Hello Everyone,
My wife and I always take cruise ship holidays and the ship tours with all of their time limitations etc. but this time we are determined to do a “do it on your own” trip. Truthfully, it won’t be done “on my own” because I’m going to ask you to help me out !!!
I’ll give you our rough itinerary and will leave it for you to give us any and all advice on what to see, where to stay, best way to travel, things not worth the time to see, etc. etc. We have consulted Rick’s books and they’re very helpful but it’s from recent travellers that I expect to get the best tips – advice – etc. etc. So let me thank you in advance if you take the time to share some good information with me.
So – here’s the proposed trip - We arrive in London Monday September 13th – stay for 2 nights –Move to Bath for 3 nights (any tips here??) then back to London to take the train to Brussels then on to Bruges for 3 nights ( 3 nites too long here???) Then to see the Normandy Battlefields ( Is one full day enough – I know there are multiple beaches and tons of museums but if you have one day at one beach do you pretty much get the sense of awe and respect etc. or do you need 2 days??) Then on to Paris – for 3 days ( advice appreciated here too..) Any thoughts on Vimy Ridge or Flanders Fields....
Again – Thanks sincerely to each of you who might send me some information and advice - John from Canada - e- mail [email protected]
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
I would cut one night in Bath and add it to London. I would cut one night in Bruges and add it to Paris.
Many people on this board say that Battlebus has the best Normandy beach tours. Battlebus requires that you stay in Bayeux or close by the night before a tour. To get from Bruges to Bayeux by train means going via Paris. If you leave Bruges at 17:31, you'll arrive in Bayeux at 23:01. Or leave at 15:31 and arrive at 21:10. You'll have to change stations in Paris (Gare du Nord to Gare Saint-Lazare). For detailed timetables use the German Rail site. After you get summary timetables for Brugge-Bayeux, click on the arrow to the left of the departure time(s) of your choice to see the connecting points.
Take an evening train back to Paris after you finish the tour.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
After reading what people have suggested on your other threads and learning that you've been to London before, I'll modify my recommendations a bit.
Cut Bath to just one night--or make it a day trip--and add yet one or two more nights to Paris. You could easily fill up all those extra days in Paris itself--or you could take a day trip to Giverny, Versailles, or Chartres.
For another London day trip go to Greenwich on either a Saturday or a Sunday so you can get in on the outdoor market. As time allows, visit the National Maritime Museum, the National Observatory, and the Cutty Sark clipper ship. Have lunch in a historic Greenwich pub. Take a Thames River boat one way and the Docklands Light Railway and the Tube the other way.
Or go to either Cambridge or Oxford on a day trip.