Hi all! We will be traveling from Sept 14 to October 1 of 2019. This is not our first time to Europe, however, it is our first time to most of the places listed below. Would you be so kind as to review our itinerary and make suggestions and/or recommendations? Previous to 2010 we would travel on the fly and not make any advance hotel reservations. Since then the trips over to England, Italy, Scotland, and to a number of Christmas markets, we booked hotels using reward points. We would like to travel on the fly again on this trip if possible. Below is our preliminary itinerary.
Saturday Sept 14: Land in Paris at CDG & stay at a hotel airport. Quick trip into Paris & possibly up the Eiffel tower.
Sunday the 15th: Pick up car at CDG travel towards Cherbourg and Normandy beach area. Place to stay recommendations?
Monday the 16th: Utah, Pont du Hoc, American Cemetery, & Omaha beach. Possibly using a tour guide recommended by a friend.
Tuesday the 17th: Omaha, Juno, Gold, & Sword beaches
Wednesday the 18th: Leave the beach area & drive to Le Havre & up to Dieppe. 2 nights in Dieppe to research wife's Canadian family connection to Raid on Dieppe.
Thursday the 19th: Dieppe
Friday the 20th: Leave Dieppe France and travel to Brugge for 2 nights. We have never been. Do we need 2 nights? Any known restrictions on automobile travel within the city?
Saturday the 21st: Brugge.
Sunday the 22nd: Drive to Amsterdam
Monday the 23rd: Amsterdam
Tuesday the 24th: Amsterdam
Wednesday the 25th: Drive to Nurburgring area (Nurburg) of Germany
Thursday the 26: Get a ride on the 'Ring and overnight in the area. (looking at this now I don't think we need 2 nights here)
Friday the 27th: Drive to Bastogne, Belgium
Saturday the 28th: Bastogne & surrounding area
Sunday the 29th: Drive to Paris & car at CDG
Monday the 30th: Paris
Tuesday October 1: Morning flight back home :(
Again, this is not our first trip over. Airline tickets bought and paid for. Did not fly open jaw because this routing worked for us and what we wanted to do. Renting a car because of some of the areas we are going to are not easily accessible by train or it allows us the flexibility we are looking for on this trip. And yes, I know I will be paying for a car and parking fees while visiting Amsterdam. I mention these points not to be snarky but to be clear that we are aware of some views people hold on flying and driving while visiting Europe.
Thank you in advance and I appreciate this community and the advice from those on here.
John from DTW
Posted by
8176 posts
Good to see people still interested in WWII history.
We did a full day tour of Normandy from Le Havre that was wonderful. We did Omaha Beach, Sword Beach, the American Cemetery as well as Bayeux and the magnificent Bayeux cathedral as well as amazing Bayeux Tapestry. The Tapestry is 900 years old, but still vibrantly tells the history of the Norman conquest of England in 1066. Don't miss it.
Consider staying in Bayeux.
Bugges is special and worth a full day. Parking may be an issue there, so check carefully for where you stay if parking is provided.
Also, Amsterdam is not car friendly, so you will likely have to stay outside the city.
Nurburgring area of Germany is in the Rhineland, why are you going there?
Posted by
San Francisco
14912 posts
Hi,
Good choice on going to see the Canadian memorial monument in Dieppe.
It does not look as if your itinerary will take you much into Germany but if you're interested in seeing a town taken by the Canadians, go to Xanten,...beyond the lower Rhine area. I did a day trip there in 1987 from Düsseldorf.
Posted by
OP
DTW
343 posts
@geovagriffith any recommendations on where to stay in Bayeux. We are pretty basic people as long as the room has a private lavatory. Did you think that all of the landing beaches were worth visiting? Was there any place in Brugge that you thought were a must see recommendation for family & friends? We will most likely leave the car in a car park outside of Amsterdam and stay in the city. We are going to the Nurburgring so that I may get a ride around the 'Ring. Something that have attempted to do without luck on a couple of our visits.
Posted by
OP
DTW
343 posts
@Fred, thank you for the Xanten tip. It looks like we may be able to squeeze it in when traveling from Amsterdam down to Nurburg Germany. It will be up to my wife since she is the one with the Canadian connection.
