Train or rental car from Paris?

I'd make this decision based on the day and time of travel, It is not difficult to get from Gare du Nord to the highway to Bayeux but I'd want to avoid rush hour and weekday traffic. You basically follow Blvd Magenta to Blvd Barbes to Blvd Ormano to the Peripherique and the trip will probably take about 3.5 to 4 hours if there is no traffic. The trip to Caen from Gare St Lazare, plus the drive to Bayeux from Caen plus the transfer between train stations will probably take the same amount of travel time but will probably take a little longer overall because you will have to allow some buffer time for catching the train to Caen whereas if you drive you can leave as soon as you have the car.

Alternative option 1: take the Eurostar to Lille Europe and rent a car there. Lille - Caen is a 4.5 hour drive, so you have to be OK with that, but you avoid Paris traffic or the hassle of transferring between stations across Paris. Amiens cathedral is on the way, or Rouen, if you want to break the drive for a couple of hours.

Alternative option 2: is Mont Saint Michel in your plans? If so, easyJet flies from London to Rennes, where you can rent a car and drive 1.5 hr to the Mont.

balso has two great suggestions. Last month we picked up a rental car in Rennes and returned it to Lille. Both car rental locations at the train stations were easily managed/navigated. (Our travel itinerary was completely different than what you plan, as we arrived Paris (after 3 day stay took train to Rennes picked up car; then returned car in Lille with train to Ghent but we happened to use those same locations balso suggested for you, for pick up/return with our car rental.)

Wonderful suggestions, thank you! Lille is a very good option , hadn’t thought of that. Thanks everyone for the responses, very helpful.

Why go to Lille when you can rent right in Caen? We did this trip a few years ago. Train Paris-Caen, rent from Europcar right across the street from Caen station. It was very easy.

Train to Caen was my first thought but changing train stations in Paris with luggage and having to hope trains are all on time etc. seemed less than ideal. Lots of good options to look at the pros and cons I guess.

I’ve rented from Gare du Nord to drive to Bayeux after arriving on the Eurostar and while it isn’t bad driving out of town I think it depends on the day of the week and time of day, as mentioned above. I was leaving late afternoon on a Friday and the traffic getting out of town was awful. I agree with the idea of renting in Lille and driving to Normandy. We did that in reverse two years ago and it was an easy drive. We stopped in Honfleur for a few hours on the way between Bayeux and Lille.

Just take a cab from Nord to St Lazare. Much easier than a 4 hour detour to Lille. And don't worry about trains on time. There are many trains from Paris to Caen.

Hello from Wisconsin,

Don't rent a car in Paris, maybe at the airport, but not in old Paris.

We arrived in Paris and spent a few days, then took a train to Caen. Spent the night. rented a car and drove to Bayeux. The countryside around Bayeux is lovely. But remember Normand was mostly destroyed, flattened during the war. Much of what you see today was rebuilt to look original. On back roads keep an eye out for the "small" cemeteries, often only 1400 graves. The city of Bayeux was an exception. It was captured so quickly not much fighting happened inside the city. Plus, the Allies quickly built a ring road around the city as the old medieval streets were too narrow for "modern" war traffic. This ring road saved the city from the constant shaking of heavy moving equipment.

That ring road serves to day as...a ring road.

Caen by the way was devastated from the air and by tank battles, for days. But a short walk from the train station takes you along a nice business district and up to the two big monasteries. William and his wife founded these. The castle...I would say, skip. Enjoy a nice meal outside a restaurant.

Returning the car? Get rid of it when you no longer need it, which could be some days before the end of your visit. Returning it to the airport is a snap. Just don't think cutting through Paris is a short cut. Use the ...must I say it again, the ring road to get close to the airport and then follow the "return car" signs. most likely in French. I don't recall.

One more thought. Lat I knew there were no dead head charges permitted in France. Pick up at one location return to another...no extra fee.

wayne inWI

wayne iNWI