France One Week Itinerary

Three days in Paris, two in Normandy, one at Mont St Michel. That's the whole week. Because you're going to be hours on the road, and the best part of a day back to Paris. And Normandy/Mont St Michel in June is when all the D-Day fans peak, so it's crowded, both the attractions as well as the roads. You need to add 1-2 hours to whatever Google maps is showing you for the inevitable wreck, roadwork, etc.

You're going back the CDG, which is north of Paris proper. The route from Mont St Michel via Rennes/Le Mans, etc. would be the wrong way to go back. You want to go via Caen and avoid having to fight your way around Paris at 10 KPH. Look at Honfleur or Rouen as a place to stay on the way back.

This is a quick trip.
Ideally, you need to be in Paris before your flight home. It would therefore make sense to head straight to Caen upon arrival (by train from Paris Saint Lazare), and rent a car for the very short drive to Bayeux - or, if you arrive too late in Caen, just use Caen as a base. It is nicer than its reputation would let you believe.
Then, drive to Mont Saint Michel, spend the night, and return the car in Rennes for a quick train ride back to Paris.

I do not see how the Loire fits in this timeframe.

How many nights will you sleep in FR? If, you sleep in Paris for three nights that allows two full days which is not enough. I suggest you buy Rick Steves Paris guidebook: https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/paris-guidebook and take his six self-guided walking tours along with his bus 69 tour. I also recommend visiting the Orsay Museum.
Paris is way more than a sight-seeing city it’s a city where you want to linger outside in a café rich with history. I recommend spending all your time in Paris and assume you will return and visit Normandy then. You want to see and experience Paris not say you’ve been there as if you were on a river cruise excursion.

Ok it looks like I am trying to fit too many sites in for this time frame! What would be a good day trip or 2 outside of Paris if we stayed in Paris the entire week as our home base? I appreciate the replies so much as I get very overwhelmed with planning big trips!

Day trip options from Paris are Versailles (palaces and grounds), Chartres (cathedral) and Giverny (Monet’s, garden).

We just spent 3 nights in Paris then took the train from Paris to Rennes; picked up a rental car at the train station; stayed 1 night in Pontorson to visit MSM; then spent 2 nights in Bayeux. You could return the car in Caen and take the train back to Paris. We've been to Paris several times before though. If this is your first trip to Paris, I think I'd just stay in Paris and do day trips to Giverny, Versailles, Chartres etc. Or honestly, after our pleasant experience this past spring you could do one overnight at MSM even if you don't try to see Bayeux. That would be fun!

Treat this like your first of many trips to France; because thinking you can see everything just isn't feasible.
Have a wonderful time!

My husband and I have also booked a trip to France, June 25, first time in Europe! Once we arrive at CDG we are taking the train to Bayeux, spending 5 nights there, 2 days for d-day tours, 1 day for MSM, and enjoying Bayeux. We are then taking the train to back to Paris for 4 nights!

Have a good trip!
Laurie

This all helps so so much! Thank you everyone! ! I’m sure I will have more questions but let me think this over a bit. I also wanted to get an Italy itinerary sketched out too. Maybe Florence and or Venice. Then we’ll decide between Paris and Italy but I know we need to start booking soon!

It sounds like the Normandy area is pretty crowded in June, would it be best to avoid going in June all together?

Ten years ago we spent 5 nights in Paris followed by 2 at Mont St. Michel (via the Arromanches and Omaha Beach areas) before 2 more in Amboise before heading back to Paris CDG (via Chartres) for our last night. The drive through Normandy to MSM was fairly easy but the drive from MSM to Amboise took over a half-day - longer than I had expected. In hindsight, we should have focused on 1 area outside of Paris rather than the 2 we did in order to have more time to enjoy our trip and less time driving.

It sounds like the Normandy area is pretty crowded in June, would it be best to avoid going in June all together?

All of Europe's popular tourist areas are crowded in summer. If you find crowds too daunting, then either visit only those areas unknown to the average traveller (not something I would recommend for a first timer), or adjust your travel dates to an off peak season. Yes, Normandy will have crowds, but so will London, Paris, and Italy's cities. If you avoid the week around the D Day anniversary (June 6), Normandy won't be quite as jammed.