I don’t care about the weather as much as the history. The weather wasn’t great when we were there this summer but it was the highlight of our trip.
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If you were driving from central France up toward Paris, going to Giverny and Versailles, where would you choose to return the rental car for easiest transport to Paris?
I’m not an expert on France but we took a train from Paris to Tours to pick up our rental car. On the return we went to Giverny at the end of our trip and returned the car at the airport. We were flying home so not sure if that is helpful.
We dropped our rental car at the airport and then got a taxi into Paris. The metro was expensive enough for that distance it made sense to pay for a taxi.
There’s a lot to see in Normandy. We spent a week there in a farmhouse my parents rented. We made daytrips to Rouen (Monet’s famous painting), Mont St Michel, the Bayeux Tapestry, the D-Day beaches, spent a day on the beach at Etretat painting what Monet painted while my brother and SIL did a hike along the cliffs there. My brother also went to a Gregorian chant service at the Abbaye de Saint-Wandrille.
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For the driving portion of our trip, (and to avoid driving around Paris), we picked up our rental car in Versailles, (to visit Chartres, Mt. St. Michel, Normandy, Bayeaux), dropped it off in Caen, and took the train back to Paris from Caen. If you’re heading to Versailles last, you could drop it off there, and easily train back to Paris.
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Our plan is to visit Giverny, drop the car at CDG, and get a taxi to the apartment for the final days of our trip. It will cost ~€55, but driving into Paris isn’t for the faint of heart. We did it once; never again.
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Our family visited Europe together for several years, with two members having driven the Amali Coast, Rome, small towns in Italy with miniature roads, etc. They’ve driven in Paris once and have said never again, too.
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That’s exactly what we did. Nice to be dropped off at the door of our Airbnb.
I think we’re finally set on our April trip, with the exception of a one-night stop somewhere between Burgundy and Sarlat. We think Vichy, but 
Flying into Basel for one night, then onto Burgundy. From there, we head to Sarlat, then St Emilion.
From Bordeaux to the Loire, staying in Amboise. Amboise to Bayeaux for 3 nights. Our final 5 days will be in Paris.
We still need a place to stay in Bayeaux. H says he’s looking, but I think he’s waiting for me to find something. A lot of his time is (mis)spent going down rabbit holes of food and wine options.
Planning a one-day Overlord tour, caves at Lescaux, wines and vineyards in Beaune and Dijon, chateaux in the Loire, and whatever else strikes our fancy. Paris will be our days of relaxation before we head home.
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So many great tips in this post! We are going for the Olympics, so only have time for Paris and surrounding areas. Squeezing in a lot of the Paris recommendations here. Super excited!
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How are you leaving Basel? Train or are you renting a car? If the train, be very, very careful that you arrive at the correct station.
I was going from Germany to Provence and had a connection in Basel. When I heard “Basel” on the train announcement, I got off (I do not speak German). I looked for my connecting train and couldn’t find it. I asked someone and they said that I was at the German Basel station but needed to go to the Swiss Basel station. So I waited for the next train coming through and hopped on to get off at the next stop. I then looked around for my connecting train and couldn’t find it. I asked someone and they said that I was at the Swiss Basel station but needed to go to the French Basel station (a short walk away). So off I went to the French Basel station where I just missed my sleeper train. Since I didn’t have any Swiss Francs, I took a train into France so I would have some currency, but the experience is definitely not one I would want anyone to repeat.
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That’s exciting! I’m sure you know this, but budget lots of extra time to do anything in Paris. Our taxi driver in August said it’s going to be mass chaos - he doesn’t think they are adequately prepared for the influx of people.
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I’ve read about the probable/highly likely train station mixups & have deliberately not told H about them as he will then obsess. Anyway. Taking SNCF to Dijon where we’ll pick up the car. Fingers crossed that we get to the right (French) part of the station.
I think themaninseat61 website has a pretty good map, but that doesn’t preclude us from messing it all up. It’s happened before and I’m sure it will happen again.
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The caves at Lascaux (replicas) are amazing.
We enjoyed our stay at this B&B in Bayeux shortly before the pandemic.
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OP here! Started the thread in January 2023, went to Paris and Nice last October. Just fell in love with it. So much so, we decided to take our 2 sons and their gals, and go back in September 2025. Quite a ways away, and it’s going to cost $$ more than we’re accustomed, but we’ve worked hard, so why not?
Anyway, I love planning and researching and not being pressured. We’re doing Paris and Nice again. Some things we did before (for them) ’ and new ones for us.
One new thing is to go to the Champagne region. This is what I have in my minds eye. Having a beautiful lunch at a chateau overlooking vineyards.
I’ve been researching tours and I really don’t want to spend $250 pp for a day tour of 6 vineyards and a lunch somewhere. We won’t be driving. Someone suggested taking the train to Reims, visiting, then getting a cab. I found a hotel with an outdoor restaurant overlooking a vineyard. It’s Chateau de Sacy, 20 minutes from Reims. We could get a taxi to take us. Do you think this is a good plan? Does anyone have any other ideas or suggestions?
I don’t know much about tours. I have been to Reims once. Rhymes with France.
Did you see this post on trip advisor
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187137-i902-k14324953-Reims_self_guided_wine_champagne_tour-Reims_Marne_Grand_Est.html
I’m not one to ask, I like tours and think I learn so much more on them. They are pricey
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Thanks! I actually love tours also, but at $250 or more pp, DH and I would be paying 1,500 and up for 6-8 hours. That just takes the fun out of it. Some things I won’t mind, but I don’t think that is worth it.
I’m finding this little excursion we’d like to make more difficult than it seems. I’ll read that link!
My wife and I are headed to Paris in September. I need to read through this entire thread.
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