A Delightful 6-Day Exploration of France
- kkychau
- May 19
- 5 min read
An itinerary for you
The allure of an affordable plane ticket from New York City to Paris prompted me to consider a trip to France. The budget airline French Bee offered a round-trip fare of only $490, which included checked luggage, a meal, and beverages. Enticed by this exceptional value and having lived in Paris for a year in my youth, I decided to embark on a 6-day journey to France, accompanied by my son.
Who doesn't love France? The country is teeming with captivating history and endless sights to explore. Eager to experience all that France has to offer!
We arrived at Orly Airport in Paris and immediately set out to explore the city. To ensure a seamless and convenient transportation experience, I had pre-booked a rental car online before our departure from the US. Furthermore, I had activated roaming on my phone, which worked flawlessly throughout our time in France. With GPS readily available on my phone, I was able to easily navigate and direct us to various destinations during our stay.
Museum of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Given my son's keen interest in car racing, our first stop was the Museum of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a museum dedicated to the renowned 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. This visit was sure to captivate his passion for motorsports and provide an engaging start to our French adventure.
From there, we continued our journey by driving to the charming medieval town of Dinan, where we stayed for a night. This picturesque historic town proved to be an awesome addition to our itinerary, offering a glimpse into France's rich heritage. The town looked particularly stunning at night, with the viaduct illuminated by captivating blue lighting, creating a mesmerizing atmosphere.
During our stay in Dinan, we had the pleasure of lodging at the Mercure Dina Port le Jerzual, a hotel situated on the shores of the Dinan Harbor. After a delightful dinner at a nearby restaurant we indulged in a relaxing hour-long soak in the hotel's jacuzzi, a perfect way to unwind and savor the day's experiences.
On the second day of our trip, we started our activates early, as we needed to squeeze in five destinations within the day's itinerary. In the morning, Dinan exuded a delightful charm, with its old stone houses and cobblestone streets inviting us to stroll through the quaint surroundings.
Dinan
Our next stop is St. Malo; it is only a short drive around 30mins from Dinan. Nestled along the rugged northern coast of Brittany, the walled old town of St Malo stands as a testament to the enduring allure of historic French architecture and culture. With its imposing granite ramparts, winding cobblestone streets, and charming medieval buildings, this enchanting enclave transports visitors to a bygone era. During World War II, this strategic coastal fortress found itself at the heart of a desperate struggle for control of the English Channel. As the German forces swept across Europe in the early years of the war, St Malo found itself under Nazi occupation.
Saint Malo
We walked around the ramparts; it took about an hour. Before we headed back to the car, we grabbed some of those famous Kouign Amann pastries, but as we were walking toward the water, these crazy seagulls started attacking us! So, we just chucked the rest of the pastries towards the car to get away from their brutal assault.
Le Mont Saint Michel
After a 45-minute drive from Saint-Malo, we arrived at my once-favorite spot in France - the iconic Le Mont Saint Michel. This breathtaking island and abbey have long captured the imagination of travelers, but I must admit that my fondness for this place has waned a bit over the years.
30 years ago, when I first discovered Mont Saint Michel, it was a far less crowded and touristy destination. Back then, I could easily park right next to the entrance gate, and I had the freedom to roam around the entire island, even passing through the backyards of some private residences without anyone questioning my presence. Of course, during that time, the abbey itself was not open to the public, with only the church at the top accessible.
Those were the days when you could truly immerse yourself in the magic and solitude of this medieval wonder, without the constant crush of visitors. Nowadays, the crowds and commercialization have undoubtedly taken a bit of the shine off this once-pristine gem. But despite the changes, there's no denying the enduring allure of Mont Saint Michel, a place that continues to captivate and inspire all who venture here.
I had planned to spend around 90 minutes exploring this breathtaking island and abbey, but the reality was quite different.
With all the shuttle transportation, walking, and an indulgent lunch at the famous Hotel La Mere Poulard restaurant, our visit ended up taking a full 3 hours. AT the renowned restaurant, I couldn't resist trying their world best signature dish - the famous Omelette de la Mere Poulard. this iconic omelet, cooked to perfection in a copper pan, has been a beloved specialty at the restaurant for generations. The crowds and the logistics of navigating the site meant that my initial timeline was completely thrown off.
As a result, I had to regrettably leave no time to visit the museum at Omaha Beach, another important historical destination on our itinerary. The time management challenges of Mont Saint Michel made it impossible to fit everything in as I had hoped.
Utah Beach
Our next stop was Utah Beach, which was about a 2-hour drive from Mont Saint Michel. This additional historical site was another key part of our itinerary, as it holds a special significance for me. I've long wanted to bring my son here, as he's learned about the history of this site in his history classes and through movies but has never had the chance to see it in person. Even a brief visit to walk the sands and take in the solemn atmosphere left a lasting impression, despite the extremely windy conditions.
After Utah Beach, we made one more stop at Omaha Beach, another site of immense historical importance that I was determined to show my son. The wind was just as fierce here, adding to the sense of the challenges faced by the soldiers who fought and sacrificed on these shores during World War II. Although we missed the opportunity to visit the museums at both beaches, we were fortunate to experience the sites under the warm glow of the sunset.
Omaha Beach
Our last stop of the day was Domaine du Lieu Des Brocs, where we were staying for the
night. This charming bed and breakfast style lodging was the perfect place to rest after a long day of exploring.
I felt a bit ashamed arriving at the property around 10pm, as I didn't realize the owners would have to stay up and wait for our late arrival. if I had known, I definitely would have sent them a message to let them know.
The place was awesome; it had a small kitchen and living room area for us to relax in. After such a busy day, we were grateful for the chance to unwind in this peaceful setting. We woke up the next morning to a delightful surprise - a basket of yummy breakfast items had been delivered right to our room! It was such a nice touch and the perfect way to start our day.
As we walked outside to our front garden, we discovered just how huge the property was. To our delight, we found they even had their own driving range on site. We managed to hit a few balls before our departure.
From there, we headed to our next destination - Versailles and Paris where we would spend the next three days. I'll share more about that part of our journey in an upcoming post.
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