>> CDG to Bayeux is, indeed, easy by public transpiration<<

easy maybe if you know the way

changing in Gare du Nord can be confusing - longish walk to RER Magenta - then a longish walk to Saint Lazare- with bags and crowded Gare du Nord - easy is subjective -either do a car transfer to St Lazare or better pick up car at CDG and head out -if tired there are plenty of motels along the autoroutes.

The Bayeux tapestry is an artistic depiction of an immensely important moment in European history, so you should definitely read up on it if you don't know what it is.

The maps in the Michelin Green Guides are really only useful if you know where you are already and want to explore locally. I always buy the big Micheln maps in addition, and I always keep a Michelin Atlas in my car a well.

and you can easily buy those 1:200000 Michelin regional maps at any petrol station or news shop once there IME.

St Cirq & Kawh - yep, have read about the tapestry and it's on our "to-do" list, likely on day 3 before we drive over to MSM since we don't want to arrive there too early.

Thanks Palenq, good idea to buy the maps there. Maybe it's more cost effective as well.

One more Dinan question if anyone is still reading - if we stay by the harbor, is the walk up into town crazy steep, or just hilly? Like - worse than walking from the train station in Stockholm up through Sodermalm?

I wouldn't describe any part of Dinan as a harbor -- maybe I'm mistaken? It has a lovely river running through it, with some moorages, as I recall.... Or are you, perhaps, thinking of Dinard?

The hill down to the little port is fairly steep, as I recall.

I think you can enjoy the Mount St. Michel experience without actually staying there. But, that's just my experience. You don't mention Honfleur, very pretty little fishing town, nice stop got lunch.

If a stop at the mémorial museum in Caen is not part of your D-Day tour it is WELL worth a stop. The also do combined tours of the beaches and the museum. Try to see the beautiful and moving American cemetery. http://normandy.memorial-caen.com

Jersey is very pretty, bit difficult to see much of the island other than St. Helier without a car, particularly some of its gorgeous coves. Good bus service on the island but time consuming.

I think you can enjoy the Mount St. Michel experience without actually staying there>

certainly -but I am glad I stayed there - at the hotels/campground just opposite the Mont on the mainland and could see the Mont gloriously illuminated at night.

And during summer there is or has been anyway a special thing in the abbey complex- with special effects, etc in the various rooms -very few people there at night so I enjoyed the night time visit even more than the mobbed daytime visit. In any case wandering the nearly deserted lanes at night is surreal. (You can walk across the causeway).

So I agree with cathinjoetown you can enjoy the visit without staying there but stay if you can because the experience at night and seeing the Mont illuminated at night is also great.

Ypu really only have one day to see all the D-Day beaches( US, British, Canadian) and the 1044 Bayeux Tapestry is a must see! I would add a night there.

and the cathedral is one of the nicest in France too!(Bayeux)

I don't disagree, Pal, was actually thinking about staying ON Mont St. Michel. Hotel with a view would be grand.

we stayed on the Mont (because of someone's input here) and i do see the appeal of staying off (the view of the Mont) but we were super glad we stayed inside the walls. first, it was super rainy and windy but the walls sheltered us in a wonderful way. (helped us understand how great it must have been to live within the walls back in the day!) It really was wonderful to be there late at night (as the rains stopped) and stroll around "our little city." also, we got up early and enjoyed a very quiet walk up to the Abby, where we were the only people waiting for it to open for a good 15 minutes.

we really enjoyed our leisure time on the Mont. (the food-- barely ok.)

if it hadn't been so windy, we would have walked back across the causeway, then walked back to the Mont very late, to enjoy the view.

I guess staying on the Mont would be great too- never did - always stayed opposite it -because I was camping- but yes if can walk to mainland after dark a mesmerizing site - wandering the ancient lanes though at night sans the mobs makes it so sweet.

I pity the folks who make a stop by on say bus tours - are elbow to elbow the few hours they are there and whoosh - off to see Normandy's D-day beaches the same day!

>>I pity the folks who make a stop by on say bus tours - are elbow to elbow the few hours they are there and whoosh<<

I developed a France "honeymoon" itinerary for some friends about 15 years ago. He was a MD in his late 50s, and she was a physical therapist in her early 30s. The trip was in late June. They insisted on going to the WWII beaches & MSM. I could not persuade them to get to MSM by 8 in the morning or later than 7 in the evening.

They drove into the MSM parking lot, saw all the tour buses & cars, got out of their car, took 1 photograph, back in the car, & departed for elsewhere.

Stu Dudley