We're traveling from London to Bayeux, then on to Paris. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to navigate this? We were thinking of taking the Eurostar to Calais then renting a car for our drive to to Bayeux. From there we'd take the train to Paris. Is there a more efficient way to do this?
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33848 posts
Unless things have changed recently it is not an easy exercise to get between the Eurostar station and the rental car firms in Calais.
Very few people take the Eurostar in or out of Calais, very few of the Eurostar trains stop there.
A tried and true procedure used by quite a few people here is to take the Eurostar all the way to Paris Gare du Nord and then train to Caen and hire a car right across the road, or hire the car in Paris at the station.
Either way is likely easier.
Hiring a car in Bayeux is less easy because of the lack of convenient hire firms, but taking the train all the way to either Caen or Bayeux is very easy.
Do you have a particular desire to see the Cote d'Opal or Le Havre?
Posted by
OP
Palatine, IL
9 posts
No, we were trying to minimize our travel time and see some of the countryside rather than doubling back on the train from Paris. My initial thought was to do as you suggested and go on to Paris and rent a car en route to Bayeux. For a 2 day car rental would you suggest booking from the states or in France? Any rental agencies you've had success with and would recommend?
Posted by
Seattle, WA
359 posts
I would go to Paris first and then rent the car and go to Bayeux. We rented from Hertz at Gare du Nord in Paris and drove to Bayeux in June. I actually really recommend Hertz. You could do it all online and it was very easy and straight forward. You could also spend your time in Paris, then take the train to Rouen, and then rent a car there if you don't want to navigate driving in northern Paris. The drive through Normandy from Rouen to Bayeux is beautiful. I also loved the town of Bayeux in general. Beautiful! I just did this route in June. Have fun!
Posted by
OP
Palatine, IL
9 posts
Thank you. After checking the train schedules we decided renting a car from Paris was our best option so as not to lose full day. We too will use Hertz from Gare du Nord. Was it especially hairy getting out of Paris?
Posted by
Pantego, NC, USA
1014 posts
Take or be sure your rental car has gps. Have the attendent set it up in English for you. Plug in the address and follow directions to get out of Paris. Driving early (6 or 7AM) in the morning, which might not be possible for you, is better. Less traffic.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Nobody has mentioned Lille! Lots of Eurostar trains from London stop at Lille (far more than the few a day at Calais). It is about 30 minutes past Calais on the Eurostar. And there is car hire at the station (called "Lille Europe"). This will save having to go all the way to Paris, and then having to drive back out again (yuck!).
Current Eurostar timetable is here
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33848 posts
Lille is possible, but the motorways in and out of Lille don't really head easily towards Normandy.
It is possible to go cross country to Arras, then cross country to Amiens, thence to the Somme and onwards.
But only a short distance towards Normandy from Paris is the fabulous Giverny and then an easy drive to Bayeux.
I'd discounted the Lille option because of that. Getting out of Gare du Nord doesn't need to be too difficult.