paris to normandy
 

How long is train to Bayeux from Paris ? Would you recommend picking up rental car in Bayeux there or Rouen. We have about 7 days to explore the Normandy coast we will be flying in to Paris and staying for a couple of days then going to the Normandy area.

Honfleur is it worth the visit? Also to stay in Mont ST Michel or make it a day trip?

Check https://www.seat61.com/, rome2rio.com, or even google maps

Probably depends on your exact itinerary.

I thought so! YMMV.

Apples and oranges! I'm glad I spent a night there in part because I enjoyed roaming around after day trippers left -- but you can do that even if you stay across the bridge. And I liked being able to see the abbey before the island was overrun by other tourists.

Sounds like a guidebook or two and a few hours researching on the internet would be to your advantage.

When I visit Normandy (Haut, not Bas - you do realize it's a huge province, yes? and there is much more to see there than the D-Day sights), I typically take a train from Paris (Gare Lazare) to Caen and pick up a rental car there. You can pick one up in Bayeux, but there's really only one tiny place there with maybe one rental car available, and you'd often need to speak French (do you?) to ensure the transaction didn't go sideways.

Whether Honfleur is "worth" visiting is your call. How could we know? I'm fond of the town, it has some historical significance, and it's a great place for a plâteau de fruits de mer, but we have no idea what floats your boat. That wooden church of Ste-Cathérine is a show-stopper for many of us who've hoofed it all over Europe for decades - you don't see that all that often. And I like the Musée Boudin. I know he wasn't a star among the Impressionistes, but I never fail to be blown away by his intimate scenes on the beaches of Normandy.

Same with le Mont St-Michel. Yes, it's a tourist crush most of the time during the day. But why are you going there? Because it's in brochures and you want to take a selfie and say you've been there, or because you want to understand it?

If you're starting in Paris, you can rent a car there and eliminate the hassle of a train. There's a lot to see between Paris and the coast that a car will get you to and a train won't..

If you decide you'd rather not drive from Paris, then Caen is a good place to pick up your rental car because the rental agencies are next to the train station.

Here are some of our favorite places in Normandy. At Varengevlle sur Mer there's a wonderful garden and house, Les Bois des Moutiers, and a stone manor house built around 1530, the Manoir d'Ango. Veules les Roses is small and picture-perfect. St Valery en Caux has the amazing Maison Henri IV. The stream that runs through Pont Audemer adds extra charm. Lyons la Foret has some half-timbered buildings, including one where Ravel used to stay. There is Giverny for Monet's garden. Mortain is known for its waterfalls. The free ferries that cross the Seine in about 5 minutes are fun, especially at scenic Jumieges and La Bouille. Farther inland are Alencon, Mortagne au Perche, and Belleme. The Perche is known for its 16th century stone manor houses. The Tuesday market at L'Aigle is one of the best in the area. Oh, not to forget Bernay, with lots of half-timbered houses as well as buildings in other architectural styles.

Mont Saint Michel is one of France's icons. Apparently it's jam-packed these days, but I'm sure it's still worth a visit. Can you arrange your visit to avoid the worst crowds?

Normandy is big, so big it used to be divided in two, and for us the back roads lead to some of the best parts. Your trip will take some planning, but you can spend your whole time in Normandy and not run out of things to see. Have a good trip!

Attached is my Normandy & Brittany itinerary. Included is what I consider to be a "perfect plan for visiting le Mont St Michel". Also, Honfleur info is included. I would certainly include both of these sites in your itinerary.

Stu Dudley