Is the WWII Normandy Invasion site a reasonable day-trip from Paris? My husband has his heart set. Any other ideas? Thanks a million!
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OMG
My husband and I did this exactly trip last september..... Anyways
you have to do it, your husband is right. We drove rented a car at the airport with a navigation system. And we%26#39;re doing it again next year.
feel free to email me if you want more info
Caroline
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It%26#39;s a long day so I went with ParisVision and left the
driving and the details to them.
Left from downtown Paris at 7AM and returned 9-10PM
We had a excellent guide. Saw Aromanche, landing beach,
American Cemetery and the WWII Memorable in Caen
(where wer had dinner). Nice location for lunch on the
way out.
You can do a train-car thing or just drive a rented
car the the way from Paris. You could go on
the train to Caen or Bayeau and pick up a guide there.
Enjoy.
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I would echo the previous comment and recommend Paris Vision. On my first visit to Paris I got to their office on Rue du Rivoli and got a seat for that day%26#39;s trip (and the bus was virtually full). But depending on the season you%26#39;d probably want to make reservations just to be safe. And be forewarned that even though the weather in Paris may be great...it can be different at the coast. Alot of folks were buying rain-gear and sweatshirts in Arromanches where we stopped for a delicious luncheon. Even the wind and light rain couldn%26#39;t detract from the overall experience of seeing Pegasus Bridge (remodeled since WWII), Omaha beach, Point du Huc, and the American Cemetary.
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I third the last two posts but we had a private guide. It is a long day, but she picked us up our apt and returned us there. She has a 6 person minibus so you might be one of a few others but she knows the area and is a wonderful guide. She speaks english, french and spanish. Sabine at www/paris-authentique.com
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I can%26#39;t remember the name of the company, but I agree w/ Gomac. My parents and I took a private tour 6/02 (I%26#39;m presently 41 y/o) - it was the same type of tour - 1 guide, 1 minivan. 5 people.
The Driver/Guide picked us up at our hotel @ 7:00 AM, we stopped for breakfast, arrived/lunched at Arromanche (included w/ tour), saw museum in Arromanche (skip if you%26#39;re going to the museum in Caen)., travelled to German bunkers above Omaha Beach, I strolled out onto the sand ( about a 1/2 mile at low tide) at Omaha Beach and just looked back up at the beach/bluffs to get a sense of the geography and to put a personal perspective into the history we read about or watch on TV. From there, to the American Cemetery (where, ironically, a busload of German tourists arrived simultaneously) - these last 2 were VERY moving experiences. From there to Pointe du Hoc (w/ 15-20 foot deep shell craters %26amp; German bunkers), very cool! Lastly, we visited one of the German cemeteries, before heading back to Paris. After the day%26#39;s prior experiences, we were the only people there... it was a very interesting counterpoint and was also very moving.
I hesitated to go on a day trip my first time to Paris because of the %26quot;entire%26quot; day being spent out of our valuable schedule to visit just %26quot;one%26quot; sight, but, my Dad %26amp; his wife also had their hearts set on visiting (Victory at Sea and Post WWII Navy Brat presently 66 %26amp; 55 y/o respectively). I was reluctant to go, but instead I saw an amazingly beautiful part of France with all of the history we wanted to soak up. It was expensive, but what we gained in a single day was well worth the additional cost. I will go back, to re-visit the beaches, but to also to see the parts of Normandyy and Brittany I didn%26#39;t get to see. We did not get back to Paris until 9:00 PM, yes, it%26#39;s a long, but rewarding day.
If your husband%26#39;s heart is set on it, you should go, it%26#39;s worth it. Men seem to be genetically programmed to want to visit military sights (many women too) - especially in this case one one so significant. However, Normandy is beautiful, the food (seafood, crepes, cider, creme, etc.) is wonderful. My frst trip made me want to plan a week there in and of itself! I infer that you have the same misgivings as I did about sacrificing one whole day of your precious Paris itinerary to go to Normandy? Don%26#39;t worry, it%26#39;s a very long, but very rewarding day. You could do it by rental car, but in this one case, I appreciated having the guide/minivan to get us back to Paris in time for Dinner.
You%26#39;ll enjoy it. Go ahead, let your husband pick one thing that%26#39;s really important to him and, once you get back from your trip, the sooner you can convince him to take you back to Paris!
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Wow, that helped a lot! This forum is great, and you wonderful people taking the time to answer these posts are fantastic!! Thanks for all the valuable advice. My husband is very appreciative! Thanks again! Shelley
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