Our France itinerary Part I
Mar 21st, 2005, 07:31 AM
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Our France itinerary Part I
Our France Itinerary Part 1
We’re over 70 my husband will be 78 when we travel .....We like great food, opera, ballet, museums and scenery. Husband is a vet of Korean war and very intersted in war and military things....and is knowlegeable about world history.
We do tire easily, and can’t drive at night (vision problems) so we want to stay in the center of towns where we can find food easily and walk around or in some cases at a hotel with food service, although we are not eager to eat at the same place 5 times in a row. We will lease a car until Avignon and then take the train back for our last 10 days in Paris. Would love any ideas you may have for sights, hotels or restaurants.
This is a seven-week trip and we need to watch our budget. Hotels should be limited to about 80 to 120 euros a night.
I received lots of help from Stu Dudley for this itinerary. He is a gem.
Friday, September 2
.Arrive from San Diego at 7:30 AM but please be aware we have to be at the airport in San Diego at 6 AM. Lease car at CDG (had to do it in this city as they don’t do it in the same places they rent cars..must lease if you are over 70)
Drive to Rouen and go to sleep.
Saturday and Sunday
September 3rd and 4th
Walking tours and exploration of Rouen with Michelin Guide. May visit sites on outskirts of Rouen or head out and visit Abbey Jumieges. Stu suggested overnite in Honfleur but hubby thinks we need to rest so we are leaving it open. May visit Honfleur next trip. Drive through Pays d’Auge, visit to Beauvron.
Monday September 5,
Visit Caen, museum, Pegasus Beach and other war sites as well. Do people like Caen???..
To Bayeux Hotel Argouges
Tuesday September 6
Tapestry and war sites and museums.Probably will get a Battlebus tour.
Wednesday September 7
Finish up what we haven’t seen like Utah Beach, Ste. Mere Eglise. Knowing my husband’s interest in this war period, we may repeat things.
Thursday September 8
Continue seeing the Normandy invasion sites, and Normandy countryside this morning and early afternoon so we don’t get to Mont St. Michel at noon. I remember the story Stu told about someone friends who got there and barely managed to take a picture form the parking lot.
To Mont st. Michel stay overnight on the mont (Hotel Auberge St. Pierre)
Friday September 9, 10, 11, 12
Tour abbey
See St. Malo
Drive to Dinan
4 nights here..explore Dinan, take tours from Michelin including Valle de La Rance
See Cote d’Emeraude, Fougeres, Vitre and maybe Renees
Tuesday, September 13
Visit Vannes, Pont Aven (we are staying here)
Wednesday, September 14
Concarneau and several drives. One to Auderne, Point du Raz, Locranan
Visit Crozon Penninsula and as many pointes as possible and head to Quimper
Thursday, September 15
We head for the Loire. See gardens at Villlandry, Azay de Rideau. Hotel Rosarie (I think). See Chenonceaux at night
Friday, September 16
Visit Chambord
Maybe Cheverny or Blois
Amboise?
We’re over 70 my husband will be 78 when we travel .....We like great food, opera, ballet, museums and scenery. Husband is a vet of Korean war and very intersted in war and military things....and is knowlegeable about world history.
We do tire easily, and can’t drive at night (vision problems) so we want to stay in the center of towns where we can find food easily and walk around or in some cases at a hotel with food service, although we are not eager to eat at the same place 5 times in a row. We will lease a car until Avignon and then take the train back for our last 10 days in Paris. Would love any ideas you may have for sights, hotels or restaurants.
This is a seven-week trip and we need to watch our budget. Hotels should be limited to about 80 to 120 euros a night.
I received lots of help from Stu Dudley for this itinerary. He is a gem.
Friday, September 2
.Arrive from San Diego at 7:30 AM but please be aware we have to be at the airport in San Diego at 6 AM. Lease car at CDG (had to do it in this city as they don’t do it in the same places they rent cars..must lease if you are over 70)
Drive to Rouen and go to sleep.
Saturday and Sunday
September 3rd and 4th
Walking tours and exploration of Rouen with Michelin Guide. May visit sites on outskirts of Rouen or head out and visit Abbey Jumieges. Stu suggested overnite in Honfleur but hubby thinks we need to rest so we are leaving it open. May visit Honfleur next trip. Drive through Pays d’Auge, visit to Beauvron.
