We want to go to Normandy from Paris. Very helpful post. Thanks. I did want to know if I buy a Paris Visite pass, do I have to get a Eurorail pass as well for the train trip to Bayeux and Monte St Michel? Thanks.
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
The Paris Visite only covers the city of Paris, so you will have to get something else to go to Bayeux. It's probably not worth getting a pass for just one journey, though. Try booking a single journey ticket on www.tgv-europe.com Also, the Paris Visite is rarely good value for money. If you are staying for several days starting early in the week, you can get a Navigo Decouverte weekly pass for Paris transport, but this is only available for a calendar week starting on Monday. If this isn't convenient, it's usually best to get a carnet of ten discount single-journey tickets and use them as you travel.
Posted by
Fontainebleau, France
893 posts
You will need to buy a train ticket to get from Paris to Bayeux (? and back?). To get to MSM, you will have to either take a train to a nearby village and try to get transportation to MSM, or get some type of coach tour from Bayeux, or rent a car and drive. You will not be able to take a train directly to MSM. The Paris Visite Pass is only valid for travel within zones 1-3 of Paris, or zones 1-5 of Paris/Ile-de-France, depending on which version you purchase. While it is not usually a good value to purchase the pass if you are staying within Paris, it is a good value for visitors staying in Zones 4 or 5 who will be taking a train/RER into Paris every day for 3 or more days. The pass for zones 1-5 also covers transportation to/from the airports and Versaille.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
The standard 2nd class fare from Paris to Bayeux is €38.20. However, if you book well in advance (up to three months allowed) on tgv-europe.com, you can get a Prem's fare as low as €15.00 for a direct train and €21.40 for a departure time requiring a connection in Caen. Discount fare tickets are for a specific departure date and time and are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Be sure you can commit before booking. You can take a direct train from Bayeux to Pontorson which is 14km outside of Mont-Saint-Michel. Take either a regional bus or a taxi from Pontorson to the Mont. However, you need to know that the French National Rail site doesn't show these trains running beyond 7 October. I've read reports saying that the Churchill Hotel in Bayeux offers daytrips by bus to Mont-Saint-Michel and return.