PLACES TO STAY IN NORMANDY
 

MY WIFE AND I ARE PLANNING A TRIP TO FRANCE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2006.

WOULD APPRECIATE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR QUALITY HOTELS, B&B'S, OR CHATEAUS IN NORMANDY.WE PLAN TO TOUR THE ENTIRE REGION.

THANK YOU.

I had very good luck with Gites de France:

http://www.gites-de-france.fr/eng/index.htm

they have a range of quality, clearly indicated and described, including where English is spoken.

Please don't shout.

For a castle/chateaux thing, google Bien Venue au Chateaux. They have 150+ plus chateaux rentals in Western France (includes Normandy). They typically rent by the room and night (not the whole chateuax for a week). This is an assocation not a booking service, so you will directly with the owner (typically).

We stayed at the Chateau Fontaine Etoufor near Caen.

We stayed at Chateau du Sully near Bayeux a year ago September. It was very charming. Our room was an end room with a view of the front lawn and gardens. It was large and very airy. The decor was lovely antiques. We enjoyed our stay there very much.

In Honfleur, the Cour St. Catherine, giaglis.com - a bed and breakfast inn with large pleasantly decorated rooms, set around a courtyard in the historic district, a three-minute walk from the Old Harbor, with outgoing and helpful hosts. (Rick Steeves has found this place, so one needs to reserve far ahead).

Our best source for quality hotels is Chateaux & Hotels de France [www.chateauxhotels.com].You can order a catalog for a nominal fee. A second source is Relais & Chateau.

Normandy is a big place, and stretches from Dieppe/Etretat/Fecamp to Mnt St Michel, plus about 75 miles inland from the English Channel coastline. You'll need the entire month to see it exhaustively.

At the less visited east coastal end, see my remarks about Villa Bligny in Etretat on this old post:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34373538

Best wishes,

Rex

La Chaine d'Or in Le Petit Andely, less than two hours drive from CDG is a lovely place to spend the first night. It's beautifully situated along the Seine, and the little town itself is fun to wander around. www.lachainedor.com The Chateau Gailliard (sp?) sits impressively above the town.

We also stayed at Cour St. Catherine, as mentioned by Dave IP above, and it is great value for the $$.

In Bayeux we stayed at the Hotel d'Argouges. It's a very adequate two star with charming public rooms (reception hall, breakfast room, etc.) and in a great location to walk to many places in Bayeux, such as the Tapestry and also the departure point for many D Day tours. It does not have its own website but you can Google it.

I endorse the Hotel D'Argouges in Bayeux. Great place to stay and very convenient.

By the way, one poster told you not to shout. In case you don't understand, shout means posting in capital letters.