A story about an independent trip to Brittany: report on a trip to Rennes. Traveling through Normandy by car - practical information Normandy route through beautiful villages
One fine May day, I was incredibly lucky: the management of our company sent me on a 5-day business trip to France. I was doubly lucky, because the business trip began on the first working day after the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the victory in the Second World War, which means I was able to add 4 days to the trip May holidays. But the luck didn’t end there: I found a travel companion, namely one of my colleagues who was sent to France at the same time and who, like me, was not averse to walking for an extra 4 days. And then it’s a matter of technique: I came up with the idea that it’s not worth sitting in Paris for 4 days, but it’s best to give up on rental car to the Atlantic to Normandy and Brittany. Did your colleague agree with the idea? and we began to make plans and schedule moves.
As a result of three days of preparations, 12 hours before departure we had the following:
1. Reserving a car at AVIS (http://www.avis.fr/) for 4 days for 160 euros. We had to pick up the car at Charles de Gaulle airport and return it in one of the towns in central France (the place of our business trip) .
2.Reservation of a B&B hotel (http://www.hotel-bb.com/) in the suburb of Le Havre, the town of Harfleur for 1 night (Normandy)
3. Book a B&B hotel in Saint Malo for 2 nights (Brittany)
4. Very little idea of where to go, but be sure to visit Le Mont St Michel and Cancale
5. Printouts of routes to proposed hotels, made using a special website http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/gbr/dyn/controller/Driving_directions. These printouts were not useful at all.
6. A detailed atlas of French roads, borrowed from colleagues in the office. It turned out to be the most necessary thing.
7. An inexhaustible supply of optimism and a great desire to do something - we don’t know what.
On May 7, 2005 we took off from Sheremetyevo 2 in the direction of Paris. Before departure, we decided not to break the good old Russian tradition and enjoyed drinking a bottle of Baileys in the departure area. While drinking, they missed the start of boarding. We came to our senses about 15 minutes before the planned departure and, worried that we were not being boarded, rushed to the boarding gate. As a result, we were the last to board, which has never happened to me, since I always run ahead of the rest when boarding a plane. Throughout the flight, my colleague strongly advised me to study maps, read guidebooks, and decide on the route in more detail, but I lazily waved it off, deciding that we wouldn’t get past Mont Saint-Michel anyway, and everything else was up to luck. On the plane we managed to sleep a little and have a pretty decent breakfast. The flight, as always, was a pleasure, especially during takeoff and landing, when it is interesting to look out the window at the ground running away and, conversely, approaching. By the way, we flew on a plane named after Tchaikovsky, I was pleasantly surprised by this innovation of naming the plane not just board 766, but after a good person. This is a small thing, but still an extra positive emotion on the trip.
Having arrived, we went to passport control, where a very unpleasant incident occurred. We were standing quietly and peacefully when a group of aggressively-minded Arabs approached and began to brazenly position themselves in front of us. I don’t like it when people jump in line; I have this aversion to freeloaders from Soviet times, but I also don’t like making trouble and was already determined to let citizens through, but their number began to rapidly increase. I had to restore the status quo and quickly run to the counter first. Then the Arabs began to make a fuss and push me aside, but unexpectedly a French customs officer came to the rescue, reminding the citizens exactly how to stand in line and generally sending this group to another checkpoint. We successfully passed control and went to look for the car, guided by diagrams and signs. And so it happened: our beautiful Opel Corso waited for its temporary owners - Hurray! The journey begins!
And it starts with the question: where to go? In which direction is Rouen, the first city on our route? A French-speaking colleague decided to ask the security at the parking lot, but I didn’t like what they advised him at all; I should have gone to the Paris Periphery, when judging by the map, there are many shorter routes. You just need to find these paths, and that’s my business if I’m a navigator. And we went “over there, down that street and to the right,” and of course we went in the opposite direction first. The number of roads and junctions in the area of Charles de Gaulle airport was terrifying, and although I previously “worked” as a navigator on the roads of Croatia and Portugal, this past experience is nothing compared to the developed road infrastructure of France. I was completely confused; we missed the necessary turns because we noticed the signs late, and when we drove slowly, we slowed down the traffic and caused displeasure in the traffic. And if it weren’t for the skill of the driver, who managed to change lanes in the right direction in time, we would still be driving around Charles De Gaulle Airport. However, on the third lap around the same place, I noticed a small turn towards Saint-Denis, and although I was looking for a completely different road, I decided that I could also go through Saint-Denis. An endless series of villages, turning circles, streets where you really want to go, but you can’t turn, began. We overcame all these tests with honor and finally found ourselves on the highway leading to Rouen. Now you could relax, turn on the radio with French chanson and enjoy the road. Meanwhile, we were driving through the beautiful French province, blooming apple and cherry orchards replaced yellow and green fields, picturesque hillocks alternated with flat terrain, ancient abbeys peacefully coexisted with modern ones shopping complexes. I wanted to stop everywhere and take pictures of everything, I had to try my best to restrain myself, because if you stop at every yellow speck of a field of blooming mustard and at every chateau, then you might not even get to the right place by morning, and we are only 50 kilometers from Paris and all the interesting things are ahead of us.
