I am going to Paris next week and want to take a side trip to Normandy. Any recommendations?

Question

Should we go by train, bus or car (including renting a car)? Use a tour operator or go on our own?

Answer 1

I would rent a car there are so many interesting towns and villages to see. It is a lot easier than trying to read French timetables

Answer 2

I went to Normandy 2 years ago and did really well renting a car for the 3 of us.  Having personal transportation gives you a lot of flexibility even if you decide to also take bus tours of the sites you want to visit.  For example, we drove around the countryside and had wonderful meals at "country inn" restaurants on the road (helps to know enough French to read the menu).

You could also take the train from Paris to Normandy (Caen, for example) and rent a car locally for the duration of the "side trip".  There are car rental agencies at or near the train station, including Hertz.

Many USA auto insurance companies no longer cover rental cars overseas. If you do decide to rent a car, get it in writing that your home auto insurance will cover a rental in Europe, and take a copy of the policy with you.  Ditto if you count on a membership (like AARP) to provide supplemental coverage. A better alternative is using a credit card that provides rental car insurance coverage - call them and VERIFY they will cover a rental in Europe (I use AMEX).  If none of the above work, grit your teeth and buy the FULL coverage offered by the rental company.  Getting into an at-fault accident overseas or having the car stolen/vandalized without full insurance coverage will be a big problem.

Answer 3

I did that last summer when I went, and Normandy was the best part of the trip.  I went to Nice, Paris, and Normdandy and normadany was the most fasicnating...I will never forget it.

I suggest getting a rental car and a tour guide.

((Thats what I did, and it was a great trip!!!)

Answer 4

Mingle with the "youths" at the train station.

Answer 5

If it is more than just one person, I would rent a car, it far more efficient and economical.  A car will also give you the freedom to drive past Mont St Michael while you are in Normandy.  

Mont Saint Michael is a MUST SEE!  

A link to a photo of Mont Saint-Michel is below.  

Mont Saint Michael is one of the most spectacular places that I have ever seen in my life.  Before I visited Normandy I had never even heard of it!  It's set on a very small rocky tidal island in Normandy, near the north coast of France at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches. The bottom part of Mount St Michael is a castle-like maze with staircases winding up, around and behind tiny, closet sized shops and walkways.  All the way at the very top sits the abby.  It looks like something out of a Harry Potter Movie set. Mont St. Michel is truly one of the greatest wonders of the world. No one should go to France without visiting the this grand place.

A picture is worth a thousand words:

http://www.pbase.com/ericdeparis/le_mont

Answer 6

Definitely rent-a-car. EuropCar has decent deals.

The sights are amazing by car. You can head to the veterans memorial or just hang around on the beach. There's alot of fishing in the area, so it;s really easy to get a good fish dinner.

You can take the E50 to Brest as well, and see the Museums there.

Answer 7

It's very easy to get to the Normandy from Paris.

There are a plenty of regularly scheduled trains from Paris to Caen in Normandy that will get you there in 1 hour 46 minutes. Traveling second class you can pay as little as 15 euros each way.

Make Caen your base for exploring Normandy.

There is an excellant public bus system that will take you to most of the Normandy Landing sites, the cemeteries, memorials and museums. A one day bus pass can be purchased for 17.70 euros

Free bus timetables can be acquired from the main tourist office in Caen on the Place St Pierre and a map of the bus routes can be found here: http://www.busverts.fr/_hiver/plan.asp

Answer 8

My daughter and I rented a car and had a lovely trip.  Don't miss Bayeux - and the famous tapestry telling the story of William the Conqueror and the Battle of Hastings.  

Also in Bayeux is the Museum of the Battle of Normandy.

There is a good motel just off the highway - a chain called "Campanale" (or something like that).  Bon voyage!