Please help me show my picky in-laws a wonderful time in Normandy!
 

My in-laws (who think we are crazy for moving to Brussels) are making their first trip to Europe this June. My father-in-law is a history buff and has expressed an interest in seeing D-day beaches. My mother-in-law is a lover of the finer (ok FINEST) things.

Please help me fill in the gaps in our itinerary.

Wednesday morning
Drive to Honfleur (from Brussels)
Have lunch, wander around, spend the night

Thursday morning
Drive to Bayeaux
D-day beaches
Spend the night in Bayeaux

Friday morning
Drive to Mont-st-Michel
Spend the night

Saturday morning-
Head back up towards Brussels
*Need gorgeous and impressive chateau with pool, nice restaurant, wine cellar, excellent service! I've looked on several websites and nothing has jumped out at me yet. Anyone have a specific place that would fit this criteria?

Sunday
Drive back to Brussels.

All suggestions welcome!! Please help me plan an impressive, beautiful trip for my in-laws!

Given what you've said and reading between the very broad lines I have only one suggestion:

hire a driver to take them while you stay home enjoying Brussels in their absence!

Ha! I wish we had the option.

It's going to be tricky, but I know we can show them a great time. And they really *are* fun...just high maintenance. We just need to keep them happy...and keep the beer and wine flowing.

If your mother in law enjoys the finer things, I'd recommend hiring Col Michael Chilcott as your D-Day guide. He's retired British colonel and lives just outside Bayeux. He will tailor the trip to your specifications(US vs Canadian vs British invasion), spend as much time as you want at the various sites and has incredible insight. For a good dinner in Bayeux, we liked Le Rapier - its a small place down and even tinier alleyway with excellent food and atmosphere (stone walls, candles, etc). I assume you've already booked hotels at the various stops -

Have not booked hotels yet...working on that now. Any suggestions?

I agree. At some point children have got to quit letting their parents dictate their lives. I put up with it until I was in my forties. Finally a liberating event took place.

I agree with the hire a driver suggestion.
Other than that, see if there is not a commercial tour they can take.

If they are that picky, I doubt if anything you do will satisfy them.
Then there will be all kinds of jibbering and guilt. Deputy Barney Fife was known to say: "Nip it. Nip it in the bud!"

If your Dad is that big a history buff. He should know where to go without anyone planning it for him. Right?

I would not try to challenge an expert on his own ground unless I was of equal status in that area of expertise.

In bayeux, we stayed at Lion D'Or as it was highly recommended to us by friends. We liked it a lot - the restaurant is, again, excellent. We also looked at the Churchill while we were there. Google Michael Chilcott and hire him to do the tour of the D-Day sites. you won't regret it if he's available. We based ourselves in bayeux and just did a day trip to MSM. I know there are some very nice hotels in the Honfleur area but the names escape me now! You might want to make a detour to Giverny on your way back to Brussels - the gardens would be lovely in June.

Bob- I am sure you are right. Still have to try...if only for my dear husband who works so hard while I play in Europe all day :) My FIL the history buff will know what he wants to see at and around the D-day landings...but the rest of the trip is up to me.

Anyone have feedback on our itinerary or hotel suggestions?

I think what the OP is looking for is wanting to do this trip up "first class."

I can't help him, but I'm sure there's enough expertise on this Forum for fine restaurants/hotels/chateaus.

If your father-in-law is a history buff, I would skip Mont St Michel. There's enough to see in Normandy to fill up 2 days. I did it well over 20 years ago and felt rushed. ((b))

Here's the info for Chilcott's:
From US: 011 33 2 31 22 39 09
[email protected]
www.vrbo.com/vrbo/352.htm

I used to get a lot of flack for not endorsing MSM but we were underwhelmed by it - massive crowds and very hot. I've heard if you stay the night, its gorgeous. However, we were in bayeux for 5 nights and still felt there was more to see in that area: tapestry, cathedral, beaches, markets, etc. You could spend a half day just at the American Cemetery and the Col will let you - we were there about 3 hours alone.

I personally would not plan this as a series of one night stops. If they really are "first class" travelers they won't want to be packing and moving every day. You are talking about fairly short distances.

So I would look for one <u>very</u> nice place for 3 nights and use it as a base to tour all through Normandy. They will have a chance to settle in, use all the facilities of the hotel, and still be able to see all the sites.

I totally agree with janisj. I say get the nicest hotel you can find with gorgeous rooms to make Mom happy, and go from there. It also gives her the option of staying there one day and relaxing if the driving around looking at historic sites is too much for her.
Just make sure you all go to the big cemetery together. After you all survey that site together, you will all feel closer and nobody will be in a mood to bitch about anything! Trust me. I can't even type this without my eyes filling up, and it's been at least 5 years!

