We are taking a trip to France this Spring/Summer and will be spending most of our time in Paris. We are planning to take a short 2-night excursion into Normandy, and would like to stay in Rouen. Knowing that we'll get the most benefit out of touring Normandy by car and since Rouen is only a little more than an hour from Paris, I am thinking of renting a car somewhere on the outskirts of Paris. Just from a quick look at a metro map, there is an RER train to Cergy, on the northwest side of Paris, which has a car rental near the RER station. This would be ideal (theoretically) because we can save some money by not taking a train to Rouen (just the short RER ride) and could rent a car without fighting Parisian traffic (keep in mind I've never been). Does this seem like a legitimate plan or is there a better way to drive to Rouen?
Posted by
Springfield, VA, USA
283 posts
Rouen is an easy drive from Paris, but it takes more than 1 hour. CDG is a good pick up spot or anywhere outside the city that you can get to easily (in the north, of course.)
The drive from Rouen to the most visited beaches (Utah, etc.) is a ways. I would decide exactly what you want to see before staying in Rouen. Bayeux is a better choice for the Normandy beaches.
Rouen is lovely and you could spend two days there and have a great time. You will also pass Giverny on the drive, so another decision to make....
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
Yours is not a bad plan, but consider this. If you plan to spend a whole day in Rouen, take the train and wait a day to pick up your car there. You'll save in rental what you'd pay for the train.
Or, take the train to Rouen the night before you were going to go, spend the morning seeing the city, and then get your car. Gains you a half day for sightseeing.
Posted by
RANCHO MIRAGE, CA, United States
6 posts
We are planning sort of the same trip but then on to LONDON. Has anyone tried a ferry from somewhere around Normandy to Portsmouth and then train to London? I thought we would train PAR to Normandy, rent a car for 2 nights then on over.
Can't seem to figure it all out.