Help with itinerary 12 nignts

12 nights is about 10 full days on the ground. With that much time, I would skip Amsterdam and focus on France! You could do a nice loop - train to Bayeux to see the WW2 sights (highly recommend a tour for these!) and then you could drop through the Loire then onto Chartre and then train back to Paris.

Skip Amsterdam and go to Amboise from Bayeux and use it as base to see the Chateux of the Loire Valley
Or Skip Amboise and Fly to Amsterdam it is short flight.

Irwins,

The only way I would squeeze in Amsterdam is if you could catch a cheap flight from deGaulle the day you arrive, then work south. And it would be a stretch.

You may indeed not like the Loire. For our part, all those empty chateaux left us cold. We had to see for ourselves before we understood that; you may be ahead of the game.

But you have other options. You could dip further into Normandy or make a few stops in Brittany. There are many fine day trips you could take from Paris, if you spend more time there. And ending your trip in Paris is logistically sweet since you are flying home form there.

Some popular Paris day trips besides Versailles: Rouen, Chartres, Giverney, Reims, Fontainbleum Chantilly (the last 2 are chateaux though).

Thanks for all of your help. I am now deciding between doing 3 nights in Bayeux with one night in Amboise or 4 nights in Bayeux. The rest of our time will be spent in Paris.

Any thoughts on hotels in Bayeux? I'm looking at the Churchill or Hotel d'Arouges. Does anyone know if the d"Arouges has air conditioned rooms? I sent them an email and am waiting on a reply.
Merici!

Some hotels wait a long time before answering email, for one reason or another.
If you check the "amenities" that are listed on the hotel website, you might find out if a/c is available.
The other option would be to pick up the phone and call the hotel - everyone will speak English, and it won't cost much.

They just replied. No AC. I'm afraid to risk an unusually warm spell. I'll keep looking.

In Bayeux we liked staying at the Logis les Remparts, a B&B. I believe Rick lists it in his book. Very nice room, breakfast, ample free parking. Owners operate an orchard and shop. Just a few minutes walk to cathedral. Don't know about AC. Safe travels

I think you're wise to save Amsterdam for another time, and I'd say skip Amboise if you're not interested in chateaux. Spend that time in Normandy. With a car, you could also drive to Mont St-Michel and spend a night there if it interests you, instead of one night in Bayeux. Or St-Malo, which I haven't visited in many years but which many on this board like a lot.

You don't say whether you've been to Paris before, but if not you'll find plenty to do there. And many possible day trips as suggested above.

We did this identical trip in 2010. We took the train from Paris to Bayeux and then took the train back to Paris for a short stay before taking the train to Amsterdam.

We stayed at the Churchill in Bayeux and loved it. If I were to repeat that trip (and I would love to), I would stay an extra night in Bayeux. That way we could either see more of the town or take the Churchill's shuttle to Mont St. Michel.

I would like to visit the Loire Valley some day, but Amsterdam has outstanding museums, WW2 history, food and wine, plus great beer and gin.

Thanks all. Your input is greatly appreciated. We are going to do 4 nights in Bayeux and 8 in Paris. We have never been to France. Is it reasonable to go to Mont St Michel and Dinan in one day? We will have a rental car the entire time we are in Normandy. We are considering where to return our car. Caen, Rouen, or CDG? We want to walk Rouen and go to the peace museum in Caen. We have a one day Overlord tour arranged. Other than that, we are flexible.
Merci

You do not say when you will be in Normandy but you are concerned about the need for AC in your hotel. I looked up the temperatures in Caen for August 2016 and the Highs exceeded 79F on only five days and the Lows were mostly in the 50s. Here is the month in question:
https://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/LFRK/2016/8/20/MonthlyCalendar.html?req_city=Caen&req_state=&req_statename=France&reqdb.zip=00000&reqdb.magic=178&reqdb.wmo=07029

I do not know whether the weather in August 2016 was typical but you can choose your specific month and dates and check back several years to see what you might expect.

We stayed in Normandy in the middle of September several years ago and the temperatures were very pleasant. We stayed in a B&B in Tracy-sur-Mer (Victoria Arromanches B&B). It did not have AC. It looks more grand from the outside than it was on the inside but we would stay there again if we return to Normandy. Here's the website:
https://www.viamichelin.com/web/Hotel/Tracy_sur_Mer-14117-Victoria_Arromanches_B_B-d8mbn2m2

Good call staying in France for the whole trip. If you could figure out a way to loop back to Chartres and Giverny, I think you would not be disappointed. There is so much to see and do in Normandy, you could even add a day or two. I understand your reservations about Chateaux. Versailles is one I would hesitate to return to because it was so miserably crowded. I would prefer to visit something a little less famous where the crowds fall short of the density of the floor New York Stock Exchange. (Of course I made the mistake of visiting on a Sunday, contrary to Rick's advice). You could consider a day trip to Reims on the train from Paris, for me that's on my wish list.

I would not avoid a popular site in Paris just because it's going to be crowded. Many sites, especially the Louvre and Versailles (at least in summer), will have huge crowds and the worst part is that the line for purchasing tickets can take two hours or more. But you can avoid the ticket purchase wait by buying Museum Passes.
http://en.parismuseumpass.com/rub-m-by-name-5.htm

They can be bought online or (when I bought mine a few years ago) in the Metro Station at the Louvre. They will give you free admission to almost all the major sites (Louvre, Orsay. Orangerie, Versailles, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame and many others) including two of my favorites - Ste Chapelle and the Rodin Museum. Ste Chapelle is near Notre Dame and has spectacular stained glass. The Rodin Museum has many of his Bronze and marble statues including the Thinker and the Burghers of Calais. Many of the statues are in a large garden with shade trees and benches - perfect for a rest between sites. With the Pass you can bypass the ticket purchase line and head straight to the entry of the site.

The other way to avoid crowds is to start early. Be the first to enter your favorite popular site.

Be sure to check the fine print on the passes because they may not fit your exact plans and could cost more than an entry ticket if you are only going to a couple of sites.

Thanks again!!
My wife and I start early so I am not worried about the crowds. We will be in France in July.