Hello,

My husband is takingn me to paris for my 40th birthday/15 yr wedding anniversary. Were going for just 5 nights but promised him a day trip to Normandy. I suggested the train but he's rather drive as a friend told him it was pleasant and scenic.

That said - I know about train travel but clueless on car rental. Do I make the rental reservation from the states? Will I have to go to the airport to pick up the car? Will I pass through the town of bayeux as I'd like to sneak in the tapestries. Help! Thanks!

First off, you should know that a one-day car rental will cost about the same as a three-day rental, so not such a good deal. But yes, you make the arrangements ahead of time from the States. I always use AutoEurope, and I always CALL them rather than just use the website, so I can ask questions. No, you don't have to go to the airport to pick a car up. Just as here, there are rental car offices all over the place in Paris/France. Only you can decide what route you take, of course, but yes, you could choose to go through Bayeux. However, a one-day trip to Normandy is already about a 15-hour proposition, so you should consider adding a day or two if you want to see much of anything besides a D-Day landing or two.

You can pick up a rental car in Paris instead of going back out to the airport. It would say you a small fortune (taxi to the airport + the airport rental car fee). If you want to rent a car, check with Auto Europe, Kemwel, EuropCar, Hertz or Avis and book it in advance. Note that one-day rentals can be expensive.

The oneway drive to Bayeux will take near 3 hours, depending on traffic, longer if you take the scenic route. So at the very least you'll end up spending 6 hours in a car, watching the beautiful scenery slip by. Not a very pleasant day for either of you.

If you only wanted to visit Rouen in the Haute Normandie, then it's only about 1-1/2 hours each way, doable, but it's still easier to take the train.

Thank you. The guide will pick up in bayeux. So I need to get there specifically. How long is the train ride? My husband who grew up in NYC is now opposed to public transport

Not sure what your rental accommodations are in Paris, but, if you could get out to Bayeux the evening before, you would have a better experience in Normandy, perhaps returning to Paris later in the evening.

Were staying in st germain. Would rather not pack up for a night and stay elsewhere.

Think well just take a very long day and see the beaches. I guess a quick stop in giverny is really pushing it! A tour I found will do 1-6 - just a half day. I knew it won't do the area justice but well have to return another day...

Regardless of what you decide, it is an awesome birthday/anniversary gift...enjoy!!!!

It will be a LOT cheaper and far less hassle to take the train.

Not knowing your dates, it looks like the earliest morning train to Bayeux takes 2hr 19min, and connects through Caen. The second morning train takes 2hr 30min., connecting through Caen, and will put you in Bayeux at 11:15. The first direct train departs Paris at 10:10 and takes 2hr 6min. The last evening train departs Bayeux for Paris at 20:07 (8:07 pm).

check out the SNCf - French Railways - Train + Auto plan that takes you by train to Caen and then has a rental car - AVIS I believe - waiting for you so you can leisurely drive along the relatively short coastal area of interest and end up in Bayeux and also with a car be able to easily visit the most acclaimed d-day museum in the area - Caen's a few kms outside of town - make that your first stop to orientate yourself with their huge relief map of the whole D-Day and subsequent days military assault.

http://normandy.memorial-caen.com/

PalenQ I LOVE that idea.

Have you already bought tickets? It would be so nice to have a night in Bayeux. We took the direct train to Bayeux and you can rent a car there but check the pick up and drop off times. I think we took the 10:10 train because we arrived mid day. You will be tight on time to see much. Did you say your meeting a guide? Is it one where it is cheaper to use your own car rather than their car?

I did a half day tour from Bayeux and had plenty of time to see that tapestry beforehand, and even have a snack to eat before the tour. I think my tour left at 1:15 or 1:30, so I took the 8:45 train which gets there at 11:15. The direct train doesn't really save you much, the transfer is only about 8 minutes at Caen and clearly it is a small station so it's not a big problem. There is an even earlier train if you really wanted more time there.

I think renting a car for one day in Bayeux, when you are going on a tour anyway, is nuts.

It is the tour with the guide if I use my own car the price goes down. Thinking half day a better option...

Check sixt.com. I just checked pickup on Mar 3 at 8am at their St. Germain location with drop off the next morning at 8. The lowest rate is $53.39 for the day. Not a bad price as far as I'm concerned! If back in Paris before 8pm, you could drop it on the same day to avoid a parking garage charge.

Kemwel and Autoeuope charge for a minimum of 3 days so don't go there. I always use them for my rentals which are for a longer period.

AARP gives you a discount if you book Sixt or Europcar thru them, if I recall correctly.

Check Europcar also.

What does growing up in NYC have to do with public transport in Europe? French trains are nothing like AMTRAK.

The big (and it can be BIG if you have any issues at all) advantage of booking with AutoEurope or Kemwel is that someone in the USA has your back at every moment if you run into any trouble. There's a toll-free number to call 24/7, and help will be on the way immediately. Try dealing on the spot with French-onlly-speaking Europcar agents and the difference becomes apparent immediately. I speak French pretty fluently, and even I rent with AutoEurope, because I don't want to have to discuss replacing differential pinions with a French mechanic.

Public transport: subway and buses and never had a car. Such is life in NYC.