By three o'clock in the afternoon we arrived in the coveted Rouen, but first of all we were interested, alas, not in the beauty of this ancient city, but just a good French restaurant. We parked on a narrow street, barely squeezing into the small space between cars, and went in search of food. But, since there was a lot of time, all the restaurants naturally turned out to be closed. For information, restaurants in France usually open at 11-30 and work until 13-30 or 14-00, offering a daily menu, and then close for a break until 19-00. This rule does not apply to Paris, where in many places the daily menu is offered until 7 pm. However, let’s return to the chronology of our misadventures; in one of the places, after much persuasion, they agreed to feed us. We sat down comfortably and only then did I notice the atmosphere of the restaurant: everything was designed in an easily recognizable oriental style. We were in too much of a hurry when we entered here and didn’t even look where we were getting, but it turns out they kindly gave us shelter in a restaurant serving Afghan cuisine, a place owned by a family couple who came from this once friendly country. And although if I had known the direction of the restaurant, I would never have gone there when I was in France, nevertheless I liked the food: perfectly marinated meat, which you can’t find anywhere in Moscow, and for dessert - a wonderful carrot cake with whipped cream. The taste of the food is completely unusual and original. If you are in Rouen, I recommend it: the Arcadia restaurant on Victor Hugo Street.
Having refreshed ourselves, we set off to see Rouen, a city famous mainly for its old square They burned the most famous girl in France, Joan of Arc. However, the legends associated with the execution of the Orleans warrior are only a small part of what is interesting in Rouen. This is the beautiful Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame, and the tower clock “Gros-Horloge”, and the Palace of Justice, and the Church of Saint-Maclou, and much, much more. But even if all of the above were not there, the old part of Rouen would still attract tourists from all over the world. big amount houses, superbly decorated in the old style, when the wooden floors of the structure represent an element of its decoration. Although it is possible that the medieval citizens of Rouen, who created this beauty, did not suspect that they were creating works of construction art, but were only guided by practical considerations - to create a comfortable, safe and reliable house. Unlike many other cities in France with buildings in a similar style, Rouen uses not only black and brown wood, but also painted in all the colors of the rainbow, including pink and blue. And if in other cities the result was a black-white-brown collage, then in Rouen each building has not only its own unique pattern of lines of wooden floors, but also its own original shade. It looks very beautiful, as if a talented surrealist painted several chaotic lines on a white canvas, added cheerful color and now each house became a separate painting.
Unfortunately, our walk around Rouen was limited in time - we had to arrive at the hotel before nightfall, so we had to leave the city, having previously bought seafood for dinner in one of the supermarkets. We are on the road again, this time the classics from Rachmaninoff to Bach are playing in the car, and we are driving to the place of our first overnight stay - the B&B hotel in Harfler. We chose the B&B hotel chain back in Moscow due to the presence of many good reviews about it on the Internet and at an optimal price-quality ratio - 30 - 35 euros for a single room. One drawback: we could only spend the night in those places where there were hotels of this chain and that is why we had to spend the night in the vicinity of Le Havre. And if the B&B had not been at the stop sale in Deauville, then we would not have gone specifically to Le Havre, because it is a large port, modern city, not of great interest to me. After checking in and having dinner at the hotel reception, we finally went to Le Havre, looked at the yachts and cruise ships, took pictures on the embankment, admired the sunset and went home. The first day of our trip was over.
The second day, as agreed the day before, began early at 7-00. After a quick breakfast, we went to Honfleur. The short way there lay across the bridge, which turned out to be at the same time the beginning toll road to Deaville and Caen. Entry fee is 5 euros. I admit, we had the thought of not driving into Honfleur, but driving straight along the highway, but fortunately we abandoned this bad idea in time and, having passed one of the most famous bridges in Normandy, turned onto Honfleur. We found ourselves in a medieval fairy tale. Honfleur turned out to be exactly the place I always dreamed of going to, but didn’t know where it was. We parked near a lovely garden with stone fountains, flower beds and flowering trees that were completely simple in decor. After sitting on the benches and taking in the fresh Atlantic air, we headed to the center. We examined the sea museum from the outside and a beautiful ascetic building of unknown purpose, truly old and very memorable. Just think that once upon a time this calm town, in which it is so comfortable and interesting, was the headquarters of gangs of counterfeiters and a mooring place for pirate ships. The criminal elements of Honfleur caused a lot of losses to the French treasury, and about their highly embellished adventures, local residents Legends are still made today. However, back in our time, we continued to explore the city and turned into the square of the Temple and the Bell Tower of St. Catherine. These church buildings date back to the 15th century but are still operational. Our walk coincided with a church service and throughout the square, bathed in the spring sun, the sound of a bell echoed, echoing the drumbeat coming from afar (somewhere behind the houses preparations were underway for the parade). Inside, the church turned out to be quite ascetic, but not without originality and truly ancient. Small narrow streets lead in different directions from the church, where two people can hardly squeeze past each other. Then we watched as boats sailed out of a picturesque little hole in the center of the city and as a worker, using smart automation, lifted the bridge to release these boats into the open sea. I also inquired about the prices of hotels in this nice place, it seems that a room in a two-star hotel costs about 60 euros per day, and at the same time I looked at the window of a real estate agency. As expected, a modest house with all amenities can be purchased for around half a million euros. Luxurious cottages will cost even more for those who wish.
From Honfleur we went towards a very popular place among those who know a lot about have a good rest, resort town- Deauville. Now the road went along the hills along the sea, in some places along a small serpentine road. Queen sang a song about champions, they were replaced by the Doors, and then the Scorpions with a little popular song about a wild river. Beautiful landscapes followed one another, and we passed Troville, crossed the bridge and ended up in Deauville. We had to look for parking, preferably free parking. There was basically no such thing in the areas adjacent to the center of Deauville. After the second circle around the city, we parked in the first one we came across. convenient place and began to figure out where and how to pay. Not understanding, they asked. We found out that today is Sunday and all parking is free. We breathed a sigh of relief and went to see Deauville.
