Visiting Normandy France
 

Hi,

I was looking to visit Normandy France for a day trip. I am looking to see the beaches of WWII etc... I found a place to stay near Bayeux, and have heard its easiest to take a train out to Caen and rent a car rather than drive from Paris.

I saw Caen has 3 car pick up locations, airport, ferry stop, and downtown. I was wondering which is closest to the train station if any..

Please let me know if this sounds like a good idea and any advice you may have. Thanks a lot!

Avis and Europcar have offices at the station. We book through Autoeurope, using the toll free number.

Oh I forgot side follow up. In the U.S. you have to be 25 and up to rent a car without a young driver fee. Is that the same in France or do you have to be older (as I'm 25). Thanks.

Although your age makes this slightly irrelevant, I'd still like to dispel the myth of needing to be 25, to rent a car in the US or Europe. Many Enterprise locations will rent to drivers over the age of 18 in the US.

And in many countries in Europe, there are cars available to rent (though not all models, in all settings) through www.its-cars-hotels.com (website is regrettably down now for reconstruction) for drivers over age 18 (in a few cases) or age 21 (in many more cases).

I have never heard of a minimum age limit _over_ 25 in any European country. There are some countries with _maximum_ age limits, and they vary among the countries that have them.

I am curious, by the way, what is the "et cetera" in "beaches of WWII etc"? Does this mean other sites of military history? from which century? (there are military history sites in Normandy from a dozen-plus different centuries); does it mean other coastal attractions? Cathedrals? Oyster harvesting areas? Fishing villlages? Places depicted in art and motion pictures?

Normandy is so much more than "the beaches of WWII".

Best wishes,

Rex

Well, the main intention was visiting the WWII beaches, but I do agree I would be doing myself an injustice to focus mainly on that...

It looks like you have a few suggestions of what some interesting sites/experiences could be...what would you suggest? I'm pretty open to anything. Thanks I really appreciate it.

Sorry... I didn't see that you asked a follow-up question on "what else"?

I recommend http://www.normandy-tourism.org for an overview of your choices.

And I haven't spent a tenth of the time I might have liked in Normandy, but I liked everything I've seen...

Giverny/Vernon
Gisors
Les Andelys
Lisieux
Camembert/Vimoutiers
Beuvron en Auge
Villedieu les Poeles
Mont St Michel
Honfleur
Etretat
Fecamp

...for some of the places that are not particularly connected with the battle/invasion sites of WWII (of which Arromanches was the most moving to me)... but comparing any of the sites is an exercise in "unmeasurables".

topping... for cclemens31

Personally, I think you are shorting yourself if you spend one day only. Going to the museum in Caen gives you great background, and it could take half a day. To go to the beaches, you must also go stand whre the German guns pointed at our soldiers as they landed. Must visit the little church where the stain glassed windows were re-done after the war, and there are tanks, etc included in the design, and see the little towns, and finally to stand at the American cementery at noon when the bells toll will stay with you forever

Hi cclemens31, I have just topped one thread with some information regarding Normandy WW2. Check it out, it is entitled.
"Normandy Must See itinerary"

Get in amongst the gun batteries, take a torch and stroll inside.

Some of the German soldiers 'lived' in there too.

Rex has listed a great number of places I would add Barfleur, which is up near Cherbourg, this is an area not normally visited by many tourists unless they are killing time waiting for the ferry.

Muck

Quick summary, I've been back from my trip for a while now, but thought I'd add a few updates.

My girlfriend and I got to CDG around 10:30am, got our car rental and drove out to Normandy, while it was a long day it was totally worth it. We saw the memorial, omaha beach, utah beach, the cliffs that the rangers scaled (I forget the name, but it was one of my favorites) and ste. mere eglise. and drove back to Cabourg and spent the night by the hippodrome (horse track, not hippo track).

The drive was relatively easy, in fact I feel driving in France is easier than in the US (at least in San Diego where I'm from), plus by having our own car we were able to take many side roads and see things that most on a tour bus don't get to experience.

If I could change anything I'd like to take more time in the area...

If I can answer any questions based on my brief time there please post and let me know.

The cliff is Pont du Hoc. Reagan's speechwriter Peggy Noonan wrote a wonderful book about it.

Just learned 2 things from this thread which I didn't know: take a flashlight to see inside a German bunker, and that the bells toll at noon at the American cemetery. Just two more things that make this board so great--don't think you read that in a guidebook!

Thanks for the follow up. I am hoping to take a trip to Normandy maybe within the next year. Have not started really planning yet so I will be returning to this site.Where in Bayeux did you stay?

Hi
We recently retuned from Normandy. We stayed athe Hotel Churchill. Nice hotel with free parking in the back. The owners are very helpful and friendly. In addition to the WW II beaches there is the Bayeux tapestry. There's also Mt. ste Michel and Honfleur both great places to visit.

Mimipam,
We stayed at Les 3 Pierre in Bayeux (www.les3pierre.com). It was lovely & reasonable. You might have a litle trouble finding it because it doesn't look like much fromn the street. They serve homemade preserves with breakfast, including champagne jam.