We landed in a rainstorm at Charles de Gaulle Airport near Paris on September 11, 2011. When we booked our trip, we didn't think about that day being a memorial for 9/11, we just wanted to see France. Instead of going into Paris, where security around the Eiffel Tower and other touristy locations was high, we stayed near the airport at a Holiday Inn in a little town called Ville de Roissy. We were exhausted from the ten hours in the air, and the last leg of our three-week vacation would be spent in an apartment in Paris. This decision turned out to be a perfect way to start our French adventure.
Church in Ville de Roissy
some of the signs were in English
Onion Quiche
Restaurant billboard
It was Sunday--and most of the village businesses were closed. But that didn't stop John and I from taking a walk around town--in the rain. A few of the signs were in English which surprised us (most were not). One of the first buildings we saw was an old church with a rock face. I must have taken twelve pictures, but I only posted one. Since the restaurants in town hadn't opened for the evening, the billboard had nothing on it. The menu changes daily and is updated by the chef when the cafe opens. There were flowers and cobblestone streets. Even with our minimal time in this small town, I was falling in love with France. That evening, much earlier than the local dining time of 8:00 p.m., John and I ate at the hotel restaurant at five--we were starving! He had a burger; I chose onion quiche, and it was the best quiche I've ever had. http://www.holidayinn.com/hotels/fr/fr/roissy-en-france/parrv/hoteldetail/directions The Holiday Inn was close to the airport and a nice place to stay for one night. (I used points, so it was also FREE!) The place was clean, the rooms were small, but nicely appointed. BTW, whenever I travel to Europe, I buy a Rick Steves' book for reviewing what to see and where to go, and I use http://www.tripadvisor.com for places to stay. I pick a bed and breakfast whenever possible--one that has been highly rated based upon other travelers experiences.
Village de Roissy--near the Paris airport
one of the streets in de Roissy
Flowers in de Roissy
Ville de Roissy isn't a huge town. It was a quaint, authentic French village with bakeries and fruit stands and cobblestone streets. The Holiday Inn was within walking distance, so we headed back into town (less than a 10 minute stroll ) the next morning to buy our first chocolate croissants. I don't know what it is about French pastries, but they are melt-in-your mouth delicious. Ville de Roissy left me filling transported into another time. I would recommend staying here at least one night during your travels to Paris.
an old rock house
Roman Catholic Cathedral in Rouen, France
We own a TomTom GPS. Before leaving Oregon, we added the France map to our unit for about $80 and brought it with us. We rented a car at the airport and headed north on the first leg of our journey: Normandy. When I set the address for our final destination (St. mere Eglise) I selected no toll roads and ended up on the scenic backroads. It did take quite a bit longer, but we passed through a lot of gorgeous countryside and little towns. Midway between the airport and Honfleur, was Rouen. This is a large city; the most impressive piece of architecture was this old Catholic church. Don't get me wrong, Rouen has narrow streets where tourists can get lost (and we did). There were clocks and shops and bakeries and gelato, but it was far more bustling than I like. My husband and I both prefer the smaller towns. We explored on foot for about an hour, then headed further north to Honfleur.
Honfleur, Normandy
This little fishing village sits on the water and boy is it charming. The colors, the boats, the awnings, the dogs, the carousel--everything about this town made us want to stay. Unfortunately, we could only visit for a few hours. I did get tons of pictures, but am posting only a few on this blog. We probably walked at least five miles--up and down every side street we could find, trying to get lost, but never succeeding.
I would have loved to have stayed here. If I ever go back, I certainly will. http://en.ot-honfleur.fr
Village of Honfleur--right on the water
Doggie in the window
Tower in Honfleur
cobblestone streets
The color in Honfleur!
John in Honfleur
The buildings in Honfleur--delightful!
White Cross Manor
Gate for backyard of White Cross Manor
White Cross Manor backyard
Penny and Keith
In St. mere Eglise, we joined five other friends in a bed and breakfast called White Cross Manor. http://www.vrbo.com/190550 What can I say about this place? Our hosts (Penny and Keith) were great, the breakfast was great, and the cocktail hour was awesome. But I rated this location as below average because our room did not appear as advertised on vrbo. I have a disclaimer: We traveled with two other couples and one single companion. I didn't book the place (another member of our group did) and so I wasn't privy to his conversations or emails. I looked at the pictures on line and the B&B looked charming. I couldn't wait to arrive.
Apparently, White Cross Manor was not equipped to handle the seven people in our reservation, but did so anyway. It appeared they were in the process of remodeling a third floor attic space. At the time of our arrival, the space was primarily plywood and concrete and insulation--not the sweet, charming room I expected. And we had to share a bathroom with another person.
sofa with ugly covering-unfinished concrete walls
sitting area in loft room
fabric stapled to the particle
board ceiling
bed against particle board--wallpaper boarder on
top of particle board
insulation sticking out
shared bathroom/fabric stapled on walls/exposed
insulation on ceiling
As you can see, fabric covered the closet opening and the exposed plumbing in the bedroom and on the bathroom ceiling too. When the toilet flushed, a loud swish and gurgle went through our room. The furnishings in the room were Goodwill at best (and that is being generous). The rest of the house was decorated decently and the exterior of this property is very inviting with the rock face and the lush gardens.
From what I understand, our companions rooms appeared as pictured on vrbo. And it is also my understanding that we paid exactly the same for an inferior space.
How could this have been resolved? Well, I should have been proactive and had a hand in the reservation. This was my first experience turning it over to another party. I generally spend a great deal of time looking for the perfect place to stay. If I'd known in advance that our room would have looked like it did, I could have made other arrangements. Or if the cost of the unfinished room had been reduced--to reflect the uninviting accommodations--my review may have been different.
Penny and Keith were great hosts. It pains me to give a bad review. The accommodations were disappointing. We'd looked forward to this trip for over a year. I believe the room has now been updated, but I would clarify what your room will look like if that is important to you.
Last, we spent a day with Keith touring Normandy (extra expense but worth it). He is knowledgeable and familiar with the area. We saw sites we would have never been able to locate without him. The Normandy Tour will appear in Part II of my France blog.
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