohibitive options?
Mar 17th, 2016, 01:27 PM
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Mar 17th, 2016, 02:14 PM
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Ferries from Portsmouth go to Oustreham, the port of Caen and very close to Bayeux- I've taken the overnight boat but they have daytime sailings on fast boats in just a few hours I believe - book early on the official site jamikins gave for cheaper tickets- some services go to Cherbourg which is fine too - pick up car there and it's an easy drive to Bayeux- the Channel route is fine if renting a car in Calais-Frethun the Channel train first stop in France (only a few trains go there) - not sure if there are rentals at the Frethun station if not it's a bother a bit going into Calais.
If you have time the drive from Calais to Bayeux can be fun - stop in Trouville or Deauville or Honfleur - all sweet seaside towns.
Flying of course would be faster all in all but crossing the Channel by ferry or the Channel Tunnel Rail Link is neat. You can also fly perhaps to Caen or Cherbourg.
A side note: I wonder if the use of the word Chunnel will raise the usual hackles from Brits as it often does? Brits detest the word for some reason though to many Americans it is what we call it but was actually coined by a British paper I believe.
If you have time the drive from Calais to Bayeux can be fun - stop in Trouville or Deauville or Honfleur - all sweet seaside towns.
Flying of course would be faster all in all but crossing the Channel by ferry or the Channel Tunnel Rail Link is neat. You can also fly perhaps to Caen or Cherbourg.
A side note: I wonder if the use of the word Chunnel will raise the usual hackles from Brits as it often does? Brits detest the word for some reason though to many Americans it is what we call it but was actually coined by a British paper I believe.
Mar 17th, 2016, 06:46 PM
#8
Depending on your dates, you might find a flight from London Southend (SEN) to Caen (CFR). According to Skyscanner, Flybe has some $56 o/w fares in June. I don't know if there are car rental offices in Bayeux, but I know there are some in Caen.
Or switch the itinerary order and fly London Stansted to Tours. Skyscanner shows Ryanair fares for $78 in June.
Or switch the itinerary order and fly London Stansted to Tours. Skyscanner shows Ryanair fares for $78 in June.
Mar 18th, 2016, 07:20 AM
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PalenQ - have never heard any american say Chunnel - although you can;t seem to give it up. Everyone I know says eurostar or channel train.>
do you know how ridiculous this statement is - look above - aliced first used it here - an American no doubt - I have stopped using it just because of knee-jerk reactions like yours - now have you heard any other American use it - again read aliced post above - I was only raising it because she used it first. Duh!
do you know how ridiculous this statement is - look above - aliced first used it here - an American no doubt - I have stopped using it just because of knee-jerk reactions like yours - now have you heard any other American use it - again read aliced post above - I was only raising it because she used it first. Duh!
Mar 18th, 2016, 09:49 AM
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I suspect Calais probably has the best selection of cars between the three choices.>
Not sure why that would be so - (don't know really) but most non-French transiting thru Calais would be Brits with their own cars - very few foreigners would start a car trip in Calais but being a fairly large city perhaps so.
I would chose the rental place based on where you want to drive - and the drive from Calais to Bayeux does go thru some neat cities and coastlines. Otherwise it is a fairly long slog if you want to go straight thru.
Not sure why that would be so - (don't know really) but most non-French transiting thru Calais would be Brits with their own cars - very few foreigners would start a car trip in Calais but being a fairly large city perhaps so.
I would chose the rental place based on where you want to drive - and the drive from Calais to Bayeux does go thru some neat cities and coastlines. Otherwise it is a fairly long slog if you want to go straight thru.
Mar 19th, 2016, 06:18 AM
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Thanks for all the information everyone! I have a couple more questions, if you'll indulge me. In the Loire Valley, what chateaux would you recommend seeing (we will have about 3 days there)? I'm trying to determine where to base - Tours, Amboise or Orleans.
Mar 19th, 2016, 09:14 AM
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I like to base in a smaller town for easier ingress/egress. We stayed in Amboise several years ago and loved it.
Here's another thread on this question:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ire-valley.cfm
Here's another thread on this question:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ire-valley.cfm
Mar 19th, 2016, 10:12 AM
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I'm trying to determine where to base - Tours, Amboise or Orleans.>
Definite No to Orleans - far away from most of the famous chateaus and a town with horrible traffic and not an extraordinary town (I've lived there off and on for spells for years) - Tours is a big town with traffic problems too
Amboise is great smaller town and short drive to Chenonceau and Chambord and Azay-le-Rideau - my three favorite chateaus as well as Chaumont and it has its own really neat chateau as well as the Clos Luce, where an over-the-hill Leonardo da vinci spent his dying days - a mini-estate re-creations of some of his major innovations are on display.
Chinon is also a really nice town and it is close to Usse, Villandry and Azay-le-Rideau and has its own diminuitive chateau (hosting a museum to Joan of Arc)
Definite No to Orleans - far away from most of the famous chateaus and a town with horrible traffic and not an extraordinary town (I've lived there off and on for spells for years) - Tours is a big town with traffic problems too
Amboise is great smaller town and short drive to Chenonceau and Chambord and Azay-le-Rideau - my three favorite chateaus as well as Chaumont and it has its own really neat chateau as well as the Clos Luce, where an over-the-hill Leonardo da vinci spent his dying days - a mini-estate re-creations of some of his major innovations are on display.
