leeber

Hi to all
We are planning to go to Paris about Ap/May next year. Am plamnnig 10-13 days in paris and then another week to do some battlefields.Can some one please help me with ideas for Paris? The more I look the more confused I get. Would like also to do some day tours outside Paris. My husband likes to go by train ect he hates organised tours. Like historical things but not so keen on art
Also hubby wants to look ant Normandy and work our way to Ypres any suggestions? I no this is a big ask but would appreciate help

Cheers

bilboburgler

I think I would try some specialist french web sites. Clearly you have 1st and 2nd war (Falaise). Then the Napoleonic (Waterloo) and various Franco Prussians (Paris) and before that 100 years war including Crecy and Agincourt.

Then again people just used to attack each other for religious reasons so the Cathar war in the south and Bayeux for the Invasion of England

Then the battles between Brittany and Normandy (still a line of fortresses exist along the border) see Faugere.

Of these the older ones will be supported by local toursit info (start with the main governement web site and surf down to towns. Information Touristique is a good phrase to google on plus tha town name.

1st world war you can do from the car and I'd let hubby sort that out but if you must I would go on a tour as part of the emotional overload will be from hearing the horror from a knowledgable mouth.

Enjoy

bilboburgler

Just to test I tried Information Touristique bataille Crecy and got
http://www.francethisway.com/francais/northcalais.php

ira

Hi L,

>Can some one please help me with ideas for Paris?

1. You don't do Paris. You just enjoy it.

2. Off to the library for some guidebooks on France.

3. See Paris Superthread
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34519236

100 Great Things to Do in Paris
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...mp;tid=1277898

Degas’s Paris Walks
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34712768

Jacquemart-Andre’ Museum http://tinyurl.com/p9pol

>Would like also to do some day tours outside Paris.

In addition to the usual suspects - Auxerre is a very nice place to visit, about 1:30 hr by train.

Enjoy your visit.

bilboburgler

Auxerre is lovely and was for a time on the front line between Burgundy and France. Hence you will find a village in the area called something like Roque Eglise or EgliseFort where the villagers defended the church rather than any castle.

Might make hubby happy

jody

Ypres (Ieper) makes a great base for exploring the WWI battlefields and cemetaries, but a car is necessary even if you train there.There's a great museum and Last Post is done every night at Menin Gate.You can arrange a tour with a guide at the museum and the van only holds about 5 people so it's not like being with a huge tour bus. I have some websites that I'll look up and post for you.

Michel_Paris

He would enjoy Musee de l'Armee which has extensive military materiel from all ages, and then walk over to Napoleon's tomb (impressive). I have heard though that there are some closures at the museum, so research well.

Small moment...If you walk along the Seine, at street level,on the left bank, away from the back of Notre Dame (i.e. heading west) look at the wall besdie the sidewalk. Eventually you will come to a plaque...naming a soldier who died at that spot liberating Paris during WWII.

Michel_Paris

You might also want to do a search here for D-DAY...there are many posts of people who did Normandy landing beaches, both on their own and via organized tours (which they highly recommned).

jody

I forgot to mention you can pick up a self-guided touring map called "In Flander's Fields" at the museum in Ieper.

From your email address I'm assuming you are Australians. There are numerous monuments to the Australian forces scattered around the area.

These websites might be of some use.

http://www.milvertonassociates.co.uk...in%20Ypres.pdf

http://www.diggertours.com/cemsbelgium.htm

bilboburgler

Just on the corner of the Champs des Mars you will see the plaque where the Jews of Paris were herded togther by french police prior to being sent off! Note there is a similar one on Jersey where the English police helped gather them in.

Another "fine" war site is on the Ballon D'alsace where the french/german lines almost touched along the ridge. The cemetry up there is truely awe inspiring with the small red candles burning all the time

Sorry I admit to being grossed out about the whole thing

Michael

For a day trip outside Paris, Fontainebleau and its chateau with a long history--built in the Renaissance but with Napoleonic echoes might be a good choice.

jackieb

Hi,

Just got back from a trip that included 2 nights in the Normandy area to see the D-Day beaches.

We stayed at La Lande, an amazing B & B in a town called Bricquebec (near Cherborg) (website: http://www.sawdays.co.uk/search/disp...FileID=fbb2056)

Also see reviews on Trip Advisor.

La Lande was AMAZING. Owned by a British Couple... the husband, Ted is truly amazing. Their refurbished country house is beautiful... well decorated and the rooms are great... we had a family room... and my in-laws had a great room for 2.

We also arranged for Ted to give us a private tour of the DDay beaches for one day. He will focus on the American beaches or the British beaches.

We had dinner at LaLande one night... the meal was outstanding.

Truly an amazing experience. I'd try and book there now. You'll never forget the experience. Truly amazing.

JB

USNR

We hired a man in Bruges who took us on an all-day tour of the Ypres salient -- including cemeteries of German and British armies. Langemarck, Pilckem Ridge, Passeschendaele, Tine Cot, Polygon Woods, clear to the nearby coast. Took the back roads on a circuit he had developed. Even went to a place where Belgian army explodes shells that farmers dig up and pile at crossroads for trucks to gather and take to explosion dump. Stay away from those stacks of rusting shells. Don't miss the museum in Ypres, extremely well done. Booked his services through our small hotel's front desk. He had a Mercedes minivan. Had lunch at an inn in Mt. Kemel. He had an excellent command of English.