We loved Honfleur - there are many places to eat, its enjoyable to walk around. We used that as a 'base' and visited the D-day landing areas. Some may find that too far, but we loved it.

I also second (or third?) the idea of staying in one place multiple nights. Its much more enjoyable to be 'settled' and do a little driving than constantly moving.

We stayed at this B&amp;B http://www.giaglis.com/GB_maison.htm They also have apartments that you can rent, but my guess is that you are looking for something more upscale/service oriented.

We used this tour service:
http://www.victorytours.com/
Roel was amazing! His tours are small (8-person van) and he knows the ins and outs. If your fil is a history buff, I would recommend a full day - we did a 1/2 day (due to schedule constraints) and we wished it was longer. He also has a chateau - check out his website.

Instead of trekking all the way to MSM (can be a tourist trap), what about Etretat? Its the French version of the white cliffs of Dover - a cute little town, some nice hikes up the cliffs, amazing views. We very much enjoyed it.

try www.karenbrown.com for first class hotels. here's one of her recommendations: http://www.chateauxhotels.com/public..._de_Sully.html

good luck! Its a beautiful area. just keep the wine and Kronenbourg flowing (for you and them!) and that will smooth the edges (of course, I'm not advocating drinking and driving here, folks).

Researching a trip to Normandy ourselves and accomodations don't look to be the region's strong suit. Did find this -- not our cup of tea but perhaps right for you.

http://www.vrbo.com/80297

Good luck!

LG..you absolutely, positively MUST get MIL into the Chateau de Sully, jusy 3 kms north of Bayeux, en route to the D-Day beaches. Both MIL and FIL will gasp when they are driven up the long driveway onto the Chateau grounds....rooms are very large, all with some kind of view...gardens are superb, there is a pool...and the in-house restaurant is excellent and elegant. We've stayed there twice and have recomnmended it to family and friends...the rates are mich less than one would imagine..now on the 200E's range, I believe...dinners are still quite modestly priced...30E's or so. The delightful young couple owners are very pleasant...breakfasts are large and excellent. Look no further LG...MIL will be talking about this for years.
Stu T. (I can scan some photos if you wish..... [email protected])

LG...good news...I just checked the internet and the rates are now in the 170E's range for the superior rooms at the Chateau de Sully...
http://www.chateau-de-sully.com/defa...file=pg21-0_fr

Stu T.

Thanks to all!!

Have decided to stay in one well located, beatiful place and possibly scrap MSM from the itinerary.

cmeyer- I am going to email Col. Chilcott. Any idea what his rates are?

I think Chateau de Sully is *exactly* what we are looking for! Stu- would love to see your photos [email protected]

Thanks again!

I'm in the process of planning 14 days in Normandy--without a stop at MSM. We love Honfleur and you could certainly do all your sightseeing from there while having a wonderful base. The Relais and Chateau Ferme St. Simeon in probably the most chi chi property in the area (you'll have to drive about 4 km or so into town). It has a beauty/spa center and gourmet restaurant. Rooms are 220-450 euros and restaurant menu 69 - 85- 105. We stayed at a sister property just down the hill, Manoir Butin which is a little less pricey but also not quite as super upscale. While investigating places to stay in Normandy I came across the Chateau Sully and read many posts recommending it highly, so that's another option. I'd pick one of these two and do day trips rather than pack and unpack nightly. For sure I'd skip the stay on MSM. I'd read all the posts about it being magical after the tourists leave. It was ok, but still full of trinket shops, and the hotels on the island are positively not what a picky mother-in-law would find acceptable.

Other random thoughts--check out the WWII peace memorial in Caen. A friend of mine says its the best museum she's ever been in. It's on our must see list. Take a tour out of Honfleur through the cheese and cider area with the lovely gardens and chateaus in that area south of Honfleur. As someone else has recommended, drive up the coast from Honfleur to Etretat (be forewarned, it's a bit touristy also), Fecamp and all the way to Dieppe if you don't mind the driving.

Since I've been working on this Normandy itinerary for a long time, I've got oodles of stuff I'd be willing to share if you want more. e-mail me at valdisvikmanis at comcast.net if you need specifics.

Julie has a good point about Etretat - yes, it is touristy. The thing I liked about it is that its not American tourists overrunning the place, its Europeans. Still gives you a sense of being on holiday in a foreign country. We loved the cliffs - we climbed them both.

http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...amp;ppuser=232
these are my photos from last July - Etretat, Honfleur, Normandy and D-Day beaches are the ones you are interested in.

I'm jealous - I really fell in love with the area and didn't expect to!

surfmom, thanks for the pix...yet another place to put on my list (sigh). Also loved the gargoyles!