Chinon is also a really nice town and it is close to Usse, Villandry and Azay-le-Rideau and has its own diminuitive chateau (hosting a museum to Joan of Arc)
Mar 19th, 2016, 10:17 AM
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http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ise-france.cfm
a just posted and superb trip report on Amboise and castles around it.
a just posted and superb trip report on Amboise and castles around it.
Mar 20th, 2016, 02:42 PM
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Again, many thanks for your reponses! In terms of getting to Normandy from London, the most cost effective route seems to be Eurostar from London to Paris, then train or Oui bus to Rouen where we might overnight or spend a couple of days. Does this make sense?
Mar 20th, 2016, 03:54 PM
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Check the Brittany Ferries link provided by Jamikins above. We found a very cost effective and time-effective route by taking the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to St. Malo, France. We booked a stateroom so we could sleep after dinner but see they have many variations on sleeping arrangements (big reclining chairs, for example) and showers on board the ferry. Either way, the ferry provided our transportation plus one night's lodging. We pick up the rental car at the ferry port in St. Malo.
In our case, we wanted to tour Sussex and Kent before going to France and we wanted to fly back from Paris at the end. We also wanted to see Mont St. Michel in Brittany which we were able to do the morning of our arrival and before the crowds arrived. We then drove to Bayeux where we stayed for our Normandy excursions. The overnight ferry was wonderful and we didn't lose precious daylight hours using trains, day ferries or flying.
We didn't go to the Loire Valley on that trip so drove north from Normandy for a night in Honfleur (wonderful!) and then on to Giverny before going to Paris. If you do want to see Deauville or Honfleur then coming in at Calais or Cherborg might be better.
As to the Loire Valley - we saw those that begin with the letter "C" (Chenenceau, Chambord, Chaumont) on a 3 day driving tour from Paris on a different trip and loved them all. Villandry and Azay-le-Rideau look wonderful too but we did not have time for them on that trip. We also loved the town of Amboise and DaVinci's home at Clos Luce. The city of Blois was also nice. We had seen the cathedral at Chartres on our way down from Paris so headed from the Loire Valley to overnight in Fountainbleu, after which returned the rental care to CDG for the flight home.
If you use up almost a week in Paris and then have only 8 - 9 days for Normandy plus the Loire Valley, you may have to make some choices to fit it all in. Have fun.
In our case, we wanted to tour Sussex and Kent before going to France and we wanted to fly back from Paris at the end. We also wanted to see Mont St. Michel in Brittany which we were able to do the morning of our arrival and before the crowds arrived. We then drove to Bayeux where we stayed for our Normandy excursions. The overnight ferry was wonderful and we didn't lose precious daylight hours using trains, day ferries or flying.
We didn't go to the Loire Valley on that trip so drove north from Normandy for a night in Honfleur (wonderful!) and then on to Giverny before going to Paris. If you do want to see Deauville or Honfleur then coming in at Calais or Cherborg might be better.
As to the Loire Valley - we saw those that begin with the letter "C" (Chenenceau, Chambord, Chaumont) on a 3 day driving tour from Paris on a different trip and loved them all. Villandry and Azay-le-Rideau look wonderful too but we did not have time for them on that trip. We also loved the town of Amboise and DaVinci's home at Clos Luce. The city of Blois was also nice. We had seen the cathedral at Chartres on our way down from Paris so headed from the Loire Valley to overnight in Fountainbleu, after which returned the rental care to CDG for the flight home.
If you use up almost a week in Paris and then have only 8 - 9 days for Normandy plus the Loire Valley, you may have to make some choices to fit it all in. Have fun.
Mar 21st, 2016, 10:59 AM
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as noted above there are also overnight ferries Portsmouth to Oustreham (Caen) - much closer to Bayeux than St Malo - and there are several few-hour catamaran services I think that also can be very cheap.
One overnight ferry I took there was so rough many folks got sick - daytime smaller boats are more immune I believe from the effects of the occasional rough seas.
One overnight ferry I took there was so rough many folks got sick - daytime smaller boats are more immune I believe from the effects of the occasional rough seas.
Mar 21st, 2016, 12:04 PM
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planfrance on Mar 21, 16 at 12:42am
"Again, many thanks for your reponses! In terms of getting to Normandy from London, the most cost effective route seems to be Eurostar from London to Paris, then train or Oui bus to Rouen where we might overnight or spend a couple of days. Does this make sense?"
Yes, I was going to suggest that. It makes more sense logistically to start your trip in Paris.
"Again, many thanks for your reponses! In terms of getting to Normandy from London, the most cost effective route seems to be Eurostar from London to Paris, then train or Oui bus to Rouen where we might overnight or spend a couple of days. Does this make sense?"
Yes, I was going to suggest that. It makes more sense logistically to start your trip in Paris.
