Going to Paris/Normany/Le Havre! Advice on tours and guides

[Lynniepoo]

Hi everyone!  DH and I just booked a cruise leaving Le Havre and sailing the UK. Since we are flying into Charles DeGaulle in Paris (or at least I assume so, I think Orly is only a domestic airport?), we would like to stay one or two nights in Paris to see:

Eiffel Tower

L'arc de Triomphe

Louvre (just the building from outside is ok - we are not huge art people)

your recommendation - we love being active and doing stuff

 

- We thought it might be best to hire a tour guide.  Can anyone recommend someone for 2 people that is not astronomical?  we love to walk and bike ride, but would hate being on a bus for a long period of time.

- Also looks like we will be there on the weekend, are these places closed? (haven't looked on line yet)

- On traveling to Le Havre, would you recommend taking the train?  How easy is it to get to the WWII sites in Normandy from there?  (and does anyone know if you can actually walk on the beach in Normandy?)

- A good restaurant (we like everything except Mexican and Indian) in Paris?

 

Thanks to all!!!!!!   Lynn + Stew

😀

[John Bull]

Hi,

 

Yes, train from Paris to Le Havre can make sense. About a 2-hour train ride then a ten-minute taxi to the port.

 

But visiting the D-Day sights is going to cost you a chunk of time. Or a chunk of money. Or a chunk of both.

Lots of options,  but all bar one involve your last night's stay being in Normandy rather than Paris...........

 

Train to Le Havre, & overnight in Le Havre to join Overlord's tour from the cruise port.

https://www.overlordtour.com/product/tours-from-cruise-ports-9b/

This tour is designed for those on a port-of-call visit.

If, as I believe, this is a cruise with embarkations at both Le Havre and Southampton, the tour will be running that day but others on the tour will actually be on the previous cruise to yours, with Le Havre as their last port-of-call before disembarking at Southampton next day.

If available, this would probably be the most economical on your time and wallet.

 

Alternatively, also by overniting in Le Havre,  you could book a ship's tour or (preferably) a shared private tour via the RollCall.

Bear in mind that both the ship-sponsored tour and that RollCall would actually be for the cruise which ends next day in Southampton, not for the cruise which you start and which others join next day in Southampton

 

Paris - Normandy - Paris day-trip with Overlord Tours https://www.overlordtour.com/product/tour-2fs-omaha-utah-full-day-tour-week-days-only/

You are responsible for getting yourselves from Paris to Bayeux (about 2 1/2 hours) by train, this shared tour is specifically designed to meet the train from Paris. Tour is in a 16-seat van, is pretty comprehensive, and Overlord have an excellent reputation. The tour finishes back at Bayeux and you then take the train back to Paris.

 

The tour as above, but rather than returning to Paris you could lodge in Bayeux and head for Le Havre next morning.

It's only 63 kilometres (38 miles) but slow & complicated by public transport.

- By train it's Bayeux to Caen, change to a train to Rouen, change to a train to Le Havre. Total journey time 4 to 5.5 hours depending on connection times.

- Or take a train to Caen, then bus to Le Havre. Much simpler, cheaper & quicker, but infrequent service.

- Simplest but most expensive is to pre-book a private transfer from Bayeux hotel to ship (about an hour minimum).  If you're feeling a little flush you could include other sights in that transfer -  Arromanches & the remains of the Mulberry Harbour (British sector), Juno beach (Canadian sector), Pegasus Bridge (British Parachute Regt), even stop for a beer at the pretty fishing/tourist port of Honfleur.

The train from Paris to Bayeux, Overlord tour, hotel in Bayeux, and private transfer next morning to Le Havre would probably give you the best Normandy experience.

 

Alternatively you could arrange to rent a car, or car plus driver, from Le Havre. You can get by without a guide, there's plenty of staff & signage at the sights.  Self-drive means a bit more research on sights and routing, but th driving is pretty easy.

 

Brew a large pot of coffee, then re-read and check out the tours & places mentioned.

 

JB 

 

[Lynniepoo]

On 1/6/2020 at 7:48 PM, John Bull said:

Hi,

 

Yes, train from Paris to Le Havre can make sense. About a 2-hour train ride then a ten-minute taxi to the port.

