Hi, I am leaving for my first trip to europe in a few months, i will be travelling with my b/f from Australia,
im trying to work out our France itinerary and need some help/advice/suggestions, we arrive in paris by train from Bruge where we will spend 5 nights in total inc a day trip to Versailles. im thinking to stay in the marais area as i have heard it is very nice as well as walking distance to alot of sights but mainly due to the nightlife in the area,
i know it is a gay area , i am not gay but from what i have been reading online anyone is welcome and the area caters to anyone . is this true? i want to be able to go out at night and be able to walk back to hotel,can anyone recommend what area? we are in our 20's.
from paris we then plan to take a train to Bayeux ,does anyone know how long this takes? also on the way to bayeux what would be a convienient town to stop in and look around, its fine if we get to bayeux late in the day as we are going there to catch a DDAY tour which begins early the next morning,after bayeux we then plan to visit mt st michel. i am so so confused here, should we rent a car and drive to mont st michel or go by train? also does anyone know how long the train actually takes?
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
The Marais is a great area in which to stay. While there are sections of the Marais where gays congregate, it would be a misnomer to call it a "gay area."
There is frequent train service from Paris to Bayeux. The direct trains all stop in Caen. Depending upon the time of day, you may have to change trains in Caen. Get off the train there and visit the World War II Museum. For timetables and fares, go to www.voyages-sncf.com.
Your public transportation options to get from Bayeux to Mont-St-Michel are quite limited. The closest train station is Pontorson-Mont-St-Michel. There is a direct early morning train and a late afternoon train and the trip takes a little under two hours. From Pontorson you can take a bus the 9km to Mont-St-Michel.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
Vikkie, your plan is good.
The direct train to Bayeux takes about 2 hours, but you can explore the different options online. The best option is the deutche bahn site.
Re: stops along the way: don't shortchange Bayeux itself--the tapestry and the cathedral are both worth time and the old town is quite nice. You could stop in Caen and visit the Peace Museum (about the war)--a worthwhile prelude to your D Day tour. Or spend the morning in Paris.
As for travel to MSM, I like spending the night on the island. If you do that it's handy to drive. (What do other people think about that?) Be sure to park in the overnight lot or your car may be submerged at high tide.
In season, Le Mont is busy and gets relief from crowds at night and in the a.m. before tour buses arrive. This is the case for spending the night there.
That argument may be weaker in the winter. Many people prefer to stay nearby in Pontorson, where rooms are cheaper and the view includes MSM.
More after your #2.