From my point of view, this is exactly what it should look like luxury resort for rich and very rich Europeans. Strict English style, without any touch of the ever-present French carelessness. Chic, elegant, modern villas, unlike one another, hotels - palaces, surrounded by flowers, magnificent wide sand beach with private changing rooms, near which there are signs with the names of world cinema stars. The stars really have nothing to do with the locker rooms; according to locals, these signs are symbols of the city and reminders of the film festivals taking place here. In the area of the beach there are, of course, numerous tennis courts and areas for horseback riding; practicing these sports is still considered a hallmark of belonging to the elite. Luxurious Ferraris, Jaguars and Lomborghinis flash here and there, but there are not many people - the season has not yet begun and it is still cold to swim. Prices in Deauville match the surroundings - renting a sunbed and umbrella - for a day - 30 euros, and for the whole season - 500 euros (cheaper in bulk here too), the cost of the simplest lunch starts from 25 euros per person, etc. We wanted to play roulette in Deauville, the situation was very conducive, we found the most expensive and famous casino and prepared to win at least a million euros and buy a villa in Honfleur, which we liked so much, and at the same time a Ferrari, so that we could periodically drive to Deauville when the mood suited us, but dreams were not destined to come true, because entrance to the casino turned out to be 12 euros. For some reason, paying for entry seemed unstylish to us, and besides, there are a lot of free casinos all over the world, and we left Deauville for the next point on the map - the city of Caen. In general, I liked Deauville, although there are many more picturesque places on the English Channel coast that could be turned into an elite resort. Why the rich chose Deauville will remain a mystery to me.
On the way to Caen, a popular French singer said goodbye to his lover, and I tried to photograph the landscapes, which was not possible due to the high speed of movement.
After the seaside towns, Caen didn’t look good, and besides, it was cloudy and drizzling. We walked around the city center with what was already perceived as another Gothic cathedral, examined the fortress, walked along the fortress wall, took photographs of the city from above, and glimpsed the abbey from the car window. In addition, it was lunch time in Caen and we had a snack at an excellent French restaurant. When leaving Caen, unexpected difficulties arose; I could not figure out how to get to the local transport ring. The situation was saved by a colleague who promptly asked passers-by where to go. The direction was found and we rushed to Mont-Saint-Michel - a monastery carved on a rock in the middle of the sea.
Mont Saint Michel is one of the most visited attractions in France. This is a man-made monument to human labor. Only people who are obsessed with an idea, or who find themselves in a state of emergency as a result of a constant struggle with the elements or foreign invaders, can carve such beauty out of stone on a steep cliff. Be that as it may, the power of this architectural structure obvious even at a great distance - as soon as this mountain emerges from the horizon. The space is felt especially acutely because the mountain on which the monastery is built is located on absolutely flat terrain. In fact, Mont Saint Michel is the only hill around which meadows with grazing lambs stretch for many kilometers. An idyllic picture. There is a stop for transport 500 - 800 meters from the monastery. Here, traditionally, everyone gets out of their cars to take a photo of Mont Saint-Michel from afar and (or) themselves against its background. Directly next to the monastery there is a paid (4 euro) parking lot, at the entrance to which there is a warning sign that zones 1, 2, 6 are flooded with tide at 19-30. We arrived at low tide, when there was plenty of sand to walk around the mountain. It was impossible to even imagine that someday water would come to this sandy kingdom, which now can hardly be seen. However, we have become accustomed to believing all the warning signs and inscriptions in France and realized that we only have three hours to explore. The parking lot had been there since at least 10 excursion buses, later in Paris, I learned that there are one-day excursions to Mont Saint Michel from the glorious French capital, and such trips cost 90 - 100 euros.
We approach the mountain and find ourselves in a continuous stream of people. True, not everyone goes to the monastery itself: maybe because of the fairly high entrance price of 8 euros, or maybe simply because they prefer to hang out in the fresh air in the many gardens or walk on the sand around the island. We looked around everything, climbed to the very top, walked through the austere stone halls, sat in the monastery courtyard, went down narrow twisted stairs, and examined a giant device for lifting weights. Everything was very beautiful and interesting, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was walking through a popular tourist attraction, and not a living place. Either I was just tired that day, or there were too many tourists, or we ran too fast, but something was missing for me in this walk around the monastery. At the same time, now, after the passage of time, nothing is remembered as often as this particular place.
Having admired Mont Saint Michel at low tide, we decided to go have lunch and then come back and watch the waves play around the walls of the ancient monastery. I wanted to eat at a real village restaurant, which I still had to find. Having turned along the highway, we discovered what we wanted - a real tavern, where while having lunch we can look at Mont-Saint-Michel from afar. While waiting for the order, we watched as a thousand sheep crossed the highway, returning from the meadows to their home stalls. A continuous stream of sheep blocking the path of cars, if you are not driving in this car, is a very bewitching sight. For dinner, unsurprisingly, we were served a lamb dish made in accordance with the culinary traditions of the region. Having had a tasty snack, we returned to Mont-Saint-Michel and were amazed at the changes that had happened to it; from a distance it seemed that the mountain was growing straight out of the water, there were waves around the monastery, and where our car was parked there was the sea.
