Hello, My husband and I are going to Europe next month. We have reserved a car for $660. Given the increasing cost of gas I am having second thoughts. I can cancel my car with no penalty. I have been to Europe several times, so I am confident with the car or rail. Any thought would be welcome. Our itinirary is:
Paris 4 nights.
Pick up car in Versilles.
Travel to Normandy beachs 2 nights with a trip to Mont st Michel included.
Travel to Lauterbrunnen with stop at Chartres. We have alotted one day for travel.
2 nights in Lauterbrunnen.
2 nights in Bacharach.
3 nights in Amsterdam. We thought we would need a car to travel to Keukenhof and see windmills, tulip fields etc.
1 night in Brugges.
1 night in Paris near CDG.
I thought a car would be the easiest. Any thoughts on the ease of rail travel for that plan. I am not attached to Bacharach. Sorry for the long post, just having a little pre trip panic.
thanks
Posted by
OP
Fort Smith, AR, usa
12 posts
Forgot to add. Our plan is to stay outside of Amsterdam at a BandB and take public transportion into the city.
Posted by
Powell River, Canada
359 posts
Hi Leslie: I'll just touch on part of your itinerary via-a-vis car versus train and let the regulars speak to the rest. IMO for the Amsterdam, Keukenhof, Bruges part of the trip, a car will just be in the way. I wouldn't do Normandy or Mont St. Michel without a car but maybe consider picking it up in Caen enroute to Normandy. I'd stay in Haarlem instead of Ams unless you want the faster pace. Sounds like a lovely trip, have fun. Not too much raw herring or jenever in Holland now; s'like peanuts, once you start, hard to stop...
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
I'd just add that a drive from Normandy to the Lauterbrunnen Valley via Chartres in one day is killing I'm guessing maybe 9 or 10 hours.
A better plan would be to return the car in Chartres and take the train the rest of the way--still a long trip, with an awkward transit across Paris, but more feasible. You might even consider spending your very first night in Chartres, saving Paris to break the trip between Normandy and Switzerland. You can rent a car short term in Germany and the Netherlands.
Finally, to save yourself a small bother and gain a half day you might look into returning from Brussels.