MY husband and I will be traveling to Paris for a week before traveling to Marseilles for a meeting the next week. We would like to allow a day from Paris to go and see Normandy. Any suggestions on the best day to do that and how? Any suggestions for the "must-see" things to do and see in Paris? We both love to walk our way around cities and discover things as we do. I would enjoy suggestions as we have never traveled in France.
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9436 posts
See this thread a little below yours: http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm/rurl/topic/96773/what-to-do-in-paris.html
Posted by
Charleston, SC, USA
925 posts
Hi Jane! My son and I were in Paris last July. It was pretty warm, so make sure your hotel has AC. We also visited Normandy and specifically Bayeux. I think it's pretty ambitious to try to see the sights in Normandy on a day trip from Paris. it's doable, but a very long day. We stayed in Bayeux two nights at the Hotel Churchill. I recommend spending at least one night in Bayeux and taking a tour with any of the excellent tour guides in the area. You can also take a day trip from there to Mont St. Michel. As for Paris, I recommend getting the Paris Museum Pass. You can pick it up at any of the participating museums (we got ours at Napoleon's tomb where there was no line). This pass allows you to skip lines at the major museums (Louvre, D'Orsay, etc.), which can save a lot of time. I also suggest wandering around the Rue Cler and Marais areas of Paris. Lots of shops and restaurants in those areas. Rick has a nice app with walking tours that you can download and just wander through the city at your own pace. Good luck!
Posted by
Mission Viejo, Calif., USA
1010 posts
My husband and I took a day trip out to Normandy with Gray Line Tours. You can find them at Gray Line Tours.com. We also used them for a day trip out to Versailles and to Giverney (Monet's Garden and house) and also a trip around Paris.
Posted by
Stuttgart, Germany
3050 posts
Seconding the "make sure your hotel has A/C". this is a must if you're traveling in Paris in the summer. While weather is unpredictable and it could be cool and rainy, you do NOT want to be in a hotel with no A/C in Paris if it is hot. As for must sees...it's Paris, one of the most touristed cities in the world. There's a million must-sees. I'd suggest getting a guidebook and doing research to see what sounds interesting for you.