First-time France itinerary for October

Haven’t been to any of the places on your list, other than Paris, but it sure sounds like a great itinerary!

Consider switching your Paris stay to the end of your trip, especially if flying home from there.

Wishing you a wonderful trip!

Edited to add…
I should have mentioned that I’m interested in following this thread, and bookmarking it for future reference! Thanks!

Thanks, Priscilla! Chantilly is only ~8 miles [correction: 16 miles] from CDG, and there might be an airport shuttle from my hotel. Failing that, there is a bus, and at last resort, a cab.

It looks like (rome2rio.com) to connect Honfleur to Chartres and from there to Chantilly, you'd have to change trains in Paris twice (!) both times. That's a slog, even if you have minimal luggage.

Giverny - there's not much to Giverny itself. Vernon looked lovely and worth spending time there. Look to stay in Vernon. Possibly the only transportation from Vernon to Giverny is the crowded buses from the train station. That would be difficult with luggage.

I only visited Chantilly as a day trip from Paris years and years ago. I wasn't very impressed by the chateau.

Chartres is charming and well worth spending an extra day exploring the town.

Agree about Giverny. It is a small village.
If you do stay in Vernon, 2 nights could make sense if you rent bikes (which are available in Vernon but not in Giverny as far as I know) and go not only to Giverny but also to La Roche Guyon, which has a lovely castle.
Otherwise, 1 night will do!

2 nights in Giverny seems like a lot. Monet’s house closes 1 November and the garden will not be at its best in October. Outside of Monet’s house, there really is not a lot to visit here, particularly in winter.

Honfleur - Erik Satie’s home just has a plaque noting his residence. You could walk past and easily miss it. I was not aware that there might be more. October is generally cold and rainy, not sure how many painters there will be hanging out at the harbor. Same for Chantilly in winter, 3 nights seems like a lot.

If you are going to Upper Normandy, most people will include a Invasion tour, maybe even going to Mont St Michel, but it is a good distance from Honfleur. The American cemetery, just west of Honfleur, is a very moving/emotional visit.

Overall, this itinerary will depend significantly upon the weather. If October is warm and sunny, this could work well.

Agree to all of the above for Giverney. One night is plenty. it is a tiny town and the Monet site is also relatively small--but we loved it. Glad you're planning 7 nights in Paris. You will never run out of wonderful things to do.

Don't forget while in Chartres to enjoy Chartres en Lumieres, https://www.chartresenlumieres.com/en/

If you add/subtract time in these locations, consider an extra day at Chartres for a day trip from Chartres to go to the Plantagenet (medieval) portion of Le Mans to wander the lanes. It’s easy to get there from the train station. There’s a tram from the station to the cathedral.

And I agree with Brushtim. The luminiere evening light show at Chartres tied with Nancy, France as my favorite,

Thanks for all the suggestions. There is a Satie museum in Honfleur, at his house. Sounds good. I’ll be
glad to have two nights in Chartres - two opportunities to see the light show. I’m sure the Honfleur harbor will be just as beautiful in October.

I have been to Giverny four times and you only need one day....incl the house tour, the gardens tour and the town is a little spit of a place. Nothing there. I think you will be bored after the first day. It is lovely, and I loved it each time I went, but not more than one day. It is an easy day trip by train from Paris and you could easily travel on to Honfleur that late afternoon or early the next morning. Honfleur is beautiful and a great walking town. The waterfront is lovely. Three nights there is plenty. You may want to include Normandy for a couple of days as you are in the vicinity. The days you shave off of Giverny and Honfleur can give you some time in Normandy. You will be touched beyond belief.
The Welcome Center has a wonderful touching movie (in black and white...newsreels of the troops going to war...totally unaware of what they were going to experience) and then, a very educational map narrated to show how the area was so instrumental in winning the war. Very poignant.

I've been to all except Chantilly. Chartres, I think is underrated. Everyone knows about the cathedral which is gorgeous, but the town is quite cute. 2 nights will be good.

I think you will find enough to do in Giverny, especially if you plan to do some relaxing, and depending when you arrive to town. I think there is a decent chance the garden will still be lovely. If you become bored, you could go to Rouen for a while. We were in Giverny mid September and stayed in a BnB in Giverny. I'm quite sure we were there 2 nights.