Monday September 5,
Visit Caen, museum, Pegasus Beach and other war sites as well. Do people like Caen???..
To Bayeux Hotel Argouges
Tuesday September 6
Tapestry and war sites and museums.Probably will get a Battlebus tour.
Wednesday September 7
Finish up what we haven’t seen like Utah Beach, Ste. Mere Eglise. Knowing my husband’s interest in this war period, we may repeat things.
Thursday September 8
Continue seeing the Normandy invasion sites, and Normandy countryside this morning and early afternoon so we don’t get to Mont St. Michel at noon. I remember the story Stu told about someone friends who got there and barely managed to take a picture form the parking lot.
To Mont st. Michel stay overnight on the mont (Hotel Auberge St. Pierre)
Friday September 9, 10, 11, 12
Tour abbey
See St. Malo
Drive to Dinan
4 nights here..explore Dinan, take tours from Michelin including Valle de La Rance
See Cote d’Emeraude, Fougeres, Vitre and maybe Renees
Tuesday, September 13
Visit Vannes, Pont Aven (we are staying here)
Wednesday, September 14
Concarneau and several drives. One to Auderne, Point du Raz, Locranan
Visit Crozon Penninsula and as many pointes as possible and head to Quimper
Thursday, September 15
We head for the Loire. See gardens at Villlandry, Azay de Rideau. Hotel Rosarie (I think). See Chenonceaux at night
Friday, September 16
Visit Chambord
Maybe Cheverny or Blois
Amboise?
Mar 21st, 2005, 08:11 AM
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It looks like a good itinerary. If I have a comment, it would be that you are shorting the Loire a bit. I highly recommend that you visit Chenonceaux during the day - the site, the river and the gardens are lovely and best seen in daylight. I would include Cheverny for sure and Amboise if you have time.
In Normandy, be sure to reserve Battlebus well in advance.
Your trip is really taking shape and it sounds wonderful!
In Normandy, be sure to reserve Battlebus well in advance.
Your trip is really taking shape and it sounds wonderful!
Mar 21st, 2005, 07:28 PM
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Sept 5 seems like a long day! We saw “Le Memorial” museum in Caen on the way from Honfleur to Bayeux and that was our whole day. We had a heck of a time finding it and spent a lot of time there. We also stayed at the Argouges--lovely place, but the breakfast of rich pastries didn’t do it for me. I favor protein and plain for breakfast; ended up buying yogurt the second day.
The 14-15-16 seem incredibly rushed. We spent 4 nights in Brittany to see what you plan to see in one. If I were you, I’d skip Brittany and spend more time in the Loire. Driving takes much more time in France than here, mainly I think because of the little villages. When I am calculating driving time here, I figure 60 mph. In France I figure 60 kph.
I loved Amboise, the city itself and especially the Leonardo DaVinci museum (Clos-Lucé
where there are mockups of many of his inventions (paid for by IBM). Inexpensive hotel: Hotel Bellevue, on the river, steps from the old town. There is also an inexpensive hotel across the river that is good for drivers: La Breche. It involves a bit more walking to get to sites. http://www.labreche-amboise.com/index.php
Hope this helps. We, too, are older and prefer to take a little time doing things, although judging by some of your plans, your energy level is higher than ours.
The 14-15-16 seem incredibly rushed. We spent 4 nights in Brittany to see what you plan to see in one. If I were you, I’d skip Brittany and spend more time in the Loire. Driving takes much more time in France than here, mainly I think because of the little villages. When I am calculating driving time here, I figure 60 mph. In France I figure 60 kph.
I loved Amboise, the city itself and especially the Leonardo DaVinci museum (Clos-Lucé
where there are mockups of many of his inventions (paid for by IBM). Inexpensive hotel: Hotel Bellevue, on the river, steps from the old town. There is also an inexpensive hotel across the river that is good for drivers: La Breche. It involves a bit more walking to get to sites. http://www.labreche-amboise.com/index.phpHope this helps. We, too, are older and prefer to take a little time doing things, although judging by some of your plans, your energy level is higher than ours.
