cat111719

SO and I are leaving in October for a trip to France, to visit Normandy and Paris. Some of the details I have set but some are still up in the air and I would be open to suggestions! Thanks!

We will arrive at CGD on Thursday, Oct. 2, at which point we will be renting a car to drive to Normandy. We had considered taking a train part way and renting a car but after reading some other posts, I think we will pick up the car in CDG instead.

Our first stop is a small B & B called La Thiaumèrie, near St. Lo, halfway between the two small towns of Tessy-sur-Vire and Torigini-sur-Vire, close to the N174. We will stay there for two nights. We are using that as a base from which to visit Mont St. Michel, Ste. Mere Eglise and also just to relax.

After that we move on to Bayeux, where we arrive Saturday, October 4th, for four nights. One of the things we for sure want to do is to take the Battlebus tour. We are both huge WWII fans but I think we are only going to do the one day American highlights tour. I am trying to figure out the best day to take it. Saturday is out as that is when we arrive. That leaves Sun, Mon, or Tues. We have a car and really want time to explore the region, especially for the Calvados and the cheeses, and possibly some markets, if there are any. And of course, we plan on seeing the Tapestry. Any idea how long we should plan for that?

We will then leave Wed. morning so spend the day and night in Chartres. We don't have a hotel booked yet and will just leave that to chance unless someone has a stellar, not to be missed location that they'd like to share.

So that brings us to Thursday, October 9th. Debating whether it would be easier to return rental car to CDG and take a taxi into Paris, or someone suggested on another post returning car to Orly. Is that because it is a cheaper/ easier trip into Paris? We will be staying in the Latin Quarter, at Hotel Les Degres de Notre Dame. Once in Paris, we know what to do, as we were there two years ago.

Some more questions - someone mentioned making sure we hit Giverny. I believe we arrive in Paris around 11am. After renting the car, would we have enough time to visit it that first day or should we hit it on our way back into Paris? How much time would you recommend?

Does anyone have favorite places for oysters in that region? That is one of our favorite foods, and I heard they were really exceptional there.

Once in Paris, the one mandatory thing is a visit to a restaurant called La Cave de l'Os à Moëlle. We went there last visit and it was a definite highlight. Has anyone been there lately? Is it still wonderful?

That is about it. I'm sure I included way too much detail, but I figured it is better than not enough, when asking for suggestions. If there is any must see that I am overlooking, please recommend!

Thanks, everyone!!!

tod

Hi cat- We went for the best deal in Chartre and a leisurely walk up to the cathedral - The Ibis.

Normandy:
Hope you get to glimpse Avranches.
This town was rescued by non other than General George C. Scott.....errrr, make that General Paton! A monument in grateful thanks is in evidence and the hotel we stayed at was.........The George Paton Hotel!

Bayeux:
The tapestry is awesome and can only be viewed in a special light setting. Give yourselves a good hour. Do some research so you can pick out the special scenes in it.

Mont St.Michel: The eating on the Mount is waaaaaay overpriced and pretty awful. Maybe a coffee and a snack will do until you get back over the causeway.

One reccommendation for Paris eating:
Le Vin Sobre,
25 Rue Feuillantines,75005.

They have a website but I must tell you that the picture of the place is nothing like it is today! It's much much nicer...lovely service, lovely food.

Have a very nice trip!

annhig

Hi cat,

I've not been to Normandy much, but I think that this would apply to any area in France - do the WWll tour on Monday. most places shut in France on Monday, so it's the quietest day, even more so than sunday, IME.

have a great trip,

regards, ann

cat111719

Ann, thank you! That is a great suggestion!

Tod, I will definitely look into Avranches. As for Chartres, since we will just be there for the one night, I am hoping for a place with a view of the Cathedral at night. And I had heard that about the food on Mont St. Michel. That may be a day we get oysters near the coast.

And though I said we would be visiting Ste. Mere Eglise the first part, we may hit that while we are in Bayeux instead.

We really are trying to go at a leisurely pace rahter that a frenetic must see everything pace, especially in Paris. We will probably get the Batobus pass (we did that before and loved it) as there is a stop right near our hotel. Probably will do the three day plus bus pass.

Thanks for the tips! Keep them coming!

tod

Cat - Here is the Le Vin Sobre link:

http://tinyurl.com/6zydc4

Well, I hope it works!

Intex

If you visit Chartres, make sure to take the English speaking tour with Malcolm Miller at 12:00 or 2:45. No reservations needed, just show up in front of the gift store inside the Cathedral.

I took it today, and by far he was the most interesting guide of any I have taken in the past 30 years!

bratsandbeer

We stayed at La Jacotiere b&b one mile N from Mont ST Michel on D75.
A few miles further, on D75, is a restaurant. The owner of La Jacotiere recommended this as a place for dinner. It was so good that we went back the next night. Their omelettes were fantastic.

I am not sure if it was open for lunch or only dinner. The prices were reasonable.

If you would like more information I can email the b&b and inquire.

cat111719

Tod, that restaurant looks perfect, just our style! Was that a zinc bar?

Intex, I have heard that before about Malcom but I would have forgotten all about it. Thanks for the reminder!

Brats, if you could give more info, that would be great. We are both such foodies, I don't want to miss out on a good recommendation!

Mamaw

tod has hit it on the head. Any food selections at MSM are awful. I didn't indulge but quite a few from our group did, what a waste of money.

Where are you staying at in Bayeux? Check out Churchill Hotel. It is a beautiful hotel. Free parking, Breakfast included with room. Super nice owners and they can arrange tours of the beaches. And you can pick up snacks water etc right next to the hotel.