Posted by
Rockville, MD, USA
643 posts
We stayed at the Hotel Reine Mathilde in Bayeux - I consult Tripadvisor and the hotel website before choosing a hotel and I liked that this one had a bistro attached although once we got oriented we didn't eat there much - it was sort of a fall-back plan. It's very easy to spend more time in Bayeux: two days of D-day sights and one day for the tapestry and cathedral.
Two full days sounds about right in Amsterdam.
I'm guessing you've been to Paris before or plan to return for a longer visit or have little interest. Otherwise I'd suggest more time there.
Those are the places on your itinerary that I've been to. It sounds like a fabulous trip!
Posted by
8176 posts
John,
Sorry, we didn't stay overnight in Bayeux. I can't recommend a hotel or B&B without doing research. I like to use TripAdvisor and Kayak together to narrow down options to top 3 or 4. Look for a place in the city where you can walk to the places you will visit and it provides free parking. TripAdvisor has a map feature that allows you to hold the cursor over the hotel's location (the price shows up).
Not sure that I would necessarily want to visit all the beaches. Definitely do Omaha. Post du Hoc would have been interesting (we didn't go there).
Our cruise ship did stop in Cherborg, which was interesting, but not sure you need to do that.
Normandy is great. The people there are very friendly.
Posted by
martinez, ca, usa
2398 posts
hey john
check out amsterdam,citymundo, bedandbreakfast.amsterdam, houseboatrental.amsterdam, jirdam.nl
we rented thru city mundo first time, and houseboathotel.nl second time. both went great (there were 4 of us), read accomodations and fine print, most have lots of steep stairs/steps, sharing bathroom/kitchen/living room if renting only a room.
booking.com has filters you wish and want on left side, budget, parking, location. as geo mentions, not car friendly, look at a map where there is parking within the city, bikes bikes bikes everywhere be careful walking and crossing streets. it's a lovely and pretty town, expensive, take a canal cruise, different foods to eat (martines-table.com husband does tours), rijsttafel - rice table (samo sebo, blauw, sampurna).
read up about an IDP (international driving permit) from AAA/CAA for car rental, and driving in another country.
i'll wave to you in france, we are traveling same days are you are, will have a glass of vino in paris and annecy for you. have fun enjoy your trip.
aloha
Posted by
OP
DTW
343 posts
@Marty, thank you for the tips on Bayeux & Amsterdam. I will look into Bayeaux and see if it may work for us. We have been to Paris before. We spent a week there in 2000. Our plan this trip is to spend the first night there and then another 2(?) at the end.
@geovagriffith Bayeux looks to be a better location than Cherbourg which was just a point of reference for driving purposes. Definitely will do Omaha & Pont du Hoc and possibly 1 other beach if we can fit it in.
@PrincessPupule, thank you for the suggested websites. I am interested in the canal boat stays so I will have to see what my wife thinks. I have driven a number of times before in our previous trips to Europe so thank you for the driving reminders. I hope you enjoy your trip as well.
Posted by
Stuttgart, Germany
3050 posts
We drove across France and stayed in Bayeux as a base for the Normady beaches and I would recommend it. It's a charming small city with lots to do. We parked in a public lot and walked about 300 meters to our bed & breakfast, Logis de Saint Jean, which I would recommend. Nice room, good breakfast, right in the center of town.
We enjoyed the Museum of the Battle of Normandy in Bayeux as well.
Posted by
Castle Rock, Colorado
185 posts
When you are in the northwest of France, do not miss going to Mont se Michel. I have been to France many times in the past and that is the only place I wish I could see again!
Posted by
San Francisco
14912 posts
I've been back to France numerous times in the last 45 plus years and admittedly a few places I don't care seeing again; maybe after 20 years or so, I should give the place another chance.
I have yet to go to MSM. Most of the other towns/cities, Paris (obviously), Fontainebleau, Amiens, Strasbourg, Arras, Cambrai, etc I go back to repeatedly.
Posted by
OP
DTW
343 posts
@Sarah, thank you for the recommendation. It looks very nice.
@Joy, we are considering MSM. Not sure if we can fit it into our plans on this trip.
@Fred, this will be our fourth time in France. We have been to Paris, Strasbourg, and a few small towns in the east of France on our previous visits.