I will be going to France for 7 days at the end of February. I'll be in Paris for most of the time but would like to spend a couple days in Normandy.
What is the best way to travel around Normandy. My understanding is that there is a train from Paris to Caen. I was thinking about staying in a place like Bayeux and traveling to all the WWII sights and museums from there. Is renting a car plausible?
I don't speak French by the way.
>>1206227
Yes I'd totally advise to rent a car, outside of the fast trains that link major cities (TGV), regional lines are slow, with untrustable schedules, and end up pretty expensive if you don't have a pass.
You can check the prices and even book trains through voyages-sncf.com, but I think it's going to be even cheaper to rent and drop your car in Paris.
That way you can drive all along the coastline, Caen memorial, colleville cemetery, Omaha beach and stuff.
Mont St Michel is cool but retardedly expensive. If it's on your way, definitely check Honfleur, it's a lovely little town.
>>1206332
Thanks for the tip. Have you ever heard of anyone (if these even exist) hiring a driver for the day to bring them around to the sites?
>>1206756
No problem bro.
Well I have not. But I wouldn't be surprised if you could find someone willing to do so on forums, or on carpooling sites such as blablacar. You'd need to make sure you don't sound too weird in your ad, but ask for someone willing to take you around.
You can also look into organized tours maybe
http://www.francetourisme.fr/tours-day-trip-in-france/normandy-landing-beaches-tour.html
http://normandy.memorial-caen.com/organise-your-visit/on-your-own-with-family-or-with-friends/circuits-on-the-day-landing-beaches-day-trips
http://www.normandy-sightseeing-tours.com/
We did drive along the D day beaches and coleville 3 years ago, and although we are planning a trip to Normandy this april (we are living in Reunion) we will hit different parts of the region this time. Wish you made that post 3 years ago, I'd have been happy to drive you around (plus we didn't have a baby back then, back seat was free lol)
>>1206759
Thanks again. I'll check out those links. I think we're going to try to rent a car when we get off the train in Caen.
We get into Paris Monday morning, then will probably leave for Normandy Tuesday night and stay there until Friday morning.
Do you recommend a good city/town in Normandy to stay in? I was thinking Caen but Bayeux seems to be in close proximity to a lot of the sights.
>>1207849
What's your budget like, hotelwise?
If you have a car, I would advise you stay in a different city each night.
This is what we do, the car gives you much more freedom, even if the distances are short (especially if you are american), you can have a really different vibe and scenery each day.
Honfleur is really gorgeous (pic related). So is Etretat, but it's maybe too much up north for your liking.
Assuming you want to hit D-Day stuff and Mont St Michel in 3 nights, I'd do Something like:
Tuesday night check-in in Honfleur (or nearby). Given it's still winter don't go too late to enjoy the Sunset, have dinner in a small restaurant.
Wednesday morning, take the coastal road to hit Deauville, Trouville, Cabourg (lovely towns) in the morning. Visit Caen mémorial for the remainder of the day. Sleep in Bayeux.
Thursday, time to hit Coleville cemetary, and then the main beaches Gold/Omaha/Utah...
Later in the day hit the road (A86) to get closer to Mont St Michel (we slept in an anonymous Ibis in Avranches when we went).
Friday: purchase picnic material on the way, go to the Mont, visit around, and find a nice spot to eat (fuck 49€ omelettes).
When you are done, leave and report on /trv/
>>1206759
w-what do French people think of Hispanics?
>>1207856 again here.
Just to give you some context, Honfleur/Caen is a 1h drive, Caen/Bayeux takes about 20mn, and Bayeux/Avranches is one more hour.
>>1207951
Nothing bad. You'll pass as a spanish (which I guess you are not since you typed hispanic).
You may even have a sympathy factor, as Spain is a pretty touristic destination for the french, and spaniards have a reputation of fiesta y siesta.
Most of us have grown up with spanish and portuguese descendants (along with polish, italians and moroccans/algerians/tunisians, only the latest started to raise questions in society lately).
At school, everybody has to pick a second foreign language after English, I'd say 60% go for german and 40 for spanish, so many youngsters will have some basic understanding. Plus it's quite close to french in many ways.
Even if you are Central/South american you'll be considered as a bro, just don't be mad if people make gross mistakes about your geography/heritage/culture.
>Oh you're from Mexico?? I've always wanted to visit Machu Picchu!!! Let's have a mojito like in your country!
>>1207951
I quite love spanish people. I was raised in Bearne, so I have grown alongside spanish culture and language, although I have to say that my spanish is not as good as it use to be. Still, you will find a wide acceptance of spanish culture in France. Do you plan on going to Brittany?
>>1208819
>Thanks for the insight man.
No problem.
Rouen is a great town, we discovered it last year on a Normandy trip, and we are staying there again in 2 months.
There are some nice other towns in France tho, if you haven't visited them I urge you to do so (Including but not limited to Lille, Arras, Strasbourg, Bordeaux...). But Normandy is indeed very nice, if we ever plan on moving back to the Mainland we'd def consider it.
>>1209307
>There are some nice other towns in France
>Arras
???
>>1209402
What?
>one of the biggest concert line up in France each year
>biggest Xmas market north of Paris
>city hall voted french favorite monument in a national TV show
>one of the main historical french town for WWI
>recognized by UNESCO
Because you don't know it doesn't mean it isn't nice.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arras
>>1209402
Great contribution to the thread!
So OP is gone?
>>1207951
We love them. Lots of French people have Spanish origins.