indy_dad

Trying to decide on where to stay for our week in Normandy towards the end of July (family of 4, DD13, DS10). We will be driving from the UK and catching a noon-ish train/ferry across the Channel Tunnel on a Saturday and would like to take the Friday overnight ferry from Caen back. That gives us 6 full days.

I have 4 full days planned:
1) Bayeux Tapestry / Cathedral / Caen Peace Memorial
2) D-Day beaches
3) Pays D'Auge day
4) Mont St Michel

I'd also like to see a few things in Rouen on the way down (Cathedral, Joan of Arc bits). I'm guessing we'd be in Rouen around 3 pm.

Option 1:
All nights in Bayeux. Would give 2 free days (extra D-Day stuff, Honfleur, whatever). However, Rouen would get a quick drive by after a long travel day.

Option 2:
Spend the first night in Rouen (the rest in Bayeux). After seeing the sights in Rouen, we could visit Honfleur on the way to Bayeux. Still would have 1 flex day.

Option 3:
Spend first night in Rouen but then work our way to Dinan/MSM for 2 nights/days. Then the rest in Bayeux. No more flex time but we do work in Dinan. May squeeze Pays D'Auge if we felt the D-Day beaches or Bayeux/Caen needed more time. Requires 3 different accommodations.

Was actually leaning towards Option 3. The multiple accommodations don't bother us so much; we won't rush Rouen and we pick up Dinan. We lose the flex day(s) but we still have some flexibility albeit at the expense of Pays D'Auge.

Note: I've looked into ferries from Dinan/St. Malo to avoid backtracking but there are no overnight options that I can find and I'm not interested in a full day slow boat travel back.

Thoughts?

annhig

hi indydad -

I've never stayed in MSM [we have our own version nearby which isn't beset by the tourists of the world] but i have stayed in Dinan and though it too is touristy, it's very interesting, and it would be my choice. also Rouen is worth at least one night.

so i like Option 3.

bilboburgler

Not sure which ferry you are taking. If into Cherbourg you might like to visit Barfleur (one of the three Fleurs of france, Honfleur being another) and the medal about the white ship at the life boat station (and eat freshest mussels) though St Vaast has better oysters. (I spent a lot of my childhood here so I may be prejudiced)

If you are going via Caen (not just back) keep an eye out for the following

The cheese route http://www.france4families.com/Norma...vadosCider.htm

Fougeres for a great castle
Dinan for medieval centre. (can be busy as annhig says) but still impressive
St Mere Eglise for a good WW2 museum
St Malo (park under the city) to see the whole reconstruction

Rastaguytoday

I agree with bilboburgler on St. Malo. It's a pleasant day or half day+ trip from MSM. Beautiful walled city. Nice place to spend a sunny day.

halfapair

We stayed in Bayeux and easily did all those things except #3. I looked at a map and Pays D'Auge is only about 40 miles from Bayeux, so an easy day trip. We loved Bayeux...very charming town.

annhig

The OP is getting [i think] either the ferry or the "chunnel" from Dover [or thereabouts] to Calais on the outward trip, and the Brittany Ferries Caen to Portsmouth ferry on the way back.

Gretchen

I like option 2 pretty much. In Rouen we really enjoyed the Impressionist wing of the Musee des Beaux Artes. Do stop by Honfleur--maybe have a bite to eat along the harbor. On the way to Bayeux you can pass by the Pegasus Bridge for your first Normandy beach experience/site.
In Bayeux do see the cathedral also. And eat at Le Petite Bistro for an excellent meal--make reservations.
We stayed at the VERY reasonably priced Hotel Bayeux--largish rooms, and very adequate. Car park next to it.

indy_dad

Thanks for the replies.

Annhig has it right -- Chunnel over and Brittany Ferries Caen to Portsmouth on the way back. Too bad there isn't a St. Malo overnight option.

I think option 1 is out since we won't do justice to Rouen without stopping overnight.

I'm still waffling on 2 vs 3. Perhaps we should leave Brittany for another time and take the built in flexibility with option 2. Tough choice -- more days are are always desirable!

Any recommendations for a 1-night, car-friendly stay in Rouen?

Thanks!

annhig

sorry, Indydad, I may inadvertently have drawn opprobrium down upon you by my use of the word "chunnel" which for some reason is frowned upon by certain members of the fodorite community, who are convinced that it's a term that no self-respecting Brit would use.

to all of you of that persuasion - tant pis!

john183

We have taken our two granddaughters to Normandy (oldest in 2004 when she was 13, youngest in 2011 when she was 12) as part of a two week France visit and split our time between Etretat and Bayeux. We really like the contrast between Upper and Lower Normandy. If you click on my name and go to Day 8 of my TR for our 2011 visit, you can see our adventures in Normandy. We visited Rouen, Etretat, Honfleur, the Caen Memorial, some of the many D-Day sights and MSM in our 5 days and had a great time. We saw the Bayeux Tapestry and Cathedral in 2004 but it was just too hot to try to do it in 2011 so we swam instead - but they are well worth the visit.

Having read your Paris trip report, I think your family will have a great time no matter which itinerary you choose. It seems like you all travel well and enjoy experiencing new things - a perfect combination! Enjoy - and I'm looking forward to reading your TR.