We had to move on. The situation was complicated by the fact that at dinner we tasted not only lamb, but also wine. Here I would like to sing an ode to the French laws that allow you to drive a car after drinking a little wonderful red wine. However, slight intoxication made it difficult to navigate the area, although in the end we found both Saint-Malo and our hotel. By the way, we made it on time - before the administration closed. Otherwise, you would have to check in through a machine, and communicating with a pile of iron, even if it’s smart, is a less pleasant procedure for a Russian tourist than personally meeting the girls checking in for guests. The room we received was exactly the same as in the previous hotel. Probably the rooms in all B&B hotels are exactly the same. Before going to bed, I was drawn to good deeds, namely, to feed a hungry cat that had come from nowhere with the remains of yesterday’s dinner. My colleague did not share my impulse, and I had to watch the cat gobble up expensive seafood by both cheeks in splendid isolation. When the cat's meal came to an end, I went to my room to sleep. Day two was over.
The third day was the most relaxed since there were no long journeys. The first place we went to was Dinard. From an architectural point of view, the city is nice, but without any frills. In Dinard, the coastal area is beautiful when you look at the seemingly turquoise water from the observation deck - through the branches of fir trees and cypresses. Oddly enough, the closer you go down to the water, the more its color changes, and on the embankment itself the sea is no longer turquoise, but dark blue. This is an interesting optical illusion. From Dinard, on the advice of one of the backpackers we met at the hotel, we headed to Cap Frehel. We chose a highly poetic road, bypassing the peninsula, along the sea past the fishing villages of St Lunaire, ST Briac and others. Now imagine: the blue surface of the water, along which green islands are scattered, small coves with beautiful yellow sand, parking lots of small boats and speedboats, the absence of people, small houses and luxurious cottages, and all this is skillfully integrated into the natural landscape. An ideal place to relax, but I hope no one will ever think of making a resort here, because otherwise all the charm will be lost.
In the meantime, we got onto the highway, found the turn to Cape Freel and drove along a narrow country road. In one of the places we came across a sign “Calvados, Cider - 500 meters” and we decided to stick to this direction, we already really wanted real Breton spirits. And we received them in full: we took as many as 6 bottles of Cider, because this drink was not sold in smaller quantities. They honestly divided three bottles each, and I began to think about what to do with my part, not to drag it to Moscow. Subsequently, when I shared a bottle with my colleagues, it turned out that this is an excellent cider that cannot be bought in a supermarket, that it is made in very limited quantities and using a special technique.
The peasant farm where we bought alcohol was very original: a small garden with trimmed grass, low trees, decorative gnomes and ducks standing on the ground, everything is very clean and smells of freshly cut grass, which is arranged in small decorative stacks. I liked the outbuilding in the shape of a mill and the tiny toy well in the flowerbed with daisies.
After tasting, exploring and shopping, our journey continued and soon we arrived at Cape Freel. I was once at Cape Roca in Portugal and it struck me with its power and majesty. Cape Freel is completely different in atmosphere and has nothing in common with Cape Roca. Still, Cape Roca is a recognized tourist place, with parking for large buses, souvenir shops, etc., Cape Freel is somewhat wilder, although wild in the French sense, it is not in the Russian sense. There is a small restaurant and toilets, and spaces separated by ropes so that tourists do not trample the grass, in general, all the benefits of civilization. Wild is more of a feeling than a reality. On Cape Freel - really beautiful, high rocks covered with pink and white flowers, small stone islands, I was especially impressed by the place with a rock in the form of a high stone tower, where hundreds of seagulls found their refuge. The weather was excellent, sunny, windless, and sitting on the rocks, watching the boats sail, listening to the gulls of the seagulls was a real pleasure.
However, even in this heavenly place, not everything turned out to be as cloudless as we would like; when we returned from a walk and approached the car, we found a crying woman. As it turned out, money, documents, cards, a camera and something else were stolen from a car parked next to us, belonging to an elderly couple. I immediately rushed to check if our passports and tickets hidden in the trunk were still there. Fortunately, everything was safe and sound, but this episode quickly brought me out of the state of serenity that arose at Cape Freel. In human society you cannot relax, and valuables must be kept in a safe, although this is not a guarantee. And I truly felt sorry for the people; now they had to wait for the police, draw up reports, the day would be hopelessly ruined.
It was time for lunch, and in the morning we decided to have a meal not just anywhere, but in the oyster capital of Brittany - the city of Cancale. By one o'clock we arrived at the desired place, and went not to the center, but straight to the port - a sort of mecca for oyster lovers. By the way, we never visited the center of Cancale. A unique atmosphere of gluttony reigns in the port, which I have never encountered before; an endless string of restaurants stretches along the entire embankment, where there is practically no free seats,. Even finding parking spaces on the embankment and in the adjacent nooks and crannies turned out to be unrealistic, despite the fact that all these parking lots are paid. We stopped quite far away, but naturally we didn’t pay near a non-working parking machine and didn’t pay; we were in a hurry to join this world of oyster eaters. By the way, to eat oysters you don’t have to go to a restaurant; you can buy them for pennies at a small market and sit right on the embankment parapet. When purchasing, they will open an oyster for you, give you a plate and half a lemon, and then eat to your health.
