My kids are traveling to Paris, Provence and Nice with their school. My husband and I are picking them up in Nice and have 5 days before we all fly home from Paris. My son really wants to visit either Normandy or Verdun but I'm trying to figure out which one makes the most sense and what to do with the rest of our time. This is our first trip to Europe so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
I've been to Normandy and saw the D-Day stuff I recommend it; Verdun is closer trip from Nice It looks interesting.
What mode of transportation are you using? That may help inform the suggestions here.
Unfortunately, both Normandy and Verdun are at the other end of France from Nice, and transit will take some time.
For Normandy, you could fly from Nice to Lille, then rent a car. For Verdun, you could fly to Metz/Nancy, then rent a car. Driving all the way from Nice to these places will take hours; fine if you wanted to see destinations along the way, but not allowing you much time in the destinations themselves, before you have to be back near Paris for your flight home.
To investigate flight options for your dates, use Skyscanner: https://www.skyscanner.com/
A car rented in one place in France (say, Lille airport) and returned to another place in France (say, Charles de Gaulle airport) shouldn't have much, if any surcharge. You will need an International Drivers Permit, obtained at AAA, and carried with your US drivers license. You will also need to have a lot of cash for tolls (apparently acceptance of US credit cards is hit and miss), and will need to learn about French road rules and signs.
If you won't be driving, it's more complicated. From Paris, many base in Bayeux for a few days to take tours of the Normandy D-Day sights. I'm not sure about seeing Verdun without a car - even from Paris. For getting from Nice to Paris, the train and the plane are about a wash - by the time you add getting to and from the airports and waiting, neither one is a clear "winner" in time.
I went to the American Cemetery and Mt St Michel with my then 13yo daughter and we were both VERY, and surprisingly, moved (and the Tapestry in Bayeux was another wonderful visit). I was surprised by how attentive she was to the museum at the cemetery, and then how much time she took wandering the gravestones.
We went to MSM in the evening (started at 5, it closed at 7 - this was July), and we had the place almost to ourselves, so I recommend going tin the evening (got the idea from RS). This was another powerful experience, as being semi-alone there, one could really feel the spirit of the place. Then we walked int eh mud flats, which was an adventure. We stayed in Bayeux....
