Normandy

[whyme]

Does anyone know if you can get to Normandy from any of the ports ,that the Journey stops at on the May 16th 2008 cruise ????

[Skeezics]

By looking at your itinerary, it seems you stop in St. Malo, Bordeaux, and La Rochelle. St. Malo is the closest. However, the roads you have to travel are for the most part two laned with farm equipment sometimes going very slow. I would not do this on my own, for fear of missing the ship. (I have no idea how long you will be in port.) If it is feasible, I am sure Azamara will offer shore excursions. Normandie is really better if visited for at least two days. Besides viewing the beaches, mulberries, and the German gun placements, you will want to visit the American Cemetary, and for a contrast, the German Cemetary. There is an excellent museum at Arromanches with a delightful restaurant that overlooks the beach. You are also very close to the Bayeu Tapestries. I would suggest a land trip and really enjoy the area. There is an excellent Michelin Green Guide which you can purchase, or look at in a book store. You will then see, that to really do the area justice, more than a day is necessary. Other places not to miss are Mont Saint Michelle, Avranches, and the small town of St. Lo. This is also an excellent place to buy copper: however, with the Euro, maybe not so now. St. Malo, your port is very pretty and interesting too. Be glad to answer any other questions. Have been in the area on three different occasions. (DH is a WWII buff)

[whyme]

By looking at your itinerary, it seems you stop in St. Malo, Bordeaux, and La Rochelle. St. Malo is the closest. However, the roads you have to travel are for the most part two laned with farm equipment sometimes going very slow. I would not do this on my own, for fear of missing the ship. (I have no idea how long you will be in port.) If it is feasible, I am sure Azamara will offer shore excursions. Normandie is really better if visited for at least two days. Besides viewing the beaches, mulberries, and the German gun placements, you will want to visit the American Cemetary, and for a contrast, the German Cemetary. There is an excellent museum at Arromanches with a delightful restaurant that overlooks the beach. You are also very close to the Bayeu Tapestries. I would suggest a land trip and really enjoy the area. There is an excellent Michelin Green Guide which you can purchase, or look at in a book store. You will then see, that to really do the area justice, more than a day is necessary. Other places not to miss are Mont Saint Michelle, Avranches, and the small town of St. Lo. This is also an excellent place to buy copper: however, with the Euro, maybe not so now. St. Malo, your port is very pretty and interesting too. Be glad to answer any other questions. Have been in the area on three different occasions. (DH is a WWII buff)

 

We are booked on the Summit in April and could do Normandy through Le Havre, but they have changed the intinary and eliminated Casablanca, so thought I would look at the Journey. We have a private tour guide arrangee from Le Havre, butwaiting for an answer from him if we could do it from another port..

Since we have cruised with Oceania before thought Journey would be as good ,because Celebrity is trying to compete with them..

Whyme71842@aol.com

[gillianrose]

Be glad to answer any other questions. Have been in the area on three different occasions. (DH is a WWII buff)

 

Did you visit that area by cruise ship? I am wondering how rocky the seas are doing the above itinerary, and whether the seas there might be calmer in the late summer, when Azamara does a 16-day cruise from Copenhagen south to Barcelona.

 

I am curious both about the GENERAL area being "rocky" and also how the R-ships handle seas if the seas are rockier than usual.

[Cruise Junky]

Does anyone know if you can get to Normandy from any of the ports ,that the Journey stops at on the May 16th 2008 cruise ????

 

St. Malo is right on the Brittany/Normandy border. Do you mean something closer to the Beaches? then St. Malo would be quite the drive. Mont St. Michel which is probably the Number One attraction from St. Malo is in Normandy.