flygirl

Hi everyone

Before I go too far, I should mention I've been to all these places at least a few times. It has just been a while and so I'm wondering if anyone has more recent thoughts.

My plan is to arrive in Paris and spend three nights, then get a car and leave town for seven nights, then back in Paris for five nights. This is only about my road trip time, though.

It's the 75th anniversary of D-Day this year and I accidentally made an every five year tradition of visiting the beaches and historic sites around and on D-Day. By this I mean the 55th, 60th, 65th, and 70th - and that doesn't even include a visit when I was 15-16 although that visit wasn't around D-Day, it was April I think. So, I don't "need" to go back and see it all again BUT since I'm going to be in France I will scratch that itch and spend one day seeing a few old highlights and paying my respects.

I will then have 6 nights before I head back to Paris. I'm trying to sort out how I want to spend it. Back in 2004 I did a road trip of the entire Brittany coastline - all of it, all the way around. It was wonderful. I don't think I want to go that far this time. Also, even earlier in the 2000s, I made a road trip of the Loire Valley. I also took my Dad to a few places in the Loire Valley in 2009 along with Normandy.

I am tentatively thinking of splitting those 6 nights in Saint Malo, and, Chinon, as a base. Three and three, with forays each day.

I enjoyed Vannes back in 2004 but that may be a bit far for this road trip. I think if I stick to the two bases above and maybe do some hiking during the day (will need to look and see if the GR path is nearby?) or general sightseeing with my car.

If you were to choose those two bases, how would you spend your days? Or if you had my parameters - had to spend one day in Normandy and then had 6 nights to drive wherever - where would you go? Ending in Paris of course.

I will have to look and see if Oradour Sur Glane is too far. I never did make it there... I think it's fairly central in France...

thank you for any thoughts.. mulling...

Michael

Are decided on Normandy south of the Seine and Brittany? If not, northern France could be from the English channel north of the Seine to Alsace (more east than north) via Amiens, Reims, Nancy etc. The Michelin Green Guide(s) would be useful in making a decision. Maybe look at it from the old provincial maps, and choose northern Normandy, Picardie and Flandres as the center of your travels.

StCirq

Oradour is just 25 kms NW of Limoges, so probably a bit far from what you're contemplating, though well worth a trip.

flygirl

Hi!

Ugh I cannot believe I never came back to reply.

Thank you for the replies. StCirq, yeah, sadly, that would be a whole day so not this time.

Michael, thank you. I have decided to make a sweep from Paris, to Giverny (lunch with a friend there) and then on to the D-Day beaches area but just overnight. I am not sure where I will stay that one night yet. I usually stay in Bayeux. Then, on to Saint Malo for three nights. Finally three nights dipping down to Chinon and then back to Paris. A one week road trip, and the rest of my nights in Paris itself (I think 8-9 nights there).

I will do little day trips near my home base.

Anyone have a favored Saint Malo hotel they like?

Thank you

Coquelicot

Not a hotel, but I can highly recommend a restaurant I've never been to! We used to go to an excellent restaurant in southeast Normandy and last fall the owner said to us "With Herve and me, it is finished." I thought divorce, but no, she meant they were selling that restaurant and opening a new one in St. Malo. It just opened a few weeks ago and it's got great reviews already, 14 5-star reviews on TA and it's affordable.

AppaRance (les Mousset) 02 99 81 64 76 1 esplanade du Commandant Menguy 35400 St Malo, 7/7 09:30 – 22:00.

From their Facebook page, here's a recent lunch formula at 19E and 16E:
❗ Lunch Formula of April 16th ❗ Bulots de la Baie de St Malo, Mayonnaise Or Oeuf parfait, crème de légumes retour du marché ### #### St Jacques's ballotine and cod, crustacean bisque ### #### Chocolate Fluffy, diplomat cream Starter Formula + Dish + dessert = 19 euros Entree + plat OU Plat + dessert = 16 euros

Have you stayed at Landean, near Fougeres, at a garden B&B? I think you're the person I recommended it to back in the days of Slow Travels. I hope you'll report on your upcoming trip. Have a good one!

shelemm

There is certainly nothing wrong with returning to the same places again an again, but as long you show some curiosity, have you visited Les Enclos Parroises in Brittany? Or the fortified churches of La Thierache in l'Aisne? It sounds like you haven't gotten to the tiny inland ports of the Marais Poitevin such as Coulon, Arcais, Damvix and Sansais la garette.... there are just so many possibilities. In Normandy, have you been to the ruins at Jumieges?

kerouac

I always think of all of those places as being western France. For me, northern France concerns all of the battlefields north of Paris... and also all of the rugged coastlines.

ahbonvraiment

flygirl

Thank you! yes we did! It was lovely. Dad loves to talk to people and he spent a good chunk of our time there talking to the owners. They have a beautiful garden.

And thank you for the restaurant, i will check it out!

shelemm

La Thierache, a micro-region of France is northeast of Paris, but whatever.....

flygirl

Thank you kerouac, shelemm, aubonvraiment. I won't be that far east this time.

I am pretty sure I've only been to Saint Malo when I was 15-16. In 2004 I went from Paris to Dinan and started the coastline sweep there. In fact I spent so little time sightseeing in Dinan because my one day there was pouring buckets.