We are in France now and unless you have a direct toll road, it takes much longer to go from A to B such as CDG airport to Honfluer took us 4 hours as we got lost twice and it was only 100 miles (getting out of airport was hard). Small roads, small towns and many round abouts slow you down

3) Bayeux,... Tapestry first thing the following morning. Stay through a leisure lunch by the old mill sites. MSM,... get into the grounds just before 4:00, stay 'til it closes and meander down slowly. A room at Jacoutier is a good choice, but there are others. Take photos thru the evening, especially as all the flood lighting comes on just after sunset. have a late meal of "Mouton Pre-Sale" at one of the converted farmhouse restaurants. Leave VERY early the next morning so you can visit two Chatueax before checking into your room in Amboise. Make sure to visit some of the many sweet shops before checking out and get a good sized "Tarte au Nougat" for the road.

"...seeing all the beaches, etc., along the way" Do you have this actually mapped out where you want to go? If not, and it's a high priority for you to do this drive, I'd suggest working up a driving plan, THEN figure out what else to add...That's a very large area to just leave up to 'wandering' when you only have one day and there are specific sites you'd like to see.

any other suggestions....

For someone headed to France or Italy, a re-reading of Karen's message, now in France with a rental car, might be useful: "We are in France now and unless you have a direct toll road, it takes much longer to go from A to B such as CDG airport to Honfleur took us 4 hours as we got lost twice and it was only 100 miles (getting out of airport was hard). Small roads, small towns and many round abouts slow you down." * * * ¶ Suggest adding about 25% to the driving times you get from Viamichelin or Google, and consider getting a GPS with Europe map, even though the expense makes it not always an easy decision.

Either way you're going to be rushed. I agree that it takes longer than you think to drive. I loved Bayeux, the town, tapestry, and the WWII sites and would give it a day and a half at least. I'm not so much of a MSM fan so I'd drop that. My two favorite chateaux are Chenanceau and Villandry and would allow half a day for each.

DH has the beaches mapped out for a day of sightseeing. .... Just wondering which area should be a higher priority. One place get 1 day and the other get 2....

And why is 1, 1 & 1 so abhorrent?

I truly liked both of these towns equally (sunset at MSM wasn't too shabby either.) Maybe you should choose by staying two nights whichever room is the cheapest. Or you can ask yourself, "What makes me happier: Vouvray or Cidre?"

There is also a wonderful sparkling Vouvray if your answer is "Champagne"

From the OP: "Paris to Caen, pick up car and drive to Bayeux seeing all the beaches/etc on the way." Hmmm, actually, there aren't any beaches "on the way" between Caen and Bayeux. And some of the beaches that most people want to see the most are actually well north and west of Bayeux. Maybe you were using "on the way" loosely. I realize DH has got this all covered, but (let's see how we can put this delicately) perhaps it's time to ask his Lordship the Navigator a couple of small questions? Just to make sure.