Visiting Caen, Bayeaux and Honfleur - too much?

[rubysue]

We will be in Le Havre this September on Marina (OCL) and are contemplating renting a car for the day. It is a long day in port because of the access to Paris (8 am to 9 pm).

 

We have spent several days Paris and wouldn't dream of doing that long day from the ship. We have also previously explored Omaha Beach, Pont du Hoc and the American cemetery.

 

We would like to visit the WWII museum in Caen, see the Norman tapestry and church in Bayeux and spend quality sidewalk cafe time in Honfleur. Is this too much to do on a single day? The distances between these locations don't look that bad, but we have driven extensively in Europe and know how deceptive the distances are, especially on country roads. We can recall taking more than two hours to drive 30 km when you are going through on small village after another. Any thoughts?

 

Also, any recommendations for good rental car agencies at Le Havre are appreciated.

[SarniaLo]

This looks doable in a day. It would take slighlty over an hour to drive from Le Havre to Caen (let's say 1,5 hour to be safe) by the highway (fast driving road with some toll paiement), and another 30 minutes from Caen to Bayeux.

Going to Bayeux will stretch your itinerary to the west, so you can decide, when you get out of the Museum (which can take a bit of time visiting) if it is worth going to Bayeux or not depending on the time you have left. The ring road ("peripherique") of Caen can get quite busy at rush hour (around 5/6 pm), keep that in mind if you decide to go to Bayeux.

You can go back from Caen to Honfleur either by the highway (should be no problem) or if you have some extra time, take the coastal road through Cabourg, Deauville, Trouville. In September it shouldn't be too crowded.

[John Bull]

Good advice from SarniaLo :)

 

Yes, its a fairly late sailaway from Le Havre, but that's of no value if your rented car has to be returned during business hours, and finding an agency open if its a sunday will be a problem.

So that's an area you really need to research before anything else. I've never needed to rent so can't help, but hopefully others can.

 

Most of the route to Bayeux is fast divided highway, I think the only toll on this route is for the impressive Pont de Normandie, over the mouth of the Seine. I think it's 4 euros each way.

About 75 miles Le Havre to Bayeux, usually 90 mins.

 

The Caen Peace Museum is big, I reckon needs 2 hours plus to do it justice.

Decide whether you definately want to include Bayeux. If you do, head there first, then on the way back spend such time at as you have at the Peace Museum. If Bayeux is not desperately important, stop at the Peace Museum first, then see whether you have the time to continue to Bayeux.

 

Bayeux is a pretty & historic town. Caen is modern & busy, best to avoid the city & stay on the Peripherique, other than a very short diversion to the Peace Museum. Yes, the Caen periphorique gets clogged at rush-hour, but by then you'll be long-gone

 

If you have time in hand, I totally agree with SarniaLo, consider returning Caen to Honfleur by the coast road through Cabourg, Deauville & Trouville instead of the super-slab, but this will add about 40 mins to your journey time.

 

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Quai+de+Southampton&daddr=49.42452,0.21359+to:49.39452,0.12111+to:49.35235,0.06035+to:49.28862,-0.12338+to:49.26939,-0.70821+to:Quai+de+Southampton&hl=en&sll=49.3345,-0.205075&sspn=0.694445,1.689148&geocode=FeAV8wIduqMBAA%3BFYgo8gIdVkIDACklJEFCSjLgRzF4ej9uaYEZjA%3BFViz8QIdFtkBACkX-gY85SzgRzF9rgJXYCuQfA%3BFZ4O8QIdvusAAClLv6GIxtThRzGuAEDE4B18Og%3BFawV8AIdDB7-_yldzLhreXwKSDHRU344SBQMEw%3BFY7K7wIdjjH1_yk_qBeOsKwLSDFAWgg5SBQMEw%3BFb4Z8wIdDq8BAA&vpsrc=0&mra=dme&mrsp=0&sz=9&via=1,2,3,4,5&t=m&z=9

 

Because you need wiggle-time, it makes a great deal of sense to plan a stop at Honfleur on your way back. A very pleasant fishing/tourist port, but not a desperate loss if delays mean you have to give it a miss. Honfleur to Le Havre 30 mins or less - subject to traffic, but most "rush hour" traffic will be heading in the opposite direction.

 

A rough calculation: 9.30am depart in car, 11.00 to 12.30 at Bayeux, 1.00pm to 3.30 at Peace Museum, 4.30 to 5.15 at Honfleur, 5.45pm return car.

If you don't have to return the car before, say, 7.30 :

Depart Peace Museum 3.30, at Pegasus Bridge & museum 3.45 - 4.45, coast road to Honfleur, at Honfleur 6.00 to 7.00, 7.30pm return car.

As with any such trip, you can only plan a framework, & adjust as you go.

 

Just my opinion

 

JB :)

[rubysue]

Excellent advice from both of you, thank you very much!! We would likely return the car by 6:00 pm or so, always wanting to err on the side of returning with plenty of time margin. We'll take your ideas and use them in our planning.

[Hlitner]

We really enjoyed the Peace Museum, also enjoyed several days at the Normandy beach area and count Honfleur as among our favorite European places to have a long lunch (Mueles et Frites are the best) on the small harbor. But our advice would be to go to Bayeux, go to the Peace Museum, and if you find that you still have the time you can stop in Honfleur as your return to LeHavre. I should add that when we were at the Peace Museum there happened to be a large school group of German students (perhaps 12-15 years of age) touring the museum. You could hear a pin drop as they viewed the exhibits. Not only were we impressed with these kids, but we thought it was terrific that they took a school trip to learn this horrible part of history. If more folks would see this amazing museum (and perhaps also visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC) it might helpf us avoid repeating the past.

 

Hank