E316 Posted September 23, 2016 #1 Share Posted September 23, 2016 We are taking Viking river boat to Paris and Swiss Alps. We would like a private tour by car from Paris to Normandy. Does anyone have any suggestions? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Turtles06 Posted September 24, 2016 #2 Share Posted September 24, 2016 (edited) It case you are not aware of this, it's several hours by car from Paris to the Normandy beaches. (In other words, a very long and no doubt very, very pricey day by private car.) When we had a port call in Le Havre a few year ago, we used Overlord Tours with several others on our Roll Call for a private shore excursion to the D-Day sites. Overlord was terrific (and has a well-deserved excellent reputation here on CC.). Out of curiousity, I just checked their web site, and they offer the following in terms of a tour from Paris; really worth reading in terms of the suggestions and advice (I like the idea of taking the train to Bayeux if you are trying to do it in one day, which seems quite ambitious): http://www.overlordtour.com/overlordtour-from-Paris.html If you haven't done so already, a good place to ask your question would be on the Ports of Call/Europe/France board. And if you do a Google search for "private tours of Normandy from Paris," you'll come up with several other companies. Perhaps you can start researching them. If you aren't wedded to a private car, there are tour companies that do bus trips from Paris to the Normandy D-Day sites. Good luck and have a great trip! Edited September 24, 2016 by Turtles06 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host Jazzbeau Posted September 24, 2016 #3 Share Posted September 24, 2016 Haven't done this, but I would suggest looking into taking a train from Paris to either Caen or Bayeux and having your private guide pick you up there. That should be much faster than driving from Paris, and you would only have to pay the guide for the time in Normandy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E316 Posted September 24, 2016 Author #4 Share Posted September 24, 2016 Thank you for your responses. The problem with taking a train is our luggage. We would be getting off our river boat in Paris and then wanted to do Normandy over night and then back to Paris for a few days. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host Jazzbeau Posted September 24, 2016 #5 Share Posted September 24, 2016 Thank you for your responses. The problem with taking a train is our luggage. We would be getting off our river boat in Paris and then wanted to do Normandy over night and then back to Paris for a few days. In that case I would rent a car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floridiana Posted September 24, 2016 #6 Share Posted September 24, 2016 I would probably also rent a car. Other options: Have you asked your Paris hotel whether they would store your luggage until you arrive? There might be luggage lockers in the Paris train station. Ask on trip advisor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPT Trips Posted September 25, 2016 #7 Share Posted September 25, 2016 Thank you for your responses. The problem with taking a train is our luggage. We would be getting off our river boat in Paris and then wanted to do Normandy over night and then back to Paris for a few days. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Wait. I'm totally confused. If you get off the boat in Paris you are on the Seine. Don't you tour the beaches on your cruise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fnewman Posted September 25, 2016 #8 Share Posted September 25, 2016 Most, if not all, river cruises in that area include a tour to Normandy. However, as with all cruises, such tours are as usually short 'survey' versions due to time limitations. If you are more interested in a deeper experience it might be better to schedule a land tour with a company that specializes in WWII. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E316 Posted September 25, 2016 Author #9 Share Posted September 25, 2016 My river boat goes from Basel to Paris. We did not take the one that includes Normandy because we thought we would see more in a private tour later. Also the part in Switzerland is a bonus. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPT Trips Posted September 25, 2016 #10 Share Posted September 25, 2016 My river boat goes from Basel to Paris. We did not take the one that includes Normandy because we thought we would see more in a private tour later. Also the part in Switzerland is a bonus. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk OK... Are on the tour, Zurich to Paris? That one has you on a bus all day from Trier to Paris, with a stop in Luxembourg not a boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare notamermaid Posted September 25, 2016 #11 Share Posted September 25, 2016 Following on from CPT Trips, I would like to ask you what cruise line it is and what the itinerary is called, seeing that Basel to Trier is little mentioned on CC. You will indeed sail the Moselle probably as far as Trier, hardly any ships go further than Remich, that is a little past Trier. That is the most convenient pork for disembarkation for driving to Luxembourg and on to Paris. notamermaid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celestialcruiser Posted September 25, 2016 #12 Share Posted September 25, 2016 We weren't on a river cruise, but in Paris a few years ago then went to Normandy for a few days. We took the train to Caen and rented a car there (there were a lot of different car rental agencies close to the train station). We then drove to Bayeux where we stayed in a VRBO apt for a few days. It was a beautiful, quaint city. We did our own exploration to the different sites. It was easy to get around and no problems driving. There are also a lot of tours that leave from Bayeux so it is a good base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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