Paris and Normandy - a Great Trip Combo
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In June 2026, I had the fantastic opportunity to sing as a choral member in Dan Forrest’s masterpiece, Creation in Kent, England. Since my sons and their fiance’s would be attending the one day concert, Pete and I decided to build upon the trip. But where else to go?
Paris, France is a no-brainer for any European jaunt. Since I have already visited five times; however, I asked the group what they thought about spending time elsewhere in France after a two night stay in the City of Lights.
When I suggested Normandy, I received a resounding “YES” from everyone. And just like that, we had two great French destinations. But first - the challenge of the planning.
With three separate couples traveling together, my first priority was booking accommodations in Paris, an easy train ride on the Eurostar from London. June is a pricey time to visit Paris and the hotel prices proved this. By the time I tried to book three separate hotel rooms not including meals, it only made sense to explore Airbnb again. It took a bit of time, but I found a 3 bedroom, 3 ½ bath, full kitchen condo which fit our needs perfectly. Definitely not inexpensive (about $1000/night, the location and amenities made the cost worth it).
How to plan for six adults sightseeing in Paris over one full day?
You don't.
To appease everyone’s wants, I planned no organized day tours. My one request was to have everyone meet first thing for a group photo in front of the Eiffel Tower. The resulting photo says a thousand words.
Traveler’s Tip: I highly recommend not visiting Paris in the summer months. Even if you choose an air conditioned hotel, many of the shops are not. Even Chanel, located on the Champs Elysees, felt suffocating.
We had no idea our visit would be at the cusp of a deadly heatwave that gripped Paris a few days later.
Using Tripadvisor, I booked a wonderful dinner at Cafe Louise prior to the sunset champagne cruise on the Seine located near our hotel (keep in mind that in June, sunsets are around 10:15 pm). I highly recommend the touristy adventure. We all gasped in delight as our boat captain glided past the Eiffel Tower just as the twinkling lights began.
Too soon, it was time to head to Charles De Gaulle airport to pick up our rental van to continue on our way to the Normandy region of Northern France. The less expensive Metro to the airport was an option, but as a group of six, we simply had too much luggage for the cumbersome Metro steps. That’s when Uber saved the day.
Traveler’s Tip: If using an Uber to get to a busy Paris train station, it is wise to settle on a location near the train station, not at the busy drop off area. We found out from our Uber driver that most will not pick up passengers destined for high traffic areas such as train stations. Fortunately our kind driver offered to drop off my son’s fiance at Gard du Nord on our way to the airport to pick up our rental van. Due to work obligations, she couldn’t continue with us.
Again, I was in need of a three bedroom, three bath accommodation in the Normandy region. After several hours of fruitless searching, I finally came upon a chateau that seemed to fit our needs perfectly! A chateau no less!!! How French can you get?
Travelers Tip: Some of the very best worldwide inns will not allow you to book online directly. Instead, innkeepers wish for you to contact them via an email request. Trying to sound my most charming, I wrote to the innkeepers of Le Val, requesting three rooms for three nights.
My efforts paid off wonderfully!! Chateau Le Val is magnificent! Perfectly located in Brix, France between Cherbourg and the main Normandy beaches, the 16th century mansion was our shang gri la.
We felt transported to the medieval ages, thankfully with modern day comforts. If you are a history buff, Chateau Le Val will delight your senses and intellect - so much history has taken place on this historic property.
Innkeepers Irene and Uwe made each of us feel at home and invited us to use any part of the grounds for our evening cocktail gatherings.
Traveler’s Tip: I can’t recommend Chateau Le Val enough. If offered, stay for dinner and enjoy innkeeper Uwe’s famous Normandy stew. Don’t forget to meet Bruce. I’ll let that stay a surprise.
When folks say they’ve been to Normandy, it can mean quite a lot. The history of the area is extensive and the area vast. This is one occasion when it is wise to book a tour expert. I chose a private full day trip with Gold Beach Tours. Driven expertly around the Normandy countryside, we thoroughly enjoyed the tours of Utah and Omaha beaches, Sainte-Mère-Église, the Normandy Victory Museum, and the American cemetery.
We also spent a rainy day visiting Cherbourg at the suggestion of our host. We had a fantastic experience at the La Cite de La Mer museum. Before visiting Cherbourg, look online for its amazing role in WW II German defense.
Traveler’s Tip: The French are lovely, and very welcoming to most Americans. Being too loud, bossy, or demanding may earn you a cooler reception. You may find in the smaller towns, very little English is understood or spoken but use Google translate. The locals encouraged me to use my elementary French (which quickly got better over a few days' time) which I found more fun than doing Wordle.
After returning our rental van, the five of us stayed overnight at the IBIS hotel at the Charles De Gaulle airport. My traveler’s tip: stay elsewhere. We changed rooms once due to a weird smell, and the air conditioner barely chugged out cool(er) air in our second room. It’s a wildly busy tourist hotel so don’t expect to get great front desk service. Thankfully, the Italian restaurant located inside the hotel offered great fare.
Paris and Normandy! It’s a fantastic combo. Before returning your rental car, consider a day trip to Monet's wonderful home and gardens in Giverny. Its location is a short detour from the Normandy region to Charles de Gaulle airport.
Traveler's Tip: Book your tickets online - they sell out fast! Arrive as early as possible and be ready for lots of walking. The parking lots fill fast and can be a distance away.
Traveler’s Tip: Normandy is not served well by train. You can find a multitude of day trip tours out of Paris, but I highly recommend staying longer in the area to let all its amazing history envelope you. If renting a car is impossible, consider taking the train to Bayeux and hire a tour company with pick up service from your hotel. Please keep in mind that trains run on a limited schedule.
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