This is what we have - arrive in Caen for car pickup, Oct 15 and drive to Bayeux where we will spend the nights of 15,16,17. While there , will do DDay tour, possibly drive to Honfleur/etretat for a day excursion and then Tuesday, 17th head to.....west...?? Keeping in mind that our car must be returned to Caen Thursday, 2pm for our return to Paris. So I am asking for intinery suggestion for those days. Am thinking to drive towards MSM , Cancale, stMalo, Dinan, etc. With overnights in Avranches and maybe in a RS recommended hotel on the river by Dinan. From Dinan, is the drive quite easy to get back to Caen for our train back? Thanks
Posted by
100 posts
Not quite sure why you'd drive all the way back to Caen to return your car. Our experiences in France have found that it's the same or not much more expensive to drop off at a different location. Certainly not more money than your time is worth.
We loved Dinan, but you might want to put your routes into ViaMichelin to see how far you want to drive if you do actually have to go back to Caen. Personally, I'd go from Bayeaux to MSM for one night, getting to St. Malo for lunch then on to Dinan for a night. Spend the morning in Dinan, return the car to Rennes in the afternoon and take the train to Paris from there.
Posted by
Brisbane, Australia
7175 posts
I would look into picking up your car in Rouen, and dropping it off in Rennes.
Oct 15. Rouen (from Paris by train)
Oct 16.17.18. Bayeux
Oct 19. Mont St Michel
Oct 20. Drop off car in Rennes (to Paris by train)
Posted by
Ann Arbor, Mi
3696 posts
I did a road trip and planned to see many of the same places, but everything took a lot longer than I expected, and even though it was off season (Nov.) there were still plenty of people in the cities. We stayed in Bayeux, drove around Normandy, drove to MSM, spent one night there and on our way back went to St. Malo for a lunch stop and a little bit of wandering around. The overnite on MSM was one of the most interesting places I have stayed. So glad we did not just see it in the daytime... it was really different once all the day trippers left. I
Posted by
OP
Saskatchewan
297 posts
Ok, thanks, however...we have already booked the car for pickup and drop off and our train tickets to paris are already booked and paid for. Maybe a different city, etc is better, I had tried for more input earlier and this is what came out of it. So possibly, we could have done something different but this is what we have. I'm hoping for some input that will fit the schedule I have posted. I will however look into the possibility of dropping the car in Rennes if that is a better option.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
Judy, I've changed autodrop-off and pickup details after booking with no problem or extra fee. It's not like the airlines.
Let me also second the idea of spending the night at MSM. Evenings and mornings are the best times there.