And the tapestry is one of the most interesting exhibits we visited. The details are amazing.

I'm so excited for you both. Have a wonderful time.

Theresa in Detroit

cat111719

Thanks, Teresa. We are so excited. This will be the first trip that we have taken together that didn't either have a sporting event attached to it or someone at home so sick that we didn't know if we would be able to last the whole trip. Knock on wood!!!

The hotel we are staying in Bayeux looks lovely and so far, the proprietor has been very friendly and helpful. It is called Logis Les Remparts
http://www.lecornu.fr/homeEN.html

It seems just our style. We really like quaint over fancy and they make their own Calvados, I believe.

swisshiker

Hi cat

One teeny tiny hint when visiting the Bayeux Tapestry.

Visit their displays/museum (whatever it's called) and see the movie BEFORE visiting the room with the tapestry.

It gives you a much clearer picture of the whole battle so you appreciate the tapestry that much more.

Truly.

swisshiker

Oh, forgot to mention about the car.

We picked up our car at CDG (then went on our merry way outside the city for a couple weeks), and then returned it to the Gare de Lyon station (and we stayed in the Latin Quarter).

We did not want to return it to the airport as it is a ways out of the city proper. Much better for us to return it within the city. (DH left us off near our apartment, then he went and dropped car off, then walked to apartment afterwards.)

Happy travels!

cat111719

Swisshiker, how was it driving into the Latin Quarter? I think we are close to Gare de Lyon. We are in the 5th Arrd. near Notre Dame.

MomDDTravel

Cat just wanted to say have a fabulous time! We will be across the pond at the same time

swisshiker

Our arrival into Paris was from the direction of the Bayeux area, as that is where we had spent the previous couple nights.

Our car (National Car) was equipped with an in-dash GPS. We had programmed it for the "most direct" route to our apartment in the Latin Quarter.

The closer to Paris we got, the more nervous I got. DH was driving, I was navigating, along with our GPS. HAHAHAHA!! Me navigating thru Paris? Right. (These are times that either make or break a marriage, lol!)

Well, our little GPS gave us the scenic tour of our lives, passing by what I think was every major monument in Paris. In the middle of Saturday traffic, we had quite a trip! (Remember Chevy Chase's European Vacation, going round and round the roundabout? Yup, that was us. Laughable now, not then...)

But our saving grace was that we had the Notre Dame as our landmark. Our apartment was just over the bridge from this cathedral, so once we had that in sight, it was easy (I say).

DH dropped us off in a bus zone at the entrance to our street (rue St. Severin, directly across from the church). Then he buzzed off, returned the car, walked back to the apartment, and we were done with the car.

I think it took him about 30 or so minutes to take the car back and get to the apartment by foot. Not bad.

One suggestion is don't rely solely on your GPS. Take a good, hard look at google maps or other online mapping system, scroll in as close as you can so you get a good feel for your immediate neighborhood (one-way streets especially). Then print those maps out and have them with you. That really helped us.

After our week in Paris, on our day of departure we took the RER; a direct 30 or so minute ride from the Cluny Metro, just around the corner from our apartment. Easy as pie!

Happy travels!

cat111719

Oh swiss, we should have talked about this at the GTG! When we were in France two years ago, we drove and it was hilarious! We were in a relatively calm area so it wasn't too bad but it was so funny because I had googled all the directions but trying to read street signs going around traffic circles , well, it was just too funny! I know for a fact that if I had been with my ex husband, we never would have lated the rip, but SO and I are pretty much able to laugh through that kind of stuff. I'm going to work out the route today and see how feasible it is.

Where did you stay? It sounds so close to where we stay in Paris, as we could just walk across the bridge to Notre Dame.

swisshiker

Oh yes, cat, it is VERY difficult to read all the names on the street signs. I remember one of our first driving trips, we thought the arrow on the right, pointing left, meant to go left.

Oh no no. That arrow means to keep going around.

It's the arrow on the left pointing right that means go right.

And then there's the signposts with 4 or 5 signs on each, and each sign has 3 or 4 names. Oy vey!!!

Our apartment was basically at the intersection of Rue Saint Severin and Rue Saint Jacques, just 2 blocks past the Petit Pont. Superb location.

Fodorite018

Cat, we took the one day Battlebus tour last summer and absolutely loved it! This was 3 women even. DD who was 16, myself, and my mother. We were kicking ourselves for not doing the 2 day tour, it was that good. I believe they have limited tours during the off season, so you might call/email and see what they are offering during your time there, then plan around that.

hopingtotravel

You were asking whether to see Giverney on the way in or the way out of Paris.

If your first night is in the St.Lo area, probably not on the way out, as Giverney would be quite a bit north.

cat111719

Hoping, I know what you mean about Giverny being a bit out of our way, but I can't see any better way. Our last day before heading back to Paris will be spent in Chartres and Giverny seems just as out of the way from there. We get in to CDG around 8:30 AM so I think it will give us plenty of time.

The way we are looking at it, we will leave CDG, hit Giverny for a few hours, then be on our way to our B&B. We are eating dinner there so we can have a leisurely drive towards St. Lo.

BTW, I had bookmarked Stu Dudley's Normandy trip report but now when I try to open it, it doesn't show up. Does anyone have a link?

As far as Chartres, has anyone stayed at the Grand Monarque? Not interested in the best deal as much as the best atmosphere. Or are there any B&Bs nearby?