16 days in Western Europe Itinerary
Created using Inspirock France trip itinerary planner
Start: Boston
Fly
1
Rouen
— 1 night
Drive
2
Honfleur
— 1 night
Drive
3
Bayeux
— 3 nights
Drive
4
Saumur
— 2 nights
Fly
5
Verdun
— 4 nights
Drive
6
Paris
— 4 nights
Fly
End: Boston
Thu, May 5 - Fri, May 20
Edit
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
View full calendar
Rouen — 1 night
©
City of a Hundred Spires
Rouen is situated on the River Seine, about 90 minutes from Paris.Start off your visit on the 6th (Fri): see the interesting displays at Historial Jeanne d’Arc, then admire the landmark architecture of Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Rouen, and then admire the masterpieces at Musee des Beaux-Arts de Rouen.
To see maps, where to stay, more things to do, and tourist information, read our Rouen tour itinerary planner.
Boston, USA to Rouen is an approximately 10-hour flight. The time zone difference moving from Eastern Standard Time (EST) to Central European Standard Time (CET) is 6 hours. Expect a bit cooler evenings in Rouen when traveling from Boston in May, with lows around 45°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 6th (Fri) early enough to drive to Honfleur.
Find places to stay May 5 — 6:
Highlights from your trip
Honfleur — 1 night
©
Honfleur is a town surrounding a beautiful little 17th-century harbor in Lower Normandy.Start off your visit on the 7th (Sat): make a trip to Vieux Bassin, take in the spiritual surroundings of Saint Catherine's Catholic Church, and then pause for some serene contemplation at Notre Dame de Grace.
Plan trip to Honfleur with our itinerary maker to find out where to go and what to do.
You can drive from Rouen to Honfleur in 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus; or do a combination of train and bus. May in Honfleur sees daily highs of 62°F and lows of 47°F at night. Finish your sightseeing early on the 7th (Sat) to allow enough time to drive to Bayeux.
Find places to stay May 6 — 7:
Highlights from your trip
Bayeux — 3 nights
©
Most travelers take a trip to Bayeux to see the famed tapestry depicting the legendary Norman Conquest from the 11th century.Eschew the tourist crowds and head to Cathedrale Notre-Dame and Omaha Beach. Deepen your sense of the past at sights like Normandy American Cemetery and Bayeux War Cemetery. And it doesn't end there: explore the world behind art at Musee de la Tapisserie de Bayeux, learn about all things military at Memorial de Caen, steep yourself in history at Remains Mulberry Harbour, and examine the collection at Musee du debarquement.
To find photos, ratings, and other tourist information, go to the Bayeux day trip planning site.
You can drive from Honfleur to Bayeux in 1.5 hours. Other options are to take a train; or do a combination of bus and train. In May, daily temperatures in Bayeux can reach 62°F, while at night they dip to 46°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 10th (Tue) early enough to go by car to Saumur.
Side Trips
Arromanches-les-Bains, Normandy American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, Batterie Allemande de Longues-Sure-Mer, Memorial de Caen
Find places to stay May 7 — 10:
Highlights from your trip
Saumur — 2 nights
©
Pearl of Anjou
Saumur is a famous historic town known for its locally grown mushrooms and for their production of a number of regional wines and celebrated Combier liqueurs.Kick off your visit on the 11th (Wed): have fun and explore at Le Cadre Noir, then steep yourself in history at Chateau of Azay-le-Rideau, and then step into the grandiose world of Château de l'Islette. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the next day: take an in-depth tour of Musee des Blindes and then do a tasting at Caves Louis de Grenelle.
Plan a Saumur trip in moments using our itinerary builder.
Drive from Bayeux to Saumur in 3 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train. In May, daily temperatures in Saumur can reach 64°F, while at night they dip to 46°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 12th (Thu) early enough to fly to Verdun.
Side Trip
Find places to stay May 10 — 12:
Highlights from your trip
Verdun — 4 nights
©
The River Meuse runs through Verdun forming several canals throughout the valley, surrounded by hills with historical fortresses, battlefields, and underground barracks, as well as a healthy beer brewing culture.Your inner history buff will appreciate Fort Douaumont and Douaumont Ossuary. Satisfy your inner culture vulture at Castle of Sedan and Verdun Memorial. Change things up with these side-trips from Verdun: Saint Mihiel American Cemetery (in Romagne-sous-Montfaucon) and Ouvrage de La Ferte (in La Ferte-sur-Chiers). Next up on the itinerary: steep yourself in history at Fort de Vaux, learn about all things military at Citadelle Souterraine de Verdun, see the interesting displays at Tranchée de l'Ouvrage de la Falouse à Verdun., and explore the different monuments and memorials at Cimetiere Militaire.
To see more things to do, reviews, traveler tips, and more tourist information, you can read our Verdun itinerary planning website.
Getting from Saumur to Verdun by flight takes about 3 hours. Other options: do a combination of train and bus; or drive. In May, plan for daily highs up to 67°F, and evening lows to 47°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 16th (Mon) early enough to drive to Paris.
Side Trips
Fleury-Devant-Douaumont, Tranchée de l'Ouvrage de la Falouse à Verdun., Cimetiere Militaire, Castle of Sedan, Fort de Vaux
Find places to stay May 12 — 16:
Highlights from your trip
Paris — 4 nights
©
City of Light
A beautiful and romantic city fit for any itinerary, Paris brims with historic associations and remains vastly influential in the realms of culture, art, fashion, food and design.Get some historical perspective at Arc de Triomphe and Île de la Cité. Your cultural itinerary includes sights like Basilique du Sacre-Coeur de Montmartre and Musee Marmottan Monet. When in Paris, make a side trip to see Le Grand Trianon in Versailles, approximately Versailles away. There's still lots to do: wander the streets of 1st Arrondissement, see the interesting displays at Musee du Parfum - Fragonard, don't miss a visit to Église Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, and stroll through Ile Saint-Louis.
Discover how to plan a Paris trip in just a few steps with Inspirock's itinerary builder.
Traveling by car from Verdun to Paris takes 3 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of bus and train. May in Paris sees daily highs of 64°F and lows of 49°F at night. Finish your sightseeing early on the 20th (Fri) so you can fly back home.
Side Trip
Find places to stay May 16 — 20:
Normandy travel guide
Discover the Alabaster Coast along the steep Normandy coast with spectacular chalk cliffs, a number of scenic villages, posh seaside holiday resorts, the Channel Islands, and the English Channel. The Channel Islands, although British Crown Dependencies, are considered culturally and historically a part of Normandy. Upper Normandy is predominantly more industrial, while Lower Normandy is predominantly agricultural. The shoreline is famed for the D-Day invasion by Allied troops on June 6, 1944, where you'll find museums and monuments with historical significance to World War II. As you explore the old towns, note the Norman architecture that follows a pattern similar to the English Romanesque architecture following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Typical Norman villages have many half-timbered houses in their old towns and historical vessels in their old ports. One of the most popular things to do along the Alabaster Coast is sampling its local products: The region produces hard apple ciders, Calvados apple brandies, and famous Bénédictine liqueur instead of wine due to its abundance of apple orchards.
