We are driving from Paris to Bayeux. I have a car reserved at Puteaux/La Defense and I'm hoping driving out of there is no worse than downtown NYC or LA or San Francisco. My actual question - suggestions for a scenic route? We have 6 hours to make that drive. Thanks in advance for your help.
Posted by
Florida
509 posts
Consider a detour to Giverny and a visit to Monet's gardens. (If you do, spend some time researching strategies for early arrival and crowd avoidance depending on time-of-year for your visit.) The ride to Giverny from Paris was scenic. And even the motorways from Giverny to Bayeux were pleasant. Another alternative would to drop down into the Pays d'Auge region, just east of Caen. General info at: http://www.france-voyage.com/tourism/pays-auge-146.htm You could spend some time on either the Calvados or Cheese "routes", or just wander for a while. Beautiful area. You should have adequate time for either. (Our painless departure from Paris was from CDG, but with GPS and experience in NYC, LA, etc., you shouldn't have problems leaving central Paris.)
Posted by
OP
52 posts
We will be there in the winter when Giverny is closed. I will definitely look into your other suggestions.
Posted by
IJzendijke, The Netherlands
1967 posts
As soon as you hit the A14 in La Défense you can drive straight out of Paris. If you combine Honfleur and a drive through Pays d’Auge I think you will need all those 6 hours to make that drive without rushing. A scenic route I liked was for instance the coastal route between Honfleur and Deauville during my visit five years ago.
it needs some time, but along the A13 you can also make a detour to Château Gaillard for a stunning view over the Seine. The road leading to the château is a bit hidden in nearby Andelys, so a GPS makes sense there. Just west of Rouen along the Seine too, La Bouille just a few minutes drive from the A13 is not the most lovely place, but to my opinion nevertheless nice enough for a stop.