So, we are back in Paris on the Friday night (this is October trip) thinking to go on to Bayeux on Saturday, for 3 nights, will tour, do DD tours and MSM from there,possibly a day trip to Honfleur. HELP NOW - after much reading, I am still concerned over the Sunday/Monday closures and if it will affect our time in Bayeux.
From Bayeux, we then planned on taking the train to Amboise for a few days to tour the chateaux and valley area. This then should put us back to Paris on the Friday, for flight out Saturday. Help again - reverse the trip time in Bayeux-Amboise because of the Sunday/Monday closures or not be concerned and just work around it? Is taking the train from Bayeux-Amboise a doable, not to frustrating trip? I have looked at schedules,but as it it to far out, not getting much there. I would appreciate some input to help in the decision making. I may add, as in other posts, due to hubby having some driving issues (stroke) we would really like to plan a non-driving trip, but will not rule it out.
Hope this all makes sense....so much to think about.
Posted by
Redding, California
244 posts
We spent the month of May in France and loved every minute. We arrived in Bayeux on a Monday. Many shops and restaurants were closed but we found an excellent restaurant that was open. We loved wandering around without the crowds. We stayed three nights then drove to Amboise, but I think you can easily take the train. We stayed 5 nights in Amboise that put us there on Sunday and Monday. Again many shops were closed including our favorite pâtisserie! On Saturday she let us know which items would be fresh for us on Sunday and Monday and she was open Tuesday morning bright and early. She had the best croissants ever! Again the crowds were light and the town was absolutely enjoyable.
Posted by
Franklin, TN, USA
920 posts
Judy......just got back from France 3 weeks ago but it sounds like we did your trip in reverse. I hope this helps!
Flew into CDG and landed on a Wednesday morning early....rented a car and drove through backroads enjoying our google finds of "The most beautiful small villages in France"......we saw Gerberoy (incredible, like stepping into a postcard!!!), Beauvon-En-Auge (also incredible) and Etratet because of this valuable research we had done. That is an advantage to renting a car. Spent the first night in Giverny, Monet's home and gardens. Drove from there through Rouen (nice city and great center street to see shops, etc) to Honfleur to spend a night....delightful. Drove Friday morning to Bayeux to do Normandy and took a Saturday tour. Gave ourselves Sunday to re-visit spots we wanted more time in.....British Cemetary, German Cemetary, Bayeux Cathedral (also incredible). Left Bayeux Monday to drive to Mont Saint-Michel and spent Monday night on the island....everything was open. Drove to Amboise Tuesday and stayed there through Friday morning seeing 6 castles. We LOVED staying at Manoir-Les-Minimes there and walking the streets of Amboise in the morning before we left for castles, after we got home and eating dinner on its street cafes. Cannot say enough good things about Amboise! Drove to Paris on Friday, turned in our car and stayed on the Ile Saint-Louis until Tuesday at noon when we flew out. Staying at the Ile Saint-Louis prevented us from having to catch the Metro as we had already done Paris 3 years ago and all of the museums. We LOVED walking the Marais, eating breakfast at Angelina's and slowing down our Paris pace. I feel like we had 5 small trips in one period of 15 days......the backraods, Normandy, Mont Saint-Michel. The Loire Valley and Paris. I am ready to go back.....it was a GREAT trip....lucky you!
Hope this helps!
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6713 posts
I'm not clear what Sunday/Monday closures you're concerned about in Bayeux. The cathedral, tapestry, and WWII museum are all open daily, as far as I know. The guided D-Day beach tours all operate daily, as far as I know. The RS-recommended shuttle to MSM operates daily as far as I know. What closures concern you?
The D Bahn website, useful for scheduling but not for buying tickets in France, shows several train routes between Paris and Bayeux on Tuesdays in October (I chose October 11 arbitrarily). Unfortunately they take 4-5 hours because they stop in places like Caen, LeMans, Tours, and Paris. You must change at least once, and for some two or three times. The one-change route is through Paris, involving a transfer from Gare St-Lazare to Gare d'Austerlitz by Metro or taxi. I wouldn't recommend that. Probably a better choice is to change at Caen, then Tours (St-Pierre des-Corps). That combination of three rides takes 4 hours and 46 minutes. One option leaves Bayeux at 8:35 AM and reaches Amboise at 12:56 PM. Another leaves Bayeux at 11:35 AM and reaches Amboise at 4:21 PM. Connection times seem quite adequate. I've never taken that trip but I don't see why it would be a problem.
Without a car, you'll have to look to buses or some kind of tour to visit the chateaux outside Amboise (where there are two good ones). The RS guide to France lists a couple of companies offering day tours from Amboise. You can return to Paris by train directly from Amboise or via Tours.