Hello! We will be in Paris from a Friday through a Tuesday this winter. We have been to Paris before so feel OK about leaving Paris for a day to travel to Normandy. I understand the train is our best bet. What are anyone's thoughts/suggestons for renting a car in Caen or Bayeux and driving ourselves around? We usually do not do tours. We have read that it would be preferable to stay one night somewhere close but am inclined to get back the same day perhaps by 2300. Also, would so appreciate tips, suggestions regarding the train system. What train? Have never taken any train in Europe! Many thanks for any input!!

I did the trip in one day - morning train to Caen, met a private tour (car rental would have been fine) and back to Paris on the evening train. Depending on what you want to see, Landing Beaches, American Cemetery, D-Day Museum, it should be enough time.

I also don't normally do tours but found this one to be highly informative. Forget the name exactly but it was a highly rated very small group tour.

A private guide with car may also be a good option as it may not be much more than renting a car for one day.

What do you want to see in Normandy in winter - Pays d'Auge, Honfleur, Givreny/Monet, WWII stuff???

With only 8-9 hrs of "good" daylight, you're not going to be able to see many "outside" attractions on a day-trip.

Find train schedules here:
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en
Dates are DD/MM/YY

Stu Dudley

You'll be there 4 days and want to spend a lot of a day getting to a place and back?
I've been to Paris many times and can always find 4 days worth. Have you been to Chartres? Reims for the cathedral? Some closer places if you must get outta Dodge.
It's not impossible, of course, for a well planned day with a tour to be quite rewarding. Renting a car and returning it, taking a train to and from, etc. A lot of moving parts that aren't being very productive for seeing anything.

If I were you I would book a tour. You will see a lot more with your limited window of sunlight. They will pick you up at the train station and drop you off again. The roads are narrow in Normandy. I booked train tickets through capitaine train. com. We left from St. Lazzare train station, very small, 12 tracks so easy to navagate.

>Depending on what you want to see, Landing Beaches, American Cemetery, D-Day Museum, it should be enough time. <

How did you find the name of the tour, phaddix? My dad is really interested in seeing the landing beaches and D-Day museum, and a private guide sounds like a great idea. We'll be going in June.........

Thanks for the info on the train tickets, ziggypop. Do you have a recommendations for a tour?

>> We will be in Paris from a Friday through a Tuesday this winter.<<<

>> We'll be going in June<<


June in Europe is not winter.....

Stu Dudley

StuD:

The winter trip is the OP, the June trip is tenthumbs . . . different people/different trips.

Jeeze.

Too much to keep track of on these "summer days" in the Bay Area.

Stu Dudley