PDF Lonely Planet Normandy and D Day Beaches Road Trips Lonely Planet Ebook Full Chapter
PDF Lonely Planet Normandy and D Day Beaches Road Trips Lonely Planet Ebook Full Chapter
PDF Lonely Planet Normandy and D Day Beaches Road Trips Lonely Planet Ebook Full Chapter
https://textbookfull.com/product/lonely-planet-provence-and-
southeast-france-road-trips-lonely-planet/
https://textbookfull.com/product/lonely-planet-best-road-trips-
usa-5-road-trips-guide-5th-edition-planet/
https://textbookfull.com/product/lonely-planet-france-s-best-
trips-lonely-planet/
https://textbookfull.com/product/lonely-planet-australia-s-best-
trips-lonely-planet/
Lonely Planet New England s Best Trips Lonely Planet
https://textbookfull.com/product/lonely-planet-new-england-s-
best-trips-lonely-planet/
https://textbookfull.com/product/lonely-planet-italys-best-
trips-1st-edition-lonely-planet/
https://textbookfull.com/product/lonely-planet-iceland-s-ring-
road-lonely-planet/
https://textbookfull.com/product/lonely-planet-germany-austria-
switzerland-s-best-trips-2nd-edition-lonely-planet/
https://textbookfull.com/product/lonely-planet-provence-the-cote-
d-azur-lonely-planet/
CONTENTS
PLAN YOUR TRIP
ROAD TRIPS
DESTINATIONS
NORMANDY
Seine-Maritime
Rouen
Dieppe
Côte d’Albâtre
Le Havre
Calvados
Bayeux
D-Day Beaches
Caen
Deauville
Trouville-sur-Mer
Honfleur
DIRECTORY A–Z
Accessible Travel
Accommodation
Electricity
Food
Insurance
Internet Access
Legal Matters
LGBT+ Travellers
Money
Opening Hours
Public Holidays
Telephone
Toilets
Tourist Information
Travel with Children
Visas
LANGUAGE
INDEX
OUR WRITERS
WELCOME TO NORMANDY
& D-DAY BEACHES
Northern France is primed with possibilities –
whether that means sampling Norman cheeses,
getting close to WWI and WWII history or simply
moseying around Rouen’s old town. And with its
abundance of coast and countryside, it’s a pleasure
to drive, too.
This is a region with a long (and turbulent) history that is plain to see. The
scars of war can still be traced on the fields of Flanders and the beaches of
Normandy. Elsewhere, be awed by the landscapes and villages that inspired
artists such as Claude Monet.
Honfleur
Yann Guichaoua-Photos/Getty Images ©
NORMANDY & D-DAY
BEACHES HIGHLIGHTS
Vimy Ridge
Walk through one of the only surviving trench systems from WWI.
See it on Trip
LUCENTIUS/GETTY IMAGES ©
Camembert
Learn about the eponymous soft cheese in this picturesque Norman
village. See it on Trip
PICAVET/GETTY IMAGES ©
Omaha Beach
Remember the fallen at the site of the most brutal of the D-Day
fighting. See it on Trip
SPOOKIEPOWER/GETTY IMAGES ©
CITY GUIDE
PARIS
If ever a city needed no introduction, it’s Paris – a
trendsetter and style icon for centuries, and still at
the cutting edge. Whether you want tick off the
landmarks or seek out secret corners, Paris fulfils all
your expectations and leaves you wanting more.
Getting Around
Driving in Paris is a nightmare. Happily, there’s no need for a car. The
metro is fast, frequent and efficient; tickets cost €1.90 and are valid on the
city’s buses.
Paris is increasingly bike-friendly, with more cycling lanes and efforts
from the city of Paris to reduce the number of cars on the roads.
Most bike rental places will require a deposit (usually €150 for a standard
bike, €300 for electric bikes). Take ID and your bank or credit card.
Freescoot (www.freescoot.fr)
Gepetto et Vélos (www.gepetto-velos.com)
Paris à Vélo, C’est Sympa (www.parisvelosympa.fr)
Parking
Parking meters in Paris do not accept coins; they require a European-
compatible chip-enabled credit card.
Municipal public car parks, of which there are more than 200 in Paris,
charge between €2 and €6 per hour or €20 to €36 per 24 hours (cash and
compatible credit cards accepted). Most are open 24 hours.
Where to Eat
Le Marais is one of the best areas for eating out, with its small restaurants
and trendy bistros. Don’t miss Paris’ street markets: Marché Bastille, rue
Montorgueil and rue Mouffetard are full of atmosphere.
Where to Stay
Base yourself in Montmartre for its Parisian charm, if you don’t mind
crowds. Le Marais and Bastille provide style on a budget, while St-Germain
is good for a splurge.
Useful Websites
Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/paris) Destination information, hotel
bookings, traveller forum and more.
Paris Info (www.parisinfo.com) Comprehensive tourist-authority website.
Sortiraparis (www.sortiraparis.com) Up-to-date calendar listing.
Bonjour Paris (www.bonjourparis.com) New openings, old favourites and
upcoming events.
HiP Paris (www.hipparis.com) Not only vacation rentals but articles and reviews,
too.
