Take a Vacation

[Green Monstah]

So we've plotted out our itinerary. It's much more moving around than what we'd like, primarily because of trying to work our way across Normandy to Mont Saint Michel. We're trying to get a taste of both urban and rural in each of the three countries we'll be visiting.

4 nights in London
2 nights in Benson UK (with day trip to the Cotswolds, maybe more)
Chunnel train from London to Paris
2 nights in Rouen
1 night in Bayeux
1 night in Mont Saint Michel
3 nights in Paris
Fly to Florence
3 nights in Florence
3 nights near San Gimignano, Italy (with day trips to Siena, Volterra, maybe more)
Fly back home with an overnight in Zurich

Way cool. I'm jealous.

There's plenty of great places to visit in old town Zurich (but IIRC, they all close relatively early) if you have the time and energy.

[Bo Diddley]

My only observation would be to not get lost in this. You might tell yourself you can find something you're interested in no matter where you go. But if you skip Normandy because your wife isn't interested in it at all, and it's something you really want to see, you might regret it later.

[Jeff Lebowski]

No Rome? Naples? Pompei?

[BigPiney]

I just booked a trip for me and 2 kids to Geneva in June on British Airways. Round trip in the poor section is low 800s for June and July out of Las Vegas. That is a great price for summer.

We are going spend half the time in Switzerland and the other part in Paris, maybe a day trip up to Belgium for some waffles. My dad, who is not doing well, loves France and one of his last wishes is to take the grandkids to Paris. I just hope he makes it.

[Pelado]

When does you trip begin? Bummer your wife isn't more into the D-Day thing. We've gone twice, spending pretty much all day both times, The first time I prepared my own tour using Stephen Ambrose's books (D-Day, Band of Brothers, Citizen Soldiers) as a guide; the wife and the three kids we took enjoyed it. Sadly, I can't find a copy of my masterwork... The other was the one mentioned in the Normandy thread.

Our first tour also included a visit to Pegasus Bridge (now torn down and moved to a nearby museum, I believe) and the Bayeux Tapestry which even the kids enjoyed, due in part to their being amused by a busload of very flatulent Romanian tourists.

That said, given your wife's preferences, perhaps it'd be better to opt for the Loire. There are a lot of cool chateaux (Chenonceau, Chambord and Amboise are great). On the way from Rouen you could visit Giverny (if your wife is a Monet fan) and Chartres Cathedral. Skipping Mont Saint Michel wouldn't be tragic. Although the crowds are gone, there's nothing to do there after hours.

The happier your wife is, the better the trip will be for both of you. Sorry I'm muddying the waters.

No need to apologize. I appreciate the insight. And she's not a fan of Monet. She does like Van Gogh's "Irises" painting (her favorite flower). Other than that, she doesn't seem to care much about art and doesn't want to go to a bunch of art museums/exhibits.

What she is interested in, is pretty much anything to do with Princess Diana or the wives of Henry VIII. So much of our time in the UK will be occupied by Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, and some castle near the border with Wales that was occupied by Catherine Parr. She claims she's related to Catherine.