We are going from Paris to Normandy in December and are torn between renting a car at CDG and driving to Normandy, or taking the train. Which option is really the best way to truly experience northern France without getting totally frustrated? Either way, we know that we definitely want to drive around<BR> Normandy instead of taking trains. Also, we plan to do a very thorough stay in Normandy (several days) - is it best to pick one town as our home base and then drive back and forth between the other towns, or should we stay at a different hotel every couple days as we move between the different towns in<BR>Normandy? Please help as I'm really torn between these options. Thanks!!!<BR>

Renee,<BR><BR>I recently posted my trip report titled "Paris and Normandy Trip Report". You can do a search for Normandy and see that report as well as lots of other info. on towns, restaurants, and hotels. <BR><BR>If you don't know how to do a search, answer back and I'll give instructions. <BR><BR>I believe staying in at least two different locations gives you an opportunity to see things more closely. It is easy to go from one part of Normandy to another every day, but then you will often be relegated to highways. Splitting hotel locations lets you do back-road exploring---Normandy is so charming it would be a shame to miss those opportunites. <BR><BR>Have a great vacation!<BR><BR>Lisa<BR>

Renee:<BR><BR>There are many ways to plan such a trip, but here's one idea to get you started:<BR><BR>Take the train to Caen (nice 2.5-hour ride or so). Pick up the car there and drive 20 minutes to Bayeux. Make your first base there. We stayed at the Ch&acirc;teau de Bellefontaine and just loved it, but there are other options. Stay there a few days, visiting the D-Day beaches, the M&eacute;morial in Caen, the American Cemetary, Pointe du Hoc, etc.<BR>Then move to Honfleur or somewhere in the vicinity and enjoy the pastoral areas around it. Try to find a way to get to Rouen and Chartres if you haven't been there. Alen&ccedil;on is also a nice town in an interesting corner of the region. Leave the car off at Chartres or Rouen and take the train back into Paris.

we drove from charles de gaulle to the normandy coast may 27 and stayed three nights in a wonderful B&B in arromanches. <BR>it had a view of the sea and the city and was a good base location for driving north and south to the beaches, plus to mont st. michel and saint mere eglise.<BR>the B&B owner is the town's only doctor and has been the mayor, and is delighted to talk about his town and country.<BR>it's an easy drive if you take the auto routes (the toll roads) but more complicated if you take the "lesser" roads.<BR>if you need the B&B info, or other notes, let me know.<BR>we thought that was a great part of our trip.<BR>

We rented a car at CDG and drove to Normandy with no problem. Good roads, no hassle with train.<BR><BR>We stayed outside Caen at the MANOIR DES TOURPES. This is a small B and B owned by American Mike Cassady and his French wife. Great spot and great hosts. Mike's email is [email protected].<BR><BR>He was very helpful on sights in the area and maps. We stayed ther 4 nights. The room we had was large and overlooked the front yard and the Dives River. The building is an old manor for the 1700s. I would stay there again.<BR><BR>All of the above info was current as of our July, 2000 trip. You may want to email Mike for information.

Mike Cassady and his French wife are not taking any reservations after August. They sold their place. We wanted to stay there in September and just got e-mail from Michael ([email protected])

St Cirq - PLEASE GO AWAY. Must I appeal to your husband again?

Renee<BR>A few years ago we drove from L'Oise (north of Paris) down to Saumur, it took us about 5 hours, and we got off the motorway and onto the D road alongside the Loire river as soon as possible. <BR>Driving around the peripherique was mildly stressful but we avoided rush hour so it wasn't as bad as it could have been, and overall the drive was much easier, shorter and more pleasant that we had expected.<BR><BR>Kavey<BR><BR>I did post a trip report here, in 1999, if you'd like to find it searching under Beaulieu should bring it up as that was the name of our accomm.

My wife and I made this trip in may. we rented a car at CDG and drove to Normandy with a stop in Giverny for Monet's Garden. The drive was no problem at all. We used Bayeux as a base and loved the city. Virtually undamaged from WWII with a great cathedral and numerous shops and restaurants. Very close to the D-Day sites, maybe 10 km. try to stay at the Churchill in Bayeux. I spent one entire day seeing WWII sites while my wife browsed through the town. we spent 2 days and if we had stayed more we would have moved our base to Honfleur. Have a great trip!!!

LS take your pills like a good girl now.

Kavey please post the url of your report thanks.

I don't have it. I'll do a search and see if I can find it...<BR>

Enclosed are trip reports from Normandy and Loire. I mentioned Loire trip above only because I wanted to stress that driving round the peripherique in Paris wasn't half as bad as we thought, not because it had anything to do with Normandy per se.<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessages.jsp?fid=2&tid=83260&numresponses=9&star t=0&searchText=beaulieu+and+kavey<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessages.jsp?fid=2&tid=1298127&numresponses=34&s tart=0&searchText=honfleur+and+kavey<BR><BR>I don't know that you will find anything useful but you're welcome to read...<BR><BR>Kavey

Thanks for the update on Mike Cassady selling his place in Normandy. Nice place to stay. Nice guy.