We are planning a trip to Paris that has a side trip to Mont St Michel. We will be taking the RER to Versailles in the morning, renting a car in the afternoon and then heading towards Mont St Michel. We will need to spend the night somewhere along the route to Mont St Michel and then we will arrive at Mont St Michel sometime the next day. We are most interested in seeing the Abbey in the evening and then being there in the morning to watch the sun rise over the Abbey the next morning. That day we will start the journey back to Paris. We would like to take a different route of travel in both directions in order to view different countryside. Any recommendations for travel route, restaurants, easily seen sites and hotel would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Posted by
Twin Cities, Minnesota
2001 posts
When are you going? I ask because the Normandy WWII beaches are near there and would be a good route back, but I think the 75th anniversary is this summer and would effect crowds and hotel availability. But that aside, the beaches and Bayeaux would be a great route. Or look at Honfleur and then Giverney. I have been to all these places and they remain some of my favorites in France.
Posted by
OP
Wisconsin, United States
29 posts
We are planning for next Fall.
Posted by
Washington DC
28096 posts
Since you're interested in two different routes, I'll put in a plug for taking the longer, southern route in one direction. It goes via Fougeres and relatively near Vitre--two towns in eastern Brittany I found very picturesque and not very touristy. Google for photos to get an idea of what they're like. Further on that route skirts Le Mans, which I haven't been to but reportedly has a very nice historic district. I imagine one might lose some time in a car, trying to navigate that city, however. Closer to Paris you also have Chartres.
On the northern route you get near Rouen (large, very pretty historic area rebuilt after wartime destruction) in addition to the places already mentioned. There's also Caen, but it doesn't have much historic architecture and has the traffic disadvantages of a good-sized city--also an issue with Rouen, but Rouen is just plain prettier.
Personally, I am not a fan of self-guided trips to the invasion sites. If I tried it myself I'm sure I'd wander around aimlessly and not know what I was looking at. I think a one-day van tour is a far better idea for those with a serious interest. If less time is available, I'd choose one of the local museums (but I am a fan of museums). The one in Bayeux would be a good option, being a reasonable size and located in a town with other things to do if you have time (Bayeux Tapestry, Cathedral, old town).
If you're willing to forego the Normandy Invasion sites, the coastal towns of Cabourg and Deauville are also pleasant places to wander around for a few hours. They're west of Honfleur.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
I'd suggest overnight in Honfleur, which has a great deal of charm, is on the water, and about 2 - 2-1/2 hours away.
For your trip back I would suggest driving from MSM to the TGV station in Rennes, dropping off the car, and taking the train into Paris.
Posted by
Twin Cities, Minnesota
2001 posts
I agree with acraven, absolutely get a guide for the Normandy sites. You will get so much more out of the visit.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7889 posts
There are quite a lot of printed books with D-Day beach tour ideas, including our host, Rick Steves. We enjoyed (with a rental car ... ) doing our own dense and fulfilling touring, over two days from a hotel just outside Bayeux. We happened to overhear several professional guides and their (small) groups, and could see them passing around laminated enrichment materials. I think you choice of touring mode (guided or unguided) depends on your personal taste and experience in tourism up to now. Some people like guides and saving the time to research their own routes. Others prefer independent. I found the affect of the guides we happened to overhear to be too evangelically vigorous for my taste, even if I chose a guide that day.