Le Havre -- where should you go, aside from Paris???

So Le Havre is the 2nd stop on my upcoming cruise in October. Looking at things, Paris is 2.5 hours away (if not more) and I'm having a hard time dealing with the idea of 5 hours on a bus when I could be seeing somewhere else and maybe seeing Paris someday when I'm on land a few days instead.

So, that being said - where would you go? Where have you gone? What do you recommend? :-) Is this area a decent DIY area, or is it difficult to navigate?

I welcome any and all suggestions :-) I have NOT yet looked at cruise tours but I know they will also help give some ideas as to what's around. :-)

Thanks!

A nice trip would be Honfleur,you could do this by public transport but you would need to be in port till late

So Le Havre is the 2nd stop on my upcoming cruise in October. Looking at things, Paris is 2.5 hours away (if not more) and I'm having a hard time dealing with the idea of 5 hours on a bus when I could be seeing somewhere else and maybe seeing Paris someday when I'm on land a few days instead.

 

So, that being said - where would you go? Where have you gone? What do you recommend? :-) Is this area a decent DIY area, or is it difficult to navigate?

 

I welcome any and all suggestions :-) I have NOT yet looked at cruise tours but I know they will also help give some ideas as to what's around. :-)

 

Thanks!

We rented a car and drove to the Beaches of Normandy (car was booked in advance - the rental place is on the pier). It was a wonderful day....we visited the beaches, got a free tour of Juno beach, visited the largest Canadian WWII cemetary and then drove a little further to see the Mulberry Harbour remains at Arromanches. That may have been my favorite part of the day...what a charming little seaside town! Aside from the wonderful historical significance, we enjoyed walking around for about an hour...did a little shopping and enjoyed the relaxed pace. Our day was quite inexpensive compared to a tour and we were literally in the driver's seat which was awesome! We just ensured we left plenty of buffer time to return to the ship (traffic can be unpredictable) but all was well! As you can see we're Canadian, but all the beaches are in the same area if you want to make a U.S. centric tour....there is also a huge American museum in Arromanches.

You should take this question to the "France" board, it's a frequently asked question there (and there are already a lot of threads on Le Havre, you can pick some ideas).

I agree with the previous posters, you can either take a tour to the beaches of Normandy and see the American and German cemetaries as well. If you love history, this is not to be missed. It's sad, and moving, and incredible to see in person.

Also, Honfleur is a lovely little French town. There is shopping and eating there and the town is easy to walk around.

Another option is to go to down to Mont Saint-Michel (not close, but spectacular)

normandy beaches, definitely.

We formed a small group o n our cruise critic roll call and used overlord tours...well run tour with knowledgable guide...very touching.

A nice trip would be Honfleur,you could do this by public transport but you would need to be in port till late

We are in port that day from 8 until midnight, so I think that covers "late" :-)

I think I saw honfleur as one of the ship excursions, it was about 45 minutes away I think? Unless I'm thinking of another "h - fleur" town.

You should take this question to the "France" board, it's a frequently asked question there (and there are already a lot of threads on Le Havre, you can pick some ideas).

Oh, thank you. For some reason, I didn't notice France had it's own LOL. Not sure how I missed it. :)

hi, what was the name of the car rental you folks used?

As well as the DDay beaches and Honfleur, Bayeux and the tapestry are also worth a visit, or a trip to Rouen. There is a lot to see and do in the area.

I would hire a car as it is very easy driving on relatively quiet roads.

I spent the day there, Fishermans markets, merchants tower house, beautiful gardens, lovely church, funicular and browsing shops with baguette for lunch. Check trip advisor and local tourist sites for other ideas