Recommend me thing to do (we have the beaches / museums sussed)
Is Caen worth a visit?
Mont St Michel is doable - but a bit of a hack / over touristed
Thanks
Off to Normandy on Thursday for 4 days
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Mr Moofo
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KungFooBob
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Re: Off to Normandy on Thursday for 4 days
I've done Mont St Michel twice. It's very touristy and over priced, but there's nowhere else really like it.
St. Malo is nice, but even further.
St. Malo is nice, but even further.
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Count Steer
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Re: Off to Normandy on Thursday for 4 days
Stayed in Honfleur a few times, that's v pleasant. Rode from there to Bayeux and a quite big war museum (can't remember the name of the place but you kind of make your way downwards and the tone darkens as you go. I'll have a ferret around see if I can find it).
Edit: Caen Memorial Museum I think.
Doubt is not a pleasant condition.
But certainty is an absurd one.
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But certainty is an absurd one.
Voltaire
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Mr Moofo
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Re: Off to Normandy on Thursday for 4 days
Honfleur is on the agenda - one of the group has only mentioned it during every conversation
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Count Steer
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Re: Off to Normandy on Thursday for 4 days
As edited above, the War Museum was Caen. Honfleur is nice for a stroll about and food.
Doubt is not a pleasant condition.
But certainty is an absurd one.
Voltaire
But certainty is an absurd one.
Voltaire
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Mr Moofo
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Re: Off to Normandy on Thursday for 4 days
And obviously we will be sightseeing in Newhaven before we get on the ferry
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Taipan
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Re: Off to Normandy on Thursday for 4 days
Fruit des mer on the sunny side of the harbour!
Whenever I've been there, its alive in the daytime, but typical of France, dead at night. So enjoy it in the sun!
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Mr Moofo
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Count Steer
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Re: Off to Normandy on Thursday for 4 days
Doubt is not a pleasant condition.
But certainty is an absurd one.
Voltaire
But certainty is an absurd one.
Voltaire
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Mr Moofo
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Re: Off to Normandy on Thursday for 4 days
Quick update:
Ferry Newhaven to Dieppe using DFDS - and stayed in Colleville-Montgomery - just off Gold Beach. Accomo booked through Air BnB - and once again we pick a place with no restaurant or bar!
Getting there was. two hour slog down the motorway - and I had forgotten that the two people I went with have an aversion to travelling at the speed limit. They like to travel at 20 - 25 kph less that the French legal speed - which makes it a ball ache.
As usual peage paying is a PITA on a bike - but Pont Normandie impressive on a bike - feel a lot steeper than it is.
AirBnB good - but didn't supply towels
day 2 - Gold Beach, Sword Beach, Canadian cemetery at Juno Beach, Arromanches, and the D Day museum, then up to Utah Beach and Operation Overlord museum. TBH, I thought the death toll on D-Day was way higher than it actually was ( 6000 allied) - mind you the aftermath saw of considerably more. Utah Beach being the scene of "Saving Private Ryan" and a little bit of a organisational clusterfuck. Once you have seen one beach, they do all kid of look similar.
Day 3 : Cabourg, Merville Battery, Honfleur and an extremely laboured ride back along the coast through Deauville
Day 4: Mont St Michel - rammed with tourists, but an impressive sight.
Day 5 : Slow (20 kph under the speed limit) ride to the ferry, with a trip over the channel in a force 7/8. Many bikes coming over from France for the TT
The scrambler faired well - slight PITA to get on and off with a roll bag on the bag (and Triumph say you cannot use the left side peg to climb on board, as the side stand won't take the load). Seat is bleeding uncomfortable after two hours. Nice to have cruise control
On the ferry back, the R1250 RS of our party, somehow managed to fall over. DFDS fessed up - but claimed it had fallen on its left side (which we looked at and was nearly unmarked).. In fact it had fallen on its right side - and slid into railings. When matey got home, there was oil pissing out of the right hand cylinder. Claim underway - and DFDS being less than helpful. Avoid the organisation for cross channel ferries - they didn't secure the bike, lied about the incident and were very dismissive.
France always used to look grubby compared to the UK, now looks much cleaner and well organised. The locals were really helpful and friendly. Roads are I'm much, much better conditions. Friends need to learn to man up and ride faster and stop moaning about buffeting (when you buy a naked bike).
Ferry Newhaven to Dieppe using DFDS - and stayed in Colleville-Montgomery - just off Gold Beach. Accomo booked through Air BnB - and once again we pick a place with no restaurant or bar!
Getting there was. two hour slog down the motorway - and I had forgotten that the two people I went with have an aversion to travelling at the speed limit. They like to travel at 20 - 25 kph less that the French legal speed - which makes it a ball ache.
As usual peage paying is a PITA on a bike - but Pont Normandie impressive on a bike - feel a lot steeper than it is.
AirBnB good - but didn't supply towels
day 2 - Gold Beach, Sword Beach, Canadian cemetery at Juno Beach, Arromanches, and the D Day museum, then up to Utah Beach and Operation Overlord museum. TBH, I thought the death toll on D-Day was way higher than it actually was ( 6000 allied) - mind you the aftermath saw of considerably more. Utah Beach being the scene of "Saving Private Ryan" and a little bit of a organisational clusterfuck. Once you have seen one beach, they do all kid of look similar.
Day 3 : Cabourg, Merville Battery, Honfleur and an extremely laboured ride back along the coast through Deauville
Day 4: Mont St Michel - rammed with tourists, but an impressive sight.
Day 5 : Slow (20 kph under the speed limit) ride to the ferry, with a trip over the channel in a force 7/8. Many bikes coming over from France for the TT
The scrambler faired well - slight PITA to get on and off with a roll bag on the bag (and Triumph say you cannot use the left side peg to climb on board, as the side stand won't take the load). Seat is bleeding uncomfortable after two hours. Nice to have cruise control
On the ferry back, the R1250 RS of our party, somehow managed to fall over. DFDS fessed up - but claimed it had fallen on its left side (which we looked at and was nearly unmarked).. In fact it had fallen on its right side - and slid into railings. When matey got home, there was oil pissing out of the right hand cylinder. Claim underway - and DFDS being less than helpful. Avoid the organisation for cross channel ferries - they didn't secure the bike, lied about the incident and were very dismissive.
France always used to look grubby compared to the UK, now looks much cleaner and well organised. The locals were really helpful and friendly. Roads are I'm much, much better conditions. Friends need to learn to man up and ride faster and stop moaning about buffeting (when you buy a naked bike).