Bar, Vieux Lille (Old Lille)
MICHEL HINCKER/GETTY IMAGES ©
LILLE
Lille may be France’s most underrated major city.
This once-tired industrial metropolis has transformed
itself into a stylish, self-confident city. Three art
museums, lots of stylish shops and a lovely old town
make it well worthy of investigation.
Getting Around
Driving into Lille is incredibly confusing, even with a good map; just
suspend your sense of direction and blindly follow the ‘Centre Ville’ signs.
Public transport tickets (€1.60, plus €0.20 for a reusable ticket) are sold
on buses but must be purchased before boarding a metro or tram; there are
ticket machines at each stop. A Pass’ Journée (24-hour pass) costs €4.80 and
needs to be time-stamped each time you board; two- to seven-day passes
are also available. A Pass Soirée, good for unlimited travel after 7pm, costs
€2.20.
Transpole has a ticket office ( 03 20 40 40 40; www.transpole.fr; Gare Lille-
Flandres; 6.30am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-8pm Sat; Gare Lille-Flandres) adjacent to the
Gare Lille-Flandres metro station.
Parking
If you’re driving, the best idea is to leave your vehicle at the park-and-ride
at Champ de Mars on bd de la Liberté, 1.2km northwest of the centre. The
ticket includes return travel for five people to central Lille on bus 12.
Where to Eat
The city has a flourishing culinary scene. Keep an eye out for estaminets
(traditional Flemish eateries, with antique knick-knacks on the walls and
plain wooden tables) serving Flemish specialities. Dining hot spots in Vieux
Lille include rue de Gand, home to small, moderately priced French and
Flemish restaurants, and rue de la Monnaie and its side streets, alleys and
courtyards.
Where to Stay
Most hotels are within striking distance of the city centre, but Lille’s
business focus means many are short on charm. On the plus side, rates drop
at weekends.
Useful Websites
Lille Tourisme (www.lilletourism.com)
Trip Through Lille:
Destination coverage
NEED TO KNOW
CURRENCY
Euro (€)
LANGUAGE
French
VISAS
Generally not required for stays of up to 90 days (or at all for EU nationals);
some nationalities need a Schengen visa.
FUEL
Petrol stations are common around main roads and larger towns. Unleaded
costs from around €1.60 per litre; gazole (diesel) is usually at least €0.15
cheaper.
RENTAL CARS
ADA (www.ada.fr)
Auto Europe (www.autoeurope.com)
Avis (www.avis.com)
Europcar (www.europcar.com)
Hertz (www.hertz.com)
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
Europe-wide emergency 112
Ambulance (SAMU) 15
Police 17
When to Go
Climate
Daily Costs
Budget: Less than €130
A Dorm bed: €18–30
A Double room in budget hotel: €90
A Admission to many attractions first Sunday of month: free
A Lunch menus (set meals): less than €20
Midrange: €130–220
A Double room in a midrange hotel: €90–190
A Lunch menus in gourmet restaurants: €20–40
Sleeping
Be it a fairy-tale château, a boutique hideaway or floating pod on a lake, Normandy
has accommodation to suit every taste and pocket. If you’re visiting in high season
(especially August), reserve ahead.
B&Bs Enchanting properties with maximum five rooms.
Camping Sites range from wild and remote, to brash resorts with pools, slides et
al.
Hostels New-wave hostels are design-driven, lifestyle spaces with single/double
rooms as well as dorms.
Hotels Hotels embrace every budget and taste.
Arriving in Normandy
Ferry
Car ferries link Dieppe with the English port of Newhaven; Le Havre and
Ouistreham (Caen) with Portsmouth; and Cherbourg with Poole and Portsmouth
as well as the Irish ports of Dublin and Rosslare.
Train
Normandy is easily accessible by train from Paris – Rouen is just 70 minutes from
Paris’ Gare St-Lazare (€24.10, 1¼ hours, 25 daily Monday to Friday, 13 to 18
Saturday and Sunday).
Bus
Bus Verts ( 09 70 83 00 14; www.busverts.fr) runs buses from Le Havre to Honfleur
(€4.90, 30 minutes, four to six daily) and Deauville and Trouville (€4.90, one hour,
four to six daily).
Mobile Phones
European and Australian phones work, but American cells with 900 and 1800 MHz
networks only are compatible; check with your provider before leaving home. Use
a French SIM card to call with a cheaper French number.
Internet Access
Wi-fi is available in most hotels and B&Bs (usually free, but sometimes for a small
charge). Many cafes and restaurants also offer free wi-fi to customers.
Money
ATMs are at every airport, most train stations and on every second street corner in
towns and cities. Visa, MasterCard and Amex are widely accepted.
Tipping
By law, restaurant and bar prices are service compris (include a 15% service
charge). Taxis expect around 10%; round up bar bills to the nearest euro.
Useful Websites
Tourism Normandie (www.normandie-tourisme.fr) Official regional tourism site.
Apples, Cider and Calvados (vimoutiers.net/AppleCiderCalvados.htm)
Normandy’s famous apples and its fine apple-centric produce.
Fromages AOP de Normandie (www.fromage-normandie.com) Feeling cheesy?
Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com) Destination information, hotel bookings,
traveller forum and more.