France / Belgium / Netherlands 2023
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Introduction and Travel Tips
Planning help: There's so much information out there, that there wasn't any one resource that I looked at repeatedly. Rick Steves videos are always a good place to start.
Lessons Learned (What I would do differently): It rained at least a little on every day of the trip so we didn't always see as much as we had planned. It's all part of the process though and we couldn't have done much differently. Sometimes just wanting to get out of the rain affected out meal choices though (for the worse). The kids had no interest in the Normandy beaches (in terms of WWII history) but it would have been nice to at least stopped in Caen or at one of the beaches.
What were your favorite things?: Mont Saint-Michel has been on my bucket list and it was totally worth it.
Worth a splurge: We splurged on hotels with great views: the last hotel before the causeway out to Mont Saint-Michel, a hostel right at the foot of Montmartre, an apartment looking directly at the south facade of Chartres Cathedral.
Could've skipped: Maybe it's because it was at the end of a two week trip, but I didn't love Amsterdam. I feel like I would have liked it better in my 20's.
How much did it cost?:
Airfare: $5,000 for 4 people on Iceland Air, Boston to Paris then Amsterdam to Boston. Airfares were very high in 2023 with, I assume, a lot of people wanting travel after Covid restrictions. We also did a multi-city flight so that we didn't have to get back to Paris from Amsterdam at the end.
Transportation: $269 car rental from Hertz (4 days), $122 in gas (54 liters at 2.33 euros/liter average, the equivalent of $9.23/gallon); Overnight parking in Honfleur $27;Train tickets from Paris to Brugge (part high speed train, part local) $53; Train tickets from Brugge to Amsterdam (part high speed train, part local) $89; Paris Metro - $37 total for 4 people for 4 days; Amsterdam Metro - $50 for 4 people for 3 days
Food, Groceries, Snacks: $140/day average for 4 people
Hotel: Average: $303 per night: $250/night for a large, charming AirBNB in the 1st Arrondissement in Paris; $238/night for a great 2-floor AirBNB right in the heart of Honfleur; $425/night for a very large hotel as close as you can stay to Mont Saint-Michel without being on the island; $255/night in a hostel at the foot of Montmartre in Paris; $240/night for a small hotel room right in the middle of Brugge; $487/night for a large, modern AirBNB on a canal in Amsterdam.
"Excursions":
How much driving did you do?: tbd
How much walking did you do?: 260,000 steps, 105 miles (20,000 steps/day, 8 miles/day average)
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Itinerary: 4 days in Paris, 4 days in Normandy, 2 days in Brugge, 3 days in Amsterdam
Day 1 - Paris
We arrive in the afternoon and set out to explore the area near our apartment - the Right Bank from the Louvre to Sainte Chappelle.
Day 2 - Paris
We explore the first of many Passages Couverts de Paris on the way to the Opera Garnier. We spend the afternoon and the evening on the Champs des Mars - picnicking and discovering a puppet show, before taking a boat cruise on the Seine. We return to the Champ des Mars to see the light show of the Eiffel Tower.
Day 3 - Paris
Today is Left Bank day: we wander the neighborhood (and I think we saw a jewelry store robbery) on the way to the Musée de Cluny, Rue Mouffetard (my favorite street in Paris), and a trip up the Tour Montparnasse. We end the day at the Michelin-starred Frenchie Rue du Nil.
Day 4 - Paris
We work our way east to Le Marais with plans for more exploring but the rain stops us in out tracks, leading to a more casual day.
Day 5 - Giverny & Honfleur
After picking up our rental car, we visit Monet's House and Garden and spend the night in picturesque Honfleur.
Day 6- Honfleur & Mont Saint-Michel
Our road trip continues with a stop on the beach in Deauville and then on the Mont Saint-Michel, arriving in time for sunset.
Day 7 - Mont Saint-Michel & Chartres
We spend the morning wandering the narrow, hilly streets at Mont Saint-Michel, then drive west. stopping in Domfront and La Forte Vidame, before arriving for a spectacular light show project on Chartres Cathedral.
Day 8 - Chartres, Versailles, & Paris
We explore the interior and exterior of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Chartres before heading back to Paris. We make a stop in Versailles. The chateau is closed on Sundays but we get to "wander"around the grounds.
Day 9 - Brussels & Brugge
We take a high speed train to Brussels, do a quick stop to "pee" and then head to our home for the next two nights In Bruges.
Day 10 - Brugge
Brugge
Day 11 - Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Day 12 - Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Day 13 - Amsterdam & Zaanse Schans