We decided to eat at the restaurant, to begin with, and then catch up with oysters on the embankment. My stomach celebration began as soon as the waitress placed a dish with 9 pieces of the fourth size. The largest oysters proudly bear the number 0 and they are not specially farmed, these are all wild specimens. We made it to Cancale just in time, because in another week the oysters will begin their breeding season, and then their taste will noticeably change and not for the better. In the meantime, the oysters are great, tossed with lemon juice or vinegar, they burn the tongue nicely. Now in Moscow I think that it would be better if I had never tried them at all, because now I am simply irresistibly drawn back to Cancale to eat more oysters. I ate these nine things for a very long time, prolonging the pleasure and, of course, washed it down with white wine. After the oysters there was delicious fish, with a side dish of sauerkraut and excellent pistachio ice cream, and then we, full and satisfied, wandered to the oyster market. I no longer had the strength to eat anything else and, leaving my colleague to continue tasting, I went to photograph the oyster fields.
The landscapes around the port of Cancale are simply unimaginable: boats are lying all around on the sand, apparently in the morning there was a sea here, but now it has left the coastal zone and is turning blue somewhere in the distance. If you walk to the end of the bridge, you can see a barely noticeable but clearly recognizable hill in the distance - This is Mont-Saint-Michel. But back to oysters, I spent a long time walking through the fields where they are grown. There are small reservoirs filled with water and oysters live in them. Moreover, if the oysters are not sold in one day at the market, then they are returned back to the tanks and lie there until the next day. In general, the oyster is stored for no more than 5-6 days, after which it goes rotten and becomes dangerous for a potential eater.
After the oyster feast, we went to see the city where we had a hotel - Saint-Malo. There is a part there, surrounded by a wall. Like many cities, Saint-Malo was built according to the principles of a military fortress; apparently pirates were actively active in this part of the coast. However now Old city has turned into the most touristic place, with a huge amount boutiques, public gardens and restaurants. You can climb the fortress wall and you will be rewarded with a view of the sea, an excellent sandy beach, stones and a very nice old fort. We thought for a long time about where we should have dinner: on the one hand, we irresistibly wanted to go to Cancale for oysters, but on the other hand, we also wanted to walk around Saint-Malo. This time, cultural preferences won out over culinary ones, we quickly ate at one of the restaurants in the old part and then walked around the city and its embankment. At some point during our walk, we came across a casino, reviving the dream of a million euros and a villa in Honfleur. We rushed to play, but the roulette didn’t work, and we didn’t have much desire to throw money away to the one-armed bandits.
Since the next day promised to be the hardest, we still had to cover 500 kilometers, we decided not to go to the previously planned Dinan, a cute medieval town nearby, but to go to bed. By the way, in the morning we also didn’t stop by Dinan for various reasons, which I now terribly regret.
Our last day before work was spent on the road. Driving around France is easy and pleasant, the road surfaces are good. The only thing I didn’t like was the hour-long traffic jam near Rennes. At first we stood peacefully in it like all law-abiding French citizens, but at some point “Russian energy without a vector” made itself felt, and we drove around the traffic jam in the outermost lane intended for police and ambulances. The French watched our maneuvers from the windows in surprise, and we, ashamed and telling ourselves that this was the first and last violation, drove forward. Fortunately, our turn quickly appeared, and we left this highway clogged with cars. This time we did not stop anywhere for sightseeing, but only ate at a roadside cafe for truckers. The food in this cafe was quite tasty, like almost everywhere else in France, and the staff were friendly. True, in this place, I was the only girl and everyone looked at me with undisguised surprise.
We drove the last kilometers to our business trip with the fear that we might run out of gas right on the road. We didn’t get a gas station on time and we pulled with all our might, hoping for “maybe.” Perhaps it didn’t disappoint this time either; we arrived, filled the car with gasoline and prepared to return it to AVIS. As a result, in 4 days we drove 1184 kilometers and refueled for exactly 100 euros. Upon arrival, we said goodbye and each went our separate ways to work and meetings. Paris was waiting for me on Saturday, but this city, as you know, is “worth a mass” and a separate story. In general, driving around France is easy, pleasant, interesting, and there are practically no problems with orientation and safety, and if I ever get the chance to repeat such a trip in my life, I will not miss it.
Normandy is one of the most beautiful and interesting regions of France. Here and amazing nature, And medieval cities, and beautiful villages, casinos and luxury, cider and Calvados, and what not you will find in Normandy. The problem in the region is that if you want to see it all, public transport is not suitable - spend a lot of money and see 2-3 cities. Therefore, here you either book an excursion (see, by the way, offers from Paris by), or rent a car and go yourself. We'll tell you about the second method. This way you will see more and better.
Rent a car in France
Renting a car in France is standard. There are no special tricks. We wrote in detail about the process in a separate article, as well. Now we can only recommend this site, where you can easily reserve a car.
In this article we offer you a leisurely trip to Normandy for about one week. If you wish, you can do it in 3-4 days. The table shows the entire route, with routes, kilometers, gasoline consumption and the cost of toll roads. Now we will describe the stopping points and you can choose what is more interesting for you.
The first day
We assume that you start your journey in Paris. You can rent a car directly at Charles de Gaulle or Orly airport, or in the city itself.
We suggest you spend the first day in the capital of Normandy - Rouen. The city is famous for its gigantic cathedral, the one that Claude Monet depicted 30 times in different lighting, and also for the fact that Joan of Arc was burned in Rouen (the site of the fire is still preserved). The city is rich in medieval architecture and opens the way to Normandy - Camembert, crepes, cider and mussels. You can find all this in Rouen.
