Thanks, I can definitely handle the hiking and would prefer to plan my own trip. The prices for guided tours are insane! Besides, I know enough about what happened to be a guide, rather than be guided. I can plot my course but have never been to France. We’re coming via London and would like to hear anyone else’s experience with local accommodations, car rental, dealing with French people, etc.
You have plenty of time to plan your trip. Could Airbnb to find lodging on your trip. You can communicate with your potential hosts on the best places to see and visit. Can be a great experience getting to know the locals.
You can arrange your own travel arrangements; and not be stuck with an itenerary forced on you. You can probably plan your own for 1/3 the price.
My older son planned a golf trip to Scotland three years ago for 10 guys. They all saved a boatload of money and he basically went for free and put $1,000 in his pocket. He met a number of people if he could plan future golf trips for them and buddies/clients, etc. figures he can net $1,500/person and save them half.
Bookmarked.
Google planning your trip to England and France. Lots of good info and advice on how to due it yourself.
My daughter and I had a wonderful, self-guided tour across northern France in August 2015 - but started from Paris this time, not London. Coming from London, I’d go either all the way to Mont St Michel on the west side of the Normandy Peninsula, or head south and east towards Belgium and then head west.
All of these battlefields are accompanied by nearby museums, most are very low cost.
We were driving - starting each day from a US-style hotel near the museum, then finishing each after noon late when the sites closed and driving to the next hotel. Bring a EU GPS or EU-GOS compatible phone!
After a few days in Paris, we drove west to Mont St Michel. Then across the Peninsula to Normandy then north France (Crecy and Agincourt in one afternoon), Belgium (WWI battlefields (Somme, Ypres, Passendaele, and cemetaries (two days), and then Waterloo south of Brussels the next day), then the Battle of the Bulge museums, and then back to Paris through Verdun.
1346: 669 anniversary of the English victory at Crecy
1415: 600 anniversary of the English victory at Agincourt
1433: 582 anniversary of the English siege of Mont St Michel
1815: 200 anniversary of the English victory at Waterloo
1914: 101 anniversary of the first German invasion through the Ardennes-Belgium woods.
1915: 100 anniversary of the French-Germany defeat/stalemate at Verdun
1916: 99 anniversary of the English stalemate at the Somme
1917: 98 anniversary of the English stalemate of the 3rd Battle of Ypres/Passandaele
1940: 75 anniversary of the second German invasion through the Ardennes-Belgium woods and passes
1940: 75 anniversary at the English retreat over the Dunkirk beaches and museums
1944: 71 anniversary of the American-English victory of Normandy invasion and its battles across France to Germany
1944: 71 anniversary of the third German invasion through the Ardennes-Belgium woods and passes
1945: 70 anniversary of the American victory in the Battle of the Bulge
Compared to many, we spent little time at Normandy itself, but were impressed with the hedgerows and fields behind the beaches, the Airborne assault museum, the beaches themselves, and the Pelican Bridge displays. Since we came from Mont St Michel, we entered the beaches “from the German side” - which was different from many impressions.
Sobering to see so many invasion routes taking the same roads, the same villages and towns, crossing the same bridges and fords as in years past.