We would like to follow Rick's 3 week itinerary for France. In it he suggests renting a car at the CDG airport and driving to Giverny and Honfleur. We are not wild about driving while still jet lagged. Is there another option for where to rent a car that would keep us on the same route?
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
I don't have a recent version of Rick Steves France, but doesn't he make specific suggestions for car-free alternatives? He used to.
By the way, based on some personal experience, I think his tour itineraries are a death march unless you have such tour amenities as driver and logistics (meals, lodging, laundry) taken care of. I would suggest following them at 2/3 speed.
So if you have 3 weeks, do 2 weeks worth, etc.
Posted by
North Carolina
2496 posts
You could take the train to Vernon, which is very close to Giverny. For Honfleur, you could then take the train to Le Havre, then a bus to Honfleur. Save renting a car for when you’re no longer jet lagged.
Posted by
Beverly Hills, MI
813 posts
My simple solution to the jet lag problem is to spend 2 or 3 nights in Paris and then go back back out to CDG and pick up the car. We stay at a small hotel in the 5th Arr near Notre Dame and take the RER in and out.
Posted by
USA East Coast
18 posts
Ditto about spending some time in Paris first. It is VERY dangerous to drive after an overnight trans-Atlantic 6-or-more-time-zone flight. I will not go into the brain-science/micro-sleep reasons here...but it is as dangerous as driving drunk.
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