Mont St Michel from La Havre

[jfgdbg]

Is it possible to go to Mont St Michel from La Havre for a day tour? We will be docked in La Havre from 7AM to 8 PM.

[John Bull]

Yes. About 135 miles & just over 2 hrs e/w if you take the boring but simple autoroute.

I don't know whether in Le Havre you'll find a tour guide knowledgeable about MSM -if you do it's likely to be expensive due to the travel time. But it's easy to rent a car and self-guide.

You may be limited by the rental depot's opening hours, but you'll still have plenty of time.

 

Unless it's a sunday the only major hold-up you're likely to encounter on your way back to the ship is on the Caen peripherique around 5pm - 6pm on a weekday. Caen is about an hour from Le Havre.

Summer sundays can be fraught for much of the route as Parisians head back home.

 

You will of course give yourself some wiggle-time for delays on the return journey, and If you've not used up that time in hand, drop into the attractive fishing/tourist port of Honfleur, about 30 minutes from your ship.

 

JB :)

Edited July 17, 2014 by John Bull

[KirkNC]

I would think about renting a car.

[Hlitner]

Agree with the others on renting a car. Once you are out of Le Havre it is a very easy drive and with a GPS there are no worries about getting lost. You could probably go to Mont St Michel in the morning, and then if you get back to the Le Havre area a bit early you could drive over to Honfleur to enjoy a snack, browsing, etc.

 

As to rental agencies, there is a single agency right at the port called "Rent-A-Car" which we think is a bit pricy, but certainly convenient. Otherwise, one can simply walk out of the port (about a 1/2 - 3/4 mile hike) to where there are several agencies including Europcar, Sixt and I believe Avis. We find their lower prices worth the hike.

 

Hank

Edited July 17, 2014 by Hlitner

[jfgdbg]

Thank you all for the great information. It sounds like something we might do.

[jfgdbg]

I have another question. Can you drive in France with your American drivers license?

[Nigella]

I have another question. Can you drive in France with your American drivers license?

 

Yes you can, as long as you're over 18 and if you're hiring a car you need to have held your licence for at least one year.

However, strictly speaking, your American licence should be carried alongside a notarised translation of it. I'm not sure how strictly this is followed, but if hiring a car I wouldn't take any chances. Instead you can obtain an International Driving Permit from the AAA and carry it along with your US licence. This is what our American friends do when they're visiting us.

I'd be interested to hear Hank's experience as I know he drives a lot in France.

Also, trying not to be pedantic, but it's LE Havre. :)

[jfgdbg]

Thank you Nigella for the information.

[Hlitner]

Yes you can, as long as you're over 18 and if you're hiring a car you need to have held your licence for at least one year.

However, strictly speaking, your American licence should be carried alongside a notarised translation of it. I'm not sure how strictly this is followed, but if hiring a car I wouldn't take any chances. Instead you can obtain an International Driving Permit from the AAA and carry it along with your US licence. This is what our American friends do when they're visiting us.

I'd be interested to hear Hank's experience as I know he drives a lot in France.

Also, trying not to be pedantic, but it's LE Havre. :)

 

We used to always carry a current International Drivers Permit whenever we drove anywhere in Europe. But after many years and nobody ever asking for the document we no longer bother, unless we are planning to do a lot of driving in Italy. This is because technically, Italy does require the document. That being said, we have never heard of anyone ever being asked for that document by anyone...including the Polizia. The International Drivers Permit (available from any AAA office in the USA) is really just a very simple document that does not add anything to the info on a drivers license. I once asked an Italian policeman (who I met in a café) whether it is required and he told me it was, but that it was "unnecessary" if your license was in English.

 

Here on CC we usually tell folks if this is an issue that is going to stick in your mind, go invest the money and get the darn thing.

 

Hank

[Chairsin]

I rented a car in Le Havre two years ago for the two days we were in port. The rental co did not ask for the international license and I did not have one. When I inquired at my AAA office they said it was not necessary.

 

 

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[jfgdbg]

Thanks Hank and "Chairsin". Sounds pretty easy to do. Now we just have to wait until next year to do it.

[Skippingaroundtheglobe]

I have another question. Can you drive in France with your American drivers license?

 

I live is Europe and highly recommend the international license. It will save you a lot of headache if you are pulled over. MSM is great from a far and a complete tourist trap once you are on it IMHO. If you have any interest in WWII I would just rent a car and go to the landing beaches. Arromanches and Utah are my favorite museums. Omaha can easily be done in conjunction with the cemetery and Point du Hoc. Or you could go north to the alabaster coast!! It is beautiful!

[jfgdbg]

I live is Europe and highly recommend the international license. It will save you a lot of headache if you are pulled over. MSM is great from a far and a complete tourist trap once you are on it IMHO. If you have any interest in WWII I would just rent a car and go to the landing beaches. Arromanches and Utah are my favorite museums. Omaha can easily be done in conjunction with the cemetery and Point du Hoc. Or you could go north to the alabaster coast!! It is beautiful!

 

Thank you for your comments. We have been to Normandy previously and had a wonderful tour of the beaches and museums so that is why we were looking for something else to do this time.

[Chairsin]

I will second the nation of MSM being overrun by tourists. We are stopping in St Malo this September and have told the friends with whom we are cruising that if they want to go there they are on their own. Have you been to St Mere Eglise? Another option would be Rouen. The second day we had our car out of Le Havre we drove the Route des les Abbayes along the river and had such fun stopping off at different places we never made it to Rouen -next time!

 

 

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