We are taking daughter to school in Nice in Aug, flying into Paris 8/17 and leaving Paris on 8/30. Planning to stay in Paris for 4 days(there 5 years ago on quick trip and did louvre/eifel tower/champs elysees, this time want to do Versailles, catacombs and Normandy. Thinking of spending a night in Normandy, or do you think 2 nights? Have already been to St Michel. Going to book airbnb in Nice 8/23-30. Thoughts on Paris to Normandy, spend 1 or 2 night there and then how would you go to Nice from Normandy? Do you have to go back to Paris to get there? Any places between Normandy and Nice we should visit. Planning to take day trips from Nice also. Our flight from Paris is at 14:10 so thinking of taking morning flight out of Nice to paris. Also, french cooking class for a day, any suggestions in Paris or Nice or day trip from either location? We will have girls ages 17 & 20 with us. Would love to hear any suggestions, thanks!
Posted by
11156 posts
We spent two weeks in Nice a few years ago. In addition to spending time in Nice, our favorite day trips were to Antibes, best to take train, and Cap Ferrat and St. Jean. Visit the Villa Ephrussi , walk to town for lunch and then visit Villa Kerylos. We took the bus there as it follows the coastline with sea views. Villefranche is an easy trip, nice town if cruise ships are in port there. Easiest by bus.
I would give Bayeux two nights. In addition to the WW II beaches and US cemetery, make sure you see the historic Bayeux Tapestry, circa 1066, the story of William the Conqueror.
Stop in charming Honfleur too.
We drove from Normandy across to Burgundy, a long, boring drive. We never have driven from Normandy to Nice but think you would have to head toward Paris.
Sounds like a great trip. Your daughter is lucky to be studying in Nice!
Posted by
Bend, Oregon
2320 posts
Bayeux to Nice will be a long day - either 8 3/4 hr train or 11.5 hr drive. And the train will take you back through Paris. I wouldn’t do Bayeux unless you could spent 2 nights there. Remember: 2 nights = 1 full day of sightseeing. If you’re going for WWII sights, that’s a lot to pack into one day. So determine if it’s really worth it to you.
You might look at flights from Caen to Nice. Caen is a 30 minute train ride from Bayeux.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10192 posts
Counting it in nights, not days, you have six nights in the north, and seven in the south.
There's enough in Paris and day trips for your six nights. But since you want to go to Normandy, you could go directly to Normandy upon arrival. The first day is usually a sleepy fog, so you may as well use it to get to Bayeux. You need to go into Paris to the St. Lazare train station and go to Bayeux. Afterwards, you'd have four nights in Paris.
From Paris you could take the train to Nice (6 hours) using SNCF or fly (1.5 hours plus airport time) using Air France or Easy Jet, which flies from the easier to manage Orly airport. I've used all three and they are fine. Tons of debate on this Forum on which is better.
Unless your Nice to Paris return ticket is connected on one itinerary, you need to be back in Paris the night before. If you risked flying in the same morning, you have to collect your luggage and be in a CDG check in line by 11:10. Any glitches and you're paying four new tickets back. If you are on one itinerary, the airline will get you on a plane. You might be back near a toilet in economy instead of your favorite biz seat, but they'll get you home. There are 6 am flights that could work, but that means a 4 am check in in Nice. Ugh.
Sounds like a wonderful family trip. Bon voyage.
Posted by
Irving
2950 posts
Will you be renting a car in Normandy or taking a tour? If renting a vehicle, take a direct train from the Paris St Lazare station to Caen (2h) and rent a car at the train station before driving to Bayeux (45-minutes) for two nights. If taking a tour, take a direct train from Paris to Bayeux (2h 30m).
You’ll need to go back to Paris to get to Nice. There are direct trains departing from the Paris Gare de Lyon station to Nice (6h).
Instead of going to Nice there’s also Provence that’s closer to Paris (2h 45m) by direct train but you need a week to explore that’s best by car. Nice is another 3h 30m by direct train.
Posted by
OP
11 posts
Thank you all! Appreciate the advise. I will do some research to determine if we want to do a tour or rent a car but I think we would rent a car.