Honfleur without a car might be tough. I personally think there is plenty to do, but a car is probably needed to go to Etretat (which we thought was really nice). We drove around the countryside a bit and did some cider tasting. Monet painted at Sainte Andresse which is close, just north of Le Harve. We did it on the way to Etretat. I wonder what a driver would cost for a day? Worth checking. Honfleur IS quite touristy, but also very pretty. We went to the Satie museum and thought it was good for a couple hours. The church in city center is VERY unusual.

I'm actually pretty impressed with your itinerary for a first time visitor. You have set a decent pace and didn't fall victim to squeezing a bunch in. (which I can tend to do!)

Thank you, Jules and Lisalu, for the encouraging responses. I think I’ll need some serious R&R after all those Paris museums, and wandering around the Vernon-Giverny area (including the Monet Gardens,
of course) should fill the bill, so I still feel good about two nights there. I’ve looked at pictures of the chateau and gardens at Chantilly, and it does look exquisite.

I enjoyed reading your itinerary. Seven nights in Paris sounds wonderful. We stayed 5 nights prior to starting our Loire to the South of France Tour and didn’t want to leave! Chartres was our first stop. We spent 2 nights and it was magical. I couldn’t believe that the Cathedral contains 176 stained glass windows! We enjoyed Malcolm Miller’s tour & lecture. The stained glass museum was amazing. Having the opportunity to see the Lumieres for two nights was a top highlight. I still enjoy looking at my videos of the presentation. The cuisine in Chartres was also top notch.
Enjoy your journey!

Absolutely finish in Paris -- use day one to get to your furthest point -- perhaps Honfleur. See Etretat if at all possible, it really is amazing. That first jet lag day is a waste, so use it for logistics and by the time you get to your furthest point, your hotel room will probably be ready. That saves your second to last day which is prime vacation time from having to waste it rushing back to Paris for your flight the next day.

Thanks, Janis! I’m very much looking forward to seeing the sights in Chartres, but hadn’t thought of it in terms of food, until you mentioned it. Are there any particular restaurants you’d like to recommend?

Inbsig- we ate with our tour group near the Cathedral and another restaurant by the cathedral the following night. We were there in 2013 and I didn’t write down the names. Usually I take note or a photo, lol. Perhaps there will be some others who can chime in. All I can say- the food was very good. ;)

Thanks, Jane. My last three nights will be in Chantilly, which is only 8 miles [correction: 16 miles] from CDG, so rushing won’t be an issue.

I was in Chartres in Feb and I had two excellent dinners at Moulin du Ponceau by the river (fancy but still decently priced) and Cafe Bleu opposite the cathedral (more casual). Really a highlight of the weekend; I can be picky in France and I was pleasantly surprised.
Reservations recommended at both, can be done online.

Thanks for the restaurant recommendations!

I like your itinerary and the pace of seeing the things in these cities and towns that interest you. I have been to all except Senlis and could have spent more time in several places you are staying in for a night or two. Dig in and enjoy. Btw, I’ve been to Giverny 3 times including once in the fall and there was always something just wonderful about the gardens.

Thanks, Mona. I tend to like spending ‘extra’ time in places many people would only visit as day trips. The last trip I took (2018), I spent 4 nights each in Orvieto and Ravenna, and 5 nights in Siena, and was very happy doing it that way.

Have a wonderful time! It looks like you have done your homework. My advice would be to pace yourself with the museums as it can be a bit overwhelming. You didn't say what museums you plan to visit but please be sure to include Musee d'Orsay and Musee l’Orangerie. I actually enjoyed them more than the Louvre.

If time allows when you are in the Honfleur area, I would highly recommend visiting the American Cemetery. It is a very moving experience and the area is beautiful. You may also want to include Bayeux - it is a charming town.

We are going back in October as well. Have previously gone in May so it will be interesting to see it during a different season.

Enjoy your trip!!

Thanks, D. Museums: I certainly want to see the Orsay and Orangerie, and also the Cluny, Nissim de Camondo, Quai Branly, Marmottan, Pompidou, etc. As for the Louvre, I’d particularly like to see the Islamic Art area - the way it’s housed looks stunning. I wish you a great trip too.

Since people have said they did all of that and didn't get COVID, I'll chime in that I do none of that, except wear a surgical mask indoors and on public transportation, and haven't gotten Covid during this wave. My husband and I are among the rare ones wearing even a surgical mask. I'm on planes, trains, in the mall, cafés, restaurants, the museum every day. So there's no figuring. And no one I know in France has gotten it since last spring. Anecdotal evidence is just that-- one-off stories.

