We're in Paris for a week before a cruise from Southampton. Can we see the D Day beaches and get from Normandy to Southampton, or should we go back to London and then on to Southampton? What's the most efficient use of the time and best travel options, since it's the first trip for most of my family? Many thanks!
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Powell River, Canada
359 posts
Lots of options including ferry from Caen (actually Ouistreham) to Portsmouth (Google: Brittany Ferries for all info) and then a quick hop to Southampton by bus or train. It'll cost about $70 as a foot passenger (+ bus/train) and they have 5+hr and a 3+hr crossing of the channel. If you're already in Normandy after seeing Paris, it would be a neat trip and you'll get a feel (in reverse) for what the boys saw on 6/6/'44. There's the usual Eurostar hi-speed train (can be pricey) under the channel but you then have to get up to Calais from Normandy (or back to Paris) to catch it, and then from London to Southhampton after the Eurostar. Check Brittany Ferries, Eurostar, SNCF (French trains), NationalRail (UK trains) and NationalExpress(UK bus) websites for schedules, prices, etc. Crunch the time/$ numbers and see what's best for you. I suspect the ferry will shake out cheapest and probably quickest overall; and probably by far the most interesting.