Normandy - Where to Stay
 

Hi,

My brother and I are planning a trip to Normandy in June. Wondering what town is the best to stay in? We will be there for 4-5 nights and will plan on doing some tours are we won't be renting a car. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Allie

Normandy is enormous, to the point it's divided into Haute Normandie and Basse Normandie. What are you going there to see? That will be a determining factor. Without a car, of course, your choices are limited to places you can get to on a train or bus, but there are still lots of those from which to choose.

If you mean you'll be going on organized, commercial tours, then I would think you should stay near the origins of those tours. No point in staying Honfleur if your tours operate out of Caen or Bayeux, for example, or cover even more distant parts of Normandy. Identify the tours you want to take and then look for a geographically convenient place to stay. You also need a city/town you can reach using public transportation from wherever you will be before Normandy.

FWIW (and you probably already know), you'll see much more of Normandy if you rent a car.

ANd renting the car might possibly be less expensive than paying for tours. Driving in France is easy. prefer to drive there than here at home in Orlando

We stayed in Bayeux last June and, although we had a car, there are several tours you can get out of the city. Bayeux is a lovely old city to walk around with good food and services and a centrally located tourist office. There is a terrific Saturday morning market outside the hotel we stayed at. I'd thoroughly recommend this hotel by the way - an old multi storey house run by a charming landlady with the best breakfast I've ever had on the road and huge, comfortable rooms. It's not an American-style hotel, more like staying in someone's home. Check out some reviews: www.hotel-de-sainte-croix.com. Don't miss the Bayeux Tapestry, a day trip to Mont St Michel and another day trip to the Normandy landing beaches including the very well presented and very moving American war cemetery museum. You may even be able to get a day trip to Honfleur, which is a very pretty fishing town further up the coast.

Thanks for all the responses so far!

Can anyone recommend a car rental company?

We are thinking of a day tour or two to explore the landing beaches and memorials as that is the reason we are going to Normandy.

Does anyone know of good hostels in the Bayeux area? I am having trouble finding any in that region.

Thanks!

For car rentals check out AutoEurope and Kemwel.

Consider renting a car - there is much to see and it is easy driving. We spent 5 days in 2008 and loved it, but I think trying to use public transportation would be challenging.

We visited Bayeaux and enjoyed it, it would probably make a good base.

We stayed near the Canadian beaches at Le Mas Normand - lovely, and the people could not be nicer-- our little girl was sick and they drove us to the pediatrician!

Very few places in France can be enjoyed unless you have a small car. The villages are a big part of France and the roads are narrow. Be sure to taste the calvados much better than the fire water sold here.

I've been looking at Ferme de la raconniere in Crepon (near the D-Day beaches) Does anyone know anything about this one. Also, trip advisor has a list of several hotels in Bayeaux that look quite nice.

Ferme de la Raconniere looks lovely, but I'm sure you realize the town of Crepon is tiny. Unless you opt to dine at the hotel, you'll likely have to drive to another city/town.

We've stayed at the Hotel d'Argouges in Bayeux and recommended it often to friends and family. Bayeux is a charming, smallish town with its own attractions (tapestry, cathedral, lace-making museum, war museum) and a variety of restaurants.

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Hotel_Revi..._Normandy.html

I will recommend the Hotel Bayeux in Obviously, Bayeux. It is downright cheap, CLEAN, large rooms and a secure car park. Five minutes from the Tapestry and from the Cathedral.
If you are having trouble finding things about Normandy, this is going to be difficult.
Go to the library and check out a travel book.
Rent a car and see the beaches on your own. The Michelin Green Guide to Normandy will be a must for you if you are going to Normandy for sure. As will the Michelin Normandy MAP if you are driving. It is SO much more fun to go on your own. if you don't see every living bit of every bit of everything, you will see other things that will make it more fun.

Alastair Sawday has some nice-looking B&Bs in/near Bayeux, too. Check him out on Googgle or buy/borrow his book. Karen Brown probably has some recommendations as well.

I was in Normandy for two weeks in May of 2008.
I had a car, which I picked up in Rouen, so I stayed in several different areas during that trip. I loved them all! Spent a couple of days in Rouen (drove to Giverny from there)and toured around that area. Then spent several days in Honfleur and area. Then to the Normandy Beaches area, where I stayed at the Ferme de la Raconniere. As someone said, Crepon is a very tiny village. It was a great place to stay, but only if you have a car. I loved being in the countryside, and it was an easy drive to Bayeux and the Beaches. After touring around all day, it was great to go back there every night and I thoroughly enjoyed dining there (the room with demi-pension was VERY reasonable). I think Bayeux would be the place to stay without a car, though, as tours of the Beaches leave from there, and there would be nice restaurants for the evening - plus it's a beautiful town.