The recent predictions for a fall wave have been tempered to a wave if there's a mutation.

Inbsig,

I visited the Cluny musem last week and really enjoyed it. The displays were interesting but not overwhelming. I did not visit it before it closed, so I can´t compare with how it was, but now it is seems very streamlined with a good flow through it. We got thee late so the cafe was closed when we were finished.

You list the Potager des Princes as one of the places you want to visit. If you like that kind of garden, you might want to visit the Potager du Roi at Versailles.

Glad to hear that about the reopened Cluny, dlindstrom. And about the garden at Versailles. Versailles is only a ‘maybe’ for me at this point.

Just back yesternay from 6 days in Paris including a day in Giverny and agree that a day is plenty for Giverny. If you don't go to Varsalles, you might want to do as we did and go on a day trip from Paris to Vaux-le-Vicomte Chateau and Fontainebleau Chateau. We used the Rick Steves recommended Paris Webservices for a combo tour. (We also went with them for the Giverny tour). We used the museum pass fpr 7 nseums but paid for the Marmottan Museum to see the sunrise Monet painting that gave impressionism it's name. The only museums you might want reservations for are the Louvre, Saint Chapelle and maybe the Orsay (though we walked right in). Both the Louvre and Orsay get crowded so read up in guide books and current on-line for to less crowded times to make the experience more relaxing. The Louvre wasn't too bad entering about 2:30 on Friday, but the Orsay was getting crowded around that time on Wednesday. Saint Chapelle was croweded on Friday at 10:30. We found the Rick Steves Audio tours of both to be helpful but note Van Gogh is now on the 5th floor of the Orsay.

REALLY sounds like a great itinerary & I've bookmarked this thread, thanks! I was a bit surprised Chantilly was so close to CDG, I would also like to find a nearby destination to stay a few days. By car Chantilly is about a 40-min drive, 29K or 18 miles. As someone else noted, it would take a few transfers on public transport & over an hour to get there.

Hi again, Sandancisco. You’re right, Chantilly and CDG are further apart than I thought (bit of a map-reading lapse on my part, oops!) but still reasonable. Chantilly has a beautiful chateau-turned-museum, containing two of my favorite Medieval manuscripts, and it’s got an ancient forest with walking trails, horses, really excellent desserts - I’m looking forward to it.

Chantilly to CDG = taxi, a little over 30 minutes as I type this. You do not want to mess with the RER + a bus when you have an expensive flight to catch. I do not know the taxi fare, but I assume double digits, maybe 70€?

Thank you, Balso. I’ve contacted my hotel about their airport shuttle - will see what happens. Not-so-last-minute trip wobblies happening here.

Yes, I’ve seen the Book of Kells also, which was very exciting, but from photos I’ve seen, it appears that the manuscripts at the Chateau Chantilly are much better displayed. One I’m particularly looking forward to is the Codex Chantilly, a music manuscript with the pieces in various odd shapes - hearts, circles, etc.

I agree with you. Enjoy Paris first, and recover if you need to do so. IMO torturing one's self to get anywhere else on the arrival day is senseless, and to pass by so much of the best is pointless as well. Paris is such a joy, as is France. Great plan to end 8 miles from CDG, too. Have a great trip!

Edit: I see distance has changed from Chantilly. I still like your plan best.

Thanks, Wray. Jet lag does affect me more and more, so the thought of negotiating the train and bus to Honfleur on arrival day was just too much. My arrival day plan is to walk ~20 minutes to the Parc Monceau, enjoy strolling and sitting, have a picnic, walk to the Arc de Triomphe, walk to the Tuilleries, go back to hotel and crash. Also, from Chantilly to CDG is about the same distance as from my house to the RDU airport, so it doesn’t feel daunting to me, even after finding out I was wrong about the distance. Thanks for the good wishes!

"but from photos I’ve seen, it appears that the manuscripts at the Chateau Chantilly are much better displayed"

Oh yes, in several ways. First, no crowds pushing and shoving like were around the Book of Kells. Second, the library where the manuscripts are housed is gorgeous but looks like you could settle in and be comfortable, haha. When I was there in 2017 they were displayed on a table down the center of the room so you could actually see them up close. I especially loved the reading chairs on display. I think they might have been made for gouty old men as they had a way to elevate a leg, lol!!

Looking forward to that gorgeous library! And the Chateau in general.