HI! These forums are so helpful! We are in the midst of planning our trip to London and Paris, we are going later in the summer. We have around 8 days in Paris. We would like to see if its possible to make a day trip to Normandy without renting a car. I see that trains do go to a couple of cities in the area, but not sure how realistic a day trip is. If we do decide to take a train, how easy is it to find a local tour to join? Is that something you book ahead or find once you get there? Another question, since I haven't been to Europe for over 20 years (and that was backpacking with a friend - this time its' with my family), do we need train tickets ahead of time or do you just get them at the station and hop on the train?
Thanks!
Posted by
The Heartland USA
8967 posts
Normandy is a big state. What are you proposing to see there?
Posted by
OP
PNW
141 posts
Sorry, I guess that would've been helpful. I think the main thing we'd like to see are the D Day beaches since we would have a limited amount of time there. But if it's feasible seeing Mont St-Michel would be on the list too.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
"do we need train tickets ahead of time or do you just get them at the station and hop on the train?"
This has actually been a major change since you were last in Europe. The answer now depends on exactly which train you're talking about. For some you just buy and hop on - the price doesn't change and they can't sell out. For others, they now use "airline pricing," meaning they're cheap if bought online in advance as non-refundable and non-exchangeable. If you need flexibility and/or wait until closer to travel, the price goes up - sometimes still affordable, sometimes to the stratosphere. On some routes, the trains can even sell out.
So, to answer your question, you need to post the exact routes you have in mind. Note that the Eurostar between London and Paris is definitely one that can sell out and that gets VERY expensive close to travel. You can buy tickets up to 6 months ahead, and are encouraged to book as soon as you are sure of your travel dates, at http://www.eurostar.com/
Mt. St. Michel is much too far for a day trip from Paris. If you just want to have a half-day in Normandy, there are companies that do this from Paris, and others that will meet you at the train station in Bayeux for this. Due to travel time from Paris, if you want much more than a half-day of sightseeing, you need to spend at least one night in Normandy.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32352 posts
Catherine,
Normandy is not an ideal location to visit as a day trip, due to the time it takes to get there from Paris and back. The easiest option would be to book at tour with Paris City Vision or one of the other tours. The disadvantages with those are that they're expensive and provide a very limited view of the sites.
Trying to see the D-Day sites on a day trip by using a rental car is also not a good idea. The sites are spread along a 50-mile front and extend some distance inland. Even if you use a GPS or whatever, it's going to take some time to get around (and you could get lost).
If you're willing to put in a LONG day, you could travel to Bayeux by train from Paris and take a half-day tour with Overlord Tour. Especially in summer you MUST pre-book that tour! There are many other tour operators in that area and I can provide suggestions if you're interested. You may find the tours expensive but those are really the best way to see the sights in a very limited time frame. The guides are exceptional and will be able to make the history almost "come alive". They know the area extremely well and will be able to get to the most significant sites in the shortest time possible.
You should be able to buy advance tickets using www.captaintrain.com, and just print these at home. You didn't say which part of Paris you'll be staying in, but you'll need to get from there to Gare Saint-Lazare to connect with the trains to Normandy. The Metro or RER will get you to that station. If you don't wish to buy the tickets online, stop at any SNCF Boutique in Paris (there are LOTS of them) and buy your tickets there.
For your visit to Paris, I'd highly recommend having either the RS France, RS Paris or RS Pocket Paris guidebooks, as one of those will help to plan efficient touring, as well as hotels and transportation. Be sure to wear Money Belts there, as there WILL be pickpockets and scammers operating. You may also find it helpful to use Paris Museum Passes as those not only cover admission to various sites, but also minimize queues, which may be extreme during the summer.
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9436 posts
Ken, you are a very patient and kind man... : )
Posted by
OP
PNW
141 posts
Harold and Ken I really appreciate the time you took to reply to my question! Planning a trip with my family and trying to have things planned rather than winging it like I did when I went many years ago with a backpack and a friend is so different. Right now we are just in the planning phases. I've read that staying in the 4,5 or 6 arrondissements is a good area, hopefully central enough to get to train stations for day trips to Versailles and Giverny and other sightseeing around Paris.
We will have to see if a very long day to Normandy is worth the trip or not. I wish we had a month to see more of France, but we've only got a couple of weeks and trying to see as much as we can without overdoing it is a challenge.
I'm going to print out both of your replies to reference for buying train tickets and tour info.
Merci!!