The Museum of Fine Arts is also worth a visit, especially if you are a connoisseur of the Impressionists. Many of them lived and wrote in Normandy. The places depicted later became popular, and we’ll talk about them below. In general, the museum is educational not only from an artistic, but also from a geographical point of view.
The distance from Paris to Rouen is approximately 140 km. Along the way, you can stop by the house-museum, or rather even the garden-museum of Claude Mon e - Giverny. Here he painted his famous water lilies, and now Giverny has become a place of pilgrimage for fans of his work. You can also visit the village of the great artist during a separate excursion, where you will be provided with headphones with an audio guide in Russian. The trip is organized directly from Paris, find out detailed information and order it.
We suggest spending the night on the first day in Rouen. In the evening in the city you can go to a restaurant or bar, watch a night performance at the Cathedral or stroll along the Seine embankment. There are many hotels here that offer parking to their visitors. Best deals hotels in the center of Rouen, see this link.
Second day
Let's move on. The small town of Dieppe ( Dieppe ) - next. This is the first city on our trip to the English Channel. From here ships used to sail to explore New France, that is, Canada. The city is a port, there are many fish restaurants, a long beach and a medieval castle on the top of a cliff. There is something to see! Dieppe is located 82 km from Rouen.
Next, after lunch, we go to the city of Etretat ( Etretat ). A small town famous for its nature. Steep cliffs, green meadows, amazingly colored sea. The beach in Etretat is very nice, but there are a lot of tourists. Many artists have tried to convey the amazing shape of the rocks in their works.
From Dieppe to Etretat – 84 km. And along the way you can stop by one of the most beautiful villages in France -Veules les Roses. It is located on the banks of the smallest river in the country. There are many half-timbered houses and factories, and in the central square don't forget to try a dozen fresh oysters.
Keep in mind that in the summer, especially on weekends, all Parisians go to Normandy. This is their country house. Therefore, in warm weather, it is impossible to find a parking space in the city center (parking, by the way, is often free). Sometimes you have to leave the car 1-2 kilometers from the city center.
Same thing with hotels. It is better to book them in advance. On the second day, we suggest you spend the night in the city of Etretat. There are few hotels here, but some of them are very cozy.
Day three
Just 47 kilometers, during which you will cross one of the most famous bridges in the world - the Normandy Bridge (the cable-stayed bridge depicted on the 500 euro note) and you will find yourself in the small port town of Honfleur. No one has ever drawn him!
This is perhaps the most Norman place on your entire journey. A small port, yachts, architecture and delicious cuisine are the key to the city’s success. Honfleur even had the honor of being featured on Dmitry Medvedev’s Instagram when he was president, this isn’t eating mussels and fries!
We continue our journey. We drive just another 20 kilometers to the south and find ourselves in two cities at once - Deauville and Trouville, they are located on opposite sides of the river. Trouville is a village by the sea. The name itself is translated from French as a city-hole, but this is far from true. We still need to look for a more prosperous town in France. And Deauville is famous for its casino, beach and horse racing. Both of them claim the title best beach. Now wealthy Parisians come here to spend their weekends or vacations.
This is where our next overnight stay will be. If you want to feel yourself in the center of luxury - here are hotels in Deauville, if you prefer a more modest life - then hotels in Trouville.
Day four
In the morning, go to Deauville beach, if the weather permits (it usually does not spoil this region), and then head to Caen. Don't be Russian journalists, don't confuse it with Cannes. That's two absolutely different cities. And, unfortunately, Caen is far from being the Cote d'Azur. But on the other hand, it’s an excellent city with a huge, almost the largest in Western Europe, medieval castle. It was erected by the same William the Conqueror, the Norman who conquered England. After him, no one else could. Before the French Revolution he was buried here.
Caen is 42 km from Deauville. On the way, stop by Cabourg, famous for its festival, beach, casino, hippodrome and Grand Hotel.Next night in Cana. Choose a hotel or room.
Day five
Day six
On the sixth day, we will leave Normandy and go to Brittany - another authentic region of the country. From Mont Saint-Michel 48 km and we are in Saint-Malo. Boris Akunin writes his books in this small but proud fortress town. Do you want romance? Better places, than Saint-Malo cannot be found. And, since we are in Brittany, it’s time to try crepes or pancakes, wheat or buckwheat and with different fillings!
Relax, enjoy the sea, Brittany, France. And the next morning back to Paris!
The distance to the capital from Saint-Malo is 368 km and approximately 5 and a half hours on the road. In total, you will travel about 1000 km along our route, spend about 100 liters of gasoline and get a little more pleasure than a mountain the size of Mont Saint-Michel.
Study our table, leave comments about your trips and have a nice trip!
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Day 6 - ,
Day 7 -
Day 8 - Mont Saint Michel
Day 9 -
We flew to Paris and rented a car at the airport. We went north and stopped in the small town of Les Andelys, where we saw the Chateau Gaillard castle.
In the morning we went to Deauville and Trouville, walked for 4 hours.
After lunch we returned to Honfleur, had lunch and rested. Towards evening we went to Etretat, crossing the Normandy Bridge along the way. Immediately behind it there is a payment point, where you can stop and go up to the observation deck.
In Etretat we walked until sunset
Overnight in Hautefleur.
Day 3 - ,
In the morning we set out towards Saint-Malo, with several stops planned along the way. First we walked on Omaha Beach and visited the American Cemetery.
