janisj

"<i>I point this out not in a boastful way, but only to state that what seems unreasonable for some people may be perfectly fine for others.</i>"

Borders on being one of the most irresponsible statements posted on Fodors.

No one should drive across a country after an overnight flight. Sure, one <i>might</i> be OK 80% of the time--but that other 20% might kill you. BTW, driving while impaired/sleepy/jetlagged is considered as serious a DUI if anything goes wrong. Criminal charges will be filed if you have a wreck.

Now if you are flying in 1st and have flat beds-- then a reasonable drive might be OK - but not across the country.
Just something to think about . . .

Gretchen

Well, I'll mention doing the math again on taking the train to Caen. RER fare plus train fare for 4 people vs just renting the car and driving to Caen. We were able to handle driving to Rouen after our flight without much problem, stopping for a nice lunch. CDG is on the north side of Paris so you are more or less "on the way" and Caen wouldn't be much further than Rouen.
And if I recall correctly the RER is about $8 each? A cab wouldn't be much more if St. Lazare remains in the plan.

Gretchen

Oh, I'll also mention that if you want to drive back to Paris you could go through Chartres to see the cathedral and either turn the car in there and train to Paris, or go a bit further to Orly and return the car there. It is an easy cab ride to Paris and the cab queue is directly across from the car rental return building.

Gretchen

And, sorry, for this continuing stream of conciousness it seems. I re-read you are arriving on Sunday. You may need to check that the Caen car rental is open on Sundays.

phillyboy

"I point this out not in a boastful way, but only to state that what seems unreasonable for some people may be perfectly fine for others."

"Borders on being one of the most irresponsible statements posted on Fodors."

janisj - You're equating my statement that I can drive safely after an all-night flight with recommending that people drive under the influence of alcohol??? That is not only untrue, but offensive.

I'm not suggesting that anybody do anything, only that some people may be able to travel differently than others. I guess we should only express opinions that agree with yours.

Michael

phillyboy,

re-read janisj's statement. No accusation when it comes to equivalency, just a statement of how the law will treat you in case of accident.

phillyboy

Michael and janisj - Maybe a slight over-reaction on my part. The word "irresponsible" set me off.

I've never attempted one of these drives without others in the vehicle who were able to take over. If I was feeling drowsy or sleep-deprived, I would not drive. I'm a 58 year-old, responsible adult, who happens to have a high tolerance for staying awake and alert over long stretches of time. This is not so unusual - there are many people out there who can and do function on 3 - 4 hours per sleep a night, though I'm not one of those.

My only reason for posting it in the first place was to present a different view than the one often seen here. No offense, and no recommendation to follow suit, was intended.

Memphisbelle70

my husband and I had a spectacular Normandy/MSM/Paris holiday a few yrs back. We flew overnight and slept on the plane thanks to Ambien and hit the ground running when we arrived in Paris the next morning. Rented a car at CDG and drove to Honfleur stopping at Monet's Giverny along the way-lunch, tour and back on the rode to Honfleur to walk around town, dinner and CRASHED for about 12 hours straight. This is usually how we travel the first day in Europe and have no trouble with jet lag. Everyone is different, but this works for us!!! We are very seasoned travelers The next morning we drove to D-day beaches after a breakfast along the Harbor in Honfleur, we loved it and glad we did not miss it. We made a base in Port En Bassin and spent 2 days touring the Beaches and Bayeux (as others suggested, the Tapestry is a not to be missed) Then off in our trusty rental car to MSM, we choose to stay outside at Chateau de Bouceel (which is one of our all time favorite places ever) The boys will love staying here-do some research, they have a suite that has a little room for chidren-then we drove our rental car back to Paris after MSM, i think it took about 4 hours. Best of luck! Great trip!!!! Don't forget to savor the French countryside, and enjoy chocolate crossiants, ham and Cheese on Baguette and Calvados!