Paris to Normandy

We've found it's easier to take a train to Caen, about 2 hours, and pick up our reserved rental car right across the street from the Caen RR station. With a rental car you have complete freedom to go where you want when you want or stay in a rural B&B. You might also book a D Day tour if you do not know much about the great invasion on June 6, 1944. You can book a train to Caen on the SNCF website or check out www.seat61.com for tips on French train tickets. Return the car to Caen and catch a train back to Paris. It's very easy and hassle free.

thank you for this great tip! Also, have you stayed in a reasonably priced BandB in the area? There are many! We have inquired from Honfleur over to Bayeaux and find limited availability for a family of 4. But then, many are not on the usual sites. We were hoping to stay in one place for 3 nites centrally located.

It's been awhile but as I recall the drive from Paris to Normandy was under 3 hours. The train option is excellent (especially picking up a car outside of Paris). American's always go to the American Cemetery and it is quiet a profound experience. Go also to the German cemetery. So many buried there were in their teens. Both give you a visual idea of the human cost of the war. Very moving. Bayeau is a great town.

given our arrival at 7:AM, I think we will get a car. The train schedule shows 5+ hours. So we will pick up a car at the airport (hopefully easy!) then meander to Normandy. We will spend 3 days, with one drive to Cherbourg to intercept our son coming over on the ferry from Portsmouth. From what I see, with 3/4 in our group, driving will be less expensive although I'd love to leave the driving to someone else the day we arrive!

Maryanne, just an FYI but there are several direct trains per day from Paris Saint-Lazare station to Bayeux, and they take 2h05m. Plus, there are many more with one connection in Caen that take about 20m more. Sure, you have to get to Saint-Lazare station...but I've done it before, and I just took the RoissyBus to Opera Garnier, then you could take a direct metro line to Saint-Lazare train station (2 stops). Note that the metro stop is next to the train station. Or, just walk from Opera Garnier as we did. I just wanted you to know all of your options; I know that we'd train the first day ( at least to Caen), then drive the following days...we've learned our limits LOL! The rental car offices are literally across the street from the Caen train station, so it makes a great place to pick up your car. See Google Streetview... Get your hotel reserved ASAP - trust me! I don't think you want my hotel recommendation...it was fine, and better than sleeping in the park, but...;-)

Go to bandbnormandie.com for a wonderful rural farmhouse B&B with anything you might need for a group of 4. It's about 12 miles from Bayeux, just outside Villers-Bocage, and about 30 minutes from Caen. Odile and Jacques and their sons will be the perfect hosts. It's 90 minutes to Mont St. Michel, about 20 minutes to the D Day beaches. We spent 4 nights there and it was perfect!! Get a car and you will never regret it. Get a GPS with European maps and learn to use it before you leave the US.

Yes, BandBNormandie is a very good site! We have found the rooms we need for 3 nights at Manoir du Quesnay , a few miles out of Bayeaux. Still debating whether we can handle luggage all the way to train station. Will compare $$ both ways and share.