After Paris....

[Ladydee]

Hi!

 

We will have 3 nights to spend in France (after 4 in Paris). Rick Steves suggests that if you only have 7 days in France, after doing Paris, to spend time in Normandy and the Loire. Does anyone have a suggestion of where we could stay that would be somewhere between those two areas and sightsee easily at both?

 

We will have my two teenage daughters with us, so I’m not looking for anything too secluded or spa-like… i.e. nothing too, too quiet. I can say that on our last cruise, we absolutely loved seeing the towns of Eze and St. Paul, so an area like that would be nice. We plan to visit the D-Day sights, maybe see some castles, shop, etc.

[Hlitner]

Hi!

 

We will have 3 nights to spend in France (after 4 in Paris). Rick Steves suggests that if you only have 7 days in France, after doing Paris, to spend time in Normandy and the Loire. Does anyone have a suggestion of where we could stay that would be somewhere between those two areas and sightsee easily at both?

 

We will have my two teenage daughters with us, so I’m not looking for anything too secluded or spa-like… i.e. nothing too, too quiet. I can say that on our last cruise, we absolutely loved seeing the towns of Eze and St. Paul, so an area like that would be nice. We plan to visit the D-Day sights, maybe see some castles, shop, etc.

 

We would not recommend trying to cover those two regions from a single location. The Loire region is certainly worthy of many nights (or even weeks) and has lots of interesting hotels/inns located in old Chateaus. Normandy is also an interesting area. If you are considering renting a car (our favorite way to travel in France and Italy) you could easily drive from Paris to the Loire region, spend a couple of nights in a nice Chateau property, then drive up to Normandy for your third night (this should give you enough time to visit some of the Normandy beaches and amazing American Cemetery). Another option would be to simply cover one of these regions and save the other region for a future trip. Also consider that if you were just going to Normandy you would also be able to visit Giverny for a few hours where you can see Monet's home and gardens.

 

Hank

[zijlweg]

Blois is a nice town to stay to visit the loire castles and to head out to normandy. A car is recommended. It is lively enough to entertain teenagers also.

[John Bull]

Rick Steves ain't wrong. They're the two places I'd suggest.

But they're over 200 miles apart, so if you stayed somewhere mid-way you’d have 3 hrs driving each day before you get anywhere.

It makes more sense to split your overnites two and one, consider 2x Arromanches (D-Day beaches) & one at Tours (Loire Valley)

 

Can I suggest:

Day 1

Paris to Arromanches-les-Bains.

Once out of Paris, an easy divided highway (first part is a toll-road), most of the way to the pretty fishing/tourist port of Honfleur (favoured by cruisers porting at Le Havre).

West along the coast road thro’ the twins of Trouville (fishing) & Deauville (resort).

The big D-Day guns at Merville.

Pegasus Bridge & museum (coffee at Cafe Gondre, alongside the bridge & the first house to be liberated - still run by the same family, a particularly warm welcome for WW2 vets).

Mebbe drop into Ouistreham (eastern end of D-Day beaches) for a lite lunch, selection of cafes & restaurants clustered in the centre.

Then continue west along the Brit & Canadian landing beaches, the Canadian Memm centre at Corseulles, to Arromanches (2 nights).

From Paris about 170 miles, 4hrs driving (fast & simple, then slow & scenic).

If you make a late start, mebbe stick with the main N13 to Caen & start your sight-seeing at Pegasus Bridge.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Voie+Georges+Pompidou&daddr=49.41809,0.23927+to:49.37083,0.08293+to:49.28195,-0.19437+to:49.2394,-0.26293+to:49.27695,-0.2517+to:49.33006,-0.45087+to:D514&hl=en&ll=49.252568,-0.234833&spn=0.375581,0.848694&sll=49.24719,-0.177155&sspn=0.375622,0.848694&geocode=FQSX6QIdTnUjAA%3BFWoP8gIdpqYDACnJT_l5vTPgRzGRKsc4SBQMEw%3BFc5W8QId8kMBACnf_XCRVivgRzFBbL04SBQMEw%3BFZ777wIdvgj9_yk3k-FFoGQKSDEACJA3SBQMEw%3BFWhV7wId7vz7_yl9Ty49f2YKSDGAbwE7SBQMEw%3BFRbo7wIdzCj8_ykTKBylBWQKSDHypVeFfqa3pA%3BFYy38AIdyh75_ynxWJpH2lgKSDGBvZ02SBQMEw%3BFR7a8AIdNqH2_w&vpsrc=6&doflg=ptm&mra=dpe&mrsp=6&sz=10&via=1,2,3,4,5,6&t=m&z=10

