Normandy Itinerary-Should I also include Brittany?
 

I'm in the midst of deciding on an itinerary for my May trip. I'll have 2 full weeks, actually 16 days, which doesn't include the 2 flying days. I plan to train to Rouen the first day to recover from jetlag and see Rouen before picking up car. I'll probably stay 2 nights there. Then do the usual stops over to Bayeux, but in a leisurely way stopping in Honfleur and maybe another place
more in the countryside. I definitely want to spend some time in the Auge countryside and drive south of Lisieux.Will stay in Bayeux area 2 or 3 nights, altho I haven't decided where yet.
The Hotel Churchill gets great reviews. And the Chateau de Sully also appeals to me. Anybody have an opinion on where to stay?

At first I had planned to go back to Paris and spend a week there, but the more I read about Brittany, think I might like to continue trip there. (I've been to Paris plenty of times, actually for 2-week stays, so I can certainly skip it this trip.)

I'm a little confused about the driving distances in Brittany, and don't want to get into too much of that if I can help it. Iwould start out in Dinan after leaving Bayeux. I don't need to include Mont St.Michel, as I've been there. It was beautiful, but the throngs of people turned me off to another trip there! If I drive from Dinan, seeing some of the coastal areas along the way, can I make it to the Finestere area easily, or should I stop somewhere in between to take in the scenery more leisurely? I thought maybe Audierne for an overnight stop (or 2), or Quimper (as it sounds charming), and Vannes. I could leave the car in Vannes and train back to Paris, or in Rennes (and take TGV direct to airport).

I wish somehow I could work in Fougeres and Vitre - but maybe I'm being too ambitious.
I'll be solo - so no driving help (or navigating help!). When I look at my map of Brittany, it looks huge. Hopefully, it's not as huge as the opened-up map!

I think I will need at least 8 days (or 9) in Normandy. So would leave me a little less in Brittany. Would appreciate any advice from any of you knowledgable travelers on this. And hotel recommendations too - Normandy or Brittany.

By all means see as much of lovely Brittany as you can. You can go as far as Dinan and Dinard, hitting Fougeres and Vitré on the way, and perhaps pick up one of the regions with the calvaries before heading on to Rennes and taking the TGV back to Paris.

If you want our 3-day Brittany itinerary, send me a message at

jean @multiwareinc.com

Jean,
Can you post the 3-day Brittany itinerary? I would love to see it. I plan on visiting Normandy & 2-3 days in Brittany included in a longer trip next summer.
Paule

Underhill, thanks for your prompt reply.
I would love your Brittany itinerary, and will e-mail you for it. Also, I would love to have the article you wrote on Brittany for Bonjour Paris, if that is possible.

I would say yes... with only eight (full days and) nights in 2002, we felt like it was a valid decision to spend one night and two days, just sticking our toe into Brittany. It helped confirm for me that I definitely want to go back (abd give another two weeks to each).

Best wishes,

Rex

We only had 5 days in Normandy but did drive over to St. Malo after the Mt. St. Michel day and were glad we had done so, although 5 days did not do justice to Normandy.

You're probably aware of this, but thought I'd mention that you have to go into Paris from CDG to get on a train to Rouen. I was surprised to find this out when I started planning our trip. We got around it by renting a car at the airport and just driving to Les Andelys that first day.

I envy your 16 day trip! Happy planning and traveling!

Next to Provence , we love the coastline of Normandy and Brittany. We usually start at Honfleur and contine you on, often with no reservations so we can linger wherever appeals to us. We always stop for Moules in creme fraiche at Les Vapeurs in Trouville
and end at Belon because we love their oysters.

You can do it easily, as we did a two week trip that started in Belgium. Here's the trip report:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34444403

I strongly urge a trip to the western end of Brittany.

BTW, Mont St. Michel is officially in Normandy.

The itinerary is in article form; I've sent the three to you.

Chateau de Sully is a treat...don't miss it. It's only 2 kms north of Bayeux on gorgeous grounds...ask for Room 25 on the third floor, great views of the long driveway entrance...lovely gardens in the back...have dinner there one night..very reasonable and excellent. Only 20 minutes to the D-Day Beaches. Enjoy! (Last time we stayed there, we were visiitng people in Caen and didn't get back until 2 a.m..place closed tighter than a drum..had left our keys at the desk..had to wake up the ytoung owners in their private lodgings...don't mention our name, of course!)
Stu T.

Also...for lodgings near Dinan, in the country on the Rance River front, try the Manoir de la Rance..excellent, reasonable...only a short fifteen minute drive to Dinan and about the same back to the beach at Dinard.
Drive the Cote' Emeraud (Emerald Coast)...outstanding sea views....handsome coastal drive, from Dinard.
St. Malo is certainly worth a visit while in Brittany...walled city with a fascinating WW II history.

Thanks so much for all your helpful responses.

Underhill, I've printed out your articles, and will go read them when I turn off this computer. Thanks!

Grandmere, I have your trip report from Normandy, and enjoyed, and Michael's.
You see I've been researching this trip!
As for renting the car at CDG, I wish I could get up the nerve to do that. Airports confuse me enough, and I'll be alone to drive and navigate. And, I'll be jetlagged. I know it's a pain to get into Paris for train to Rouen, but for me alone, maybe best.

And Tower, thanks for the hotel ideas.
I'm trying to decide whether to stay at the Hotel de Sully (which looks lovely,and has good reviews), or to stay right in Bayeux. I wish I could do both- that's my problem, always.

Sue4-yes, agree that going into Paris and taking train to Rouen is best if doing it alone. I was only a passenger in our car, and my cousin-the-driver had a GPS to help!

If yougo to St Malo, visit Rotheneuf. Overlooking the ocean are the rock sculptures so incredible. Roches Sculptées, by a hermit priest Abbé Fouré spent 25 years from the late 1800s carving these boulders into dragons, giants, sea monsters and are now withering away that I fear in fifty years they will be no more. There's a café and nice gift shop there that makes it a good lunch spot.

I actually prefer Brittany over Normandy. in '01, we spent 3 weeks in Brittany, and 1 in Normandy. Within Brittany, I much prefer Northern Brittany. I think both the countryside and the coast are much more scenic than Southern Brittany.

I have an itinerary I did for a friend. E-mail me at [email protected] if you want a copy.

I don't know what day of the week you will be in Rouen, but on Sunday and Monday morning most of the shops will be closed. Honfleur would be a good place to spend time on Sunday.

Stu Dudley

Stu, thanks for the offer, I would love your itinerary, and have e-mailed you.
Your Dordogne itinerary was a tremendous help on my May trip to the Dordogne. I'll be in Rouen on a Thursday afternoon and all day Friday, and probably in Honfleur on Sunday.