rail/drive package Caen/Normandy beach
 

Has anyone had experience with these?

I have a "Europe by Eurorail" touring Europe by train 2008 book and it speaks of these.

We will be in Paris for 10 nights in December of 08 (23-2).

I very much want to take my children to Caen to the memorial (any feedback on this memorial?) and combining it with going to Normandy seems like a great idea.

Thoughts?

Can do as a day trip from Paris - about 2 hrs by train each way to Caen - where the memorial is on the edge of this rather large city

A superb museum - the best i've seen of many in the area and i believe they organize minibus excursions from there to the nearby D-Day beach area and the Colville-s-m military cemetery

You can also pick these up at the Caen Tourist office near the Caen train station - best book a tour before arriving - contact the Museum web site.

Or if wanting to stay overnight i'd head to Bayeux, the only town in the area not blitzed in war and with a super famous cathedral and the super famous Queen Matilda's Tapestry, woven just after the Norman Invasion of 1066 to document it from the Norman side

Bayeux is about 20 mins by train past Caen

Caen is a pleasant city but very modern - Bayeux is a dreamy smaller town.

Oh of course you could rent a car in Caen and drive yourself but the minibus tours get very good reviews. www.battlebus.com esp gets good reviews but there are about a dozen competing companies.

If wanting to rent a car investigate the French Railways Train+Auto plan where an Avis car (i think) will be awaiting you in Caen.

Thank you SO much PalenQ!!! I read in the book I have there are Hertz packages (there might be Avis as well) the bus tour might be the easiest way.

We are not going to be spending the night (although the Bayeux sounds fabulous (anything described as dreamy perks my interest).

We have our apartment in Paris for 10 nights and are traveling with 5 or 6 person -- so it is best for us to head back.

Love that you said it is a superb museum - the book I am reading really had the same feedback and that perked my interest.

One more question - are you sure that is the link? It came up something that did not look right.

battlebus.com: The Leading Buses Site on the Net www.battlebus.com/ - this came up when i Googled battlebus.com

Le Mémorial de Caen - Presentation

General information, tours, publications, and online bookshop located in France.
www.memorial-caen.fr/portail_gb/hp/hp.asp

check the museum web site or e-mail them to find out about tours from the museum - would be most convenient for you and day tripping

Dawn--I agree with PalenQ, the museum is excellent! We have been twice. The last time was last summer. We went to the museum one afternoon after taking the train from Paris. Then stayed in Bayeux for a few nights and did the Battlbus tour, which was excellent as well. I highly recommend it! We stayed at the Churchill Hotel in Bayeux, and the Battlebus pickup/dropoff is adjacent to the hotels parking lot. The tour itself was beyond our expectations, and the guide was amazing. I have heard wonderful things about all their guides. Bayeux is a nice little town to stay in, and the cathedral and tapestry are not to be missed either.

mms - did you travel with your family (forgive me if I have you confused with another poster)....

You are both tempting me to check out Bayeux

We did a Rail drive package and picked the rental car up at the Caen train station. The rental was fine except that the cost of the CDW with Hertz seemed higher than expected. You can of course research that in advance (I didn't).

The site is battlebus.fr

Tagging. Great info for my august trip.

thanks

dawn--Our first trip was our family of 4. This past summer was just myself, DD(16) and my mother.

mms - I thought you had traveled with your family :-)

What a great trip with your dd and Mom --- I pray I can do that someday with my own Mom and daughter.

Okay.. I am fully intrigued by Bayeux and am considering spending the night there -- it looks fabulous... I did a search and found Logis Les Remparts - it seems very reasonable unless I am reading wrong (has happened!)

I will continue to search but wanted to ask on this thread where you recommend to stay - remember I am traveling with:
11 year old girl, 15 year old g, 18 year old b and my 52 year old dh :-)

We may or may not have a friend of ss joining us.

dawn--I am not familiar with that place as we stayed at the Churchhill. In case you are interested in this though, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The hotel was in a fantastic location and it was very easy for DD to go wander by herself. Literally, out the back door is a street chuck full of shops, restaurants, the grocery store, etc. I felt fine letting her go by herself. The hotel was not expensive either. Moms room was 90 euro and ours was 120. This was in late June, so I think higher rates at that time.

I heard back from two B&B that they are closed in December - I am wondering if much of the town is? I am going to have to do further research.

mms I will look into the churchill as most likely a hotel remains open :-) (Maybe?) I like the idea of letting the kids go a little on their own (the older ones)

Okay..heard back from Churchhill hotel - they are also closed! I wonder if indeed the entire town is closed up....

Try the Lion d'Or. It should be open, and its one of the best hotels in town.

Thank you!

Of course the town isn't closed in December. It's a town - people live and work there. Check out the Château de la Bellefontaine. My kids and I loved it. It's a 5-minute walk into the center of town, but it's in a lovely bucolic setting on a tiny lane, with a stream running through it. Our rooms were incredibly spacious, and the price was reasonable a few years ago. No restaurant, if that matters.

StCirq - I will check it out. Sorry to be so obtuse - I really was thinking that the tourist aspect of the town was shut down for December.

StCirq - They are open :-) Thank you so much!

Hi Dawn,

What did you decide?

I'm taking my 17-year-old in 3 weeks to Bayeux via Paris.

Our plan is to see the Caen museum and then do at least a one day tour of the WWII sites. Perhaps 2 days. The "point" of the trip is a WWII journey this summer including Berlin and Krakow. I know you are planning some of the same things.

I've seen these people recommended for tours:

Nigel Stewart
Battlebus
Victory

Have you heard anything in your research? I think I'd prefer a private or semi-private tour if it is good and not too expensive.

Will you stay overnight in Bayeux? Have you chosen accommodations?

I'd love any advice you care to share as I'm a bit behind on planning this...

I will tell you everything when I return!

gruezi