mazz

Thanks for the hotel suggestions, but they seem a little pricey for the four of us. I may be dreaming but I was hoping to be able to find something for $100-$125 per night.

joannyc

I maybe checking something wrong but the Le Cheval Blanc which is right on the port has room rates from 73 to 94 Euros for singles and double beds in October.

lincasanova

With kids I would look into ferme auberges and chambres d'hotes websites. We stayed on a farm one night just 3 km. outside a lovely town we were visiting.
(42E for 2 with breakfast.. )

http://www.chambresdhotes.fr/

another group of hotels we saw while on vacation last week

http://www.lhotelleriefamiliale.com/

and

http://www.bienvenue-a-la-ferme.com/

You should be able to stay on budget outside the cities at these type places.

The countryside is so lovely, I prefer that and do a day trip into the city.

The secondary roads are fabulous with plenty of picnic spots. Huge food stores were available on the outskirts of every other small town it seemed. You will find this road trip very easy. Have fun!

Gretchen

You should get a current Green Guide to Normandy.
You should get a Michelin map of Normandy.
Trying to do the Caen Museum AND a tour of the beaches in one day is pretty much impossible.
I think the advice for only one night in Bayeux is faulty.
Look at the Hotel Bayeux. I don't know how much it is now, but it was downright CHEAP when we went,is squeaky clean, rooms are larger than usual, secure car park, 5 minutes from the Cathedral and 5 minutes from the tapestry. It is close to the edge of town so easy to get on the road to where you are going for the day.
There are actually 2 areas of "beaches"--the ones closer to Caen were the British and Canadian. The Pegasus Bridge is very interesting--and these are closer to Honfleur. The American beaches are closer to Bayeux. Depending on how much time you allocate, you may have to choose between beaches, the museum, etc. The beaches and sites we found most interesting were Ponte Hoc, Arromanches, Omaha, and the American Cemetery. We also went up to St. Mere Eglise where the initial American paratrooper assault took place.
The distances are not great, but there is time to be spent.
There are also wonderful restaurants on the sea to enjoy moules frites and the view of the sea.

mazz

joannyc - thanks I will look into it.
lincasanova - thanks for the websites. I found a great farmhouse by MSM for 80 euros including breakfast.
Gretchen - thanks for the info on sites to see. This was a fairly last minute trip for us to plan and I feel I have sooo much research to do.

Our plan as it stands now:
1 night near MSM
2 nights near Bayeux
1 night near Honfleur
last night near CDG

Thanks for all the help I have received from fellow Fodorites.
I am so excited to go!

lincasanova

It sounds like you have it under control to me!

flygirl

If you are interested, Fougeres is roughly 45 minutes, if that, from MSM and is quite a nice little town. It's in Brittany. The place we stayed last year was 52 euros for the "suite" (two bedrooms, one bath). Nice people, beautiful gardens, great breakfast.

If you did that, your itin would look something like this: arrive there around lunch time from Paris (you could probably take the TGV to Rennes and get the car there) and spend the afternoon in Fougeres - see the castle, have dinner, etc. The next morning head to MSM and spend as much time there as you would like. When you leave, head to Bayeux.

It's just a thought. If you preferred seeing MSM the same day you left Paris and thus would be able to leave MSM to head for Bayeux early the next morning, that wouldn't work.

The info is on my trip report if you are so inclined. Also, Beuvron en Auge was very pretty - on the way to Honfleur from Bayeux. Dad and I stopped for not even an hour and enjoyed our little stroll.

mazz

flygirl - Fougeres sounds like a perfect place to stop for lunch and a stroll around town. The non-toll road shows it should take around 4 hours from Paris. We really wanted to visit MSM in the early evening after some crowds have left and the lights come on. If we leave Paris early Saturday morning we should be in Fougeres in time for lunch and a visit then on to MSM.

I did find a lovely farmhouse B&B very nearby MSM. Anybody ever stay at MAISON DU MONTITIER?