 

But visiting the D-Day sights is going to cost you a chunk of time. Or a chunk of money. Or a chunk of both.

Lots of options,  but all bar one involve your last night's stay being in Normandy rather than Paris...........

 

Train to Le Havre, & overnight in Le Havre to join Overlord's tour from the cruise port.

https://www.overlordtour.com/product/tours-from-cruise-ports-9b/

This tour is designed for those on a port-of-call visit.

If, as I believe, this is a cruise with embarkations at both Le Havre and Southampton, the tour will be running that day but others on the tour will actually be on the previous cruise to yours, with Le Havre as their last port-of-call before disembarking at Southampton next day.

If available, this would probably be the most economical on your time and wallet.

 

Alternatively, also by overniting in Le Havre,  you could book a ship's tour or (preferably) a shared private tour via the RollCall.

Bear in mind that both the ship-sponsored tour and that RollCall would actually be for the cruise which ends next day in Southampton, not for the cruise which you start and which others join next day in Southampton

 

Paris - Normandy - Paris day-trip with Overlord Tours https://www.overlordtour.com/product/tour-2fs-omaha-utah-full-day-tour-week-days-only/

You are responsible for getting yourselves from Paris to Bayeux (about 2 1/2 hours) by train, this shared tour is specifically designed to meet the train from Paris. Tour is in a 16-seat van, is pretty comprehensive, and Overlord have an excellent reputation. The tour finishes back at Bayeux and you then take the train back to Paris.

 

The tour as above, but rather than returning to Paris you could lodge in Bayeux and head for Le Havre next morning.

It's only 63 kilometres (38 miles) but slow & complicated by public transport.

- By train it's Bayeux to Caen, change to a train to Rouen, change to a train to Le Havre. Total journey time 4 to 5.5 hours depending on connection times.

- Or take a train to Caen, then bus to Le Havre. Much simpler, cheaper & quicker, but infrequent service.

- Simplest but most expensive is to pre-book a private transfer from Bayeux hotel to ship (about an hour minimum).  If you're feeling a little flush you could include other sights in that transfer -  Arromanches & the remains of the Mulberry Harbour (British sector), Juno beach (Canadian sector), Pegasus Bridge (British Parachute Regt), even stop for a beer at the pretty fishing/tourist port of Honfleur.

The train from Paris to Bayeux, Overlord tour, hotel in Bayeux, and private transfer next morning to Le Havre would probably give you the best Normandy experience.

 

Alternatively you could arrange to rent a car, or car plus driver, from Le Havre. You can get by without a guide, there's plenty of staff & signage at the sights.  Self-drive means a bit more research on sights and routing, but th driving is pretty easy.

 

Brew a large pot of coffee, then re-read and check out the tours & places mentioned.

 

JB 

 

This is extremely helpful.  I think the overlord tour in Le Havre you mention will be perfect for us.  We have discussed staying one or two nights in Paris and then heading over to Le Havre one or two days before the cruise departs.  In Paris, we've been told everything is pretty easy to get to via metro (assuming there is no strike), so we might just hit an AirBnB for a few days and get ourselves around that way.  Thank you!! 😀

[John Bull]

15 hours ago, Lynniepoo said:

This is extremely helpful.  I think the overlord tour in Le Havre you mention will be perfect for us.  We have discussed staying one or two nights in Paris and then heading over to Le Havre one or two days before the cruise departs.  In Paris, we've been told everything is pretty easy to get to via metro (assuming there is no strike), so we might just hit an AirBnB for a few days and get ourselves around that way.  Thank you!! 😀

 

No worries 

 

Do bear in mind if taking the tour from Le Havre ........

- there's your luggage to take into account.

I don't know whether you can hand your luggage over at the pier when you arrive for the tour, best to check on that. Alternatively hotels will usually store luggage for the rest of the day after check-out, but again best to check that out before booking.