And then we stopped at one little-known place - a cape overlooking Mont Saint Michel.
We spent two nights in Saint-Malo.
In the morning we went to Dinan
On the way back we stopped at a city park
During the day we walked around the city, relaxed on the beach and took time-lapses of the tide.
Towards evening we went to Mont Saint Michel, where we walked around outside the abbey.
Day 5 - ,
In the morning we watched the sunrise from the pier in Saint Malo.
We drove in the direction of Saint Guirec, stopping along the way at Fort-la-Latte and Cape Freel.
We arrived at Saint Guirec beach, where we had booked a hotel for one night. We walked around the hotel for a bit.
Day 6 - ,
It was foggy in the morning. We saw the main attraction of the region - the red boulders on Plumanak beach.
Next we drove towards Nantes. Nantes is in the Loire Land region, but we wanted to visit one of major cities in northern France and chose him. As it turned out, they were right. On the way we also stopped in Vannes.
We settled in Nantes and walked around the city.
We spent two nights in Nantes.
Day 7 -
In the morning we watched the sunrise on the embankment near the hotel.
And then we walked around the city all day.
Day 8- , Mont Saint Michel
In the morning we saw a mechanical elephant and rode the carousel.
In Mont Saint Michel we had a hotel booked on the grounds of the abbey. So we checked in and went for a walk around the walls until the tide came in.
And in the evening they looked at our main goal in northern France - high tide at Mont Saint Michel.
When it was still dark we went to the observation deck on the dam.
Day 9 -
Public transport in Normandy is quite well developed, so it is also convenient for tourist travel. Almost every city has its own bus network, and the cities of Caen, Le Havre and Rouen also have a tram line.
Buses in Normandy
The city of Caen has 20 city bus lines that allow you to quickly and conveniently get to anywhere in the city. The waiting time for the bus depends on the route, but on average it is approximately 15-30 minutes. Bus line operating times vary, so it's best to check.
The NOCTIBUS bus also runs around the city at night. It runs every half hour on Thursday from 00:30 to 05:00 and every hour on Friday from 1 am to 05:00. On Saturday the last departure of the night bus is 06:00.
Trams in Normandy
Caen's tram lines are divided into two branches A and B; they cover almost all major objects. Between Copernicus and Poincaré stations, lines A and B have the same route. Runs every 8 minutes on lines A and B, and every 4 minutes on the general line between Poincare and Copernicus stations. The tram operates from 05:30 to 00:30 from Monday to Saturday and from 08:30 to 00:30 on Sundays. Routes can be viewed.
One of the most popular types public transport in Rouen is the tram. Currently in Rouen, trains operate on two route lines: Ligne Technopôle and Ligne Georges Braque. The first train starts at 04:30 am, and the last one at 23:00. Intervals between trains on weekdays are about 4 minutes, reaching 10 minutes on weekends.
Tickets for the “metro” are the same as for other public transport in the city. A single trip ticket allows you to travel for one hour on all types of public transport, including 6 transfers.
Tickets
A single ticket costs €1.35 in Caen, €1.50 in Rouen, and costs around €1.20 in other cities, valid for one hour from the first pass. A ticket for an unlimited number of trips, valid for 24 hours from the moment of the first passage, will cost 3.75 € in the city of Caen, 4.40 € in Rouen, other cities will cost approximately 3.40 €. Tickets can be purchased at tram and bus stops.
Finally I got around to summarizing the information on Normandy - not the lyrical part, but the more practical one. I hope it will be useful if you, like us, plan to travel to these wonderful places by car. Let me make a reservation right away that all of the following is personal experience, he does not claim either absolute completeness of information or the optimality of the route (although the route ultimately suited us very well).
Where is it?
Normandy is a region in northwestern France. It is divided into upper Normandy, centered in Rouen, and lower Normandy, centered in Caen. Adjacent to lower Normandy from the southwest is Breton, which we also captured a little on our trip.
Why go there?
If you have already visited Paris, Venice, Barcelona, etc., and you want to discover new places in Europe, pay attention to Normandy. You are guaranteed rich visual impressions (landscapes, parks, architecture, harsh northern beaches), taste pleasures (cheese, cider, seafood, etc.), historical excursions (as in ancient history Normans, and in military operations of the Second World War - famous beaches"D-Day"), and surprisingly nice local people. They speak decent English and are very tourist friendly without being intrusive - the perfect combination!
When to go?
The best season is approximately from April-May to the end of October. Since November, many attractions and farms are closed to the public (out of season), and the weather becomes nasty. Normandy is already the rainiest region of France (and they never tire of making various jokes about this), and in winter the rain is also cold, and daylight hours are short. We went at the beginning of October - it was, to put it mildly, not hot :))) but this is no longer the peak season of summer, when there are no crowds of tourists - it’s easy to find places to spend the night, there are no crowds anywhere.
Idea and general route planning
Without claiming absolute truth, I will only tell you about our thought process. We initially wanted Jersey and Guernsey, the idea of Normandy was born as a logical addition to them. Then we started looking for information about what is interesting in Normandy, noting cities and places that are definitely worth visiting (for us it turned out to be Rouen, Giverny, Allied landing beaches (D-Day Beaches), Mont Saint Michel, cheese and cider road ) and those that would be nice to visit, if possible.
