Paris to Normandy - train or car

Many responses will tell you to take the train to Normandy and then rent the car. Much depends on the amount of luggage you might have and if you are willing to drive out of the airport area. Of course, another factor is cost of the rental. There will always be the issue with some traffic congestion. Last year, we had a car for a long trip around France. Prior to returning to Paris, we stayed in Giverny. It was fairly easy to get from Giverny to the rental return at CDG. Since the airport is on the northeastern corner of the Paris area, we didn't find it too difficult to return the car so I would think the opposite might be the case if you are picking up the car at CDG. Others will disagree. We like driving so we can use the small roads and see the small towns. If you wish to respond directly to me, I can give you some information about sites to see. Have fun!

I like going to a Normandy town. I took a train to Lisieux, rented from Hertz at the train station, and that was very easy. CDG is a bit more of a hassle, since it's so large and congested, but it also works.

If you organize your sightseeing so that your first day is local to wherever you are, then an advantage to taking the train out is that you can save a day of auto rental. For instance, if you plan to spend time in Bayeux walking the old town and visiting the cathedral the tapestry, and the museum, then if you spend your first night in Bayeux you won't need a car until the next day.

Thanks for the info. I have a few options to consider. Looks like I need to determine cost vs convenience etc. many thanks for the input

Drive, drive, drive...so much to see and it is an easy trip. One of my favorite holidays in France.

I would recommend driving. I just got back from a similiar trip this week. We flew into CDG, picked up a rental at the airport, then drove on to Versailles. From there, we stopped in Rouen, before proceeding to Bayeux. From Bayeux, we went to Caen. From either Bayeux or Caen, you can see all the D-Day sites you want. And you're only about 2 hours from Mont St. Michel at that point. There are so many little towns to stop in, you can really break up your drive so that you're never in the car for very long. In addition to the scenic roads you'd get to explore, I think driving is a very fun experience. Even just listening to French radio gives you an interesting little taste of the country. It's not stressful or scary, and it's really not hugely expensive. A week of driving all over Normany AND the Loire Valley ran us about 600 dollars... 350 for the rental, about 200 for gas, and about 20 for tolls. I guess another 60 if you count the GPS maps we downloaded. Good luck with whichever you choose, and enjoy your trip!

How much did the train from Paris to Lisieux cost? I am having difficulty getting the prices of the trains from the RS book........Thanks

Thank you all for your input. Decided to drive to see more of the countryside. Appreciate the info on towns you have visited along the way.

Donna, I picked a date of Wed, June 29 for the direct train between Paris & Lisieux: 2nd class: €15,00 to €26,90, depending on how early you book. 1st class: €25,00 to €40,40... I don't think you're going to find THAT in RS' books ;-) You WILL find it at: http://www.tgv-europe.com/en/ (choose 'Great Britain' as 'your country' to keep from being bumped to the 'Rail Europe' site)

We're heading for Paris next month. I priced a car with Hertz as well as checked the train fares and found the train to be less expensive. I factored in the cost of the car, tolls to Bayeaux, parking hassels, and gas. We decided that the train and the cost of a tour to Mont San Michele on one day, and a D-Day tour the next would still be the cheapest way to go.