Paris to Normandy. Should I rent a car or take the train
 

Planning a trip to Normandy in September & I’m undecided about transportation. Would it be best to rent a car from Paris or take the train to Bayeux & rent a car from there? The D-Day Beaches & Mont St Michel would be our top priorities. Thinking of adding Honfleur, Rouen & possibly Giverny. Would 8 full days be sufficient? I do not speak or read French so I’m a bit concerned about being to read road signs!

I would not rent a car in Paris, but I might rent one at CDG if I was driving to the D-Day area and wanted to visit/ovrrnight stuff on the way there (as long as it is a short drive on arrival day - Giverny). Otherwise, take a train to Caen & rent a car there.

I have a 20+ page itinerary that describes our favorite places in Normandy & Brittany. If you would like a copy, e-mail me at my Fodors name at AOL & I'll attach it to the reply e-mail. Specify that you want the Normandy itinerary - I have about 10 others

Stu Dudley

It depends on your travel experiences, most people shouldn't fly across the pond and then leap into a car with local road signs being different from their home country and drive. (full stop), even Micro-sleeps would put other people's lives (and yours) at risk.

I'd catch the train. Seat61.com explains how it works

Thanks. I did send you an email regarding your itinerary. It will be very helpful.

If you enjoy road trips, by all means rent a car in Paris. Driving out of the city is easy, and once you have been driving around France, driving back into Paris is even easier.

I really would rather not drive but everything that I’ve read suggests that a car is needed. I do think I’ll stay a day or two in Paris & then take the train to Caen or Bayeux. Would you suggest doing tours to Mont St. Michel & D-Day beaches or just rent a car from Caen or Bayeux?

If you want to see the beaches then take a tour.

St Michael do it yourself but get a good book like Rough Guide.

The group tours or private guides for the D-Day beaches are probably the best way to go. As long as you get a good one, you get lots of information and you get your logistics covered.

For Mont Saint-Michel, you don't need a guide, just a good guidebook. But, I would highly recommend an overnight stay (either on the island or, my preference, the hotels inside the parking area leading up to the causeway) if you can fit it in to your itinerary. To really appreciate MSM, it takes a little time to see the full tide cycle. You can do that as a daytrip if you time it right, but it's easier as an overnight.

""You can do that as a daytrip if you time it right, but it's easier as an overnight.""

Unless you love shoulder to shoulder mobs, don't be at MSM anytime between 10:30AM and 6PM. At 10PM late June, it was heavenly when we were there.

Read the section in my itinerary about visiting MSM.

Stu Dudley

We arrive at CDG at 7:45 am on Tuesday so I’m thinking that we’ll stay overnight somewhere near the Eiffel Tower & then take the train from St Lazare to Bayeux on Wednesday. Rent a car there & head to Mont St. Michel Thursday morning. We will definitely stay overnight. Thanks to all your advice! How should I plan for the Saturday & Sunday? Return to Bayeux for those days & tour the beaches or day trip to Honfleur? Our flight home is on Thursday at 9:45 am so we’ll need to be back in Paris by Wednesday. Any suggestions?

I would take a look at renting a car in Caen instead of Bayeux. But if you are staying in Paris for a day or two, I'd consider renting there and driving to Giverny first, then on up to your points in Normandy. In the Caen v. Bayeux scenario, you'll have a larger selection for sure, but you'll be able to compare prices as well. In my experience, Caen prices are generally cheaper, but not by a significant amount. As I recall it was less than $10 per day different.

There are only 2 no-train-change trains that go to Bayeux at reasonable hours. Both are in the middle of the day - which kinda kills the entire day. First is at 11AM, & second at 1PM. 2 hr 18 min trip.

From Caen - 8:30AM 10AM. 11 Am, 1 PM.

Plus, I would certainly want to visit the fabulous Peace museum in Caen.

Stu Dudley

So after many hours of research, I have a tentative itinerary.

We arrive in Paris at 9:30 am.
Tuesday-Shuttle to Hotel near the Eiffel Tower. Rest of day visit Invalides, Tuileries & Rue Cler
Wednesday-Train to Caen & pick up car Rental. Visit area & drive to Bayeux
Thursday-Drive to Mont St. Michel & overnight at Hotel Saint Pierre. Question is should we stop at Granville on the way to MSM?
Friday-Possibly drive from MSM to Sainte Mere Eglise then to Utah Beach before ending up back in Bayeux
Saturday-Visit Honfleur fo the day
Sunday-D-Day Tour
Monday-Return rental car in Caen & take train to Paris
Tuesday-Giverny
Wednesday-Sightsee in Paris. Overnight at CDG for early flight on Thursday

Any suggestions, changes or additions?

I'd stay 2 or 3 nights in Paris on arrival -- after an overnight flight and all the logistics / stuff with immigration, transport etc you likely won't have much energy for sightseeing. Then after a couple of nice sleeps in Paris rent a car in Paris and drive to M-S-M via the southern route/Le Mans. Then to Bayeux/Caen/D-Day beaches, then drive from Bayeux to Giverny and on to CDG and drop the car the evening before your flight home. Stay at CDG the last night.

IMO it makes no sense to 1) split the stays in Paris, 2) zig back out to Giverny from Paris at the end of your trip before flying home. I'd do a big circle Paris > M-s-M > Bayeux > Giverny > CDG