- ships don't usually depart Le Havre until mid-evening (typically 8pm) but since it'll be your port of embarkation you'll probably have to register 90 to 120 minutes before sailing rather than just the 30 minutes before sailing required of others on the tour. But Overlord quotes a finish time at the pier of 5.30pm, which should be fine. If you've not already been told in the cruise line's paperwork, best to ask them the latest check-in time.

 

If your cruise itinerary is the same as the previous one, others on the tour can give you the low-down on the other ports that you'll be visiting 

 

Have a great time

 

JB 

[meadowlander]

Overlord does an outstanding job in not only the tour but answering and addressing your questions/concerns.

The tour from Le Havre will have more travel time than those from Bayeux. It appears the French train line (ouisncf) has changed their schedule to Bayeux thus for a full day tour with Overlord from Bayeux you would have to spend the night prior to the tour in Bayeux. With the limited days you have, you do not want to take time away from Paris.

 

The metro and bus system in Paris is efficient and easy to use, with some preparation. I think you could get by without a tour guide. If you Google "Paris free walking tour" you will get ideas for tour guides.

[John Bull]

10 hours ago, meadowlander said:

Overlord does an outstanding job in not only the tour but answering and addressing your questions/concerns.

The tour from Le Havre will have more travel time than those from Bayeux. It appears the French train line (ouisncf) has changed their schedule to Bayeux thus for a full day tour with Overlord from Bayeux you would have to spend the night prior to the tour in Bayeux. With the limited days you have, you do not want to take time away from Paris.

 

The metro and bus system in Paris is efficient and easy to use, with some preparation. I think you could get by without a tour guide. If you Google "Paris free walking tour" you will get ideas for tour guides.

 

The Overlord tour from Le Havre picks up from the pier at 8am, and according to the SNCF timetable the first train from Paris arrives Le Havre station at 8.54am. So even with a degree of latitude on Overlord's start time, the OP wouldn't make it from Paris that morning, and would need to overnight at the port.

 

And that's where the tour from Bayeux, which meets the train from Paris that morning, has the advantage.

The 06.57 from Paris Saint Lazare arrives Bayeux 09.17, and that Overland tour is scheduled for 09.30 from the station. And since it's specifically for folk on that train, if the train is late the van will wait.

Plus, as you rightly say, Le Havre is remote from the D-Day beaches & sights - somewhere around an hour to an hour and a half travel time compared to just 10 - 15 minutes from Bayeux.

 

The problem with the tour from Bayeux is that it ends in Bayeux at 6pm, waaaasy too late for the sailing time.

So instead of a hotel in Le Havre before the tour, the OP would need a hotel in Bayeux after the tour.  

And yes, whereas the tour from Le Havre means travel time at the end of the last day in Paris, from Bayeux it would mean losing the whole of that day in Paris.

Plus transportation from Bayeux to the ship, though as per my post that could incorporate further D-Day sights - perhaps a one-way car rental, or perhaps a car plus driver. Navigation, traffic & parking are pretty easy and there's plenty of annotation and staff at the sights.

One potential snag - Overlord's website says that the 09.30  tour from Bayeux station only operates mondays thu frdays.

 

Very much a case of personal preference cos there are pros & cons with both.

But Overlord does book-out pretty quickly, so don't delay - or availability will make the choice for you.

 

JB 

[meadowlander]

The dates I used on the SNCF site were in summer and the earliest train from Paris was from Montparnasse. I now see, using dates next month, the direct train you are referencing from St Lazare arriving in Bayeux before 9:30.

[Nancycat]

We did Paris and Normandy before our Baltic cruise in August 

We flew to Paris, spend 1 night, we were scheduled for 2 nights, but sadly we missed our overseas flight as our first flight from Florida to Newark was delayed ( another story )

We took private transportation to our hotel, Chambiges Elysées, which had breakfast available, 

We took the public bus to the Eiffel Tower and than a boat ride on the canal, we passed Notre Dame.

The next day we took a train to Bayeux and stayed at the Hotel Churchill 

the next morning we did the American D-Day Experience - Utah & Omaha, with the Bayeux Shuttle. It was a private tour for 4 of us and a wonderful experience , yes we did get to walk on the beach 

The next day we took the train back to Paris