Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Normandy or French Riviera

We are planning a trip to France for the end of May. We definitely want to go to Paris but then we aren%26#39;t sure if it%26#39;s best to go to Normandy or the French Riviera. We will have 9 days in France. Which would you suggest? Also is it best to rent a car or ride the trains in France?





Thanks!!




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End of May is perfect timing for either location so it%26#39;s a toss-up.



9 days could be a lot for Normandy. If you%26#39;re out that way, consider meandering into Brittany, Mont St Michel, etc. For this region, renting a car could get you around much better than the trains if you%26#39;re going to explore more than just a couple main places. Rental car becomes a no-brainer if there%26#39;s more than just two of you. The area also lends itself very well to taking bicycles onto the trains if you feel like bicycle tours.



For la Côte d%26#39;Azur (French Riviera), 9 days could be a lot also. However, in this region, train travel is super convenient and has a really good edge over rental car possibilities, unless you%26#39;re getting way off the beaten path.




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Thanks for the information. We will spend 3-4 days in Paris so that will leave about 5 for the other area we decide to explore. Thanks again for the suggestions.




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It will probably still be quite cool in Normandy at the end of May. The Riviera is likely to be a good bit warmer and sunnier.



Yhe downside is that it will take you almost 6 hours to get to Nice by TGV, and the same amount of time getting back to Paris. This pretty much wipes out two of your five days.



Nice or the immediate area is a good base for exploring some of the Riviera towns, and, as DarthAnonymous says, you can easily get to most places along the coast by train/bus.



Normandy is much closer to Paris so you will not waste as much time getting there and back. You might want to consider taking the train to Rouen (about an hour) and picking your car up there. This will avoid your having to navigate the Paris traffic, which can be a bit daunting the first time you try to do it.



On your return, you could probably arrange to drop your car at Porte Maillot on the edge of the central area - or drop it off at CDG in time to catch your flight home.



There are many interesting places to go in Normandy, and pleasant towns. Good food too!




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Consider Normandy, with a bit of Brittany thrown in--the region just west of Mont St-Michel. You%26#39;ll need a car (as you would for Provence) to see the lovely little villages, such as Lyons-le-Forêt in Normandy, and the small town of Dinan, in Brittany. You%26#39;ll have an easier time getting reservations for Normandy than for Provence, as the end of May is when things really start getting tight.

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