teach905

No one answered my question yesterday so I am trying again. I don't mean the car route. We would like to stop at Chartres as we leave the airport on our way to Mont St Michel. We don't really want to drive all the way on our first day because of jet lag. Is there a charming spot to stop for the first night? I was thinking about heading to Vitre.

we usually feel the juet lag the secon day. That way we could have a lazy morning and a short drive the next day to MSM. I want to make sure I am there in the late afternoon and evening to see it's magnificence.

Any other ideas? I always get such good suggestions on this board. Some one usually knows an out of the way place that's charming. I don't want to spend more than $200 a night.

Thanks

iris1745

Hi teach; Keep in mind that the drive from CDG to Vitre, thru Chartres will take almost four hours. Consider staying in Chartres overnight, probably 1 1/2 hours from CDG. With the cathedral and old town you will have enough to do. Mont St Michel will the take about 2 1/2 hours from Chartres. A few miles south of Mont St Michel, we stayed in www.chateaudebouceel.com A great place to stay with winderful people.

grandmere

We stayed at La Chaine d'Or in Les Andelys our first night on the way to Normandy from CDG. It's a small town about 1.5 hrs. from CDG, and La Chaine is a lovely old inn along the Seine with a well-known restaurant. High above the town is a castle if you should want to sight see a bit. Highly recommend this as a place to stay over if you don't want to drive far after flying all night.

hopingtotravel

Ditto. We've stayed twice at La Chaine D'Or. Lovely food and view.

teach905

You guys keep reccommending La Chaine D'Or, but when you read trip advisor!!! YIKES!!!!

When did you stay there?

Coquelicot

If you are stopping at Chartres for lunch or a cathedral visit, then the town of Mortagne au Perche is not far away to the west for an overnight stay. It's a small, attractive town
in a beautiful area; there are plenty of B&Bs nearby. But this is a popular area with Parisians and for a B&B on a weekend you'd need to book way ahead. Mappy says Mortagne is 3 hours from le Mont Saint Michel.

West of Mortagne would be the city of Alencon, and west of that, Fougeres. We have stayed at and recommend a B&B at Landean near Fougeres. I don't have any knowledge of places at Vitre but it has a nice historic center. I don't know about lodgings at Alencon either; we weren't crazy about it.

From Fougeres/Landean, le Mont St Michel is about an hour away.

B&Bs in the country will come in way under your $200 budget.

hopingtotravel

La Chaine D'Or -- notice I said 'lovely food and view' not lovely mattress and toilet paper.

We stayed there in 2005 and liked everything about it.
We stayed again (in the same room) in 2008 and I felt like they had encased the mattress in plastic. The food was even better. At least the room is large. The location is good if you plan to visit Giverney.
What do the people on Trip Advisor say?

teach905

Mattress and toilet paper would be OK. Go read the reviews they are too sad to write about. It looks like there's new management. But you were there in 2008...not that long ago.

grandmere

I just looked on TA, and it seems that people either love or hate La Chaine; nobody lukewarm. I was there in 2005 and liked it. It could use some refurbishing for sure, but IMO it spoke of faded elegance, and I would stay there again. The dining room was nicely decorated in a country style, and the food was good. It was a welcoming and relaxing haven after the all night flight.