DiG

I've typed in Normandy in search box and have
been taking notes. There's alot of good information but posters didn't normally say
where they began or ended their travels.

We hope to do a 14day/night trip next May.

7 Paris

7 Normandy by car.

So I was wondering if you have done this trip before, what did you do first?

Visit Normandy and then Paris?

Or stayed in Paris after arriving and visited
Normandy second?

It'll be our 1st time in France.

Di

dorkforcemom

In our case, we (husband & teenage son) rented our car at CDG and took off for Normandy at the onset of the trip. We stayed in Bayeux, thoroughly enjoying the area of Normandy (Caen, Arromanches, etc.) and saved Paris for the finale. Hope this helps...

annw

We went to Paris, then Normandy, then returned to Paris to fly home.

cigalechanta

we always stop in Normandy each year but we start off no matter where first after we pick up our car ar CDG.

onthegogo

We just got back from a trip to Normandy and Paris. We picked up rental car at CDG then drove over to Normandy Coast for first part of our trip. We dropped our car at Caen (across from railway station - Europcar) and took train into Paris. After 4 days there, took the RER to airport and back home. Worked out well. Wish we had the amount of time you'll be spending...if we did, we'd also have done Loire too and spent more time in Paris. Have a great time.

Doble_Vergasser

Well, coming home, you are probably going fly out of Paris. It be less hectic if you are in Paris before your flight.

My vote is Normandy, followed by Paris.

Have a nice trip.

grosenb

Couple of years ago we made our first trip to France. We flew into CDG, rented a car and drove to Giverney first, Honefluer next and then Normandy.

After we were finished with Normandy, we drove back to CDG and dropped off the car. Taxied to Paris.

We did it this way because the logistics made sense to use. Ease of getting the car at CDG, dropping it off without going into the city and easily getting a taxi to take us into Paris.

Why hassle with the traffic and not know where you are going by driving into Paris.

Have a great trip. You will love Normandy and Paris.

Gail

Mimar

If you flying a long distance, then stay in Paris first. Dealing with jet lag is easier in a city--as long as you stay centrally. You can choose what you want to do, go back to the hotel to take naps, let one person rest while the other sightsees. And dealing with a strange car in a strange country after a long flight is not easy.

On the other hand, if you're not going to be jet-lagged, then finish in Paris as people suggest.

cece

We just returned from France--8 days in Paris and 6 days in Normandy. We did Paris first because we were meeting friends there and then went off to Normandy. It worked out fine--We just took the RER to CDG and picked up our rental car and drove to spend a night in Honfleur and then 5 nights in Bayeux. We had a great time visiting the beaches and museums. We then drove back to CDG and stayed at an airport hotel to catch an early morning flight. We caught the train into the city that night to have dinner. I think that it would work either way, although I have a problem with jetlag and getting off a flight and driving to Normandy would be hard.

valtor

I like to arrange my vacation (if it is possible) to visit the big cities first, and to leave at the end the smaller towns, villages, mountains or see.

The reason for this is that in a big city I run all the time, there are 1001 things to see, museums, palaces, streets, shops, etc..
Then, in the send part of the trip, I can relax, I am not in a hurry, so, at the end of the trip I am not so tired.

In any case, I recommend to arrive at Paris a day before your return home. So, you are sure that you have no problems before departure.

Langcraft

Dear DiG:

As a long time and oft visitor to France, I often give people the following advice: See the provinces first, then spend last 5 days in Paris. If you get an overnight flight into Paris, and manage to get some sleep on the flight, you can hit the ground running. Either pick up yor rental car, or take the TGV from CDG head out to your countryside destination. Once you get back to Paris, you need only unpack once and can "catch your breath" for a few days and take in all that wonderful Paris has to offer. Besides, Paris isn't going anywhere and I find that people tend to rush thru Paris if it is their 1st stop on a trip that includes other parts of France..

Regards..
Luis

ira

Hi DiG,

If you are going to fly into Paris and immediately head for Normandy, I suggest that you not drive more than an hour or two your first day.

You might also want to consider taking the train to a town in Normandy and picking up your car there.

You could also spend a few days in Paris, visit Normandy and return to Paris.

Gretchen

As others have said, we did it first. For me, it is easier to consolidate time by leaving from the airport to any out of Paris destination. Particularly for Normandy, you are on the north side of Paris, so you can just get on the road.
Coming back to Paris, returning the car to Orly (we visited Chartres on the way to Paris) is quite easy and then a relatively inexpensive cab ride to your Paris hotel. Then after your Paris stay, just go to the airport by cab.
Trying to go by train to Normandy to rent the car would require going into Paris for the train--an unnecessary expense of money and time.
I recommend the Michelin Green Guide to Normandy for planning your road trips. There are several very nice backroad sightseeing trips, such as the Abbey Road from Rouen north toward Honfleur--a string of mediaeval abbeys. And there is a good section on the landing beaches.

grandmere

I agree with all who suggest going to Normandy first by rental car. Some have mentioned taking the train to Normandy and renting car there; you must go into Paris before you can get a train to that area, and it is not a TGV (or at least it's not a TGV to Rouen, Caen, Bayeux, the places folks generally rent a car).

We did Normandy and Paris this past May (8-18), and it was quite chilly in Normandy at that time; although we didn't need winter coats, we did wear sweater sets, turtlenecks,etc., under our raincoats. As always, think layers.

Our first stop after the overnight flight and renting car at CDG was Le Petit Andelys, less than 2 hrs. from the airport. It's a charming little town and a good place to catch your breath before charging on through Normandy. I highly recommend La Chaine d'Or as a place to stay; it's like being in a country estate, right along the Seine. www.lachainedor.com

Happy planning and a good trip!

grandmere

www.lachainedor.com does not seem to be working, although when I google it, that is the website given.
You can find it on google; it's in Le Petit Andely (no "s&quot, not to be confused with the place in Alsace that also shows up when you google.

hopingtotravel

Granted that most people's luggage arrives when they do, if it is a day or so late one would be glad they had a night or two in Paris to wait for it.
Also, second Grandmere's recommendation on La Chain d'Or. Underhill found this picturesque little spot and 3 or 4 of us stayed at it last spring.

DiG

Thanks to all for your imput.

Renting a car out of CDG & heading into the countryside gets the popular vote.

Because we'll have a week or so, the preference would be not to go into Paris and then take the train out to
the Bayeux/Caen area to pick up a car.

We want to visit Giverny and it's about 45 miles from Paris so this would be less than 2 hours as Ira suggested and perhaps the best place to begin the trip.

I noted that many stay in Les Andelys at La Chain d'Or as Grandmere suggested and it reads wonderfully so I had it on my list of lodging suggestions.

Karen Brown decribes a charming 19C grain mill 'Le Moulin de Connelles' in Connelles and 'La Reserve' in Giverny (reguired stay 2N) a manor set in the lovely countryside.

Few Questions:
Has anyone ever stayed at either of these places in Connelles or Giverny?

Is Le Petit Andelys the same place as Les Andelys?

I think I'll have to start a new post as I have more questions, etc.

Thanks again, Di

grandmere

Le Petit Andely is the "little
Andely" of the two Andelys.