Mar 22nd, 2005, 05:01 AM
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We tried to make reservations for Battlebus over a month ahead for a trip in May and were unable to get them for the day we wanted. If you have a specific day in mind, I would reserve before you leave. If I recall correctly, you can reserve on line.
Mar 22nd, 2005, 09:30 AM
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You've all given me so much to think about...
Mamc..perhaps I chose the wrong words when I said we would visit Chenonceaux at night..I think we should go around 5 which would be about
2 hours before it closes. I have to verify this. Actually to be honest, we are not fans of the Loire style chateaux. We like the older..medieval types. We have visited mansions in Newport,RI so we thought about 2 would fit the bill.
Amboise does sound interesting with the Da Vinci museum...
Mamc..perhaps I chose the wrong words when I said we would visit Chenonceaux at night..I think we should go around 5 which would be about
2 hours before it closes. I have to verify this. Actually to be honest, we are not fans of the Loire style chateaux. We like the older..medieval types. We have visited mansions in Newport,RI so we thought about 2 would fit the bill.
Amboise does sound interesting with the Da Vinci museum...
Mar 22nd, 2005, 09:41 AM
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LV Sue. The Green Michelin Guide says we should plan on a 3 hours visit but I remember something Stu Dudley told me. . he visited with his father-in-law (I think it was) who had been part of the Normandy invasion and wanted to do a thorough visit. They got there at 9 and saw everything including the films by 12:30...had lunch and went on from there.
We've alloted almost 4 full days to seeing invasion sites..if the Memorial takes longer than 3 hours, we still should have enough time (I hope).
Re the schedules for the 14, 15th and 16th, we are driving West of Pont Aven to Point du Raz and not stopping along the way. Stu Dudley told me there's
a lot of hydrangea along this route so that's the highlight of the drive to Auderne.
We plan to visit some but not all the points on the Crozen Penninsula...maube we can also include Locranon and Quimper on the same day.
On the 16th we can perhaps visit Cheverny or Blois
or neither if we have seen enough chateaux by now. I didn't mention in my post that we might visit Amboise the town, and not the chateau necessarily.
I am so fortunate having all of you to assist me...
Thank you for being there and giving me all kinds of ideas.
We've alloted almost 4 full days to seeing invasion sites..if the Memorial takes longer than 3 hours, we still should have enough time (I hope).
Re the schedules for the 14, 15th and 16th, we are driving West of Pont Aven to Point du Raz and not stopping along the way. Stu Dudley told me there's
a lot of hydrangea along this route so that's the highlight of the drive to Auderne.
We plan to visit some but not all the points on the Crozen Penninsula...maube we can also include Locranon and Quimper on the same day.
On the 16th we can perhaps visit Cheverny or Blois
or neither if we have seen enough chateaux by now. I didn't mention in my post that we might visit Amboise the town, and not the chateau necessarily.
I am so fortunate having all of you to assist me...
Thank you for being there and giving me all kinds of ideas.
Mar 22nd, 2005, 10:00 AM
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From loisco:
Friday, September 2
Arrive from San Diego at 7:30 AM but please be aware we have to be at the airport in San Diego at 6 AM. Lease car at CDG (had to do it in this city as they don’t do it in the same places they rent cars..must lease if you are over 70)
Drive to Rouen and go to sleep.
------------------------------------
Wow, fly all the way from the west coast and immediately pick up a car and drive? In a strange car in a foreign country. You're really discounting the effects of jet lag. If it was me--and I'm a decade younger than you, I'd stay a day in Paris, then leave the next day.
Mar 22nd, 2005, 07:43 PM
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OK..responses to people..re picking up car and driving right away..I wanted to stay but the man says no!! He feels it's so early in the morning he wants to get going and not waste a day. I can't argue any more.
To Ira..Husband called all 3 agencies that lease cars. They all sound the same he says...in fact are identical. Auto Europe..Europe by Car..and Kemwell.
They all have Peugot and are the same price.
To Ira..Husband called all 3 agencies that lease cars. They all sound the same he says...in fact are identical. Auto Europe..Europe by Car..and Kemwell.
They all have Peugot and are the same price.
