sformby

Hello all. I have been planning a 10 night trip to Oxford/London/Normandy/Paris for over a year, and I think I need some help. Here's where the itinerary stands now, the trip is in late Feb 2013. We have been to both London and Paris before, but never to Oxford or Normandy. I am wondering if I am giving enough time to see the D-Day sights and some of the French countryside. I am wondering if I should take a day from Oxford or skip London in order to give 1 more day to Bayeux. I was trying to break up the train travel into chunks, rather than try to get all the way from England to Bayeux in one exhausting day.

Any advice appreciated. I am driving my husband insane asking his opinion!

Day 1: Oxford Arrive Heathrow, train or bus to Oxford.
Day 2: Oxford - College siteseeing
Day 3: Oxford - Blenheim palace
Day 4: London - Train from Oxford to London. Tickets to see a play that night (Helen Mirren!).
Day 5: Paris - Eurostar from London to Paris in AM. Sightseeing.
Day 6: Bayeux - Train from Paris to Caen. Pickup rental car. See Caen Museum on the way to Bayeux.
Day 7: Bayeux- Guided D-Day tour
Day 8: Bayeux - Tour around cider country (Pays d'Auge) in car
Day 9: Paris - Drop car in Caen, train to Paris
Day 10: Paris - Paris sightseeing
Day 11: Early flight home

gh21

On day 5, instead of going to Paris for 1 night and then training to Caen, you may consider getting off Eurostar in Calais or Lille in northern France and driving to Caen and Bayeaux from there. You would have an oppty to see more of the countryside.

Southam

You don't need a car to see Caen and its museum, or to get to Bayeux for the guided tour. Pick it up in Bayeux for a day to tour on your own.

gh21

Having researched Caen and Bayeaux for our visit there last Oct, the rental car options are extremely limited in Bayeaux. There are many rental options across the street from the Caen train station. The Caen museum is about a 15-20 min drive from the station. We rented a car and drove--I don't know if there are buses that run to the museum.

gh21

While the parking options in Bayeaux are limited, there is at least one FREE parking lot a few blocks (10 min walk) from the main area of Bayeaux where we stayed. Your hotel can direct you there.

sformby

Well, I think we'll probably pick up the car in Caen. Rental choices in Bayeux are slim.

Scootoir

We stayed at the Hotel Churchill on two visits to Bayeux--first chose it for the large parking lot adjoining it but really liked the hotel.

sformby

Well, the Hotel Churchill is actually closed for all of Feburary, mores the pity. We are staying at the Hôtel d'Argouges which does have a parking lot.

mamcalice

We enjoyed the Hotel Argouges. I also suggest leaving the Eurostar in Caen, thus avoiding the need to backtrack from Paris. It will also give you extra time in Paris at the end of your trip.

Gretchen

We stayed in the Hotel Bayeux with a secure car park included. It is 5 minutes from the Tapestry and 5 minutes from the cathedral, sort of on the edge of town so VERY easy to leave and do the tour of the beaches.

Mimar

Much as I enjoyed our drive around the Pays d'Auge, I don't think it will be as pleasant in February. Normandy gets a lot of rain and wind. You might consider visiting Rouen instead. More indoor sights and 3 striking Gothic churches in the center.

And don't skip the Bayeux Tapestry. It's surprisingly interesting, a long historical cartoon.

Gretchen

And if you go to Rouen do at least see the Impressionist wing of the Musee des Beaux Artes. We really loved it. And a big yes to the Tapestry.
We enjoyed the fromageries of teh area, and calvados tasting.

sformby

For those who have been to Bayeux and to see the D-Day sights, is 3 nights in Bayeux sufficient, or should I add a night and take one from Paris? I'm sure we will be back to see Paris again, but this may be our only shot at Normandy.

Gretchen

I think 3 days in Bayeux is enough--we did it, tacking on some time in rouen and Honfleur and driving around the countryside. We saw Pegasus Bridge on the way to Bayeux, but not the British beaches
We started up at St. Mere Eglise and came down the coast. Did some beaches the next day. and had another day for the Tapestry. The Michelin Green Guide to Normandy gives some very good ''tours''. We did Omaha, Pointe du Hoc, Arromanches, the American Cemetery, and maybe Utah. I don't think you need to "do" all of them, but these are all a bit different, with different strategies. A lot to learn, and a lot to be amazed at.
We drove back to Paris via Chartres and returned the car at Orly, which is quite easy.

waterdog

In March we took the train from Paris To Bayeux. Stayed in the Hotel Villa Lara, (sister hotel to the Churchill). We stayed four nights. Did tours of D-Day sites, and Mont St. Michel, then rented a car to explore the area including Honfleur. Returned the car in Bayeux and took the train back to Paris. We did not get to Caen which would have been nice had we stayed another day.

StCirq

I've been to Normandy at least half a dozen times. On trips where I wanted to concentrate on the WWII sites, 3 nights was sufficient. But Normandy is a huge place, and if you want to explore the whole of it, it merits a much longer stay. Given your time constraints, though, I think 3 nights in Bayeux works.But don't miss the tapestry and the Mémorial in Caen (which will eat up half a day).

sformby

Thank you all for your input. My idea is to pickup the car in Caen, go straight to the Caen Museum that day, then check-in to hotel in Bayeux. The next day would be a full-day guided tour of the D-Day sights with Victory Tours (husband's bucket list). That just leaves one day to tour around the Pays d'Auge (more my thing). There's not much wiggle room to see much else, probably just the Cathedral and Tapestry.

St. Cirq, I'm worried that my husband will feel cheated if we don't take the time to visit some of the smaller D-Day museums, as the guided tour doesn't take the time to let you go inside. So really, I guess the question is, is a full-day guided tour plus the Caen Museum going to be enough to satisfy a WWI buff? I guess we could do that on the final morning, then head to the Pays d'Auge in the afternoon...

Waterdog, the Villa Lara looks amazing...too bad it is closed in February.

Gretchen, were you flying out of Orly? I would love to see Chartres, but that may be a bridge too far.

The only day I can steal from to add to Bayeux would be that first day in Paris. I'd would drop London, but we already have those theatre tickets and the husband is looking forward to it. I have a free night at Renaissance Vendome on Day 5. Even if I lumped the three nights together in Paris at the end of the trip, I would still have to change hotels.

The pacing of trips is always my sticking point!

Gretchen

No, but Orly was a good place to drop the car and a short taxi ride into Paris to our hotel.
As for the smaller DDay museums, do not think twice about NOT seeing them. There just SO many little crossroads museums. There is a LOT of repetition in the museums, I think. We liked the one at St. Mere Eglise because it dealt with the parachuters. the one at Arromanches is WONderful for explaiing that floating harbor--really an engineering miracle.
Others are full of memorabilia, but after 2 or 3, it is redundant. And if you do the Caen museum, you will have even more.
You have said DH wants the guided tour. We really found more than enough to do on our own in 2 days
You've gotten a little more wiggle room by getting off the train in northern France rather than Paris.
We had 6 days to meander, but did find 3 enough for Bayeux.
The Cathedral at Bayeux is very interesting, but it won't demand a long time.
Be sure to eat at Petit Bistro in Bayeux. Make reservations.

carolyn

Yes, Yes! Petit Bistro gave me the best meal I had in France.

sformby

Thanks all for your replies. I have just a few weeks to get everything nailed down!