indy_dad

Early days yet, but I've got a week in July (end) that we could use for a holiday. Coming from the UK. Family of 4 with kids 10 & 13. We have another 2 years over here so I will likely get to both of these at some time.

Opinions on which would be better in July? Will either be completely mobbed such that it isn't worthwhile going at this time?

I'll have plenty of specific questions later as I dig into more. Curious for your opinions. Thanks.

adrienne

I would choose Normandy as I think the countryside and near the sea is better in July - avoid the heat and humidity of the cities.

I've been to Prague but not to Berlin (although I've done research for a proposed trip) and I think a week is too tight for both of these cities. You could spend a week in either Berlin or Prague with some day trips/an overnight outside the cities.

StuDudley

Normandy. The Parisiens/Europeans head south for their July/Aug vacations, so Normandy does not get the influx of European vacationers that other places in France get.

We were in Normandy for 2 weeks last year in late June & early July and it was not crowded at all. We were in Prague the year before in Sept & we really enjoyed the city - but I think a full week might be too long unless you & your kids really enjoy cities & architecture.

We rented a fabulous gite in Normandy. 4 bedrooms, 3 baths (I think), large living/dining room, great kitchen, Very sunny, good central location, reasonably priced. Let me know if you want details. You can reserve the gite in English (I think) through the gites-de-France association, but contracts will be in French. You will also have to interface with the proprietors of the gite. I'm not sure that they speak English. My wife speaks French, so we had no need to communicte in English. We have rented 36 different gites in France - many of them multiple times for a total of 79 weeks.

Stu Dudley

Viajero2

No brainer- Normandy. I would advised anybody against undertaking a major city like Berlin and Prague in the midst of the summer with kids in tow...

indy_dad

Thanks for the tips. Sounds like I need not worry about the Normandy crowds and it would actually be preferred for that time of year. Heck, it will be south for me.

Berlin and/or Prague can wait for another day.

annhig

hi steve,

i'm for Normandy too. if it's very hot [like it was two years ago in July in northern France] you can go to the beach, if it's not so warm, there will be plenty of other things for you to do.

Normans are very used to english visitors as there has been a lot of cross-fertilisation over the years. [since about 1066!]

berlin and prague are terrific but probably better as a half-term trip.

Loco2

Normandy for minimum chance of mobbing! You can either get there by train from Paris St Lazare - thne train takes about 2.5hrs into Le Havre Graville. You could also take a ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre... and from there there are shore tours to Normandy. There are also trains from Paris to Caen if that's more handy.

annhig

also Brittany ferries go to Caen from Portsmouth, if i remember rightly.

easy to get to Bayeux from there.

indy_dad

Thanks, Ann.

The logistics are depressing! For as "close" as we are it's going to take most of a day to get there.

a) 4-ish hours to Portsmouth + Ferry (4-7 hours)
b) 2 hr train to London +2 hr train to Paris + 1 hr transfer + 2 hr train to Caen (rough times)
c) same as b) but stop at Calais, but longer train(s) to Caen
d) c) but pick up care in Calais, etc.

I might look into flights from East Midlands to Paris + train/car as well.

. . . or Nantes if I open jaw Normandy . . .

many options -- none of them quick

Perhaps driving the whole way would be "easiest" but I am not really interested in using my RHD UK car on the right side (my brain can handle the left/right with the correct steering wheel--not sure I want to push it).

Perhaps a topic for another thread after I've gotten some more details.

geetika

I think it'd be simpler to just drive, even with your RDH car, we've done it the other way round, LHD in the UK, it really isn't that big a deal. Don't know if you've done it before but your kids might enjoy the excitement of taking the car on the ferry, it'll also give you greater mobility in Normandy. And don't miss the Bayeux tapestry - 1066 as ann says

annhig

what about driving via the eurotunnel? - viamichelin.co.uk suggests that it would take 6 1/2 hours, which is better than any of the alternatives above.

when driving on the "continent" we always use a song to remind us on what side of the road to drive, which goes like this: [to the tune of Monty Python's "always look on the bright side of life"]

"always drive on the right side of the road" - the kids used to like singing it when we got in the car, and we find ourselves STILL doing it.