 

Arromanches is a small town, with plenty of hotels, shops, restaurants, bars & places of interest incl remains of the Mulberry Harbour, seafront D-Day museum, clifftop views & 360deg cinema.

It makes an ideal stop-over, things to do in the evening & you can take in the town’s sights on day one or day two according to progress.

 

Day 2.

The US beaches

West out of Arromanches along the coast road

The battery at Longues-sur-merThe American Cemetery & Omaha beach at Colleville-sur-mer

The battle-scarred fortifications on the shell-cratered cliff-top at Pointe du Hoc

On via Ste Maire-du-mont to Utah beach at La Madeleine (museum).

Along the beach road the length of Utah beach then inland at Ravenouville to Ste Maire-Eglise (parachutist still hanging from the church roof – or mebbe it’s a dummy :D), good Airborne museum.

Back along the fast N13, mebbe calling in at the German cemetery at La Cambe (quite a contrast) and historic Bayeux, & on to your hotel.

93 miles, 2.5 hrs driving. Slow & scenic lanes with many places of interest on the way out, fast & easy divided highway back.

Avoid Caen, it’s a busy & congested modern city (razed during the Normany campaign). Its only worthwhile place of interest is its Peace Museum – easy to get to, just off the ring-road, but it’s a big museum needs at least half-a-day & is devoted to WW2 in Europe, very litte related to D-Day.

 

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Arromanches-les-Bains,+France&daddr=49.38768,-0.97152+to:49.3727,-1.0593+to:49.45798,-1.26729+to:49.4122,-1.18506+to:49.28361,-0.72395+to:Le+Mar%C3%A9chal%2FRoute+de+Bayeux%2FD516&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=49.256154,-0.539703&spn=0.375554,0.832214&sll=49.316171,-0.96405&sspn=0.375097,0.832214&geocode=FY3a8AIdsYD2_ynFAVHh2lUKSDEA_bxPSBQMBA%3BFaCY8QIdAC3x_ymLbycjJwoLSDF3vMDM_6P62g%3BFRxe8QIdHNbv_ynZvDNWTHULSDHa21cnMQmVCQ%3BFTyr8gIdpqns_yn7_be1OXoLSDEBm6c3SBQMEw%3BFWj48QId3Ort_ynJhUul5XYLSDGkjHGq6D15Fw%3BFRoC8AIdEvT0_ymFt7e7YasLSDHhdN46SBQMEw%3BFR6j8AIdTBj2_w&oq=Bayeux&vpsrc=6&doflg=ptm&mra=dme&mrsp=6&sz=10&via=1,2,3,4,5&t=m&z=10

 

Day 3.

Arromanches to Loire Valley

Beyond Caen, the “Falaise Gap/Pocket”, where the German resistance in Normandy was finally broken, thousands surrendered & much equipment was lost)

Falaise, pretty & historic town, & castle of William the Conqueror (the last successful invasion of Britain, 1066, the famous tapestry depicting it is on display in Bayeux)

Argentan and

Alencon might be worth a drop-in, not been to either myself

Le Mans – unless things have changed, your route takes you along the famous Mulsanne Straight, part of the course of the Le Mans 24hr race.

Cross Le Loir (not to be confused with his big sister, La Loire)

Join the Loire Valley around Angers.

Long time since I’ve been to the Loire, memory is a little hazy, but stick to the river, heading east (up-stream) & I reckon probably Tours would be ideal for a hotel.

Today & tomorrow, lots of chateaux and towns & villages producing well-known (mainly white) wines such as Saumur, Chinon & Sancerre.

