Stop between Paris and Bayeux

Assuming that you're driving, Giverny, Rouen, Honfleur, and Caen are more or less along the way. See which interests you most and/or is where you'll be at lunchtime.

If you are looking for a place pretty much halfway and not too far from the A13 toll road you can visit La Bouille. It’s a lovely place south-west of Rouen with those typical Norman half timbered houses at the left bank of the Seine.

We stopped in Giverny and Honfluer, both were crowed with day trippers but both are lovely. Though we arrived in Giverny a bit later than planned (trying to avoid tour buses) it is one of my favorite days in all our travels. We walked up the lane( very few people) to a lovely outdoor restaurant.T he gardens make for a very peaceful day, despite the crowds. Honfleur has the hustle and bustle of a tourist location, lots to walk around, many restaurants on the harbor and shopping if you desire. Cannot go wrong with either one.

A lot depends on your interests. History? Old half-timbered towns? Quaint? Museums? Rouen is a wonderful small city almost exactly between Paris and Bayeux if you drive. It has all the things I mentioned, but is not tiny. If you want more of a less trampled place (not that Rouen is that trampled), the Abbey de Jumièges is the ruins of a seventh century monastery that was used by William the Conqueror after "invading" England. I had a wonderful visit there last summer and a lunch in the town afterwards. Slightly closer to Paris is the castle of La Roche-Guyon. It has a long history—including among other things being the headquarters for German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel during the battle for Normandy in WWII. It is much better preserved, and if you hike to the top you get an amazing panoramic view of the lower Seine.