Hello, has anyone ever used Link Paris as a tour company to Normandy? Will be traveling to Paris in 2027 and would like to visit Normandy. Our eventual destination is the Rick Steves Basque Tour which starts in Bayonne. I am trying to figure out best options for spending time in Paris and Normandy before our tour starts. There are so many options its a bit overwhelming. Thank you in advance
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
17250 posts
Welcome to the forum!
How many nights do you have before you need to be in Bayonne?
I suggest at least two overnights in Bayeux if you want to visit the DDay landing areas. 3 if you wanted a visit to Mont-Saint-Michel.
I’d want to be in Bayonne the night before the tour starts.
I have not used Link. Are they a transportation company or a company that offers tours?
Posted by
OP
3 posts
I have as many nights as I need before Bayonne, I would also like to spend time in Paris. My thought is to go to Normandy from the airport and then Paris eventually getting to Bayonne and our tour. Is it feasible to come off an overnight flight and get on a train to Normandy area? Is it better to spend time in Paris first? We are both retired so time is not an issue.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
17250 posts
OK, that is great to know.
Yes, it can be doable to go direct to Bayeux after arriving depending on how well you do overnight flights and possibly if you are flying from the US East Coast or US West Coast. I fly from an end-of-the-line airport in the Inland Northwest so I've got a long flight day. I'd have trouble doing the transit to Bayeux on my arrival day but others would not.
I looked at the SNCF-Connect website for trains and I do not see a direct train from CDG to Bayeux so you'd have to come in to Paris from the airport to catch the train from Gare Saint-Lazare train station. If someone else comes on with a better suggestion go with their suggestion, lol!!
edited to add: The SNCF website is being stupid today with some of the routings ie: CDG to Lille to Gare du Nord (a Paris train station) to Gare Saint-Lazare to Bayeux or other bizarre things. Still it does not look like there is a direct train but you would not book this far out anyway!
IF you have unlimited time, I'd probably do 2 nights in Paris after you land. Then take the train to Bayeux for 3 nights, then back to Paris for 3 or 4 nights. Then take the train south to Bayonne to arrive the day before the tour start. I am one who always wants to arrive ahead of time for a tour and am always planning for the possibility of a train strike, lol.
Now that I am up and with coffee in my hand, I looked at the LinkParis website. It says it is family owned so is not one of the 3rd party tour bookers. I've toured the landings areas with Dale Booth on a Rick Steves tour and many here have also gone with a company called Overlord.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thank you for your thoughts as I keep flip flopping on the best scenario, my original idea was Paris, Normandy and back to Paris.Dale Booth was recommended by my sister and did see other posts about Overlord. We are flying out of Newark so it will hopefully be direct to CDG. I appreciate your thoughts.