Tours from LeHavre other than Normandy and Paris

We've been to Normandy and Paris and will be in LeHavre on Monday, April 28. We're looking for a private tour and would appreciate itinerary suggestions and tour company recommendations.

Hi,

If you already did Honfleur, Deauville, Ouistreham... And if you like walking, you should try Etretat... There is some beautiful views.

Etretat

:)

Not sure how far Bayeaux is from LeHavre but that's a beautiful city and the tapestry is fabulous - took a private tour from Cherbourge to Normandy, stopping quickly at Bayeaux. Not sure of the company - it was arranged by another CC passenger.

Would you mean Bayeux ? :confused:

Bayeux is do-able from Le Havre. We drove through there on our way to the "American" D-Day beaches. The exterior of the Cathedral was beautiful, and I wish we'd had time to see the interior as well as the Bayeux Tapestry. Bayeux would be high on my list of places to visit if we had another port stop in Le Havre. Also Honfleur from the many threads I've read on here.

I believe that other possibilities from Le Havre include Rouen and Giverny.

Whatever you decide, have a great trip!

When I read requests like options other then "Normandy" I must admit to being a bit confused. Normandy is a large area within France that does include places like Bayeux and even Rouen. So it would help if the OP were a bit more specific about what they truly want out of a port day in Le Havre. The reality is that leaving "Normandy" on a private tour is going to be quite expensive and take an awful lot of travel time :)

Hank

When I read requests like options other then "Normandy" I must admit to being a bit confused. Normandy is a large area within France that does include places like Bayeux and even Rouen. So it would help if the OP were a bit more specific about what they truly want out of a port day in Le Havre. The reality is that leaving "Normandy" on a private tour is going to be quite expensive and take an awful lot of travel time :)

 

Hank

Perhaps OP meant "Normandy Landing Beaches"? If so, Honfluer is wonderful.

When I read requests like options other then "Normandy" I must admit to being a bit confused. Normandy is a large area within France that does include places like Bayeux and even Rouen. So it would help if the OP were a bit more specific about what they truly want out of a port day in Le Havre. The reality is that leaving "Normandy" on a private tour is going to be quite expensive and take an awful lot of travel time :)

 

Hank

Perhaps OP meant "Normandy Landing Beaches"? If so, Honfluer is wonderful.

Oops....left out the key word....Normandy Beaches. :o

Can we do Honfleur on our own?

Oops....left out the key word....Normandy Beaches. :o

 

Can we do Honfleur on our own?

Absolutely, but the challenge is getting to the place. There is some regional bus service between Le Havre and Honfleur, but the frequency and schedule does not always work well for many cruisers. Personally, we just prefer to rent a car for the day and drive to Honfleur and a few other places in the region. Honfleur is a relatively compact city of only about 8000 souls and is best explored on foot. As much as we enjoy visiting Honfleur (especially when Mussels are in season) it is not a place we often recommend for an entire day....hence the rental car. There are actually quite a few other coastline villages, but Deauville is the one closest to Honfleur. Other small towns we enjoy include both Fecamp and Etretat, but they are on the opposite side of LeHavre from Honfleur...although we have visited both areas on a single day when we are driving.

Hank

Absolutely, but the challenge is getting to the place. There is some regional bus service between Le Havre and Honfleur, but the frequency and schedule does not always work well for many cruisers. Personally, we just prefer to rent a car for the day and drive to Honfleur and a few other places in the region. Honfleur is a relatively compact city of only about 8000 souls and is best explored on foot. As much as we enjoy visiting Honfleur (especially when Mussels are in season) it is not a place we often recommend for an entire day....hence the rental car. There are actually quite a few other coastline villages, but Deauville is the one closest to Honfleur. Other small towns we enjoy include both Fecamp and Etretat, but they are on the opposite side of LeHavre from Honfleur...although we have visited both areas on a single day when we are driving.

 

Hank

Thanks for all your help and suggestions. :)

When we landed in Le Havre, we took a private taxi tour of Giverney (Monet's home and gardens) and Rouen.

It was absolutely wonderful, and worth every penny (400 Euros). The company was lehavretaxis. I can give you their e-mail if you need it.

Honfleur is a relatively compact city of only about 8000 souls and is best explored on foot. As much as we enjoy visiting Honfleur (especially when Mussels are in season) it is not a place we often recommend for an entire day....hence the rental car. There are actually quite a few other coastline villages, but Deauville is the one closest to Honfleur.

Hi Hank,

Did you stay only in the lower Honfleur ? Honfleur is not only the place with restaurants in front of the port... :) You have also the best view of Normandie on the upper side, with the Pont de Normandie.... And other things to discover ! ;)

It would take half a day... Easy !

It's next to Trouville/Deauville... But not only.

For example, i never read here Bevron, which is known to be one of the "plus beaux villages de France"... Pont audemer.. Pierrefitte... Marais vernier... :)

For renting a car... I agree at 200% ! Public transportations ? No way...

I also agree that I would rent a car. I would then probably go to Honfleur, Douville and Trouville. Etretat is also worth a visit as is Monet's garden in Giverny. It depends on what you like. I also thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Bayeux Tapestry and visiting the Fine Arts Museum in Caen.

I think to pay 400 euros for a taxi is a lot of money to spend out. Car hire will certainly be a lot cheaper.

frenchrci ~ really not being a pest, but did you mean the town of Beuvon-en-Auge? Just looked it up and it does seem just beautiful!!

I'd like to find a day trip from Paris that's not something like 12 hours and not sure the guys want to rent a car - have done so successfully in the past but that was years ago. Shuttle trips go to 3 chateaux and I'd be happy to see one!! So thanks for this info - maybe a car's the way to go!

