Normandy May 2001...Kavey asks for advice please
 

Hello Friends <BR> <BR>Advice time again… hope you can help. <BR> <BR>I am off to Normandy on the 25th May for 4 nights, (5 days) and want to ask for recommendations and advice (and general sharing of your memories)… <BR> <BR>I am travelling with my husband, Pete, and our close friends, Ruth and John. John’s bday is on the 23rd and Pete’s 30th bday will be while we are in Honfleur on the 27th… <BR> <BR>We arrive in Calais late morning on 25th and will drive down to our auberge in Yvetot (We are staying at the Auberge Val au Cesne which I liked the look of in an article in my travel magazine Escape Routes and also saw featured in the brochure of a reputable specialist holiday operator). <BR> <BR>My french friends (I think of them as ma famille en France) are going to join us for dinner in Yvetot this evening. <BR> <BR>We are staying at the Auberge for 2 nights, and have HB on one of those nights, which we will take on the 26th. The next two nights are in Le Cheval Blanc hotel in Honfleur, on a BB basis. <BR> <BR>Here are my rough plans for the time we have there, for your comment. I have deliberately left out Bayeux because Ruth and John have already been, Pete and I arent desperately interested and there are other towns we want to see more (we can always return, and very likely will, in the future). We havent included the war sites specifically but will very likely see a few places while driving the coastal roads. <BR> <BR>25th <BR>Leave house at 6.30 for 10.06 crossing! Arrive Calais 11.40. Drive to Yvetot via coastal roads if possible, maybe stop in Dieppe on the way or some other pretty towns/ villages. Dinner at our auberge with Agnes and Sylvain. <BR>26th <BR>Rouen, Lyons-la-Foret (very pretty and traditional timbered Normandy village), les Andelys (ruin of a castle looking down on its small sister village in stunning river setting). May also be able to see other pretty villages and chateaux in the area. <BR>27th <BR>Pete’s bday. Honfleur, Beuvron-en-Auge (pretty and traditional timbered Normandy village close to Honfleur known for local produce such as cider and cheese), Camembert/ Vimoutiers/ Livarot (one of these last three for Camembert interest, also near to Honfleur). <BR>28th <BR>Villedieu-les-Poeles (famous for production of traditional copper pans and on the way to the Mont), le Mont St Michel <BR>29th <BR>Supermarket shopping (lots of wine, cheese and cidre to be bought) and relaxed journey back to Calais and then home (crossing 17.51) <BR> <BR>Would like advice for good but not overly expensive restaurants in Honfleur. Have already been advised of L’Absinthe and L’Assiette Gourmande but these are slightly too expensive and also not really the kind of food my husband and Ruth enjoy (though John and I would be quite happy, maybe we should do a spouse swap!). I would like to find somewhere with good food, including seafood and poultry and meat dishes, where the a 3 course meal before drinks would be no more than 300F per person. We need 2 recommendations for this area, one being for Pete’s bday and the other for something more everyday but still wonderful. Any restaurant you ate in in this town, please tell me about it, good or bad, kind of things they had on the menu, price if you are willing and name. <BR> <BR>Any other comments and recommendations gratefully received… <BR> <BR>Kavey <BR>

Kavey: <BR> <BR>It's been awhile since I've been there (going back in July, though), but we really liked La Tortue, 36, rue de l'Homme-de-Bois, near the church Ste-Cathérine. Checking my current Guide Routard, I see that menus are now 99, 135, and 178FF. There was a godd range of items on the menu when we ate there - beef, pork, and chicken cooked in traditional Normand style, as well as excellent seafood. I had a filet of sole in puff pastry that was delicious, with steamed spinach and I don't remember what else, and my husband had chicken cooked in cream and cider with baby carrots and potatoes. They served the "trou Normand," as well.

I'll have to look at my trip notes and get back to you about where we had a lovely dinner one night, right in front of the old port. I *think* it was called Le Vieux Honfleur. Meanwhile, you may want to have a look at the following: http://www.jack-travel.com/Normandy/...estaurants.htm

About 10 years ago we stayed and ate like pigs in mud at the Ferme St. Simeon which is a farmhouse hotel just outside of Honfleur. My husband still talks about the moules. Don't know what the prices are now--at the time it was pricey but the dollar/franc exchange rate was very good. How I envy you being so close!

La Ferme St-Siméon is an incredible restaurant (it's also the house where many of the Impressionist painters gathered when they were in the area, and the setting is lovely). But I think it's more like 500F and up per person these days.

My only suggestion for a good, moderate restaurant in Honfleur is Le Chat qui Peche. Honfleur isn't that big so I imagine there aren't that many choices. Anyway, I liked it, I know it was reasonably priced--I went with a couple of whom the man was French whose family is from the Normandy area; they routinely spend part of the summer around there, so I would guess they know how to pick a good restaurant in the area.

Hi All, <BR> <BR>Many thanks for the advice, I will look up the sites and restaurants recommended... <BR> <BR>Any comments about itinerary or any other memories of especially good experiences you had there and would like to share? <BR> <BR>Many thanks <BR> <BR>Kavey <BR>

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