How to get around sabbatical

[garrett-sutton]

This might be an amendment on an existing post

[garrett-sutton]

Traveling with a 9-month-old, your best bet for getting to Normandy from Paris is by train or car. The train is more convenient and comfortable, but if you prefer flexibility, renting a car might be better. Once in Bayeux, besides Omaha Beach, consider visiting the American Cemetery, Pointe du Hoc, the Utah Beach Museum, and the Bayeux Tapestry. These sites offer a comprehensive understanding of the D-Day landings and their significance. Make sure to plan your itinerary with breaks and accommodations suitable for your little one's needs.

[garrett-sutton]

Lyon Part-Dieu is where we should get a train in Lyon. /it has an enterprise rental return. then go to Paris Gare de Lyon, France.

can basically ride subway to Vavin (close to where we are staying in Paris)

[garrett-sutton]

Follow up on getting to Paris. It might actually be easier to only drive from Briancon to Grenoble and get on the train there.

It looks like there is an enterprise location right next to the Grenoble train station.

[garrett-sutton]

Things on my mind today:

Based on it looking like we can save $200 by keeping the car the entire time from getting to france to getting on a train in Lyon, I'm leaning towards keeping the car and parking it in Nice while we are there (rather than returning and getting a new one). Parking in Nice -> I am leaning towards here even though the reviews sorta suck: QPark near Notre Dame

In doing this research, I was just about to book the parking when I realized that AmEx isn't going to work very well for us here. This has led me to be on a quest for a new credit card (one that is Visa or Mastercard).

• I found this one: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card that I generally liked but there might be other options

[garrett-sutton]

I think we might be able to get the train out of grenoble with this

Car search

• I am debating how big of a car we need for this trip too
• On one hand, it is likely that we have a lot of stuff
  • A carry-on bag for each of us, though it might make the most sense to just have 1 carry-on and pay for 1 checked bag for the ease of getting through airports (though that checked bag is going to cost ~$150 round trip)
  • Diaper bag
  • Pump bag?
  • Stroller with the bassinet
  • Does all of this fit in the car?
• On another hand, every review about parking and every picture of French roads/towns makes it look TIGHT.
  • This might be the move to make sure we fit nicely in places.

[garrett-sutton]

figuring out how to get to normandy and back

• Option 1: get car in paris and return car in paris
  • this option cost ~$205 = 180 (for car) + (at least) 25 for ($0.25/km over 500 km [we'll be at least 600 km])
  • This option leaves off the toll road coast to get back to the airport
  • This option also leaves off the gas cost round trip
  • Guesstimate says you add ~$120 to the total cost to cover tolls and gas
• Option 2: train from paris to caen, car in caen and return car to paris
  • this option costs ~$200 = 60 + 135
  • This leaves off subway to get to train station out of paris
  • This leaves off the toll road cost to get back to the airport
  • This leaves off the gas cost round trip
  • Guesstimate says to add ~$60 to total cost to cover tolls and gas
• Option 3: train from paris to caen, car in~ caen (for less than 1 day), train to paris
  • This leaves off subway to get to train station out of paris
  • this option costs ~$210 = 60 + 50 + 100
  • This leaves off the subway / uber cost to get from train station to the airport
  • This leaves off the cost of gas while in normandy
• Option 4: train from paris, car in caen (more than 1 day, train to paris
  • leave paris at 10 (AM) but need to get to that station via subway too.
  • this option costs ~$220 = $110 (round-trip train) + $110 car
  • this leaves off the subway to get to train station out of paris (
  • this leaves off the cost of the gas (will be negligable compared to option 3)
  • This leaves off the subway / uber cost to get from train station to airport (same as option 3)

Ended up choosing option 4

[garrett-sutton]

Final itinerary to make sure I have all of our ducks in a row:

Arrive in Nice on Thursday July 18 at 11 AM

Day	Train?	Car?	Parking	Lodging that night	Notes
July 18 (Thu)	N/a	pickup at 12:00 PM	at airbnb	Valdebore airbnb
July 19 (Fri)	N/a	cont	at airbnb	Valdebore airbnb
July 20 (Sat)	N/a	cont	q-park Notre Dame Nice	Saint Gothard Nice
July 21 (Sun)	N/a	cont	q-park Notre Dame Nice	Saint Gothard Nice
July 22 (Mon)	N/a	cont	near airbnb	Briancon airbnb
July 23 (Tue)	N/a	cont	near airbnb	Briancon airbnb
July 24 (Wed)	N/a	cont	near airbnb	Briancon airbnb
July 25 (Thu)	N/a	cont	near airbnb	Briancon airbnb
July 26 (Fri)	Grenoble to Paris (2:47 PM)	drop off at 1:00 PM in Grenoble		Hotel a la villa des artistes paris
July 27 (Sat)	paris metro	N/a		Hotel a la villa des artistes paris
July 28 (Sun)	paris metro	N/a		Hotel a la villa des artistes paris
July 29 (Mon)	Paris -> Caen (9:59 AM)	pickup at 12:00 PM	at hotel	ibis budget Bayeux
July 30 (Tue)	Caen -> Paris (4:57 PM)	drop off at 4:00 PM		Standing Hotel Suites by Actisource cdg
July 31 (Wed)				home