Agree with Frenchrci that Beuvon en Auge is worthy of a visit and it does work well with a driving trip to Honfleur and Deauville. I suspect the reason regular posters (including moi) do not mention Beuvon is because of its very small size. We visited this small village many years ago, and I recall it had a population of less then 200.

Hank

Nooo, Beuvron* en Auge, not Beuvon ! :D

FotoPeg, as you stay 8 nights, yes, you should take one day to go in Normandie ! In September, you will certainly have a great weather ! .....and there is small restaurants with fresh products from there. It would be a perfect day !

Hank... You probably know better than me my own country ! :eek: Incredible !

How many times do you came here ? :eek:

A tip: http://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-de-france.org/fr/carte-des-plus-beaux-villages-de-france

There is there a lot of the "most beautiful towns".

frenchrci ~ thanks for the suggesiton of Normandie - I guess you mean WWII Beaches? - we were there in 2011. Although my historian husband would like to spend the whole week there! I'm sure I'm the only woman in the world who spent 4 days in Paris and never went to the Louvre - but, instead, spent a whole day in the Musee l'armee!!! Actually it was very interesting but I get tired of "war"!!!!

The "problem" now is that I've fallen in love with Beuvron-en-Auge (on line) but there's NO train that goes there - have to figure something out when we meet with our travel companions on Saturday! Of course, I may the one of four who's interested in seeing Beuvron!!!

But Thanks for your suggestion of Normandie - keep them coming!!!

oops. Sorry I mistyped "Beuvron" as "Beuvon" but such is the state of my typing before or after a margarita :). As to knowing France, we only know the areas we have visited over the years which leaves a lot more to discover :). And we do not come to France enough...but will soon be back for a few weeks.

Hank

Peg, have you visited Auvers-sur-Oise? It is where Van Gough spent his last months and where he killed himself. (but that is sort of a mystery too) Lovely little town, the train takes you directly from Paris. We were on a tour from the RC, but you can easily read up on it and diy.

Got2Cruise ~ thanks for your input - I really value it after readsing so many of your e-mails the past year!

I did google Auvers-sur-Oise and looked at it a bit - its on my "short" list! It's also ironic since on our 2012 Rhone River cruise we went to Arles - VanGogh; took an excursion to St. Remy de Provence - where he was in a hospital painting; in Lyon bought a silk scarf of his "Cafe Terrace at Night"!

So maybe its fated that we go to Auvers!! I looked lovely - but is there enough there to justify the train trip???

I'm also looking at Pierrefonds - great looking castle, but, during September, they're closed from 1 to 2pm and, since we'll be traveling with another couple, I'm not sure we could get there early enough to see the most before 1pm. And my "problem" is that I keep going back to the photos of Beuvron!!! It SO reminds me of Germany's Rothenburg ob de Taub - and I'd just love to see the French equivalent!

Thanks again for your input and PLEASE tell me more about Auvers!!!

If you are fascinated by Van Gogh, then it is certainly worth the trip. It would be more like a 1/2 day trip, it is close enough to Paris. In fact, our guide told us that some Parisians were moving to Auvers and then commuting to their jobs in Paris. Auvers is still as it was years ago.

The beauty is that the sites where Vincent made his famous paintings are still intact, and the town has placed a copy of the painting at that same exact spot. So you can walk the wheat fields, see the church, see Vincent's room where he stayed at the inn and actually passed away in. Since the cafe where he experimented with the Absinthe, some say this caused him to go more insane. The church, the cemetery is all there intact. There is a small museum and cafes to relax.

After all of the hustle and bustle and crowds of Paris, Versailles, and the Normandy landing beaches, just loved this quaint little village and the history and the opportunity to have a low key relaxing day.

The ironic part of the entire story is that when Van Gogh died here, nobody thought his paintings were any good. His brother gave the paintings away and nobody really wanted them. There are no original Van Gogh paintings on display in the town.

According to our guide, Isabelle, there are some rumors that Vincent didn't kill himself, but some boys in the town actually shot him, but Vincent said he shot himself. Like I said, the entire story is fascinating. Read up on it before deciding.

Got2Cruise ~ thanks for your input - I really value it after readsing so many of your e-mails the past year!

 

I did google Auvers-sur-Oise and looked at it a bit - its on my "short" list! It's also ironic since on our 2012 Rhone River cruise we went to Arles - VanGogh; took an excursion to St. Remy de Provence - where he was in a hospital painting; in Lyon bought a silk scarf of his "Cafe Terrace at Night"!

 

So maybe its fated that we go to Auvers!! I looked lovely - but is there enough there to justify the train trip???

 

I'm also looking at Pierrefonds - great looking castle, but, during September, they're closed from 1 to 2pm and, since we'll be traveling with another couple, I'm not sure we could get there early enough to see the most before 1pm. And my "problem" is that I keep going back to the photos of Beuvron!!! It SO reminds me of Germany's Rothenburg ob de Taub - and I'd just love to see the French equivalent!

 

Thanks again for your input and PLEASE tell me more about Auvers!!!

When we landed in Le Havre, we took a private taxi tour of Giverney (Monet's home and gardens) and Rouen.

It was absolutely wonderful, and worth every penny (400 Euros). The company was lehavretaxis. I can give you their e-mail if you need it.

Yes, please post their email address - Thank You!

We've been to Normandy and Paris and will be in LeHavre on Monday, April 28. We're looking for a private tour and would appreciate itinerary suggestions and tour company recommendations.

We just got back from our second trip to LeHavre and rented a car to go to Etretat and Fecamp to the north and Honfleur to the south later in the day. On our previous visit we drove to Bayeux, the D-Day beaches, and Pegasus Bridge.

I highly recommend Etretat over Honfleur if you only want to visit one town.