London to Paris to Normandy - paris

Eurostar to Paris, transfer from Gare Nord to Gare St Lazare, train to Caen (or Bayeux). Many Eurostars per day, train to Caen runs every 2 hours. Example: Eurostar 10:25, arrive Paris ~1:47 (don't forget you add an hour to the clock for this), it's 1 1/2 miles to Lazare, easy walk unless you have too much stuff, in which case note that you will still walk over 1/2 mile if you use the Metro, next train out is at 3:10 and gets to Caen about 5. Getting tickets in advance Eurostar can be as low as 34GBP, and Caen train is 15 Euro. Note Caen is the only stop between Paris and Bayeux, same price, another 15 minutes up the line. There are those here who will suggest renting your car directly in Paris and skipping the French train.

Absolutely no personal experience doing this, but I've seen suggested taking the Eurostar to Lille and renting a car there. You by-pass Paris completely. Others, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Yes, I haven't done it myself but renting the car in Lille would probably save time and hassle. When you book the car in Lille note that there are two large railway stations in Lille which I believe both have car rental offices nearby - you want to pick up the car somewhere near LILLE EUROPE where the Eurostar calls, not Lille Flandres.

Picking up the car in Lille probably will not make much price difference for this time period and for dropping the car at another French location; try some price quotes through Auto Europe, for instance. If you take the train further, then you do deal with transferring stations in Paris as well as another train ticket (up to $50 per person in 2nd class).

I realize my next question in very subjective, but for trail time and order of cities, would any of you have input on going from Paris to Giverny first then onto Bayeux and I would drop St Michel. IT is alls give in take when on a budget and time schedule I know. Just thought Giverny is on the way going or way back - vs out of the way for St Michel.

Laura I appreciate your input on Lille but times schedule made for a very very long day!

Or family of 5 (3 adult kids + us) went to these places in Sept '13.
We landed at CDG early in the AM and drove to Giverny. Spent at most two hours there and then drove past Bayeux to Carentan, where we stayed for a few nights.
We did a day trip from there to St. Michel and spent the late part of that day back at the Normandy landing area.
So we crammed
1) a later afternoon at on Beach site
2) AM to early afternoon at St. Michel
3) a later afternoon at the Omaha cemetery.
4) the first 1/2 of the next day at a few landing/beach sites.
We then went to Paris. The Giverny visit is nice as a prelude to seeing his water lily paintings in Paris. It didn't take much extra time. I wish we had more time to spend at the Normandy landing sites but am glad we went to Mt. St. Michel also. Given our limited vacation time we crammed a lot it. Oh, well.

If I had to choose between Giverny and St. Michel I'd first say "Giverny only takes a few hours on the way to Normandy but St. Michel takes 6 hours." That is not an even trade and you may have to weigh and trade other sights.

Thank you Evan at least I know its doable!