Q & A

Subject: Traveling in the French countryside without a car.

Question: How easy is it to travel in the countryside without a car? I am going to France in September. We will be taking a train from Paris to Tours for two days and then Tours to Caen, where we will need to go one day without a car. Then, we will drive through Normandy and down to Mont St Michel and St. Malo. In St. Malo, we will turn in the car and take the train back to Paris. Are our days in Tours, Caen, and St. Malo going to be miserable without our own transportation? What are the ins and outs of taking taxis and/or buses if there are any? Thank you!

Answer: In general it is very hard to get around the French countryside without a car. But if I understand your question you will not really need to get around, as there should be ample sites to see in Tours, Caen, and St. Malo. I would suggest that when you arrive, you go to the nearest Office de Tourisme(Tourist Office) and ask for a map and what are the suggest sites. I have done this a few time and have never been let down. If you do need transportation I would suggest taking the bus. Most buses in France work as fallows; You will either buy your tickets from the bus driver, where you can only buy a limited number at a time and pay full price, or from machines and big bus stations, where you can buy your tickets in a carnet, at a discount. Your tickets will usually last for an hour with an unlimited number of transfers. French cities tend to have very good public transportation, but I am not sure about Tours, Caen, and St. Malo.