230 miles, just under 5 hrs driving.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Arromanches-les-Bains,+France&daddr=47.74442,-0.24398+to:47.41551,-0.34376+to:47.25587,-0.03815+to:47.26991,0.29846+to:Bd+B%C3%A9ranger&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=47.931066,2.823486&spn=3.084168,6.657715&sll=47.480088,-0.126343&sspn=0.777763,1.664429&geocode=FY3a8AIdsYD2_ynFAVHh2lUKSDEA_bxPSBQMBA%3BFaSF2AId9Eb8_ykVCaBaDhYISDFi9fqzze0pxA%3BFdaA0wIdMMH6_ymjNMm6yd8HSDGxLrBLUjcNEw%3BFT4R0QId-mr__ymhqWhWqvcHSDGxYGZHUjcNEw%3BFRZI0QId3I0EAClHfUkZuUf9RzF9yhDP9BGT7g%3BFVwZ0wIdUl0KAA&oq=Tours&vpsrc=6&doflg=ptm&mra=dpe&mrsp=4&sz=9&via=1,2,3,4&t=m&z=7

 

Day 3

Tours to Paris

The Loire is more about the scenery & chateaux than the towns.

So stick to the river except for diversions to chateaux such as Chambord & Chenonceau as far as Orleans, then head for Paris and if time permits, call in at

Chartres or

Versailles

Tours to Paris about 200mls, 4.5hrs driving

 

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Tours,+France&daddr=47.40432,0.89836+to:47.48554,1.18343+to:47.65114,1.42394+to:47.77552,1.64022+to:47.82378,1.74846+to:47.84657,1.7998+to:48.39257,2.6908+to:Paris,+France&hl=en&sll=48.030346,1.549072&sspn=1.539145,3.328857&geocode=FWAt0wIdKHMKAClVmpdKs9X8RzEwhDgF18gNBA%3BFSBV0wIdOLUNACmbLp3iYsz8RzGB5NMu18gNEw%3BFWSS1AIdxg4SACmJW7SxX1LjRzHIUXSDBHWssA%3BFUQZ1wIdRLoVAClpaa6RJKTkRzGgPCU118gNEw%3BFSD_2AIdHAcZACkhWjXZC5XkRzFwXnju1sgNEw%3BFaS72QId7K0aACnj7mdn8evkRzFg8T4118gNEw%3BFaoU2gIdeHYbACmPXEwo3e7kRzEM9gB3hDktTQ%3BFXpp4gId8A4pACl5MZxHmfTlRzHQamNBgyBpBA%3BFSZ-6QIdXuQjACkPt-IGH27mRzFglIxow4ILBA&oq=Paris&vpsrc=6&doflg=ptm&mra=dpe&mrsp=7&sz=8&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7&t=m&z=8

 

Google these places, see what you think, treat my suggestions as just a potential framework.

 

 

JB :)

[Ladydee]

Thank you all so much! I will share your thoughts with my husband and see what's what.

 

Trying to plan an itinerary to somewhere you've never been, that is so abundant with things to see and do, is like trying to make a gourmet meal before having been shown the proper way to chop an onion!

[John Bull]

Thank you all so much! I will share your thoughts with my husband and see what's what.

 

Trying to plan an itinerary to somewhere you've never been, that is so abundant with things to see and do, is like trying to make a gourmet meal before having been shown the proper way to chop an onion!

 

Yep, can be quite daunting............. but no need to stick to the classic recipe.;)

 

With your hotels & car booked, you can vary the recipe according to how things work out. Linger a little longer here, a little less there, add a place or two or strike one or two according to your time frame, your mood, the weather, & things you see or learn along the way.

 

Doesn't even matter whether you book a hotel 2 nights in Normandy & one in the Loire, or vice versa - only half of the middle day is travelling, so spend the other half at whichever end suits the circumstances.:)

 

JB :)

[CathyCruises]

We did something similar postcruise a few years ago. We stayed in a lovely chateau in the Loire Valley I found at www.relaischateaux.com. We were greeted and toured by the count and countess who were wonderful, and we had a lovely breakfast the next morning after a stroll in the gardens. It was a bit more expensive than the standard hotel but so worth it.