I am taking my family on their first trip to Europe in June. After a 2 days in Brugge we will be heading to Paris. We leave Brugge on Monday and will be arrive in Paris on Wednesday. We have 3 teenage boys that are very active but also are open to cultural activities. They like WWII history , and Caen, France was recommended. That excursion seems easier from Paris than along the way from Brugge. ( we will be in Paris for one week ) Also we will be using public transport. Thanks to all for any input. This is the last gap in my schedule, Dad the Planner
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
If you want to give them some beach days, the north sea coast is very close to Brugge and easy to reach via public transportation. Oostende is the most convenient town, although I prefer De Haan and De Panne. I
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
I suppose a day-trip to the D-day beaches is possible from Paris, but the area is far enough from the city that it is really a poor use of time. Since you are coming from Brugge, how about this? Take the train to Lille and rent a car. Drive to Bayeux and see the beaches. Spend the night. Take the train back to Paris.
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
I forgot to mention... if you're passing through Brussels, check out the Royal Museum of Military History. The collections on the world wars is HUGE. Half the museum is consists mainly of a trove of old Belgian uniforms, which is probably of interest only to specialist. But the world war section is absolutely massive.
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Hi, I know you mention WW II in your post, but for WW I the Arras area has important and sobering sites for Canadians, Germans, and British. Arras was the HQ for the BEF. The city hall has a museum to that effect. At the outskirts of Arras is a large British military cemetery, from WW I located next to the French Army caserne, which is not opened to the public. If you get a rental car in Arras and drive around the Nord Pas-de-Calais region, you'll see the landscape dotted with the green signs indicating British military cemetery. Go towards the Pas-de-Calais area and you'll come across the left over pill boxes...still in some of the beach towns, such as at Le Tourquet. If you're going to Caen to see the Museum of Peace, a but takes you right to it, much too far to walk from the train station. The museum is easy to follow providing you have a good grounding in the history of the period, incl. WWII. But the museum at Bayeux is more concise. What I like more at the Bayeux museum is that the sources are indicated in refernce to the quotations.
Posted by
OP
Watertown, CT, USA
2 posts
THANK YOU ! These suggestions were great, big help to a CT Yankee. Appreciate all of the input. Tim