I am traveling to Paris in March. I am flying into CDG on Saturday at around noon and have 3 nights open before I check in to the hotel in the Marais on Tuesday afternoon. I have booked a hotel for Monday night on Mont Saint-Michel and would like to plan on taking the train from Rennes back to Paris on Tuesday morning or mid day. I am now trying to determine the best route from Paris CDG through Normandy to MSM. I was thinking a train into Rouen and then renting a car on Sunday and returning it on Tuesday in Rennes. I would like to visit Honfleur, Omaha Beach, and possibly stay 1 night in Bayeux . My concern now is finding a convenient train to Rouen. I'm wondering if I should try and get a train from CDG or in Paris city to Rouen. Or stay the first night in Paris and take an early train to Rouen on Sunday morning and rent a car. Or rent a car at CDG and drive to Rouen on Saturday when I arrive. I'm trying to determine what is most efficient and makes sense logistically. Thanks for your help.
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
It's a good plan. I'm assuming Saturday night in Rouen, Sunday night in Bayeux, and Monday night near Mt. St. Michel before returning the car Tuesday in Rennes and training back to Paris. As always, I decide what I want to see and that dictates how long I stay.
I took a train to Rouen to start. There are plenty of direct trains available. I was really only interested in the medieval center so got there early, rented a car (but left it there) walked the center and had lunch before driving on. There are two train stations in Rouen. You want Gare de Rouen rather than the other (Gare de Rouen, Orleans). There are several rental options at the train station but be aware they have a typical long lunch hour, their hours are 8-12 and 2-6. If you search for a car at noon, or before 8, it will say none are available.
I went from there to Etretat and Fecamp that afternoon and stayed a night there. I skipped Honfleur the next morning (only because I was seeing more small port towns in Brittany that would be less touristed) and drove straight to Bayeux. If you went for morning and lunch in Honfleur, then Omaha beach in the afternoon, one night in Bayeux would allow you to catch your breath before continuing.
It's a 1 1/2 hour drive to Mt. St. Michel. You don't say when this trip is taking place. In August, both Honfleur and Mt. St. Michel (and, to a lesser extent Bayeux, will be packed). You could make it there early enough to beat the big crowds, spend half a day but probably not eat there (way too expensive). I'd go up the main street to the Abbey, first thing in the morning (Abbey open roughly 9-6), and come down via the less crowded ramparts, later, when the place fills up.
Food in MSM costs more than lodging in a lot of places. I'd take your time there but then head toward Rennes, Cancale (greatest oysters) or St. Malo for a night. Stop for lunch after MSM or have some snacks ready in the car. You could get to Rennes after MSM if you want to get a very early train back to Paris Tuesday, take more time in Rennes before your train or stay somewhere else along the way. I've heard good things about Vitre but I skirted that area when I was there so can't give you any first hand opinions.
The downside is one night stays can seem rushed. Other than that, it's workable and I don't think you will have to rush too much (but you may have wanted to spend more time on d-day sights).
Posted by
Green Bay
20084 posts
Why not rent a car at CDG? Getting to Rouen by train requires you to go into Paris and transfer to St Lazare station. That will take some time and cost some money. Either 50 EUR for the taxi, or ~ 11 EUR by RER with a change at Gare du Nord, plus the 27 EUR for the train.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6501 posts
Sam would have the right idea about driving straight from the airport to Rouen if you weren't getting off an overnight flight. Unless you're very good at sleeping on planes, I wouldn't recommend such a drive the next day, for your and others' safety. Unfortunately, there's no direct train from CDG to Normandy, so you'll be stuck with the trek into Paris and then Gare St-Lazare. Sam laid out the options for that transfer.
Posted by
Washington DC
27104 posts
Nice places to stop for a couple of hours if you're passing nearby: Fougeres, Vitre, Dinan, Dinard. St.-Malo is significantly more tourist-packed than any of the others, but it is picturesque. I liked Rennes, but it's larger and will take a bit more time to get around. The same is true for Rouen in the east. I thought Honfleur and Cabourg were both pretty. Deauville is a newer resort but very attractive. Like Honfleur, it gets a great deal of tourist traffic.
As I mentioned in your other thread, there are lots of currently-low-priced Intercites trains from Paris St-Lazare to Rouen. Even though you have to spend the time and money to get downtown by bus or RER, I think you'll end up getting to Rouen about as fast or faster and with less financial outlay than you would by departing directly from CDG. TGVs are handy, but not when you have to change trains, cool your heels for an extended period at the layover point, and pay for the extra mileage.
Posted by
OP
12 posts
Renting a car at CDG seems the most economical and efficient, but it would be after an overnight flight from the US with a 2 hour stop in Germany. Do you know how long it would take to clear customs (would I need to clear customs coming from Germany?) and get the the rental car location? I was thinking I could drive for at least an hour maybe 2 before needing to stop to sleep. Would it be unwise to book a hotel room on the same day and see how far I could go?