How cold and snowy does it get in Normandy (specifically, the beaches, Bayeux and Mont San Michel) in mid December? Also, is it better to rent a car there or are trains convenient to get around (from Calais or Lille, to Bayeux, to Normandy beaches, to Mont San Michel, to Paris)?
Posted by
Bellevue, WA, USA
811 posts
I was there in late April and still a little cold and windy, so Dec is definitely cold there. I would rent a car for mt. st michel and normandy area to get around easily and save time.
Posted by
Corsicana, Texas, USA
354 posts
During my visit to Normandie this past May, the weather was windy, rainy, and often cold. A look at the Weather Underground website shows that during December 2006, the average temperature in the region was mid 40's, with winds averaging 12 mph, but almost no rain (or snow). Train service from most places TO Paris is not a big problem, but getting between the sites by rail is much more difficult. Renting a car allows you to set your own schedule. Just remember that the major highways in France are all toll roads; keep a close eye on the fuel gauge, since gasoline stations are not nearly as plentiful as in the U.S.; and driving in Paris to return your car, even in the outskirts, is not for the faint-of-heart.