Gretchen

I think Normandy could be enough. Even Rouen might be edited out and just do the coast and the cheese and cider of the area.
There is The Abbey Road north of Rouen that is a string of medieval Norman abbeys that is very interesting--you would probably do it coming TO Rouen, if you include Rouen.

indy_dad

<i> you would probably do it coming TO Rouen, if you include Rouen. </i>

I'll have a look where it is, but we won't be up for much coming into Rouen on Day 1 and it will need to be on the way out(Day 2). Not planning on backtracking back to Rouen later in the week at this time.

I do have my Green Guide and Map for more detailed planning later.

<i> I think your family will have a great time no matter which itinerary you choose. It seems like you all travel well and enjoy experiencing new things - a perfect combination! </i>

Thanks, john183! I'll have a look for your report. Always good to see similar experiences with kids.

The Tapestry is a must since we saw a Battle of 1066 re-enactment from the other side last October:

http://ukfrey.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10...n-to-1066.html

Mimar

Your day with the Bayeux Tapestry, cathedral, and the Caen Peace Memorial Museum is a very full one. The latter is a long intense experience, at least a half day.

Given that you're in the UK, I'd be inclined to skip Mont St. Michel and Brittany this trip and save it for another time. St. Malo is easy to reach by ferry from Portsmouth. Then you'll have more time this trip for Rouen (well worth a day) and maybe something of northern Normandy, like Etretat. This makes more sense since you're arriving to the north.

Racer042

We travelled Normandy last year and I had reservations to stay in MSM, but decided not to and just day trip it. I was glad we did, the hotels at MSM are way up the hill and carrying anything would be a burden.

Mimar

More thoughts: Honfleur makes a nice visit. And on your Pays d'Auge day, look out for this chateau: http://tinyurl.com/6wvajjt

Gretchen

If you look at the Green Guide you'll see the Route d'Abbayes. It isn't so demanding that you couldn't do it, I'd think. It would actually give you some real sightseeing interest for your kids on the first day, rather than just driving. We just stopped at a few of them to peek in. It takes you right into the outskirts of Rouen on a little rural "back road" along a high ridge. You could leave Rouen on one of the larger roads to head to Honfleur the next day.

john183

Wow! What a day you had. It looks like they did a great job with the re-enactment. I've never been to one either but if I found something like this - I think I'd go. Reading about the long day with all the transportation hassles - and you still had a good time - just reinforces my thought that you will have a great time no matter what option you choose for touring Normandy.

Just curious, what accomodations are you thinking about getting on the Caen-Portsmouth ferry? I had considered taking an overnight ferry on our 2004 trip (had to get to London to stay with my brother) but opted to just drop the rental car at the train station in Calais and catch the Eurostar to Waterloo Station. I now wish I would have figured out how to make the ferry work for us.

indy_dad

Thanks again for all the input.

@Mimar -- by staying in Bayeux (option 2) I think I will have a free day + the one planned for MSM. We can decide how to use that (more Bayeux/Caen/etc.) and we can play MSM by ear as well. However, MSM is pretty high on my list. My time in the UK is limited so there's no telling when I'll get to Brittany. Thanks for the chateau link. I've filled it away.

@Racer42 -- thanks. I've heard similar comments and had decided to stay near but not on MSM if we chose that option. Leaning towards Rouen/Bayeux now though.

@Gretchen -- still inching my way through the just-received Green Guide. I'll be sure to check it out when in detail planning mode. I'll likely book travel & accommodations and put it to the side for a little while.

@john183 -- I've not looked at the ferry in detail. We'll definitely get a berth or sleeping quarters or whatever it's called. Leaning towards squeezing into a 4-berth for "the experience". I think it is another &pound;100 for 2 compartments. Need to research this a little more though. The one thing I've found is it's not as easy at it looks to get to Normandy from the UK!

annhig

hi again, indydad,

ref the cabins on the ferry for the trip home, when we have used the plymouth-roscoff route, we have booked 4 berth cabins and they were all fine, even with kids rather older and larger than yours. they have en-suite loos and showers, and the outside ones look quite spacious. a disadvantage of booking 2 cabins is that you have no guarentee that they would be adjoining, and even if you split the kids up, and had a child each, [which with kids the age of yours would be essential for safety reasons, i think] it won't be so much fun as all "bunking up" together.

and it's cheaper!

john183

I was just playing around looking at the different Caen-Portsmouth ferry options for July 20th (you mentioned a Friday in late July) and I saw that some of the options (leaving at 2300 arriving 0630) show sold out. My point being I was very surprised to see anything sold out this early. I have no idea if this is normal or how far in advance you need to book them but I always hate it when I finally make a decision on something and then the option I chose isn't availalbe.

And you are right about getting from the UK to Normandy (or vice versa) not being as simple as it looks. On our trip, If we wanted to take the overnight ferry and eventually arrive in London, we would have had to do a variation of the Planes, Trains and Automobiles theme (taxis, ferries and trains) - and I just didn't want a Steve Martin/John Candy experience. LOL!!! Good luck.