Based on these estimates, and not wanting to move from place to place every day, we decided that we would book hotels in three strongholds for several days - Rouen, Quen (or rather, a town near Quen on one of the landing beaches), San Malo - and will travel to other points from there. As a result, the tactics fully justified themselves, although on the spot it turned out that there were no housing options, incl. inexpensive, - a great variety (including farms and cute guesthouses that are not on international booking sites). So you can just drive and look for an overnight stay as you go, especially not during the “hot season”. But we are paranoid in this sense, we plan in advance :)
We flew to Paris in the afternoon (Charles de Gaulle airport), took the metro to Saint-Lazare station and went by train to Rouen.
- Train schedules and booking tickets in French railways. It makes sense to order key tickets in advance, because... It is possible to buy them in advance at cheaper prices. The reservation is printed out and exchanged for a ticket at the station at the SNCF office (or at other points - everything is written on the reservation). Important: do not plan train trips close to important connections - in France, a strike is the norm, and the likelihood of the train being late is high!
- Don’t forget to submit an international “booklet” for your license to the traffic police before your trip! There is a problem with Russian licenses - although all the data seems to be duplicated in Latin, the category descriptions are made only in Russian, which gives the rental company the right to refuse you (they may not refuse, but why take the risk???). It is also recommended to get an international license for an Israeli license (in MEMSI this is done in 5 minutes and 15 shekels) - Israel somehow crookedly signed some conventions, so it’s better to play it safe
- And be sure (!) to take a GPS navigator with updated maps! If you don't have it, don't regret it extra money(7-10 euros per day), rent it along with the car. Without a navigator, even with the most the best card, you will fray all your nerves in this region and spend a lot of time wandering! Yes, you will spend more on gasoline for these wanderings than on renting a navigator!!!
Currency
Euro, of course. Cards are accepted everywhere. The only difficulty in terms of currency that we encountered was that it was very difficult to change cash dollars (and we had part of the amount in them). For example, in Rouen they don’t even do this in banks, only in tourist office downtown.
Language
French. But unlike Parisians, locals speak English fluently and don’t frown when you speak broken French. Still, the proximity to England and the historical past have an effect.
Food
France in general and Normandy in particular is a culinary paradise. The food here is truly delicious, and food here is not just a life-sustaining necessity, but a separate experience and pleasure. Of course, try local cheeses, pears (oh, what juicy pears are here!), cider, pommeau - a mixture of Calvados and cider (but Calvados itself is a stool :))), pastries, seafood (including oysters - for those who like it).
We did this - in the morning we had breakfast at the hotel or in a nearby coffee shop, had lunch at a restaurant, finding a profitable and tasty formule - like a set lunch, for dinner we bought cheeses, cider, baguette, apples, pears, sausages or ham, and had a picnic. It could be more economical, but we decided that pleasure was our priority. Personal recommendation- restaurant L"Orbecquoise in the small town of Orbec near Lisieux.
Automotive cases
Toll roads- There are a lot of them in France! Usually these are highways and major roads connecting regions of the country, as well as bridges (the most famous is the Normandy Bridge). The cost is from 2 to 6 euros, each road has its own. Payment is made at checkpoints (sometimes at the entrance, sometimes at the exit, sometimes both here and there - save your receipts to leave!), there are signs on the road warning that the highway is toll. It is best to carry small change with you for payment, although bills and cards are also accepted (cards are not all, you need some kind of specific chip). A toll road always or almost always has a free alternative (you can set your GPS to bypass them) - this usually takes longer, but is much more scenic.
Speed limits- city 50 km/h, countryside 90, highway - 110, autobahn - 130. Cameras everywhere!!!
Petrol- quite expensive and prices are not regulated, i.e. different at different gas stations (even at gas stations of the same company prices may differ!). Therefore, it’s worth taking a closer look at where it’s cheaper.
Parking- V small towns Usually free, in the center and large cities there may be paid zones with a payment machine (color-coded) or paid parking. In general, there were no problems with parking, with the exception of the center of Rouen.
Tactical planning
We initially had a rough plan of what we were going to do on what day, but, naturally, it was adjusted along the way. For planning, we used the Rough Guide to Normandy and Brittany. We also actively used local tourist centers- they are in every village in Normandy!!! - you shouldn’t ignore them, they will tell you about current events, give you all sorts of useful waste paper and maps, and recommend a place to eat or stay for the night. Check out festival dates and farmers' market schedules in different cities—both are worth visiting.
- Pay attention to the opening hours of museums, farms and other attractions so as not to stumble upon a closed door. The schedule can be quite exotic - the cheese farm may close for a “lunch break” from 12 to 14, and the museum may not be open on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Hotel Stars Rouen is a basic hotel in a "marine style". Normal place to spend the night, very reasonable price, free parking and convenient access to the A13 - the main route from Rouen. Convenient only if Rouen is not the main purpose of the trip, and you have a car, because... not in the city center.
Hotel Le Canada, Hermanville-sur-mer - hotel in a small seaside town near Quesne and Bayeux, in a classic Norman half-timbered building, delicious breakfast, beautiful rooms. Disadvantage - in the middle of nowhere, the nearest cafe, for example, is a couple of kilometers away :))
Éthic étapes Patrick Varangot, Saint-Malo - a large hostel with a lot of different features and opportunities (common room, bicycle rental, various events for guests). Disadvantage - very spartan rooms (although new and clean), they don’t even provide soap :))
Visa
Regular Schengen. To be honest, it was boring for us to show all our movements at the embassy (especially since they were still in the planning stage at that time), so I booked
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